most deplorable state to which a human being can be brought. No expedients were taken for her recovery ; so that without much ceremony she was left unassisted to perish above ground. This is the common, and indeed the constant, practice of the Indians. When a grown person is so ill, especially in the summer (when they cannot be hauled), as not to be able to walk, and too heavy to be carried, they say it is better to leave one who is past recovery, than for the whole family to sit down with them and starve to death; well knowing that they cannot be of any service to the afflicted. On these occasions, therefore, the friends and relations of the sick generally leave them some victuals and water, and perhaps a little firing, When those articles are provided, the persons to be left are acquainted with the road which the others intend to go, and then, after covering them up with deer-skins, &c. they take their leave and walk away crying. Sometimes persons thus left recover, and come up with their friends, or wander about till they meet with other Indians whom they accompany. The poor woman above-mentioned came up with us three several times, after having been left in the manner described. At length, poor creature! she dropped behind, and no one attempted to go back in search of her. A custom apparently so unnatural is not, perhaps, to be found among any other of the human race." (P. 202-3.)

"Old age is the greatest calamity that can befall a northern Indian; for when he is past labour he is neglected and treated with great disrespect even by his own children. They not only serve, him last at meals, but generally give him the coarsest and worst of the victuals; and such of the skins, as they do not

choose to wear, are made up into clothes in the clumsiest manner for their aged parents; who, as they had treated their fathers and mothers with the same neglect, submit patiently to their lot, knowing it to be the common misfortune attendant on old age. So that they wait patiently for the melancholy hour, when being no longer capable of walking they are to be left alone to starve and perish for want. One half at least of the aged persons of both sexes absolutely die in this miserable condition." (P. 345.) " We saw the tracts of some strangers. My companions, the Indians, were at the trouble of searching for them, and finding them to be poor inoffensive people, plundered them not only of the few furs which they had, but took also one of their young women from them." (P. 273.)

I think that every crime of which human nature is capable, except deliberate murder, has now been recorded of these poor half-starved savages. In exhibiting to view this yet remaining feature of the depravity of their nature, I must recite a story, the atrocity and cruelty of which can only be equalled by the gross superstition of the perpetrators. I have, nevertheless, been induced to record it in these pages, with the feeble hope of exciting the attention of some of the Benevolent Societies of Europe to so wide a field for their philanthropic exertions. It seems that in a glen on the banks of the Copper-mine River lay a small encampment of harmless and peaceable Eskimaux, whom Mr. Hearne's companions, notwithstanding his remonstrances, resolved to murder and to plunder. Having crept unperceived into ambush within two hundred yards of their tents, the following scene took place. The small number of their in

tended victims rendered all idea of serious resistance impossible.

"While we lay in ambush the Indians performed the last ceremonies which were thought necessary. These chiefly consisted in painting their faces, some all black, some all red, and others with a mixture of the two: and to prevent their hair from blowing into their eyes, it was either tied before and behind, or on both sides, or else cut short all round. The next thing was to make themselves as light as possible for running, which they did by pulling off their stockings and either cutting off the sleeves of their jackets, or rolling them up close to their arm-pits; and though the muskitoes at that time were numerous, yet some of the Indians actually pulled off their jackets and entered the lists quite naked, except their breechcloths and shoes. By the time they had made themselves completely frightful it was near one in the morning; (in the summer solstice and within the arctic circle, therefore it was not dark;) when finding all the Eskimaux quiet in their tents, they rushed forth from their ambuscade and fell upon the poor unsuspecting creatures, unperceived till close at the very eaves of their tents; when they soon began the bloody massacre, while I stood neuter in the rear. The scene was shocking beyond description. The poor unhappy victims were surprised in the midst of their sleep, and had neither time nor power to make any resistance. Men, women, and children, in all upwards of twenty, ran out of the tents stark naked, and endeavoured to make their escape; but the Indians having possession of all the land side, to no place could they fly for shelter. One alternative only

remained, that of jumping into the river; but as none

attempted it, they all fell a sacrifice to Indian barbarity. The shrieks and groans of the poor expiring wretches were truly dreadful: and my horror was much increased at seeing a young girl, seemingly about eighteen years of age, killed so near me, that when the first spear was stuck into her side she fell down at my feet and twisted round my legs, so that it was with difficulty I could disengage myself from her dying grasps. As two Indian men pursued this unfortunate victim, I solicited very hard for her life; but the murderers made no reply till they had stuck both their spears through her body and transfixed her to the ground. They then looked me sternly in the face, and began to ridicule me by asking if I wanted an Eskimaux wife, and paid not the smallest regard to the shrieks and agony of the poor wretch who was twining round their spears like an eel! Indeed after receiving much abusive language from them on the occasion, I desired they would dispatch their victim out of her misery. On this request being made, one of the Indians hastily drew his spear from the place where it was first lodged, and pierced it through her breast near the heart. The love of life, however, even in this miserable state was so predominant, that, though this might most justly be called a merciful act to the poor creature, it seemed unwelcome; for though much exhausted by pain and loss of blood, she made several efforts to ward off the friendly blow. My situation, and the terror of my mind at beholding this butchery, cannot easily be conceived, much less described: even at this hour I cannot reflect on the transactions of that horrid day without shedding tears. The brutish manner in which these savages used the bodies they had thus bereaved of

life, was so shocking that it would be indecent to describe it: " &c. (P. 152, &c.)

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Among the various superstitious customs of these people it is worth remarking, that after my companions had killed the Eskimaux at the Copper-mine River, they considered themselves in a state of uncleanness, which induced them to practise some very curious and unusual ceremonies. In the first place, all who were absolutely concerned in the murder were prohibited from cooking any kind of victuals, either for themselves or others. Two in the company who had not shed blood were employed as cooks till we joined the women. When the victuals were cooked, all the murderers took a kind of red earth or ochre, and painted all the space between the nose and the chin, and the greater part of the cheeks almost to the ears, before they would taste a bit; and would not drink out of any other dish, or smoke out of any other pipe but their own, and none of the others seemed willing to drink or smoke out of theirs." (P. 205.)

After this full survey of the savage state of society, I shall be satisfied with respect to the pastoral tribes with quoting a very few passages from Mr. Malthus's chapter "Of the Checks to Population among the modern Pastoral Nations."

"The Mahometan Tartars are said to live almost entirely by robbing and preying upon their neighbours as well in peace as in war.” "The Usbecks, who possess as masters the kingdom of Chowarasm, leave to their tributary subjects, the Sarts and Turkmans, the finest pastures of their country, because their neighbours on that side are too poor or too vigilant to give them hopes of successful plunder. Ra