1 been attracted by the vicinity, the manners, and the language of Laufanne; and our narrow habitations in town and country are now occupied by the first names and titles of the departed monarchy. These noble fugitive are entitled to our pity; they may claim our esteem, but they cannot, in their prefent flate of mind and fortune, much contribute to our amufement. Inftead of looking down as calm and idle fpectators on the theatre of Europe, our domeftic harmony is fomewhat embittered by the infufion of party fpirit: our ladies and gentlemen affume the character of felftaught politicians; and the fober dictates of wisdom and experience are filenced by the clamour of the triumphant democrates. The fanatic miffionaries of fedition have scattered the feeds of difcontent in our cities and villages, which had flourished above two hundred and fifty years without fearing the approach of war, or feeling the weight of government. Many individuals, and fome communities, appear to be infefted with the Gallic phrenzy, the wild theories of equal and boundless freedom; but I truft that the body of the people will be faithful to their fovereign and to themfelves; and I am fatisfied that the failure or fuccefs of a revolt would equally terminate in the ruin of the country. While the aristocracy of Bern protects the happiness, it is fuperfluous to enquire whether it be founded in the rights of man: the economy of the ftate is liberally fupplied without the aid of taxes; and the magiftrates must reign with prudence and equity, fince they are unarmed in the midst of an armed nation. In a letter from Laufanne, Auguft 1789, he fays: Are you not amazed at the French revolution? They have the power, will they have the moderation to establish a good conftitution?' Laufanne, September 9, 1789. Far from delighting in the whirl of a metropolis, my only complaint against Laufanne is the great number of ftrangers, always of English, and now of French, by whom we are infefted in fummer. Yet we have efoaped the dumned great ones, the count d'Artois, the Polignacs, &c. who flip by us to Turin. What a scene is France! While the affembly is voting abftract propofitions, Paris is an independent republic; the provinces have neither authority nor freedom, and poor Necker declares that credit is no more, and that the people refufe to pay taxes. Yet I think you must be feduced by the abolition of tythes. If Eden goes to Paris you may have fome curious information. Laufanne, December 15, 1789. What would you have me fay of the affairs of France? We are too near, and too remote, to form an accurate judgment of that wonderful fcene. The abuses of the court and government called aloud for reformation; and it has happened, as it will always happen, that an innocent well-difpofed prince has paid the forfeit of the fins of his predeceffors; of the ambition of Lewis the fourteenth, of the profufion of Lewis the fifteenth. The French nation had a glorious opportunity, but they have abused, and may lose their advantages. If they had been content with a liberal tranflation of our fyftem, if they had refpected the prerogatives of the crown, and the privileges of the nobles, they might have ralfed a folid fabric on the only true foundation, the natural ariftocracy of a great country. How different is the profpect! Their king brought a captive to Paris, after his palace had been ftained with the blood of his guards; / the nobles in exile; the clergy plundered in a way which ftrikes at the root of all property; the capital an independent republic; the union of the provinces diffolved; the flames of difcord kindled by the worst of men (in that light I confider Mirabeau) and the honefteft of the afïembly, a fet of wild vifionaries, (like our Dr. Price) who gravely debate, and dream about the establishment of a pure and perfect democracy of five-and-twenty millions, the virtues of the golden age, and the primitive rights and equality of mankind, which would lead, in fair reafoning, to an equal partition of lands and money. How many years must elapse before France can recover any vigour, or refume her ftation among the powers of Europe! As yet, there is no fymptom of a great man, a Richlieu or a Cromwell, arifing, either to restore the monarchy, or to lead the commonwealth. The weight of Paris, more deeply engaged in the funds than a l the rest of the kingdom, will long delay a bankruptcy; and if it fhould happen, it will be, both in the cause and the effect, a measure of weakness, rather than of strength. You fend me to Chamberry, to fee a prince and an archbishop. Alas! we have exiles enough here, with the marshal de Caftres and the duke de Guignes at their head; and this inundation of