8vo. Lugd. Porphyrii Opera. er. 4to. Lugd. Handsomely bound i

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Aristophanes' W Griechisch und Deu German binding.

Pindari Carmina, 1817. 3 vol.

Pindari Carmina. 1811. 2 tom.

Ciceronis Epistola læ, 1809. 6 tom. 8vo Martialis (M. Va Lateinisch und Deut 1787. 5 bande, 120 Plinii Panegyric Lips. 1796. 8vo. Tacitus, ex rece 1753. 2 tom.

Cleomedis Circul limibus. Edidit J.

Lydus (Joan. La Reipublicæ Romana

THE UNITED STATES LITERARY GAZETTE.

Published on the first and fifteenth day of every month, by Cummings,Hilliard, & Co. No. 1 Cornhill, Boston.Terms, $5 per annum, payable in July.
VOL. I.
BOSTON, FEBRUARY 1, 1825.
No. 20.

REVIEWS.

return of the Expedition, compiled, from | two millions of dollars, ($1,995,000), which has atthe notes taken by himself and the gentle-tended its construction, can be accounted for but by men with him, the work now under notice. high and steep ridges, which perhaps had not been a reference to the difficulty of making a road across The district of country which it was in- sufficiently explored, to ascertain the lowest levels tended that the Expedition should investi-and the most accessible points; and, as we think. gate, is of a triangular form, including to the injudicious manner in which the original about three hundred miles of longitude and contracts were given out. We were credibly inthe Missouri, the Mississippi, and the north- tracts to a second set of contractors, and in some seven hundred of latitude, and lies between formed, that in most cases the original undertakers did nothing themselves, but portion out their conern boundary of the United States. The cases it happened that the third or fourth set alone following extract will show the instructions performed the work, the other contractors sweeping which Major Long received from the gov- away immense sums without any labour.* Had

ernment.

the route been properly divided into small lots, and these only given to such as were really qualified to Accordingly, it was determined in the spring of execute the work, no doubt can exist that a con1823, by the executive, that an expedition be im-siderable saving would have been obtained. The Philadel-mediately fitted out for exploring the river St Peter's letting it out into large sections had the disadvanand the country situated on the northern boundary tage of making it an object of speculation, and of Hudson's Bay and Lake Superior.' of the United States between the Red River of alarming many who would otherwise have offered themselves as contractors.

Narrative of an Expedition to the Source
of St Peter's River, Lake Winnepeek, Lake
of the Woods, &c. &c. Performed in the
year 1823, by order of the Hon. J. C.
Calhoun, Secretary of War, under the
command of Stephen H. Long, Major U.
S. T. E. Compiled from the Notes of
Major Long, Messrs Say, Keating, and
Colhoun, by William H. Keating, A. M.
&c. Professor of Mineralogy and Chemis
try as applied to the Arts, in the Universi-
ty of Pennsylvania; Geologist and Histo-
riographer to the Expedition.
phia. 1824. 2 vols. 8vo.
THERE are many, both of the representa-
tives and the represented in Congress, who
think that a little of our national money
would be as economically laid out in pur-
chasing useful information respecting our
own country, as in paying members of the
legislature for making long speeches to get
themselves reelected, to say nothing of
many more unreasonable ways and means by
which our happy land is preserved from the
"embarras des richesses." But it happens
not to be the fashion to think so generally;
-and therefore our authors must continue
for a season to quote European books as the
best authorities respecting America, and
our members of Congress must again and
again defer the discussion of the expedien-
cy of taking possession of our Oregon, be-
cause most credible Englishmen or Span-
iards state conflicting or incredible facts,
touching this debateable land and water;
and the collected wisdom of the nation can

The command of the expedition was intrusted to
Major S. H. Long, and he received orders from the
War Department, dated April 25, 1823, of which
the following is an extract:

The route of the expedition will be as follows:
commencing at Philadelphia, thence proceeding to
Wheeling in Virginia, thence to Chicago via Fort
Wayne, thence to Fort Armstrong or Dubuque's
Lead Mines, thence up the Mississippi to Fort St
Anthony, thence to the source of the St Peter's
river, thence to the point of intersection between
Red River and the forty-ninth degree of north lati-
tude, thence along the northern boundary of the
United States to Lake Superior, and thence home-
ward by the Lakes.

The object of the expedition is to make a general survey of the country on the route pointed out, same, to ascertain the latitude and longitude of all together with a topographical description of the the remarkable points, to examine and describe its productions, animal, vegetable, and mineral; and to inquire into the character, customs, &c. of the Indian tribes inhabiting the same.'

