20 MAY 1837, Page 15

WASHINGTON IRVING S ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN BONNEVILLE.

THE hero of these adventures is an American by birth and a Frenchman by descent ; and unites in himself, according to Mr. Jamas the gay philosophy and bonhommie of his fatherland, With the daring spirit of adventure characteristic of his coun- trymen. Holding a commission ill the army of the United States, his professional duties took him often to the frontier; where the tales of the fur-traders and hunters so excited his imagina- tion, that nothing would satisfy him but an expedition across the Rocky Mountains. Having procured the necessary leave of absence, with directions to make a professional use of his eyes, and having raised in New York, upon the credit of the yet unhunted bearer-skins, the funds necessary for a long sojourn amid the In- dians and their mountains, our hero departed fir what became more than a three years' wandering. During this period, he saw many magnificent or striking prospects, amid the volcanic chaos of the Rocky Mountains, or from their lofty eminences, which almost rival the Himalayan range—many soft and widely pastoral landscapes iu their vallies, or on the plains into which they de- cline : be encountered various tribes of Indians, sometimes as friends, sometimes as enemies, but more frequently in the way of business : he endured many hardships from hunger, cold, and fatigue, in clambering up rugged precipices, and forcing his way

thtough ravines and over untrodden SHOWS: he collected some new facts, made a few new discoveries respecting the filial and conduct of some Indian tribes lately converted by the officers of the Hudson's Ray Company : and if he did not return with a very great number of skins, he brought back notes sufficient to enable Mr. IRVING to manufacture three goodly volumes, with an occasional assistance from the stores of some rival or brother ad- venturer.

It will be seen that the ground traversed is nearly the same as that passed over by the founders of Astoria. The scenery, the incidents, the characters, and the adventures, are all, moreover, of a similar, but of a less romantic or interesting kind. In addi-

tion to this inferiority and want of freshness, there is also a want of unity and of variety. The greatness of the project gave to Asto- ria the interest of a connected narrative, every principal event having a bearing upon one end. Captain BoNrsEvi LLB'S Adventures are a mere succession of independent incidents. In Astoria, there were a sea voyage, several stirring episodes, and the difficulties of raising a large body of adventurers for a new and hazardous attempt. The Adventures are, as the popular phrase has it, "the same thieg over and over again ; " and told, moreover, in too laboured and artificial a manner, as if the writer were striving to impart an interest to his matter which it might not of itself possess, by a forced and over-wrought style of working it up.

The only parts that can be excluded from this judgment, are a

few narratives of Indian elopements, which throw a light upon the condition and influence of women and the power of the softer passion amongst these savage tribes ; a few single inci- dents or observations; and a brief account of California, given in consequence of a detachment sent by Captain BONNEVILLE to make a survey of a Great Salt Lake, having been daunted by the privations at starting, and so preferriug to make a journey into that quoudam Spanish colony, and squander in gayeties of various kinds the property intrusted to them for the purposes of discovery. Independent of the interest excited by the description of the ca- pabilities of this fertile country, and the incidental information that Russia has established a sort of settlement time, it is useful as showing the murderous conduct towards the Irrian, of the lox Alnetiean free for-tiaders when :band ii el to themselves. The follou leg extracts give an idea of this ,avage ferocity, and indicute pretty clearly the origin of the Indian wars egainst the United Stwee Attu r a time, they began to hove vexatious proofs that, if the Shoshokoes Were 'Inlet by slay, they were busy at night. 'flue camp was slugged by the eavesthoppers; scarce a morning but vat oua nrtiet-n were missing, jet nothing could he seen of the marauders. What particularly e.talwrated the hunters, Was to have their traps stolen from the streams. One mornirg, a trapper of a violent and savage character, disLseering that his traps had been waned off in the night, took a horrid 011! I to kill the firet Indian he should meet, innocent or guilty. As he was teturning with his coin. redo to camp, he beheld me unfoltuttate Higeers, seated on the liver hank, fishing. Advancing upon them, he levelled his rifle, shot one upon the spot, and flung his bleeding body into the stream. The other Indian fled, and was auffercd to escape. Such is the indifference with which acts of violence are regarded in the wilderness, and such the immunity an armed ruffian enjoys be- yond the barriers of the laws, that the only punishment this desperado met with was a rebuke Irons the leader of the party. After a time the natives began to make their appearance, and somethnes in considerable numbers, but always pacific ; the trappet s, hots ever, blIspeeltd them Of deep-laid plans to draw them into ambuscades; to et owl into and get pos,as. lion 01 their camp, and various other crafty and daring conspiracies, which, it is probable, never entered into the heads of the poor savages. In fact, they are a simple, timid, inoffensive race, unpractised in warfare, end scarce provided with any weapons, excepting for the chase. Their lives are passed in the great sand plains and along the adjacent rivers; they subsist sometime* on fitih, at other times on roots and the seeds of a plant called the cat's-tail. They are of the same kind of people that Captain Bonneville found upon Snake River, and whom he found so mild and inoffensive.