rangers, which u'ed to be confined to the fummer, will now ftagnate all the winter. The only ones whom I have feen with pleafure are Mr. Mounier, the late prefident of the national affembly, and the count de Lally; they have both dined with me. Mounier, who is a ferious dry politician, is returned to Dauphine. Lally is an amiable man of the world, and a poet: he paffes the winter here. You know how much I prefer a quiet felect fociety to a crowd of names and titles, and that I always feek converfation with a view to amusement, rather than information. What happy countries are England and Swifferland, if they know and preferve their happinefs.' Laufanne, 1790. I paffed four days at the caftle of Copet with Necker; and could have wifhed to have fhewn him, as a warning to any afpiring youth poffeffed with the dæmon of ambition. With all the means of private happiness in his power, he is the most miserable of human beings: the paft, the prefent, and the future are equally odious to him. When I fuggefted fome domeftic amusements of books, building, &c. he answered, with a deep tone of defpair," Dans l'êtat ou je fuis, je ne puis fentir que le coup de vent qui m'a abbatû," How different from the careless cheerfulness with which our poor friend lord North fup, orted his fall! Madame Necker mai tains more external compofure, mais le Diable n'y perd rien." It is true that Necker withed to be carried imo the closet, like old Pitt, on the fhoulders of the people; and that he has been ruined by the democracy which he had raised. I believe him to be an able financier, and know him to be an honest man; too honest, perhaps, for a minifter. His rival Calonne has paffed through Laufanne, in his way from Turin; and was foon followed by the pince of Condé, with his fon and grandfon but I was too much indifpofed to fee them. They have, or have had, fome wild projects of a counter-revolution: horfes have been bought, men levied: fuch foolish attempts must end in the ruin of the party. Burke's book is a moft admirable medicine a gait the French disease, which has made too much progrefs even in this happy country. I admire his eloquence, I approve his politics, I adore his chivalry, and I can forgive even his fuperftition. The primitive church, which I have treated with fome freedom, was itself at that time an innovation, and I was attached to the old Pagan establishment. fpread fo many lies about the fentiments of the English nation, that I with the moft confiderable men of all parties and defcriptions would join in fome public act, declaring themselves fatisfied and refolved to fupport our prefent conftitution. Such a declaration would have a wonderful effect in Europe; and, were I thought worthy, I myself would be proud to fubfcribe it. I have a great mind to fend fomething of a sketch, fuch as all thinking men might adopt. The French Laufanne, April 9, 1791. Poor France! the ftate is difiolved! the nation is mad! Laufanne, July 1, 1791. The news of the king of France's escape muft have reached you before the 28th, the day of your departure, and the profpect of ftrange unknown diforder the greateft men, wandered from the may well have fufpended your firmeft truth, in predicting, or rather conrefolves. The royal animal is again jecturing, the poffible confequences of caught, and all may probably be this revolution, fo wonderful as it has quiet. fince proved, and fo pregnant with further confequences, which, after what has happened, no human forefight can divine. The above, and many other paffages, from his letters, evince how widely Mr. Gibbon, in common with Several Curious Particulars of the CUSTOMS and MANNERS of the NORTHERN INDIANS, on the Borders of HUDSON'S BAY: Extracted from Mr. Hearne's Journey from Prince of Wales' Fort, on Hudfon's Bay, to the Northern Ocean. THE CONTENTS. Strange Tenure of Property, and particularly of Wives.-Mode of Wreftling. Great Influence of fuppofed Conjurers.-Character of the Northern Indians. Their Deteftation of Murder.-An Exception in Matonabbee, a Northern Indian Leader. His atrocious Attempt to affaffinate the Hufband he had injured.-His curious Sentiments of Women.-Character and Qualifications of his Wives.-The Northern Indian's Ideas of Beauty.Degrading Treatment of their Wives.-Plurality of Wives.-Virtuous Character of the Northern Indian Women.