At Fort Wayne the Expedition arrived on the 20th of May, and remained at this post three days. This village is maintained by the fur trade, and will probably flourish, or rather continue to exist, as long as Indians remain in the vicinity. It is one of many similar trading establishments in our northern and northwestern territory, and, judging from Mr Keating's account, may be fairly taken as a sample.

himself in a real Babel. The confusion of lan

To a person visiting the Indian country for the first time, this place offered many characteristic and singular features. The town or village is small; it has grown under the shelter of the fort, and conlation. The inhabitants are chiefly of Canada oritains a mixed and apparently very worthless popugin, all more or less imbued with Indian blood. Not being previously aware of the diversity in the character of the inhabitants, the sudden change from an American to a French population, has a surprising, and, to say the least, an unpleasant effect; for the first twenty-four hours, the traveller fancies guages, owing to the diversity of Indian tribes which generally collect near a fort, is not removed by an intercourse with their half-savage interpreters. The business of a town of this kind differs so materially from that carried on in our cities, that it is almost impossible to fancy ourselves still within the same territorial limits; but the disgust which we entertain at the degraded condition in which the white man, the descendant of the European, appears, is perhaps the strongest sensation which we experience; it absorbs all others. To see a being in road. The question of the propriety of opening, whom, from his complexion and features, we should at the national expense, a communication between expect to find the same feelings which swell in the the Ohio and Potomac, had been so much the sub- bosom of every refined man, throwing off his civilject of discussion, as to make us desirous of observ-ized habits to assume the garb of a savage, has ing the mode in which it had been executed, and something which partakes of the ridiculous, as the too favourable idea, which we are, perhaps, al- well as the disgusting. The awkward and conways led to form, of what carries with it a national strained appearance of those Frenchmen who had character, together with an account of the immense exchanged their usual dress for the breech-cloth The party consisted of Major S. H. Long of expenditure incurred in the making of this road, and blanket, was as risible as that of the Indian the U.S. corps of Topographical Engineers, had prepared us for a magnificent work. We were who assumes the tight-bodied coat of white men. who commanded the Expedition; Thomas therefore somewhat disappointed at the state in The feelings which we experienced while beholdSay, zoologist and antiquary; Samuel Sey-which we found it as it is very inferior in execu-ing a little Canadian stooping down to pack up and

long with him at his different stages. We
would remark, in passing, that his observa-
tions upon the great Cumberland road tend
to illustrate the nature of our public econ-

From Philadelphia to Fort Wayne, the devise no better way of learning something Expedition passed through a country, almost more about this immense river, than to sit the whole of which is well known; and alstill, until some Leather-stocking or other though all of Mr Keating's work is intercomes home from his beaver-hunt, and con-esting, our limits will not permit us to stop descends to enlighten their ignorance. The fact that the few expeditions which our government has sent into the interior, have been eminently successful and useful, instead of making our rulers think, that omy. enough is done, should, and, if they had Art has done little to add to the charms of the learned that true economy is the same natural scenery, except in the construction of a thing with wise expenditure, would teach them the propriety of sending more. But the period for this degree of illumination may be yet far off;-and in the mean time we must tell our readers something of Major Long's Second Expedition.

mour, landscape painter and designer; and William H. Keating, mineralogist and geologist. This last gentleman has, since the

tion to the Maryland road, which connects with it.

l'here is in the whole of the national road but little

to justify the high eulogiums which have been passed
upon it. The immense expense, amounting to nearly

manner a fortune of one hundred and twenty thou sand dollars.

* One of these is said to have accumulated in this

306

not of a favourable nature.

At each unusual mo

weigh the hides which an Indian had brought for sale, while the latter stood in an erect and commanding posture, were of a mixed and certainly tion of the white man's, his dress, which he had not properly secured, was disturbed; and while engaged in restoring it to its proper place, he was the butt of the jokes and gibes of a number of squaws and Indian boys, who seemed already to be aware of the vast difference which exists between them and the Canadian fur-dealer.

The principal tribe of Indians in this region is that of the Pottawotamies, of whom our author gives rather a minute account. Perhaps no part of it is so interesting as that which relates to their notions and practices with respect to education.