The trappers, however, had persuaded themselves that they were making their way through a hostile country, and though there was no overt act of hos- tility, yet that Implacable foes hung round their camp or beret their path,, watching for an opium tunity to surprise them.

At length, one day they came to the banks of a stream emptying into ()pion's River, which they were obliged to ford. Here a great nullifier of Shoshokoett were posted on the opposite bank. Persuaded they were there with hostile in- tent, they advanced upon them, levelled their rifles, and killed twenty-five of them upon the spot. The rest fled to a short distance, then halted and turned round, howling and whining like wolves, and uttering most piteous wailings.

The trappers chased them in every direction ; the poor wretches made no defence, hut fled with terror ; neither dues it appear front the accounts of the boasted victors, that a weapon had been wielded or a weapon launched by the Indians throughout the affair.

nutTALo-BAITING.

Among the Indians and half-breeds of the party, were several admirable horsemen and bold hunter-, who amused themselves with a grotesque kind of buffalo bait. Whenever they found a huge bull in the plains, they prepared for their teasing and barbarous sport.

Surrounding iiiin on horseback, they would discharge their arrows at him in quick sues:es:40u, goading him to make an attack, which, with a dextrous movement of the horse, they would easily avoid. In this way they hovered round him, feathering hien with allows as he reared and plunged about, until he was In istleil all over like a porcupine. NVIien they perceived in him signs of exhaustion, and he could no longer be provoked to make battle, they would him by the dismount from their horse', approach him in the rear, and, seizing

tail, jet k him 1.roni side to side, and drag him backwards ; until the frantic animal, gathering fresh strength from fury, would break from them, and rush, with flashing eyes atul a Imaree bellowing, upon any enemy in sight ; but in a little while, his transient excitement at an end, would pitch headlong on the ground and expire. The arrows wet e then plucked forth, the tongue cut out and preserved as a dainty, and the carcass left a banquet for the wolves.

TIIE 11E1.1. Ni)A STOCK EXCHANGE or TIIE

The favourite Indian game of " Hand" is played by t wo parties drawn out in opposite platoons before a blazing tire. It is in attune respecte like the old game of passing the ring or the button, and detecting the hand which holds it. In the present game, the object hidden, or the cache as it is called by the trap- pers, is a small splint of wood, or other diminutive article, that may be con- cealed in the closed hand. This is passed backwards and forwards among the party " mum hand," while the party " out of hand "guess where it is concealed. To heighten the excitement and confuse the gneasere, a number of dry poles are laid before each platoon, upon which the members of the party " in hand " beat furiously with blunt staves, keeping time to the choral chaunt already men- tioned, which waxes fast and furious as the game proceeds. As large bets are staked upon the game, the excitement is prodigious. Each party in turn bursts out in full chortle, beating and yelling and working them- selves up into such a heat, that the perspiration rollsdowo their naked shoulder'', even in the cold of a winter night. The bets are doubled anti trebled as the game advances, the mental excitement increases almost to madness, and all the worldly effects of the gamblers are often hazarded upon the position of a straw.

These gambling games were kept up throughout the night ; every fire glared Olson /I group that looked like a crew of maniacs at their frantic orgies ; and the scene would have been kept up throughout the succeeding day, had not Captain Bonneville interposed his authority, and, at the usual hour, Issued his marching orders.

A HOMERIC EXPLOIT.

The Crows had the advantage of numbers, and of fighting on horseback. The greater part of the Illackfeet were slain ; the remnant took shelter its a close thicket of willows, where the horse could not enter ; from whence they plied their bows vigorously.

