Spirit. The inventions of early times
are shrouded in mystery. See-qunh-
yah disdained all quackery. He did
not stop here, hut carried his discove
ries to numbers. He of course knew
nothing of the Arabic digits, nor of
the power of Roman letters in the sci
ence. The Cherokees had mental
numerals to one hundred, and had
words for all numbers up to that, but
they had no signs or characters to as
sist them in enumerating, adding,
subtracting, multiplying or dividing.
He reflected upon them until he had
created their elementary principle in
his mind, but he was at first obliged
to make words to express his mean
ing, and then signs to'explain it. By
this .process he soon had a clear con
ception of numbers up to a million.—
His great difficulty was at the thresh-
hold. to fix the powers of his signs ac
cording to their places. When this
was overcome, his next step was in
order to put down the fraction of the
decimal and give the whole number
to his next place—but when I knew
him he 1ml overcome all these diffi
culties and was quite a ready arith
metician in the fundamental rules.
This was the result of my inter
view, and I can safely say that I have
seldom met a man of more shrewdness
than See-quah-yah. He adhered to
to all the customs of his country, and
when his associate chiefs on the mis
sion, assumed our costume, he was
dressed in all respects like an Indian
See-quah-yah is a man of diversified
talents; he passes from metaphysical
and philosophical investigations to me
chanical occupations with the great
est ease. The only practical me
chanics he was acquainted with, were
a few bungling blacksmith, who
could make a rough tomahawk, or
tinker the lock of a rifle; yet he be
came a white and silver-smith without
any instruction, and made spears and
silver spoons with neatness and
skill, to the great admiration of
people of the Cherokee nation.
See-quah-yah has also a great
t$ste for painting, lie mixes his col
ors with skill, taking all the arts and
science of his tribe upon the subject,
lie added to it many chemical experi
ments of his own, ami some of them
were very successful, and would be
worth being known to our painters.—
For his drawings he had no model but
what nature furnished, ainl he often
copied them with astonishing faithful
ness. His resemblances of the hu
man form, it is true, are coarse, but
often spirited and correct, and be
• gave action and sometimes grace to
his representations of animals. He had
never seen a camel hair pencil when
he made use of the hair of wild anim
als for his brushes. Some of his pro
ductions discover a considerable prac
tical knowledge of perspective: but
he could not have formed rules for
this. The painters in the early ages
were many years coming to a knowl
edge of this part of their art; and e-
ven now they are more successful in
the art than perfect in the rules of
it.
The manners of the American Cad
mus are the most easy, and his habits
those of the most assiduous scholar, &
v his disposition more lively than of any
Indian I ever saw. He understood and
felt the advantages the white man
had long enjoyed, of leaving the accu
mulations of every branch of knowl
edge, from generation to generation,
by means of a written language, while
the red man could only commit his
thoughts to uncertain tradition. He
reasoned correctly when he urged this
to his friends as the cause why the
red man had made so few advances
in knowledge in comparison with us,
and to remedy this was one of his
great aims, and one which he has ac
complished beyond that of any other
roan living or perhaps any other who
ever existed in a rude state of na
ture.
It perhaps may not be known to all,
that the government of the United
States had a font of types cut for his
alphabet, and that a newspaper prim
ed partly in the Cherokee language,
and partly in English, has been estab
lished at New Ecliota, and is charac
terized by decency and good sense,
and thus many of the Cherokees are
able to read both languages. After
putting these remarks to paper, I bad
the pleasure of seeing the bead Chief
of the Cherokees, who confirmed the
statements of See-quah-yah, and add
ed that be was an Indian of the strict
est veracity and sobriety. The west
ern wilderness is not only to blossom
like the rose, but there, mart lias
started up and proved that he has not
degenerated since the primitive days
of Cecrops, and the romantic ages of
wonderful effort and god-like renown.
CURIOUS INDIAN TRADITION.
In their last treaty with the Flori
da Indians, the government of the U-
nited States agreed to allow $1,000
a year for the support of a teach
er among them at Tampa Bity; Gov.
Duval slates- that a council being
called, the Indians declined receiving
a teacher, because, “as far as ob
servation extended, learning had made
those Indians who received it, ‘great
rascals,’ having enabled them to sign
away the lands of the rest without
their knowledge or consent. They
say also that the Great Spirit intend
ed them for warriors and hunters and
give in proof the following tradi
tion.—JV. Y. Obs.
