HISTORICAL NOTES

RESPECTING

THE INDIANS

OF

NORTH AMERICA.

Savages we call them, because their manners differ from ours, which we think the
perfection of civility: they think the same of theirs. Perhaps, if we would examine
the manners of different nations with impartiality, we should find no people so rude as
to be without any rules of politeness; nor any so polite as not to have some remains of
rudeness."-Dr. Franklin's Essay on the North American Savages,

BY JOHN HALKETT, Esq.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE AND CO. EDINBURGH;

AND HURST, ROBINSON, AND CO. 90, CHEAPSIDE, AND 8, PALL MALL.

1825.

526.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER 1.

PAGE

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE CHARACTER OF THE NORTH

AMERICAN INDIANS-OPINIONS OF VARIOUS WRITERS ON THIS

SUBJECT

CHAPTER II.

EARLY CONDUCT OF THE FRENCH WITH RESPECT TO THE

INDIANS-DANGERS AND DIFFICULTIES EXPERIENCED BY THE

MISSIONARIES IN NEW FRANCE

.........

CHAPTER III.

INJUDICIOUS SYSTEM ADOPTED BY THE FRENCH IN IMITATING

AND RETALIATING THE BARBARITIES OF THE INDIANS

CHAPTER IV.

TREACHEROUS CONDUCT OF THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT WITH

REGARD TO THE INDIAN NATIONS-ABSURD ACCOUNTS OF

THE JESUIT MISSIONARIES RELATIVE TO THEIR SUCCESS IN

CONVERTING THE HEATHEN

CHAPTER V.

FRIENDLY CONDUCT OF THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS TO-

WARDS THE EARLY EUROPEAN SETTLERS-KINDNESS SHEWN

BY THEM TO THE DUTCH COLONISTS UPON THE HUDSON

SIMILAR CONDUCT TOWARDS THE ENGLISH SETTLERS IN VIR-

GINIA STORY OF POCAHONTAS

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