They appear to be very attentive to the proper education to be given to children, in order to impart to them those qualities both of the mind and body; which shall enable them to endure fatigue and privation, and to obtain an influence, either in the counsels of the nation, or during their military operations. When questioned on this subject, Metea father began to instruct him, and incessantly, day replied, that while he was yet very young, his after day, and night after night, taught him the traditions, the laws, and ceremonies of his nation. This he did,' said Metea, that I might one day benefit my country with my counsel.' The education of boys generally commences at ten or twelve years of age; they accustom them early to the endurance of cold, by making them bathe every morning in winter. They likewise encourage them to habituate themselves to the privation of food. In this manner, children are observed to acquire, more readily, the qualifications which it is desirable for an Indian to possess. Parents use no compulsory means to reduce their children to obedience, but

fact, that it was impossible for a garrison (deep gloom over its brightest features. Cold and
contemplate unmoved and uninterested the huge
of seventy to ninety men to raise grain callous must be the heart of the voyager who can
enough for their own consumption, although cliffs that enclose this lake, for 'wild as the accents
much of their time and labour was devoted of lovers' farewell are the hearts which they bear,
to agricultural pursuits. The little grain and the tales which they tell.'
There was a time,' our guide said, as we passed
they could raise, was so fiercely attacked
by the birds, that a party of soldiers was near the base of the rock, when this spot, which
the scene of one of the most melancholy transac
kept constantly engaged in shooting at you now admire for its untenanted beauties, was
crows and blackbirds! From Chicago, on tions that has ever occurred among the Indians.
Lake Michigan, Major Long wished to go There was, in the village of Keoxa, in the tribe of
directly to Prairie du Chien, being per- Wapasha, during the time that his father lived and
suaded that the route was practicable, al-ruled over them, a young Indian female, whose
name was Winona, which signifies "the first born."
though no one had been known to pass She had conceived an attachment for a young hur-
through it; but an old Frenchman thought ter, who reciprocated it; they had frequently met,
he could find his way across, and under his and agreed to an union in which all their hopes
direction they set forward, and reached centred; but on applying to her family, the hunter
their destination-which is on the Missis-was surprised to find himself denied; and his
tion, who had sued for her. The warrior was a
sippi, in latitude 43°3'-in safety, and with-claims superseded by those of a warrior of distinc-
out encountering especial inconvenience. general favourite with the nation; he had acquired
a name, by the services which he had rendered to
Here the Expedition was reinforced by an
escort of ten men under command of Lieut. his village when attacked by the Chippewas; yet
Scott of the 5th Reg. U. S. Army. The notwithstanding all the ardour with which he pressed
her parents and brothers, Winona persisted in pre-
to the Falls of St Anthony, and the rest ferring the hunter. To the usual commendations
party then divided, some going up the river his suit, and the countenance which he received from
It is difficult for of her friends in favour of the warrior, she replied,
pursuing the land route.
us to do full justice to Mr Keating's inter-that she had made choice of a man who, being a
esting description of the scenery through professed hunter, would spend his life with her, and
warrior would be constantly absent, intent upon
which he passed. Our readers may take secure to her comfort and subsistence, while the
the following extract as a specimen of the martial exploits. Winona's expostulations were,
literary character of these volumes. The however, of no avail; and her parents, having suc-
lake which is spoken of is something more ceeded in driving away her lover, began to use
than half way from the Falls of St Antho-harsh measures in order to compel her to unite
ny to the head waters of the streams which
flow into Winnepeek Lake.