The Great Spirit, they say, first
made the black man, but did not like
him; he then made tin? red man; was
better pleased with him, but not en
tirely satisfied; he then made white
man, and was very much pleased
with him. lie then summoned all
three in his presence. Near him
were three great boxes, one contain
ing hoes, axes, and other agricultural
and working implements. In another
were spears, arrows, tomahawks, &.c.
and in the third, books, maps, charts
&c. He called the white man first,-
and bid him choose. He advanced,,
attentively surveyed each of the box
es, passed by that filled with working
implements, and drew near that in
which were tomahawks, spears, &c
Then the Indian’s heart sunk withii
him. The white man however pass
ed it, and chose that in which werf
hooks, maps, &c. Then they say tie
Indian’s heart leaped for joy. The
red man was next summoned to makp
his choice, lie advanced, and will-
out any hesitation, chose the box coi-
taining the war and hunting impb-
ments. The otheT box was therefoie
left for the black man. The destii-
ics of each were thus fixed, and it
was impossible to change them.—
They inferred, therefore, that learn
ing was for the white man, war and
hunting for the Indian, and labor for
the poor negro.
From the Christian Advocate and Jour
nal.
RELIGION AMONG THE ONEI
DA INDIANS.
Rev. and Dear Sir—The refor
mation which is now prevailing a-
mongthe natives on the Oneida Res
ervation promises to have a general
influence bn the minds and manners
of that rude and dissipated people.—
Like most of their brethren of the
Six Nations, many of the Oneidas
have been much given to intemper
ance. This destructive habit has
continued to increase until the late
awakenings, which, from the present
hopeful appearances, will produce
the same happy changes which have
taken place among the Wyandols of
Upper Sandusky, and the Mississau-
gahs and Mohawks of Upper Canada.
The present awakenings commenc
ed the latter part of February, un
der the labors of Win Doxtator. Soon
after Wm. commenced preaching to
his brethren in a language which they
understood, Several were brought to
reflect on their sinful state, & to seek
the salvation of their souls. This con
cern continued to spread and increase,
till in the course of about six weeks,
considerable numbers, forsaking their
haunts of intemperance, resorted to
places appointed for religious instruc
tion. At the date of April 6th, broth
er Doxtator writes me thus:
“The cause of our Saviour appears
to be prospering here. I have had
the happiness to witness great chang
es among my brethren at Oneida.—
More than fifty have been converted,
and the work goes on powerfully.—
Two of the chiefs are friendly to the
reformation. I have three places for
preaching, and meetings arc held
four times in the week. The re
mainder of mv time is employed in
visiting the Indian families. In our
class meetings the power of God is
displayed in a wonderful manner.
Some are praising God, others are
crying to God for mercy. My heart
rejoices while I see my brethren
turning from sin and drunkenness to
the service of God.”
On the same subject the Rev. Dan.
Barnes writes, under date of April
7th:—
“I rejoice to inform you that the
Lord is doing great things among the
Oneida Indians. Since brother Dox
tator commenced his labors among,
that people, about fifty have been
converted. Great numbers attend
meetings, and the prospects are glo
rious. I think if William can remain,
hundreds will be led to turn to the
Lord.—They have much confidence
in him, and he spares no pains, but
labours night and day for their good.
The Indians here arc very desirous
for a school, and more than fifty chil
dren are in readiness to attend tho
school. On sabbath more than forty
of the Indians attended the quarterly
mcetiig. The scene was very affect
ing. On Friday I visited and preach
ed to hem. It was one of the hap
piest diys of my life. I never saw
the power of God more evident in the
awakening of sinners.”
On our arrival in Utica we met
with brother Barnes and Doxtator.
They both spcakof the work os being
very powerful, ^reading mighty, and
effecting great changes among the
Indians. This ii complained of by
some who have kept grog shops for
drunken Indians far years past. The
number who prcfess to have experi
enced a change Ins increased to about
seventy. Ilopei are entertained that
at the camp meeting to be held in
the fore part of June near the Oneida,
others may bo brought under the
influence of the gospel, and become
r sincere Christians.
William Doxtator, whose name is
mentioned above, is a youth of about
twenty-six. He has been favored
with some advantages of education,
principally in Mohawk—He reads and
expounds the Mohawk Scriptures
fluently, and writes in the same tongue
with readiness. His writing in Eng
lish, like his conversation, is broken.
It is now about twenty-three months
since his conversion. Till that time
he was very much given to intemper
ance. But since his conversion, which
took place at a camp meeting held in
Ancastcr in June of 1827, he has been
deeply devoted to the service of God,
and untiring in his efforts in behalf of
his brethren. Since the day of his
conversion he has ceased not t® warn
his brethren against sin, and to in
struct them in the way of life. Soon
after his conversion an awakening
took place in the mission on the Grand
river, (then under the care of Rev.
Alvin Torry,) which produced about
seventy converts.
