ngly, how many vices attend civilization,
which it seems as if men might just as well be free from, as when I
compared these Indians with the common white people about us,--the
stage-drivers, mill-men, and others,--with no smoking nor drinking nor
tobacco-chewing, and so strong and graceful, and sure in their aim, that
no gymnast I have ever seen could compare with them. The ingenious ways
in which they helped themselves along in places where any boat of ours
would have been immediately overturned, converting obstacles often into
helps, were fascinating to study. As night came on, I began to wish that
their consciences were a little more developed, or, rather, that they
had a little more sense of responsibility with regard to us. The safety
of their passengers is no burden whatever on the minds of the Indians.
Their spirits seem to rise with danger. They know that they could very
well save themselves in an emergency, and I believe they prefer that
white people should be drowned. I could only look into the imperturbable
faces of our boatmen, and wonder where we were to spend the night.
Finally, with a terrible whirl, which I felt at the time must be our
last, they entered a white foaming slough (a branch of the river), and
drew up on the bank. They announced to us then that we were to walk a
mile through the woods, to a house. I think no white man, even the most
surly of our drivers, would have asked us to do that,--in perfect
blackness, the trees wet and dripping,--but would have managed to bring
us to some inhabited place. They started off at a rapid gait, and we
followed. We could not see their forms; but one carried something white
in his hand, which we faintly discerned in the darkness, which served as
our guide. They sang and shouted, and sounded their horn, all the way. I
supposed it was to keep off bad spirits, but the next day we heard that
in those woods bears and panthers were sometimes found. At length a
light appeared. We felt cheered; but when we approached it, two furious
dogs rushed out at us. They were immediately followed by their master,
who took us in. After consultation with him, we concluded to abandon our
Indians, as he said he could take us, on the following day, through the
woods to the next stopping-place, with his ox-team. The quiet comfort of
being transported by oxen was something not to be resisted, after having
our nerves so racked. We felt an immense satisfaction in coming again
upon our own