Of the origin of the Indian race, history is altogether silent. And although God "hath made of one blood all nations of men to dwell upon the earth," yet, from what branch of the family of Noah they have descended, or how and when they reached this continent, as well as their subsequent history, nothing better is left to us than mere conjecture. Even their own traditions on this subject differ, and, at best, are shrouded in great obscurity, or rejected as ridiculous fables. The question of their origin, however, is too deeply interesting to be passed over in silence. I must, therefore, ask the indulgence of my readers, whilst I lay before them some thoughts on this subject; in which I shall avail myself freely of the Rev. Ethan Smith's "View of the Hebrews."

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Between-the-logs, Mo-non-cue and Hicks, with myself, and Jonathan Pointer for interpreter, once visited the remnants of these tribes, on the Sandusky river, and it happened to be on the last day of one of these feasts, which was the Sabbath, and we found a large part of the nation playing ball. Let the modes of offering, and the different kinds of animals offered, be what they may, one' fact is beyond all successful contradiction : that the North American Indians do approach the Great Spirit by sacrifice, and appease his wrath, and seek his protection, and the guidance of his merciful providence, by this kind of worship, and by offering prayers to him as their great Creator and Benefactor. Another thing of general belief among them is, the existence of good and bad angels. The good are supposed to be under the immediate direction of the Great Spirit, and are always employed in doing good, and controlling the bad influence of evil angels, who, they say, are under the command of a great one, that is always doing evil. (See Rev. Ethan Smith's "View of the Hebrews.")