would probably be many hundreds, more wild and
ferocious than these. My mind was covered with
lamentation respecting the cause of such degrada-
tion, which, at least in part, appears to arise from
abandoned and profligate white people having the
greatest intercourse with them in their trade, and
towns; to which, stimulated by the love of money,
they resort, at the risk of their lives — carrying their
vices, immoralities, and bad example with them.
These, the poor uncultivated Indians easily imbibe;
and, taking root in a soil, adapted to receive evil
seed, produce fruit, dreadful to behold.

The greatest discouragements attending from day
to day respecting the desired peace, arise from a
query or doubt, that a neglect of religious duty to-
wards these poor people in earlier time, might be
rewarded by a continuance of unrelenting, savage
chastisement on our borders, from the old inhabitants
of the land; whose murderous practices and their
cruel instruments of death, and engines of destruc-
tion, I tremble to relate — such as rifles, bayonets,
scalping knives, and tomahawks of brass and steel;
and the bodies of some almost covered over with
silver, tin and other plates, broaches, bobs, &c. as
hostile ensigns. In all which, may I not say with
sorrow and blushing, they have been equalled, if
not exceeded, by the professed followers of the meek
and humble Jesus, whose holy kingdom and divine
law suffer violence arid depression, to a mournful
degree.

This day, we dined at the mess house, with about
sixteen respectable British officers; all young gen-
tlemen from Great Britian and Ireland: several of
whom were estated men, to a great amount. They