-Shocking Depravity of the Southern Indians. IT as an act of great generofity, if they condefcend to make an unequal exchange; as, in general, abuse and infult are the only return for the lofs which is fuftained. T has been a custom among these Northern Indians, for the men to wrestle for any woman to whom they are attached; and, of course, the ftrongest party always carries off the prize. A weak man, unless he be a The way in which they tear the good hunter, and well beloved, is women and other property from one feldom permitted to keep a wife that another, though it has the appearance a ftronger man thinks worth his no- of the greatest brutality, can scarcely tice: for, at any time when the wives be called fighting. I never knew any of thofe ftrong wreftlers are heavy- of them receive the leaft hurt in thefe laden, either with furs, or provifions, rencontres. The whole business conthey make no fcruple of tearing any fifts in hauling each other about by other man's wife from his bofom, and the hair of the head: they are feldom making her bear a part of his lug- known either to ftrike or kick each gage. This cuftom prevails through- other. It is not uncommon for one out all their tribes, and caufes a great of them to cut off his hair, and to fpirit of emulation among their youth, grease his ears, before the contest bewho, from their childhood, are, upon gins. This, however, is done priall occafions, trying their ftrength and vately; and it is fometimes truly fkill in wrestling. This enables them laughable, to fee one of the parties to protect their property, and parti- ftrutting about with an air of great cularly their wives, from the hands importance, and calling out, Where of those powerful ravifhers; fome of is he? Why does he not come out?' whom make almoft a livelihood, by when the other will bolt out with a taking what they please from the clean-fhorn head, and greafed ears, weaker parties, without making them rufh on his antagonist, feize him by any return. Indeed, it is reprefented the hair, and, though perhaps a much weaker man, foon drag him to the for, in the ftruggle, I have feen the ground, while the ftronger is not able poor girls ftripped quite naked, and to lay hold on him. It is very fre- carried by main force to their new quent, on thofe occafions, for each lodgings. At other times it was pleaparty to have fpies, to watch the fant enough to fee a fine girl led off other's motions, which puts them the field from a husband she disliked, more on a footing of equality. For with a tear in one eye, and a finger want of hair to pull, they feize each on the other: for custom, or delicacy other about the waift, with legs wide- if you pleafe, has taught them to extended, and try their ftrength, by think it neceffary to whimper a little, endeavouring to vie who can firft let the change be ever fo much to their throw the other down. inclination. I have, throughout this account, given the women the appellation of girls, which is pretty applicable, as the object of the contest are generally young, and without any family: few of the men choose to be at the trouble of maintaining other people's children, except on fome very particular occafions. On these wrestling occafions, the ftanders-by never attempt to interfere in the conteft. Even one brother offers not to affift another, unless it be with advice, which, as it is always delivered openly on the field, during the conteft, may, in fact, be faid to be equally favourable to both parties. It fometimes happens that one of the wreftlers is fuperior in ftrength to the other; and, if a woman be the cause of the conteft, the weaker is frequently unwilling to yield, notwithstanding he is greatly overpowered. When this happens to be the cafe, the relations and friends, or other byeftanders, will fometimes join to perfuade the weaker combatant to give up the conteft, left, by continuing it, he fhould get bruifed and hurt, without the leaft probability of being able to protect what he is contending for. I obferved that very few of those people were diffatisfied with the wives that had fallen to their lot; for, whenever any confiderable number of them were in company, fcarcely a day paffed without fome overtures being made for contefts, of this kind; and it was often very unpleasant to me, to fee the object of the conteft fitting in penfive filence, watching her fate, while her husband and his rival were contending for the prize. I have, indeed, not only felt pity for those poor wretched victims, but the utmost indignation, when I have seen them won, perhaps, by a man whom they mortally hated. On thefe occafions, their grief and reluctance to follow their new lord have been fo great, that the business has often ended in the greatest brutality; Some of their old men, who are famous on account of their fuppofed skill in conjuration, have great influence in perfuading the rabble from committing thofe outrages; but the humanity of thefe fages is feldom known to extend beyond their own families. In defence of them they will exert their utmost influence; but, when