> CHAPTER I. NATURE AND CUSTOMS OF THE INDIANS-MINOR HE courfe of history is like that of a great river wandering through various countries; now, in the infancy of its current, collecting its waters from obfcure small springs in plafhy meadows, and from unconfidered rivulets which the neighbouring ruftics do not know the name of; now, in its boisterous youth, forcing its way ftraight through mountains; now, in middle life, going with equable current bufily by great towns, its waters fullied yet enriched with commerce; and now, in its burdened old age, making its flow and difficult way with great broad furface, over which the declining fun looms grandly, to the fea. The uninftructed or careless traveller generally finds but one form of beauty or of meaning in the river: the romantic gorge or wild cascade is perhaps the only kind of scenery which delights him. And fo it has often been in our estimate of history. Well-fought battles, or the doings of gay courts, or bloody revolutions, have been the chief fources of attraction; while less welldreffed events, but not of less real interest or import, have often escaped all notice. In order to gain fome of that interest in the prefent fubject which would arise from better knowledge of the perfons principally concerned, it is defirable to endeavour to understand the nature of the Indian people, on whose fate this narrative mainly turns-a fate which has perhaps had as much effect upon the world as that of any of the most distinguished nations. Tris a very difficult thing for one people to understand another, even if they are of the same age as a nation and equally advanced in civilization; ftill more difficult is it for a partially civilized people to appreciate a people living comparatively in a state of nature. And as this was the relation between the Spaniards and many nations of the Indians, we must tranflate, as it were, with much circumfpection the accounts |