the maxim, "Might makes right." All that civilization does
for the generality, is to cover up this with a veil of subtle evasions
and chicane, and here and there to rouse the individual mind to appeal
to heaven against it.

I have no hope of liberalizing the missionary, of humanizing the sharks
of trade, of infusing the conscientious drop into the flinty bosom of
policy, of saving the Indian from immediate degradation, and speedy
death. The, whole sermon may be preached from the text, "Needs be that
offences must come, yet we them by whom they come." Yet, ere they
depart, I wish there might be some masterly attempt to reproduce, in art
or literature, what is proper to them, a kind of beauty and grandeur,
which few of the every-day crowd have hearts to feel, yet which ought to
leave in the world its monuments, to inspire the thought of genius
through all ages. Nothing in this kind has been done masterly; since it
was Clevengers's ambition, 'tis pity he had not opportunity to try fully
his powers. We hope some other mind may be bent upon it, ere too late.

At present the only lively impress of their passage through the world is
to be found in such books as Catlin's and some stories told by the old
travellers, of which I purpose a brief account.

First, let me give another brief tale of the power exerted by the white
man over the savage in a trying case, but, in this case, it was
righteous, was moral power.

"We were looking over McKenney's trip to the Lakes, and, on observing
the picture of Key-way-no-wut, or the Going Cloud, Mr. B. observed "Ah,
that is the fellow I came near having a fight with," and he detailed at
length the circumstances. This Indian was a very desperate character,
and whom all the Leech lake band stood in fear of. He would shoot down
any Indian who offended him, without the least hesitation, and had
become quite the bully of that part of the tribe. The trader at Leech
lake warned Mr. B. to beware of him, and said that he once, when he (the
trader) refused to give up to him his stock of wild rice, went and got
his gun and tomahawk, and shook the tomahawk over his head, saying
"_Now_, give me your wild rice." The trader complied with his exaction,
but not so did Mr. B. in the adventure which I am about to relate.
Key-way-no-wut came frequently to him with furs, wishing him to give for
them cotton cloth, sugar, flour, &c. Mr. B. explained to him that he
could not trade for furs, as he was sent there