been scattered and diminished in the manner that hundreds of other tribes have been before them.

VIRGINIA.

Nottaways, Pamunkies, and Mattaponies.

Of these tribes, twenty-seven of the former, and a still less number of the two latter, it seems are all that remain of those numerous tribes, who once constituted the formidable Powhatan confederacy.

The Nottaways possess 27,000 acres of excellent land, on the W. bank of the river which bears their name, a small portion of which only, is under cultivation. A woman of this tribe, about sixty years old, named Edie Turner, is its present reigning Queen. Though uneducated, she has good sense, easy and fluent in conversation, has a well furnished and comfortable cottage-has horses, cows, and other domestic animals, and manages her farming and other business with discretion and profit. This Queen, and two others, of the most aged of the tribe, are all who now speak the ancient, or Nottaway, or Powhatan language. This language is said to be evidently of Celtic origin, and in expression and harmony, is equal to either the Erse, Irish or Welsh. It has two genders, masculine and feminine, three degrees of comparison, and two articles. Its verbs are very irregular.*

It would be easy, and some importance, to preserve a specimen of this language. We do not know that they have ever been visited by missionaries, or favored with schools, or teachers in agriculture, or the mechanic arts.

SOUTH CAROLINA.

When this State was first settled by the English, it was inhabited by twenty-eight tribes of Indians. The principal of these,

*I am indebted for the foregoing information to an anonymous article un der the head of Petersburg, (Va.) March 17, 1820.

were the Cherokees, Catawbas, Creeks, Chickasaws and Choctaws. The Cherokees inhabited the Western part of the State which they sold in 1777, and retired over the mountains, W. where they now reside. The Catawbas dwell on the river which bears this name, in the Northern border of the State, partly in North Carolina, lat. 34°. 49.' N. on a Reservation of 144,000 acres, granted by the Proprietory Government, where there is still a remnant of about four hundred and fifty souls, all that remain of the bravest, the most formidable, and generous enemies of the Six Nations. All the twenty-eight original tribes, excepting those above named have disappeared.*

GEORGIA.

The Creeks and a part of the Cherokees reside in the Western parts of this State. An account of these tribes is given in the Appendix. Overtures have heretofore been made to the Creeks to introduce among them Education Families, upon the plan of those established among the Cherokees and Choctaws. But their minds, irritated by the recent wars with them, on the part of the United States, were not at the time, in a proper frame to listen to these overtures. Lately, however, they have manifested more favora ble dispositions in regard to this subject, and the General Convention of Baptists are directing their attention to them. Their numbers are such as will require more Education Families, to give instruction to all, than this Convention will be able to supply. This tribe, respectable in numbers and character, dwelling in the midst of us, and connected with several of the tribes West of the Mississippi, among whom, emigrants from this tribe are mingled, demand the special attention of the Government and of the Christian community. This tribe, with the three adjoining, the Cherokees, Choctaws, and Chickasaws, are in situations and circumstances very favorable to be educated where they are, raised to the rank and privileges of citizens, and merged in the mass of the nation. On these tribes we hope the Government will make the experiment

of the practicability of a complete civilization of Indians. The success of the institutions of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, now in operation among two of these tribes, the Cherokees and Choctaws, is in a high degree favorable to such an experiment.

FLORIDA.

There are, in East Florida, about twelve hundred pure blooded Seminole Indians, and a number of Creeks and of other tribes, a mixed body, not numerous, scattered along the Northern border of this Territory, and on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, near Tampa Bay. Of these Indians, and of their country, &c. a particular account is given in the Appendix.* Before the wars of 1812 and since, these Indians with their negro slaves, lived in comfort, and many of them were wealthy in cattle and horses. But these wars have broken them up, destroyed great numbers of their bravest warriors and chiefs; also their villages and cattle, and thrown them into a state, most distressing and pitiable. Efforts are making, with prospects of success, to collect all these Indians into one body, to make them comfortable, to educate and civilize them. They are willing and desirous to receive these blessings.

