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PRUE EB AsGE.

vi
nature to be effe@ually transferred to the page. Mountains and vallies,
the dreary wafie, and wide-fpreading forefts, the lakes and riv ers fuc-

ceed each other in general defcription; and, except on the coats of the

Pacific Ocean, where the villages were permanent, and the inhabitants

in a great meafure flationary, {mall bands of wandering Indians are

the only people whom I fhall introduce to the acquaintance of my

readers.

The beaver and the buffalo, the moofe-deer and the elk, which are
the principal animals to be found in thefe countries, are already fo
familiar to the naturalifts of Europe, and have been fo often as well as
corre€tly defcribed in their works, that the bare mention of them, as
they enlivened the landfcape, or were hunted for food; with a cur-
fory account of the foil, the courfe and navigation of lakes and rivers,

and their various produce, is all that can be reafonably expected from

me.

I do not poffefs the fcience of the naturalift; and even if the
gualifications of that chara€ter had been attamed by me, its curious
fpirit would not have been gratified. I could not {top to dig into
the earth, over whofe furface I was compelled to pafs with rapid
fteps; nor could I turn afide to collet the plants which nature
might have f{cattered on the way, when my thoughts were anxi-
oufly employed in making provifion for the day that was paffing
over me. Ihadto encounter perils by land and perils by water; to
watch the favage who was our guide, or to guard again{t thofe of his
tribe who might meditate our deftru€tion. I had, alfo, the paffions and

fears