their own relations are guilty of the fame crime, they feldom interfere. This partial conduct creates fome fecret, and several open enemies; but the generality of their neighbours are deterred, through fear or fuperftition from executing their revenge, and even from talking difrefpectfully of them, unless it be behind their backs; which is a vice of which almost every Indian in this country, without exception, is guilty. Notwithstanding the Northern Indians are fo covetous, and pay fo little regard to private property, as to take every advantage of bodily ftrength to rob their neighbours, not only of their goods, but of their wives, yet they are, in other refpects, the mildest tribe, or nation, that is to be found on the borders of Hudfon's Bay: for, let their affronts or loffes be ever fo great, they will never feek any other revenge than that of wrestling. As for murder; which is fo common a mong all the tribes of Southern Indians, it is feldom heard of among them. A murderer is fhunned and detefted by all the tribe, and is obliged to wander up and down, forlorn and forfaken even by his own relations and former friends. In that refpect, a murderer may be compared to Cain, after he had killed his brother Abel. The cool reception he meets with by all who know him, occafions him to grow melancholy, and he never leaves any place but the whole company fay, There goes the murderer!'-The women, it is true, fometimes, receive an unlucky blow from their husbands for misbehaviour, which occafions their death; but this is thought nothing of: and for one man or woman to kill another out of revenge, or through jealoufy, or on any other account, is thought fo extraordinary, that very few are now exifting who have been guilty of it. At the prefent moment, I know not one, befide Matonabbee, who ever made an attempt of fuch a nature. Page 104 to 109. 1 horrid deed, he fat down as compofedly as if nothing had happened, called for water to wash his bloody hands and knife, fmoked his pipe as ufual, feemed to be perfectly at eafe, and asked if I did not think he had done right.' Page 04. • Yet this man,' continues Mr. Hearne, ‹ is, in every other refpect, of fuch univerfal good fenfe, and, as an Indian, of fuch great humanity, that I am at a lofs how to account for his having been guilty of fuch a crime, unless it be from his having lived among the Southern Indians fo long, as to become tainted with their blood-thirsty and vindictive difpofition.' Page 109. This latter circumstance is adduced, not by way of extenuating the guilt of Matonabbee, but to account for this almost fingle exception, in the character for great humanity, which Mr. Hearne has afcribed to the Northern Indians. There is another trait, however, in the character of Matonabbee, which an European fair one will be little difpofed to admire. He attributed, days Mr. Hearne, all our misfortunes, in our former excurfions, to the mifconduct of my guides; and the very plan we purfued, by defire of the governor, in not taking any women with us, was, he faid, the principal thing that occafioned all our wants: for,' faid he, Matonabbee was a famous leader among the Northern Indians, whom Mr. Hearne met with in his return to Prince of Wales' Fort, and whom he afterward engaged to act as his guide, in his third excurfion to the Copper Mine River. This man had forcibly robbed another Indian of his wife, when all the men are heavy-laden, who, fome time after, took an op- they can neither hunt nor travel to portunity of eloping from her ravisher, any confiderable diftance; and, in and rejoining her husband. This poor cafe they meet with fuccefs in huntman, in the fequel, rejoined Mr. ing, who is to carry the produce of Hearne's party, at a place called their labour? Women,' he added, Clowey; and Matonabbee having were made for labour: one of them heard that he had fpoken difrefpect- can carry, or haul, as much as two fully of him for having taken his wife men can do. They also pitch our away by force, determined to murder tents, make or mend our clothing, him. He actually ftabbed him in the keep us warm at night; and, in fact, back in three places, and would have there is no fuch thing as travelling effectually completed his blocdy pur- any confiderable diftance, or for any pofe, but for timely interference. length of time, in this country, with The three wounds, however, being out their affiftance. Women,' faid fortunately on the fhoulder-blade, he again, though they do every proved not to be mortal. When thing, are maintained at a trifling exMatonabbee returned to his tent,' fays pence; for, as they always ftand cook, Mr. Hearne, after committing this the very licking of their fingers, in |