ALABAMA, MISSISSIPPI, TENNESSEE.

In these states reside the Cherokees (principally) the Choctaws and Chicasaws, of whom some remarks have been made under the head of Georgia, to which the reader is referred. These tribes, the two former particularly, have lately attracted an unusual share of the public attention, in consequence of the operations going forward among them for their civil and religious improvement. Of the state of these tribes, and of the measures devised and put in operation for their benefit, by the American Board of Commissioners, under the patronage of the Government, an account is given in the Appendix.†

I

State and Territories west of the Mississippi.

Having taken a brief survey of the Indians east of the Mississippi

pass over that river, and in the order of the Table, give such information of the numerous tribes west of it, to the Pacific Ocean, as I have been able to collect. No measures have been taken to convey the blessings of civilization and of the Gospel, to any of these tribes, (if we except what a few Catholic Priests have done among some of the northern nations) till within the last two years. During this period, Education Families have been established among the Osages, and a portion of the Cherokee tribe, who have lately migrated and settled on Arkansaw river; and another large family are prepared to plant themselves at the Council Bluffs.* These will be noticed in their place. I begin with

The Tribes north of the Missouri, and west of the Mississippi rivers.

Of these tribes I have received, in a letter from Mr. Daniel Harmon, an Indian Trader, the following summary information. "From 1800 to 1806, I resided in that extensive plain country, which lies between the Mississippi, Missouri, Red and Se-se-satchewine rivers, bounded west by the Rocky Mountains. This country lies between 44°, and 52° N. Lat. The climate is about the same as in Canada. The soil, generally, is good. There is on it but little timber, or wood of any kind. There are plains of more than one hundred miles in extent, on which there is not a shrub to be seen. The natives, when travelling over these plains, use Buffalo dung, which burns like peat, for fuel.

Scattered over this wide tract of country, there may be 12 or 15,000 Indians, some say more, of the following tribes, viz. Crees or Kristineaux, Assiniboins, Mandans, Rapids, Blackfeet, Blood Indians, Sursees, and a few of the Coutouns. The body of the latter tribe are spread over the Rocky Mountains, and west of them.†

* See Rev. Mr. Badger's letter, Appendix B b.

+ These are probably the same nation, described to me by Capt. Ramsay Crooks, under the name of Shoshonee, or Snake Indians. They are, he states,

"I know of no Indians," says Mr. H. "who I think would more readily receive Education Families among them, than those above mentioned. The Crees, indeed, are more than half civilized already. When Canada fell into the hands of Great Britain, there were, at that period, two Catholic Priests among these Indians; and in 1817 or 18, there went another, who still resides on the Red River, where Lord Selkirk has attempted to establish a coloof which an account is given in the Appendix.*

ny,

Since the above letter was received, Mr. Harmon has published his Journal. From this and other sources, some further account of these Indians is given in the Appendix.†

From the information Mr. Harmon has given of the dispositions of these Indians, we may hope, that the way is already prepared for introducing among them the blessings of civilization, and the Gospel.

Of the Tribes between the Missouri and Red rivers, west of the Mississippi, and east of the Rocky Mountains.

By a reference to the Table, it will be seen, that within the limits above specified, there are more than 100,000 Indians. In different and very advantageous positions, in the midst of this population, are planted already three Education Families, one at

very numerous, about 30,000 souls, and formerly occupied the fine Buffalo country north of the Missouri,along the Rocky Mountains. But the Blackfeet Indians, about 10,000 souls, living east of the Shoshonees, on the waters of Assiniboin river, meeting with the British fur traders, obtained of them fire arms. With these they attacked the Shoshonees, who having no other weapons of defence than bows and arrows, were driven into, and even across, the Rocky Mountains. They now dwell miserably in these mountains, and five hundred miles beyond them, in a country, with few exceptions, barren and rugged in the extreme, and without game. They barely subsist on fish, and a great variety of roots, found in different places, have no huts, are attached to no place, have no home. The climate is very fine, the cold moderate, the heat not oppres sive, and rain very uncommon.