with the man of their choice. To all her entreaties,

About that

that she should not be forced into an union so repugnant to her feelings, but rather be allowed to Lake Pepin, in most places, fills nearly the whole live a single life, they turned a deaf ear. Winona of the valley between the contiguous bluffs. In two had at all times enjoyed a greater share in the affecspots, however, a handsome piece of meadow land tions of her family, and she had been indulged more, is observed, which will offer great inducements for than is usual with females among Indians. Being the establishment of farms. The general direction a favourite with her brothers, they expressed a wish of the lake is from west-north-west to east-south-that her consent to this union should be obtained east. The scenery along its shores contrasts strongly by persuasive means, rather than that she should with that of the river. Instead of the rapid current of be compelled to it against her inclination. With the Mississippi winding around numberless islands, a view to remove some of her objections, they took means to provide for her future maintenance, and some of which present well-wooded surfaces, while others are mere sandbars, the lake presents a smooth presented to the warrior all that in their simple and slugglish expanse of water, uncheckered by a mode of living an Indian might covet. single island, and whose surface at the time we first time a party was formed to ascend from the village to Lake Pepin, in order to lay in a store of the blue observed it, towards the close of the day, was unruffled; nothing limited the view but the extent of clay which is found upon its banks, and which is the lake itself; the majestic bluffs, which enclose used by the Indians as a pigment. Winona and her it, extend in a more regular manner, and with a friends were of the company. It was on the very more uniform elevation than those along the river.day that they visited the lake that her brothers of When seen from the top of one of these eminences,fered their presents to the warrior. Encouraged by the country is found very different from that in the these he again addressed her, but with the same ill vicinity of the mountain island, passed on the 28th success. Vexed at what they deemed an unjustìof June, for it is rather rolling than hilly; and the fiable obstinacy on her part, her parents remonquantity of timber upon it is comparatively small, strated in strong language, and even used threats to especially to the west, where it assumes the general compel her to obedience. characters of an elevated prairie land. About half" you will drive me to despair; I said I loved him way up the lake, its eastern bank rises to a height not, I could not live with him; I wished to remain of near four hundred and fifty feet, of which the first a maiden; but you would not. You say you love one hundred and fifty are formed by a perpendicu-me; that you are my father, my brothers, my relalar bluff, and the lower three hundred constitute ations, yet you have driven from me the only man very abrupt and precipitous slope, which extends with whom I wished to be united; you have comfrom the base of the bluff to the edge of the water.pelled him to withdraw from the village; alone, he This forms a point, projecting into the lake, and now ranges through the forest, with no one to assist bounded by two small basins, each of which is the him, none to spread his blanket, none to build his estuary of a brook that falls into the lake at this lodge, none to wait on him; yet was he the man of place. The wildness of the scenery is such, that my choice. Is this your love? But even it appears even the voyager, who has gazed with delight upon that this is not enough; you would have me do more; you would have me rejoice in his absence; the high bluffs of the Mississippi, is struck with uncommon interest on beholding this spot. There is you wish me to unite with another man, with one in it what we meet with on no other point of the far-whom I do not love, with whom I never can be happy. Since this is your love, let it be so; but soon you will have neither daughter, nor sister, nor bank whose base is washed by a wide expanse of relation, to torment with your false professions of water, the calmness of which contrasts with the affection." As she uttered these words, she with savage features of the landscape; but this spot re-drew, and her parents, heedless of her complaints, ceives an additional interest from the melancholy decreed, that that very day Winona should be tale which is connected with it, and which casts a united to the warrior. While all were engaged in

they generally succeed in obtaining a powerful in-
fluence over them, by acting upon their fears; they
tell them that if they do not behave themselves as
they are bid, that they will irritate the Great Spirit,
who will deprive them of all luck as hunters, and
as warriors. This, together with the constant and
never ceasing importance, which the children ob-
serve, that their parents attribute to luck in all their
pursuits, is found to have the desired effect upon
the minds of young persons, fired with the ambition
of becoming distinguished, at some future day, by
their skill and success. Their fasts are marked by
the ceremony of smearing their faces, hands, &c.
with charcoal. To effect this, they take a piece of
wood of the length of the finger, and suspend it to
their necks, they char one end of it, and rub them-
selves with the coal every morning, keeping it on
until after sunset. No person, whose face is black-
ened, dares eat or drink any thing during that time;
whatever may be the cravings of his appetite, he
must restrict them until the evening arrives, when
he may wash off his black paint, and indulge,
moderately, in the use of food. The next morning
he repeats the ceremony of blackening his face, and
continues it from day to day, until the whole of his
piece of wood be consumed, which generally takes
place in the course of from ten to twelve days.
From Fort Wayne the Expedition de-
parted to penetrate the wilderness of about
two hundred miles, which separated them
from Chicago;-and so completely was it
a wilderness, that their horses could scarce-
ly get through the swamps, or find food
enough to keep them alive. But get
through they did, and in eight days reach-
ed Fort Dearborn in Chicago. This place
is in the state of Illinois, and at the south-stretching valley of the Mississippi, a high project-
west corner of Lake Michigan. The soiling point, a precipitous crag resting upon a steep
and climate of this region, and the many
facilities it offers for cultivation have been
praised rather extravagantly, if we may
believe, upon Mr Keating's authority, the