In October of 1S28 William visit
ed a body of his brethren residing at
Bay Quinty, about 200 miles east of
Grand river. By his labours, togeth
er with the services of other Mohawk
speakers, an awakening took place.
Such was the success of their labors
that in the course of about four months
about thirty were brought to repen
tance. These all appear to be chting-
ed from confirmed habits of drunken
ness to those of sobriety and devotion.
Brother Doxtator had for some time
expressed a desire to visit his breth
ren at Oneida, but as his services
were much needed in Canada, we ad
vised him to defer his visit. Our
journey to your city appearing to af
ford a favorable opportunity of com
pany, we advised him to come, and his
labors have been great and abundantly
blessed. lie will continue till after
the June camp meeting, when he will
return to labor on the Grand river.—
Ilis place it is hoped, will be supplied
at the Oneida by other laborers from
the Grand river, till the Lord shall
raise up native teachers among them,
and thereby render the further Servi
ces of our Canada brethren unneces-.
sary.
Yours in the gospel of Jesus Christ,
W. CASE.
Vegetable Diet.—The Indians (of
South America) are very strong limb
ed, and capable of enduring great fa
tigue. Their every day pedestrian
feats are truly astonishing. Guides
perform a long journey at the rate of
20 or 25 leagues a day. Their usu
al pace is a jog trot. They take
short steps and carry their feet close
to the ground. They go up and down
mountain sides quicker than a mule;
and horsemen, whom they accompany
as guides, have frequent occasion to
call them, to request them to slacken
their pace. A battalion, eight hundred
strong, has been known to march 13
or 14 leagues in one day, without
having more than ten or a dozen strag
glers on the road. The Indian sub
sists on a very small quantity of the
simplest food. A leathern pouch con
taining cocoa, suspended from his
neck, is worn next to the breast. A
handful or two of roasted maize is
tied up in one cofner of his pouch, and,
in ge*neral, these are the only provis
ions for a very long day’s journey.
lirlwwlW&r"
WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 1829.
In reference to the complimentary no
tice of Se-quo-yah in our first page, it may
be proper to mention, that most of the in
cidents related, took place among the
t^ierokees of the Arkansas. He com
menced his labors here, but removed to
the west before the practicability of his in
vention was tested. Se-quo-yah certainly
deserves to be held in remembrance by all
who respect native genius, but more par
ticularly* by his country-men, on whom be
has conferred a lasting blessing—they are
reaping a full harvest from bis invention,
which, for its simplicity, is unrivalled.—
Its simplicity is fully demonstrated by its
rapid extension since it was introduced.—
Without the aid of a single schoolmaster,,
or a single book, it has been generally ac
quired in the nation, and now we venture
to assert reading and writing are as com
mon here as among the neighboring whites,
and certainly those Cherokees who have
attended to their Alphabet one week, write
more correctly, than the English scholar
who has been stedfast to his book two
years.
I*. S. The font of type how used in this
place was not procured by the general gov
ernment, but at the public expense of the
Cherokee nation; though it is true the U.
States have appropriated, (not however
altogether gratuitously) one thousand dol
lars, for the establishment of a jjpess among
the Cherokees of the Arkansas.
We have understood that quite a dis
satisfaction prevails among the people of
the upper Districts, founded on false re
ports circulated respecting the late Dele
gation. It is the policy of the whites to
take advantage of the ignorance of many
of the Cherokees, and we have no doubt
they are now assiduous in attempting to
create division and distrust among the peo
ple. A report has some how originated,
that the Delegation, during their late visit
to Washington, ceded to the United States
a portion of the Country; and this report
is strengthened, in the view of many who
are easily led estray by credulity, by the
protracted silence of the Delegation, &. the
survey that has lately taken place. It may
be well, an'd we recommend it to the Del
egation to make the result of their Mission
as public as possible. It Was the intention of
the principal chief, with two others, to
make a tour through the nation and report
their doings, but the sickness of one of
them has frustrated the design for the pres
ent. One thing however is certain—the
common people arc jealous of their rights,
and are ready at all times, to bring their
chiefs to an account. How does this ac
cord with the assertion which has been
frequently made, that the Cherokees are
but slaves to their tyrannical chiefs?