The Crows drew off out of bow shot, and endeavoured by taunts and brava- does to draw the warriors out of their retreat. A few of the best mounted among them rode apart from the rest. One of their number then advanced alone, with that martial air and equestrian grace for which the tribe is noted. When within an arrow's flight of the thicket, he loosened his rein, urged his horse to full speed, threw his body on the opposite side, so as to hang but by one leg, und present no mark to the foe ; in this way he swept along in front of the thicket, launching his au rows from under the neck of his steed. Then re- gaining his seat its the eaddle, he wheeled round, and returned whooping and sculling to his companions, who received him with yells of applause.

Another and another horseman repeated this exploit; but the Blackfect were not to be taunted nut of their safe shelter. The victors feared to drive desperate men to extremities, so they forbore to attempt the thicket.

RED AND WHITE SCALPS.

Then came on the usual feasts and triumphs ; the scalp dance of warriors rouud the ghastly trophies, end all the other time revelry of bin barous war- fare. When the braves bad finished with the ecalpit, they were, as 11,>11:11, given up to the women and children, anti made the objects of new parades and dances. Till'y were then treasmed up as invaluable truphiea and decorations by ti e heaves who lid,t won them.

it is worthy of nude that the scalp of a white man, either through policy or fear, is ti coed with more charity than that of an Indian. The warrior who won it is entitled to his tiitimpli, if he demands it. In such case, the war party

&done dance ruitiel the scalp. It is then taken down, and the shagged frontlet of a bindut substituted iu its vb.!, and abandoned to the ttiumplis and insults of the 11111110E6

TRAPPING

Is a service of peril, and even more to at present than formerly ; for the

Indians, since they have got into the habit of traflicking peltries with the traders, have learnt the value of the beaver, and look upon the trappers as pow:hos, who are filching the sidles glom their streams, and interfering with their inalket. They make no hesitation, therm fore, in minden:1g the sulitary trapper, and thus destropieg a competitor, w Idle they possess themselves of his spoils. It is with 'egret we add, too, that this hostility has in many cases been instigated by tiaders desirous of injuring their rivals, but who have themselves often reaped the fruit of the mischief they had sown.

When two trappers undertake any considerable stream, their mode of pro- ceeding is to hide their horses in some lonely glen, where they can grate unob- oem

veil. 'flicy then build a small but, dig out a canoe from a cotton-wood tree, and in this poke along shore silently in the evening, and set their traps.

These they tevisit in the sante silent way at daybreak. When they take any beaver they firing it home, skin it, btleICII the skin on sticks to dry, and feast upon the flesh. The body, hung up before the fire, turns by its own weight, and is roasted in a superior style ; the tail is the trapper's titbit ; at is cut off, putt on the end of a stick, mei toasted, and is considered even a gteater dainty than the tong() or the marrow-bone of a buffalo.

With all their silence and caution, however, the poor trappers cannot always -elle ye their hawk-eyed enemies. Their trail has been discovered perhaps, and followed lip for many a mile ; or their smoke has been seen curling up out of the secret glen, or has been scented by the savages, whose sense of smell is almost as acute as that of sight. Sometimes they are pounced upon when in the act of setting their traps ; at other times they are roused from their sleep by the torrid war-whoop ; or perhaps have a bullet or an arrow whistling about their ears in the midst of one of their beaver banquets. In this way they are picked off, from time to time, and nothing is known of them, until, perchance, their brines are found bleaching in some lonely ravine, or on the banks of some nameless stream, which from that time is called after them. Many of the small stratus beyond the mountains thus perpetuate the names of unfortunate trappel', that have been muldered on their banks.

It appears that the region between the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific is abandoned indiscriminately to the enterprise of British and American traders ; and that the Hudson Bay Com- pany, by their great capital, superior organization, and the "here- ditary influence" they possess over the Indian tribes, with, most probably from their internal discipline, a fairer mode of dealing with them, are gradually monopolizing the largest share of the profits of the fur-trade. Mr. Itivirso, or rather the class of which he is the mouthpiece, is consequently very anxious for what is termed " an adjustment of the territorial right of the two coun- tries." The territorial right is just nothing more nor less than territorial robbery : but we trust that neither government will in- volve themselves in disputes for a territory that will never be of .plactical use to either of them. In a few years, the fur-trade will be destroyed by the destruction of the animals producing the ccmmodity ; and before the Canadians or the Americans shall have extended their settlements sufficiently near the Rocky Mountains to render the land beyond them valuable as land, our sway will have ceased over the Canadas, and the inhabitants of the bound- less prairies forming the so-culled Valley of the Mississippi, will base separated themselves from the old original United Sta es lying eastward of the Allegheny range.