inated, by the
Spanish settlers in Mexico, whither he had traveled in his early youth.
In his eyes, these Christians were base idolaters; for such was the
impression made on him by the images and crucifixes that he beheld, and
the marks of veneration that were paid to these idols of wood and
stone, by the superstitious and degenerate Spaniards of that district.
When, therefore, he heard Henrich endeavoring to inculcate the worship
of Jesus, as the Son of God, on Oriana and Jyanough, he not unnaturally
regarded him as a believer in all the deities whose images he had seen
associated with that of Jesus, and receiving equal homage.

Such, unhappily, has too often been the impression made on the minds of
the heathen, in every quarter of the globe, by the vain and
superstitious observances of the Roman Church, when her ministers have
proposed to their acceptance so corrupt a form of Christianity, instead
of the pure and holy doctrines of unadulterated Scripture. To those
nations already given over to idolatry it has appeared that their
civilized teachers were only offering them another kind of image-
worship; but to the Indians of North America--who make use of no images
of their deity, and generally acknowledge but one Great Spirit of
universal power and beneficence, and one Spirit of evil--the carved and
painted figures of the Spanish invaders naturally gave the idea of a
multitude of gods; and, in some of them, excited unbounded indignation
and hatred. This was the case with Coubitant; who, though totally
uninfluenced by any love or fear of the Great Mahneto whom he professed
to worship, was yet--like many other bigots of various countries and
creeds--keenly jealous of any innovations in the religion of his
nation; and ready to oppose, and even to exterminate, all who attempted
to subvert it.

He now regarded Henrich as such an aggressor on the national faith and
practice; and he consequently hated him with a redoubled hatred, and
ceased not to plot in secret his ultimate destruction.

Meanwhile, his intended victim was passing his time in considerable
enjoyment, and with a sense of perfect security, among the Crees. This
tribe was at that time remarkable for hospitality, and likewise for
courage and integrity. These good qualities have sadly degenerated
since their intercourse with Europeans has enabled them to gratify the
passion of all savages for intoxicating liquors: but at the period of
which we are speaking, t