"Well," said Winona,

busy preparations for the festival, she wound her
way slowly to the top of the hill; when she had
reached the summit, she called out with a loud
voice to her friends below; she upbraided them for
their cruelty to herself and her lover. "You," said
she, "were not satisfied with opposing my union
with the man whom I had chosen, you endeavoured
by deceitful words to make me faithless to him. but
when you found me resolved upon remaining single,
you dared to threaten me; you know me not if you
thought that I could be terrified into obedience;
you shall soon see how well I can defeat your destructions, and finally concluded to follow
signs." She then commenced to sing her dirge; the the course of the Red River into Lake
light wind which blew at the time, wafted the words Winnepeek, and to pass from that lake to
towards the spot where her friends were; they im- Lake Superior, by the common route by
mediately rushed, some towards the summit of the the Lake of the Woods and Rainy Lake.
hill to stop her; others to the foot of the precipice Through Mackinaw, Detroit, and Niagara,
their eyes, entreated her to desist from her fatal they travelled to Rochester, and thence by
purpose; her father promised that no compulsive the canal to Albany.

to receive her in their arms, while all, with tears in

measures should be resorted to. But she was re

On the 26th of October they reached Philadelsolved, and as she concluded the words of her song, phia, having been absent about six months, during she threw herself from the precipice, and fell a which time they travelled over upwards of four lifeless corpse, near her distressed friends. Thus, thousand five hundred miles, the whole party being added our guide, has this spot acquired a mel- blessed with health, meeting with no accident of ancholy celebrity; it is still called the Maiden's any account, and undergoing hardships and privaRock, and no Indian passes near it, without invol- tions, far less considerable than those which they untarily casting his eyes towards the giddy height, had expected to undergo, and which have tried the to contemplate the place, whence this unfortunate perseverance and courage of other explorers. girl fell a victim to the cruelty of her relentless parents.'

It had been supposed, from the relations of various travellers, that the head waters of the streams which feed the great lakes and then pass down the St Lawrence, were very near the sources of the Mississippi and its principal tributaries. This supposition was singularly confirmed by the discoveries, if they may be so called,-of this Expedition. Big Stone Lake is the head of St Peter's river, which falls into the Mississippi.

The river having taken a bend to the west, we continued our route in what appeared to have been an old water-course, and, within three miles of the Big Stone Lake, found ourselves on the banks of Lake Travers, which discharges its waters by means of Swan or Sioux river into the Red river of Lake Winnepeek, whose waters, as is well known, flow towards Hudson's Bay. The space between Lakes

A very large part of these volumes is occupied with accounts of various Indian tribes; but an article in our last has perhaps said as much about the aborigines of this country as our readers may wish to hear. Little very new or peculiarly intereating is to be found in this work respecting this subject. The Expedition had no "hair-breadth 'scapes" to tell of, unless it was the following-which occurred as they were marching along the Red River, between Lake Travers and Pambina.

rise to no river, while the sources of the most con- then low in the horizon, and added that we had no
siderable rivers are distant from the high chains of time to proceed further, and that we had better en-
camp with them that night. *** Major Long de-
mountains.'*
The Expedition proceeded down the Redclined their invitation, whereupon they insisted
that our party should encamp at a neighbouring
River, and ascertained the spot where it grove which they pointed out to us, as they observ
crosses the northern boundary of the Unit- ed that this would be a convenient place for their
ed States. Major Long became convinced chief to come and smoke with us in the evening.
of the impossibility of passing along this While this conversation was going on, Mr Say re-
boundary to the east, agreeably to his in-marked that, either through design or accident, the
Indians had intermixed themselves so much with
our party, that every one of our number was plac-
Mr Snelling
ed between two or more of theirs.
overheard them talking of our horses, admiring them,
and examining the points of each; one of their
band had even ventured so far as to ask him which
horse was considered the best of the party. Find-
ing that all further conversation was a waste of
time, and having given them as much tobacco as
our small stock of Indian presents allowed us to
spare, Major Long mounted his horse, and gave his
men orders to march. The Indians attempted no
opposition at the time; but after we had travelled
about a quarter of a mile, they following in our
rear, a gun was fired at some distance on the
prairie, to the right of our line, and a number of
mounted Indians were seen in that direction, com-
ing towards us.
made a signal to them that we were white men; and
Those who had followed us, then
ran up to us to desire that, as their chief was then
coming up, we would stop and shake hands with
him; the party halted, until the mounted Indians
had come up and greeted us in the usual manner.
Observing that their chief was not among them,
Major Long again set his men in motion, but be-
fore we had proceeded far, several of them ran up
to the head of the line, fired their guns across our
path, reloaded them immediately, and formed a
crescent in front of the leader, to prevent him from
must have been about seventy or eighty, while ours
proceeding. At that time the number of Indians
amounted only to twenty-five. Their intentions
could not be misunderstood. It was probable that
they did not care much to harm our persons, but
they were anxious to pilfer our baggage, and espe-
cially to secure our horses; and as we were re-
solved not to part with them without a struggle, it
was evident that the first gun fired would be the
signal for an attack, which must end in the total
destruction of our party; for the number of the In-
dians, and their mode of dispersing upon the prai-
rie, and continually changing their situation during
a skirmish, would have given them a very great ad-
and baggage, we would have remained collected
in a body, and exposed to their arrows and balls.
But even in such a case they must have lost some of
their number, and this consideration, all-powerful
with Indians, probable induced them to defer their
attack until night, when their advantages would be
still greater; and hence their anxiety that we
should encamp in their vicinity. Had Major Long
been perfectly free to act as he pleased, he would
have avoided all further conversation, and have
proceeded the whole night without stopping at all
that evening; but this he could not do as long as
some of the gentlemen were separated, for in such a
case they would have been easily cut off by the In-
It was with a view to give them a chance
as
to overtake us, that he had continued the confer-
ence so long, and that he finally decided upon en-
camping at a point of wood then in sight, but fur-
ther than that which had been proposed by the In-
dians. With this view, the Major ordered the men
to march; when one of the Indians advanced up
to the head of the line, stopped the horse of the
there, and whose name was George Bunker, imme-
leader, and cocked his gun. The soldier who was
diately imitated this action, determined to be pre-
moment Major Long marched up to the head of the
pared for a shot as soon as his antagonist; at this
line, and led off the party. There can be no doubt
that the resolution thus manifested had a great in-
fluence in preventing the Indians from making an
immediate attack.

