The telescope. (Columbia, S.C.) 1815-1818, March 12, 1816, Image 1
?""if. Va
^ 0
(Vol- I.]
COLUMBIA, (8. C.J TUKSDAY. MAItCU ta, 1HI0.
-UL M. ?. L II "J" I M ?? ? I
[No. t3.]
? I I .???? "I ? ? I
N'lUMIII WKKtfW
MY THOMAS W. LOUR A IN,
TWO poom mi.')W ANit .hit AituvK msTos'n
UN RICHtN|tllO\?TNi;UT.
U\- rutt if .Vi'A?rr/y>//??.>?-TI?ito Dollnw per ?niuin>? p?y
nlile In ?rtv;mrc...,No |ttper to bo ttim-ontiiiiii'd, l>uti
tliu option of tlic Kditor, until nil anr.-trajrc* urc p*M.
JUi<-rtl?rmenti iv>t exwlingf fourteen linen, inwerta
tlio fiMt time for ncverity-five rout*. mul f ?rty rmufbi
each ?ub?C4|ueitt Iftocrtlon i tuvtl in the wmc f>roportloi
n?r ? Urgfr nnmlttt of lino.
MRUC11018 NKWR.
BIBJ.K HOClKTIHrf.
'?IIV I vUllllv ?|llll IIUJIIMVI VV?llvlllVII?n
try, Is far Myond the resdurcea of
Biblo Societies now existing in
States. Alt institution* founded or
To the Members of the ntveral ItiOlc Socletle$in
the Uiitted State*!;
Brethren? It in with peculiar pleasure that I
wire more address vou on <fi? interesting subject
<>f extending tbe Rcdeomer'sjangdom, by means
??fun unlimited and mratuitoiis clrctilation of the
Holy Scriptures. From the most corrcct in*
formation that haa lately been rccoived^' it lias
become evideut that the demand for Bibles in
the remote and frontier ?etilethehttf of our coun
rcsources of the Keveral
ill the United
on a more ex
tended plan, thut will concentrate and direct
the efforts or our uumerous and increasing Bi
ble Associations seems at present to be the gu
neral wish of the friends of Hcvealcd Truth.?
Much an institution has a powerful claim to the
liberal support of tho Christian public. This
plan which originated with the New-Jersey Bl
file Society* linn* within the last year* engaged
the attention of the Hoard of Munagero of the
New-York Biblo Society. Their resolutions,
inserted below, contain tlie result of their deli
berations on this important subject. A brighter
day appears now to have dnwncd on our Wes
tern Hemisphere. That the present ell'ort may
be rendered nn eflicient mean a of salvation to ma
ny thousands of destitute poor in our town, and
more distant lands, should be the wish and pray
er of every sincere Christian.
And may the blessing* of HIM who is " able
to do for us abundantly more than we can cither
ask or think," give it complete success?' u unto
whom be glory m the church by jkkvs cnursT,
throughout all ages? -world without end."
ltrsolution of the Hoard of Manager s of the
A 1*jr- Vork lllltfe Society.
1st. Iletojlveily That it is highly desirable to
obiain upon as large a scale as possible, a co-o
peration of the efforts of the christian community
throughout the IJ. States, for the efficient diatri
butiou of tho holy Scriptures.
2d. That as a mean for the attainment of (Ida
end, it will Inexpedient to have a convention ol
delegates from such Bible Societies, as shall be
disposed to concur in this measure, to meet at
??on the ? ? day of? ?next, for the pur*
pose of oons^Uy^m yvb^tlfr
mav be effected!^ a {kurfTioiRmc"^^ l>y the
correspondence of Oie different societies now
established t and if no, tlsat they prepare the
draftof a plan for such co-optation to be hub
milted to the different societies for their decision,
ml. That the Secretary transmit the ulmvc re
solutions to the President of the New-Jersey
llible Society, oh expressive of the opinion ol
this Board on tho measures therein contained,
and nttho same time signifying the wish of this
Board that he would exerciso his own discre
tion in bringing the subject before tho public."
In pursuance of the foregoing resolutions re
questing mo to designate the time and place at
which the proposed i meeting of delegates from
the different Biblo Societies in the U.. State*
Ml take place) after mature deliberation ami
consulting with judicious friends on this Impor
tant sutyect, t am decidedly of tJio opinion; that
tho most suitable place for the proposed meet
ing is the city of New-York, anil the most con
venient time* the second Wednesday of May
next t and I do appoint and recommend the said
meeting to lie held at that time and place. *
Should it-please a merciful Clod to raise me
from the ben of sicklier, to which I am now
confined, it will afford me the highest satisfac
tion to attend at thut time, and contribute all in
my power towards the establishment and organ
ization of a Society, which, with tho blessing ol
liod, 1 have not the least doubt will, in time, in
point of usefulness, ho second only to the pa
rent institution (the British and Foreign Bible
Society)? -will shed an unfading lustre on out
christian community, and will prove u blessing
to our country and tho world.
