ces of uncivilised Americans,
without a claim to their virtues."

"I will not fatigue your ears," continued the Highlander, "with the
recital of all the events I was engaged in during the progress of the
war. The description of blood and carnage is always disagreeable to a
humane mind; and, though the perversity of mankind may sometimes render
war a necessary evil, the remembrance of its mischiefs is always
painful. I will only mention one event, continually lamented in the
annals of this country, because it is connected with the untimely fate
of my noble friend and gallant leader.

"It was determined by those who governed that we should march through
the woods upon a distant expedition against the French. The conduct of
this enterprise was given to a brave but rash commander, totally
unacquainted with the people he had to oppose, and unskilled in the
nature of a savage war. We therefore began our march through the same
trackless wilds I have described, and proceeded for several days without
any other difficulties than the nature of the country itself produced,
and without seeing the face of an enemy. It was in vain that officers of
the greatest experience, and particularly my worthy colonel, suggested
to our commander the necessity of using every precaution against a
dangerous and insidious foe.

"War is not managed, amid the forests of America, in the same manner as
it is conducted upon the plains of Europe. The temper of the people
there conspires with the nature of the country to render it a continual
scene of stratagems and surprise. Unencumbered with tents or baggage, or
numerous trains of artillery, the hostile warriors set out in small and
chosen parties, with nothing but their arms, and are continually upon
the watch to deceive their enemies. Long experience has taught them a
degree of sagacity in traversing the woods which to us is
inconceivable. Neither the widest rivers nor the most extensive forests
can retard them for an instant. A march of a thousand miles is scarcely
to them a greater difficulty than the passage of a European army between
two neighbouring towns. The woods themselves afford them a continual
supply of provisions in the various animals which they kill by the
chase. When they are near their enemies they frequently lurk all day in
thickets, for fear of a discovery, and pursue their march by night.
Hundreds of them sometimes pursue their course in the same line,
treading only in each other'