While riding quietly across the prairie, with the eye intent upon the beautiful prospect of the buffaloes that were grazing, our attention was suddenly aroused by the discharge of a gun in the vicinity of the river, which flowed about half a mile west of the course that we were then travelling. While we were reckoning up our party, to know if any had straggled to a distance, we saw two Indians

Travers and Big Stone, is but very little elevated running across the prairie; their number increased vantage over us, as, in order to protect our horses

above the level of both these lakes; and the water has been known, in times of flood, to rise and cover the intermediate ground, so as to unite the two lakes.

We found that

very soon to twelve or fifteen, who hastened towards us, but as soon as they came near to our party, stopped and examined us with minuteness; after which they presented their hands to us; we In fact, both these bodies of water are in the same It was immediately observed valley; and it is within the recollection of some gave them ours. persons, now in the country, that a boat once floated that they were in a complete state of preparation from Lake Travers into the St Peter. Thus, there- for war, being perfectly naked, with the exception fore, this spot offers us one of those interesting phe- of a breech-cloth. They had even laid their blannomena which we have already alluded to, but kets by. All of them were armed with guns, appawhich are no where perhaps so apparent as they rently in very good order, or with bows and arrows, Their appearance though at are in this place. Here we behold the waters of and some with both. two mighty streams, one of which empties itself first friendly soon became insulting. Their party into Hudson's Bay at the fifty-seventh parallel of had, in the mean while, increased to thirty or for north latitude, and the other into the Gulf of Mexi- ty, so that they outnumbered ours. co, in latitude twenty-nine degrees, rising in the they belonged to the Wahkpakota or Leaf Indians, same valley within three miles of each other, and whose character, even among their own country even in some cases offering a direct natural naviga- men, is very bad. Mr Jeffries, who was to act as tion from one into the other. We seek in vain interpreter, being away, we availed ourselves of Mr for those dividing ridges which topographers and Snelling's knowledge of the language to communihydrographers are wont to represent upon their cate to them, in the course of conversation, our maps in all such cases, and we find a strong con-objects and intentions, as well as the friendly refirmation of that beautiful observation of a modern ception which we had met with on the part of Watraveller, that it is a false application of the principles of hydrography, when geographers attempt to determine the chains of mountains, in countries of which they suppose they know the course of rivers. They suppose that two great basins of water can only be separated by great elevations, or that a considerable river can only change its direction where a group of mountains opposes its course; they forget, that frequently, either on account of the nature of the rocks, or on account of the inclination of the strata, the most elevated levels give

notan and the other Indians whom we had seen.