Melancholy Shipwreck and Starva
tion.—The Quebec Gazette contains
a’hotice of a melancholy shipwreck,
on the la^e uninhabited island of An
ticosti, near the mouth of the river
St. Lawrence, which took place
probably in October or November
last. It would seem that after the
loss of the vessel, about twenty
of the crew and passengers escaped to
the island, where they all perished
from starvation, except perhaps a
few who were killed to feed the horrid
vppetitc of the last survivors! The dead
bodies were discovered a few weeks
since in the following manner:
About the middle of May a number
of men belonging to the Magdalen Is
lands who had associated themselves
in a sailing voyage, were overtaken
by-a storm off the North East end of
Anticosti, and the ice drifting forced
them to take shelter, choosing the
place where they knew that Godin,
kept one of the provision posts. In
landing they observed a boat on shore
which was not damaged. They pro
ceeded to the bouse, and on entering
were struck with horror at the sight
of a number of dead bodies, and a
quantity of bones and putrid flesli.—
Upon further examination they con
ceived that they could discern the
bodies of twelve or thirteen individu
als—three grown females, three chil
dren, and seven or eight men. The
last, survivor appeared to be a man
who had died of famine and cold in his
hammock, and from his appearance
was above a common sailor, (his name
was B. Harrington:) the men began to
rather the chest clothes and other ar
ticles in the house. and buried the
remains of the bodies and a larire box
of cleanly picked bones which lay in
a corner of a room. On the firo
there was a pot in which flesh had
been boiled and a part remained in its
bottom. They afterwards went into
a small out house where they were
surprised to find five more bodies,
suspended by a rope thrown across
some beams; the entrails had been re
moved, & little more than the skele
tons remained; the flesh having ap
parently been cut, o(T. These they
left unburied, and sailed, taking the
boat for the Magdalen Islands.
, From the clothing and other arti-,
cles found upon the bodies, and other
circumstances, it is supposed that
the lost vessel was the bark Granicus*
which Hailed from Quebec for Cork
on the 29th of October last, and has
never been accounted for. “Mr.
Godin” says the Gazette, “who was
stationed at the post, where these urr-
fortunate persons have perished, came
up to Quebec in October last, and did
not return.”
DOMESTIC.
Northampton County Court.
Commonwealth, vs. John B. Teel
—Indictment for murder.
The prisoner being arraigned
pleaded not guilty. It appeared from,
the evidence that on Sunday the 22d
of March 1829, the prisoner shot his
son, William Teel, a boy of about
five years of age, which cause his
death. The circumstances were as
follows:—The prisoner who had been
absent from home during the greater
part of the day, returned and com^
plained of being unwelU His chil
dren commplained to him that a slut
belonging to the family destroyed the
eggs and in order to satisfy them, said
he would shoot her. He accordingly
took his gun and went out before dark
but could not find her. At dusk he
was in the room with the children
helping them to cut and roast potatoes.
The little boy in .the mean time slipp
ed out of the house, unobserved by
any of the family and w ent into a lit
tle garden or pen. The $ogs making
a noise, the prisoner fequested his
wife and mother in-law to b,e silence,
that the dogs Were about and that he.
would go out and shoot them. He
took his gun and left the house, when
upon opproaching the pen he saw some
move in it without being able to dis*
tinguish precisely what it was!, it be*
ing nearly dark. Under the impres
sion that he had left all his children
in the room, he levelled his gun, and
after some hesitation, fired. He then
retunrned to the house and asked his
wife if sho had ever heard a dog make
such a mournful noise? She replied
Lord have mercy! it is one of the
children! He immediately became
alarmed and went to the spot, when
he indeed found that his wife’s mel
ancholy anticipations were but too
fully realized, and that he had indeed
been instrumental in destroying the
life of his own son. The boy was shot
in the head and the whole shot lodged
in his brain.
Governor Houston.—The late mys
terious conduct of this gentleman, in
resigning his office, and leaving his
family, &c. has been a subject of
much animadversion. Public curiosi
ty has been aroused, and various ru
mors and evil surmisihgs set afloat.
Any thing, therefore, in relation to the
matter, in which confidence can he
placed, will not fail to he interesting.
A letter to one of the Editors of this
paper, from a gentleman of respecta
bility In Covington. Tennessee, dated
14th May, savs, “Governor Houston
passed dowu the Mississippi a few
days since in the steamer Red Riv
er, for the Cherokee nation of In
dians, in the Arkansas Territory,
He says he never wishes to see
the face of a white man again—that
when he frets to Red River, his cloth
coat which he now wears, is to he
destroyed, and he assumes the Indian
costume throughout. He is taking on
a parcel of rifles, and savs his policy
will he bv example, to inculcate peace
and civilization among the Indians,
and dissuade them from warring a-
gainst one another, and particularly
to bring about a beace between the
Cherokees and Osages; that he will
endeavor to cultivate a friendlv feel
ing amongst them towards the United
States. The cause, or causes which
have nrodpeed the unhappy separa
tion of the Governor, from his lady,,
and resignation of office of Governor,
are a Profound secret, not known to
his most intimate friends. Thev are.
by solemn agreement of himself and
ladv, never to he divulged. This in
formation. comes from a gentleman
