 and his
oratory, is Oriental, - chastened, and perhaps improved, by the limited range of
his practical knowledge. He draws his metaphors from the clouds, the seasons,
the birds, the beasts, and the vegetable world. In this, perhaps, he does no
more than any other energetic and imaginative race would do, being compelled to
set bounds to fancy by experience; but the North American Indian clothes his
ideas in a dress that is so different from that of the African, and is Oriental
in itself. His language has the richness and sententious fulness of the Chinese.
He will express a phrase in a word, and he will qualify the meaning of an entire
sentence by a syllable; he will even convey different significations by the
simplest inflexions of the voice.
    Philologists have said that there are but two or three languages, properly
speaking, among all the numerous tribes which formerly occupied the country that
now composes the United States. They ascribe the known difficulty one people
have in understanding another to corruptions and dialects. The writer remembers
to have been present at an interview between two chiefs of the Great Prairies
west of the Mississippi, and when an interpreter was in attendance who spoke
both their languages. The warriors appeared to be on the most friendly terms,
and seemingly conversed much together; yet, according to the account of the
interpreter, each was absolutely ignorant of what the other said. They were of
hostile tribes, brought together by the influence of the American government;
and it is worthy of remark, that a common policy led them both to adopt the same
subject. They mutually exhorted each other to be of use in the event of the
chances of war throwing either of the parties into the hands of his enemies.
Whatever may be the truth, as respects the root and the genius of the Indian
tongues, it is quite certain they are now so distinct in their words as to
possess most of the disadvantages of strange languages: hence much of the
embarrassment that has arisen in learning their histories, and most of the
uncertainty which exists in their traditions.
    Like nations of higher pretensions, the American Indian gives a very
different account of his own tribe or race from that which is given by other
people. He is much addicted to over-estimating his own perfections, and to
undervaluing those of his rival or his enemy; a trait which may possibly be
thought corroborative of the Mosaic account of the creation.
    The Whites have assisted greatly in rendering the traditions of the
Aborigines more obscure by their own manner of corrupting names. Thus, the term
used in the title of this