This we declined

In a tone rather imperative than courteous, they
expressed their wish that we should go o their camp
and speak to their old chief.
doing, informing them that some of our party had
separated from us, and that we had a long journey
to travel, They pointed to the sun, which was

* Introduction to 'Humboldt's Political Essay of the Kingdom of New Spain, translated by John Black, London, 1811,' page lxxxvi.

It was night before we reached the place where we intended to halt. The tents were not pitched

308

The position was selected at a distance from the tle remains for us to do, but to give some tation, he is persuaded by his friends "to river, as the banks of the stream are skirted with account of these their present productions. brave the tyrant's wrath." A civil commowoods in which a number of Indians were distinctly And-if we may already quote the language tion ensues, which causes Gracchus, in the seen. Our horses were staked with very short ropes, of Caius Gracchus first, with the first." fifth act, to take refuge in the temple of the arms were all examined and loaded afresh, six centinels placed on duty, and the rest of the party Those who have read the tragedy of Vir- Diana, whither Cornelia, with his wife and remained up ready to resist any attack; a large ginius, or who have witnessed its perform-child, had already fled for safety. Being fire was kindled in order to apprize our companions ance on the stage, will probably be in some pursued into the sanctuary by Opimius and of our situation; and in this unpleasant uncertainty degree disappointed in the perusal of Caius his followers, the catastrophe is achieved about their fate we remained until they made their Gracchus. We indeed observe the same by the self-effected death of Gracchus. appearance. They had fortunately seen no Indians. faults, the same colloquialism bordering on The supply of provisions which they brought was tasted, but found inferior to the buffalo. The fat vulgarity of style, and the same weak, of the elk partakes of the nature of tallow, and is hobbling attempts at blank verse; but we much less fusible than that of other animals, so that can discern few of the redeeming beauties unless eaten very hot it consolidates and adheres to which have ensured to Virginius "its little the mouth. The best part of the animal is the ud-hour upon the stage." Lord Byron wrote der, which, being fixed upon a forked stick, was roasted before the fire. As soon as our meal was

finished, the fire was extinguished. A few Indians had accompanied us to our camp, but all withdrew after a while except an old worthless man, who was recognized by several of the party, as his character was notorious at Fort St Anthony. This fellow was one of the most impudent of the band, ceaselessly begging for tobacco, whiskey, &c. When he was told that the party had no whiskey with them, and that they had given as much tobacco as they could spare, he observed with the greatest effrontery, what then can you give me? Observing that Mr Keating was drinking out of his canteen, one of these Indians came up to him, and extended his hand, asking for whiskey; being told that it contained water, and not whiskey, he attempted to take the canteen, which was, however, resisted.

The party being again safely united, Major Long considering that, if an attack was intended, it would to allow the horses to rest until midnight, when the be made a short time before daylight, determined moon, rising, would make it pleasant and safe to travel. Accordingly at that hour we resumed our line of march. Our preparations for departure were made with the greatest expedition and silence, so as not to be observed by the Indians at a distance, and to avoid disturbing the old man that was sleeping or affecting to sleep under one of our carts; in the latter purpose, however, we failed; the old man awoke, and seeing what we were about, he left us immediately, notwithstanding the attempt made to amuse him with conversation until we should be ready to start; but we could not detain him; we saw him walk over the prairie, and by the light of the moon traced his figure until he approached near to the river, when he disappeared in the woods. This was the last Dacota whom we

saw.

The plates in these volumes are excellent; they are the best which we recollect to have seen in any American book of travels. And as we think illustrations of this sort add more to the value of the work than they can add to its cost, we hope that Messrs Carey & Lea will be encouraged to pursue the same plan in their future publications, and that other publishers may be induced to follow their example.

a drama expressly for the closet, a drama
of more poetical power than any modern
production of the kind with which we are
acquainted; it was enacted by His Majes-
ty's servants at Drury-Lane, and, to use
the phrase of Mr Brulgruddery, "ruined
past all condemption." Mr Knowles wrote
Caius Gracchus expressly for the stage,
and there perhaps it has escaped the con-
demnation it must receive in the closet.
But to enable our readers to judge of its
merits and its demerits, we will give a brief
sketch of its story, and then proceed to
make some extracts of its worse and its
better parts.

