ED.

Heroes are not perfect. We deem it necessary to make this observation,
because many modern biographers seem to imagine that their heroes _are_
perfect, and even attempt to prove them to be so. We therefore feel it
necessary to disclaim any such imagination or intention in regard to
_our_ hero. Alexander Mackenzie was indeed a hero, and a very fine
specimen of a man--mentally as well as physically--if we are to credit
the report of those who knew him best; but he was not perfect.

For instance, he evidently acted sometimes on the fallacious notion that
whatever gave pleasure to himself must necessarily give pleasure to all
other men. Acting on this idea in the present instance, he sought to
delight the hearts of these Slave and Dog-rib Indians by presenting them
with pipes and tobacco, and inducing them to smoke. To the credit of
humanity be it recorded that they received the gift with marked dislike,
although they were too polite to absolutely refuse it. Slaves though
one section of them were in name, they were not slaves to tobacco; and
the other section being Dog-ribs, had, we presume, too little of Adam's
rib in them to find pleasure in smoke. Of course, they knew _something_
about smoke, but it was chiefly as a nuisance, which was very
troublesome to the eyes, and which usually issued from the tops of their
wigwams--not from human lips. It must also be recorded that those
estimable savages entertained a strong antipathy to grog when it was
produced. Their hearts were reached, however, and their souls
gladdened, when knives, beads, awls, firesteels, flints, and hatchets
were presented to them; and we can fancy how animated and earnest would
be their converse over the wigwam fires, for weeks and months, if not
for years, afterwards, when they brought out, for the thousandth time,
and feasted their wondering eyes on, those delightfully useful
implements, which had been left by the mysterious white beings who had
dropped upon them so suddenly, as if from the skies, and whom they felt
half inclined at first to reverence as gods.

Having won their confidence and esteem, Mackenzie proceeded to question
them as to that portion of the great river which yet lay before him.
Their account was an exaggerated echo of that previously obtained from
the Indians of Great Slave Lake. Being, therefore, of little or no
value, our hero was obliged to advance, and solve the question for
himself. As before, the effect of