selves in catching fish for supper, walking in the
woods, swinging, singing, playing on some musical instrument, &c. I
have often been on these parties, and never spent my time more to my
satisfaction; which is more than you will be able to say of that spent in
reading this scrawl from

Yours, &c.

_Philadelphia, May 7th, 1795._

DEAR SIR,

In answer so your last, respecting the aborigines of this continent, I am
almost ashamed to inform you, I have scarcely any particulars on the
subject worth troubling you with. Ever since my arrival in America, I have
made up my mind to take the first opportunity of going to the westward on
a shooting party, for a month or two, among the Indians; for which purpose
I procured an introduction to the young _corn-planter_, son to a
chief of the six nations, who is here for his education. He was no sooner
informed of my intention, than he gave me a cordial invitation to attend
him on his return in the fall; or, if I could not then make it convenient,
at any other time; but the distance is so great, that, to confess the
truth, I have never yet been able to raise the _necessary supplies_,
and am likely to leave America without seeing a single wigwam.

The Indians have a fine natural genius for oratory, painting, and
sculpture: I have a specimen of the latter cut with a knife on a piece of
hickory, which is destitute neither of elegance of design, nor neatness of
execution. But the most extraordinary trait in the character of these _red
men_ is their _continence_. We have every year fourteen or fifteen of
their chiefs in this city, to form treaties, and other public business.
They are often attended with well-made young men in the prime of life,
and yet I never heard but of _one_ instance of their engaging in a
love-intrigue of _any kind_. They frequently tomahawk and scalp the most
beautiful women, who are so unfortunate as to fall into their hands in
time of war.--Each warrior cuts the number of scalps he has taken on his
war club, and distinguishes the sex by certain marks. Several of these
clubs, and other indian trophies taken from famous chiefs in former wars,
are deposited in the Philadelphia Museum. On one war club I counted _five_
fatal proofs of the savage who owned the weapon having butchered as many
women!

But whatever cruelties they practise on their female captives, they are
never known to take the slightest liberty with them _bordering on
indecency_. Mary Rowlandson,