The scene is laid at Rome, in the 633d
brother of that Tiberius who had perished
year of the city, when Caius Gracchus (the
some years previous in consequence of the
seditions caused by his revival of the Agra-
rian law) began to exercise the power
which he had acquired by his popular tal-
ents and personal courage, and, perhaps
above all, by his vehement and immoderate
contempt for the Patricians, and his resist-
ance to all their encroachments. He is
introduced in the tragedy before us, de-
fending the cause of Spurius Vettius, who
had been accused of treason against the
state. By effecting the acquittal of Vet-
tius he increased his popularity, and
rendered himself more than ever obnox-
ious to all the Patricians, and particu-
larly to Lucius Opimius, who, to re-
move him from the city and thus nip
danger in the bud," procures his appoint-
ment to the Quaestorship; and Gracchus,
having informed his mother, Cornelia, and
his wife, Licinia, of his new honours, sets
out with Opimius on his journey, and closes
the first act.

The first passage which we select for quotation is part of the speech of Gracchus in favour of Vettius.

C. Gracc. Romans! I hold a copy of the charge-
And depositions of the witnesses.
Upon three several grounds he is arraigned.
First, that he strove to bring the magistracy
Into contempt; next, that he formed a plot,
With certain slaves, to raise a tumult; last-
And were there here the slightest proof, myself
Would bid him sheathe a dagger in his breast!—
That he conspired with enemies of Rome
With foreigners! barbarians! to betray her!
The first, I'll answer-Vettius is a Roman,
The next, I'll answer-Vettius is a freeman,
And 'tis his privilege to speak his thoughts.
And never would make compact with a slave.
The last, I'll answer-Vettius loves his country,
And who that loves his country would betray her!
But, say they, We have witnesses against him.'
Name them!-Who stands the first upon the list?
Who next? A Slave-Set down a Roman Knight.
A Client-I'll oppose to him a Senator.
Who follows last? The Servant of a Questor-
I'll place a Tribune opposite to him!
Slave, or my Roman Knight?-Their Client, or
How stand we now? Which weighs the heavier?
Their Questor's Servant, or my Tribune?-Their
My Senator?-Now, call your witnesses!

Marc. We'll have no witnesses!
Tit. For your sake, Caius, we acquit him.
Marc. Vettius is innocent!

Citizens. Ay! Ay! Ay!

Marc. The tribes acquit Vettius by acclamation.
Opim. Hear me, I say!
Citizens. No! No! No!

C Grace. Their voices are against you, Opimius! Flamin. To please the people we withdraw our charge.

In the following, Caius transfers his own fate to his brother.

Go ask the Tiber if he lives again.
C. Gracc. Tiberius lives again! Alas, my friends!
Cry for him to its waters! they do know
Where your Tiberius lies, never to live
Where they do murmur o'er him; but with all
Again! Their channel was his only grave,
The restless chafing of their many waves,
Cannot awake one throb in the big heart
That wont to beat so strong, when struggling for
Your liberties!

It was Caius, and not Tiberius, who was murdered by order of the consul, and whose body was thrown into the Tiber.

The following exhibits many of the char

The second act supposes his full Quæstorship to have expired, and Gracchus to have returned to Rome, where he is imme-acteristic faults of the author. diately summoned before the senate and people, to answer to the charge of treason, preferred against him by Opimius. Being acquitted of this charge, he offers himself for, and is chosen to, the office of tribune. In the third act, Lucius Drusus, the colleague of Gracchus, is made the tool of Opimius and the senate, to turn the popular current in their favour; and Opimius obtains the consulship, and prevents the reTHESE two tragedies are of a very differ- election of Gracchus to the tribuneship. In ent, and perhaps we might add, of a very the fourth act, Gracchus appears smarting indifferent order. The author of each is under his persecutions, and indignant at the well known to the dramatic world, and lit-abrogation of his laws; and, after some hesi

Caius Gracchus: A Tragedy, in five acts. By James S. Knowles, author of Virginius. New York. 1824. 18mo. pp. 58. Alasco; A Tragedy, in five acts. By Martin Archer Shee, Esq. R. A. Excluded from the English Stage by the authority of the Lord Chumberlain. New York. 1824. 18mo. pp. 86.

Licinia. I do not care for greatness.
It is a thing lives too much out of doors;
Tis any where but at home; you will not find it
Once in a week, in its own house, at supper
With the family! Knock any hour you choose,
And ask for it; nine times in ten, they'll send you
Or such a one's, in quest of it! 'Tis a month
Since Caius took a meal from home, and that
Was with my brother. If he walks, I walk
Along with him, if I choose; or, if 1 stay
Behind, it is a race 'twixt him and the time
And when he's back, and the door shut on him
He promised to be back again, which is first.
Consummate happy in my world within,
I never think of any world without!

To the Senate, or the Forum, or to such