apparent insensibility to
pain--we start, perhaps cry out, at the twinge of a tooth; in war we
become the dupes of the commonest stratagem, while they can never be
surprised. They see that they excel us in hunting--in endurance of
pain--in the power of encountering the fatigues and perils of savage
life--indeed, in every kind of knowledge which is deemed by them of
value--by their standard they are our superiors. "You are almost as
clever as an Indian," "You are as stupid as a white man," are common
expressions with them. They consider themselves as created for the
noblest of purposes. The Great Spirit made them, that they should
live, hunt, and prepare medicines and charms, in which they fancy they
excel. White men, on the other hand, were doomed to the drudgeries of
manufacturing cloths, guns, &c., for the use of the Indians.

The Five Nations called themselves _Ougwe-hohougwe_, that is, men
surpassing all others. This opinion, which they took care to instil
into their children, gave them that courage which made them so
terrible to their neighbours, and, indeed, to distant nations, for
their hostile incursions extended as far as Florida.

(5) _Unskilful Autmoin._--p. 57.

The Indian physicians possessed great skill as far as simples were
concerned. But it was their practice to profess to cure diseases,
rather by jugglery and witchcraft, than by those means which were
simple and near at hand. Could they be brought to look upon a disease
as purely natural, which they cannot, and treat it accordingly, their
materia medica would possess wonderful efficacy in their hands. The
great use which they make of their simples is for the cure of wounds,
fractures, dislocations, luxations, and ruptures. It is certain that
they are in possession of secrets and remedies which are admirable. A
broken bone is immediately set, and is perfectly solid in eight days'
time. It is related by a traveller, that a French soldier, who was in
garrison in a fort in Acadia, was seized with the epilepsy, and the
fits were become almost daily, and extremely violent; an Indian woman
that happened to be present at one of his fits, made him two boluses
of a pulverised root, the name of which she did not disclose, and
desired that one might be given him at his next fit, predicting
certain consequences and his complete cure by the second bolus, which
actually took place, and he ever after enjoyed a perfect state of
health.

In Acadia, the quacks or ph