KI<1 AH BOUDINOT,
Wdflitof lt?oK. J. llible Society
Jlnrlingtoii, Jan. 51, 1816.
COSSACKS.
The following account is from a letter trans
mitted to the British and Foreign Bible Society
by Mr. Mitchell, a missionary employed by the
Kdinhurg Missionary Society, at Karitssin ltus<
sian Turtary. ? 14 In proportion as Christian*
urc stirred up to put die Scriptures into the
hands of others, the number of those who glad
I v receive them is increased. Of this webave
daily proofs in (be anxiety observed among the
Cossacks, soldiers ami others in this quarter,
to get possession of tho Word of Ood. Four
of our Cossack* were very anxious to have Bi
bles t but as on account of the smallness of their
pay they were not able to purchase a Bible for
each, tliev united to purchase one among them.
Before they did so, one of them sent to me, ami
requested to have the loan of one, to shew it to
itis companions, as he said they were all entire
ly ittii/u ant of its contents. 'I'lds request I did
not at first comply with, but as ho came fre
quently and repeated it, I gave him the volume
containing tho Now-Testament. Thee had it
m.i" days i and during that time, one of them
read in It almottnlghtsiid day. The one who
got it from mo being told that' they must return
? f ( ' " r <
It, the tear* ran down hit hardy cheeks. lie
thought I was going to noil It to another, whom
he had heard anxiously reuueittiug me to null
Mm one | tbey therefore coll ectcd the money to
par for it, that It might be secured to themselves
?outall four could raise only nix rubles, and
the Bible cost seven, and they wore obligtu to
borrow a ruble before they could |?y for lt.~
Had 1 known this circumstance at tno time, I
would have given them the llible for the nix.?
We could dispose of many Bibles to the milita
ry around us. The copies or tlie Herman and
Polish Bibles you neiittii, havo all been disponed
of, and we could linve disposed of many more,
if we luid them* Human Catholics have receiv
ed the Polish Bibles with gratitude, although
thoy know itttfbethe Protestant edition. It
would he well if something could be dono for the
CoHsacks in particular'. Hie way they are nta
tioned on out-posts, (kc. give* them often much
time to read ; and there is alwuyii one, on eve*
rr station, and sometimes more who can rend.
Hut as they are frequently removed from one
place to another, New 'festumeots nro more
proper for theui. Hurely no wealthy subject of
the llusKinn empire can "employ Inn bounty bet
ter than in mipplving with the Word of* Life*
this brave race or people who have signali'ieu
themselves mo womlerlully in the servico of their
country."
AWe t>tf Jllr. PnUrMii. ? Oik; of the Cossacks
fipoken of above, wrote to the Hussion lliblo 8o
ciety, thanking them for putting it into tlieir
power to procure a book, which taught them the
1 way or ttalvatiun.
MAIIO.MKDAN8.
In the following letloi- from Rev. Mr. Nv
lander* a Missionary in Western Africa, ad
dressed to the British and Foreign Bible Hocic
ty, our i-eaders Will perceive tlmt the Mahome
tans on that coast received the ltible with thank
ful not** and that the exportation i? not chimer*
cinl that great good will ins derived from the dis?
tribution of the Hcripture among them. The
British and Foreign Bible Bocietyliave recently
sent a supply of Arabic liibles to' tho Missiona
ries on that coast agreeably to their request.
" September 4, 1814.? ?! would bei you t?i
send me a few Arabic bibles* tho distribution ol
which willperhApc he ftttenueri with great bles
sings. I had fivo Bibles, four of which I hav?
given away, and ketyone for mV own use. Twn
I gave to J>ftlnnmdaj4%ftfict Mahoinedan i lie
kept one, and sent the other to Wol)kaj>0ng j
and, a? a great number of MfthomeilanB vialr the
Rood j itlaUodfa Word * ho speaks to ua ?>i
this book, by Mosc*,<! e Prophets, and Apostle*
and by jug (idn Christ t thin i* tho hooli
which I wish to translate into the llulloin Un
guage, and to teach ehlMreti and old people t*
reimif. The klnjf wan very glad to have aucl
? good book in bin possession | and to the lira
Strangers that visited him lie recommended tbit
M white man's book," aft they call it. 8ovel?
of the learned ones* visited me ? we rend a fen
passages | and they were astonished that a white
man should have written thisbook in their favo
rite language. Some time afterwards, I went
to nee the king, and saw nhvut twenty Maliome
dans sitting together in deep conversation, am!
j? i aged Mohomedan teacher in the midst ol
them reading the Bible : he visited me, and bog
ged for a Bible. 1 was very glud tit put that in
valuablo book into his hand. He is pretty well
acquainted with tlic New Testament and liken
to converge oil the subject.* contained in it. ?
With great thankfulness he accented the Bible,
und said, ** When I come home, 1 shall read th'n
book to all my people.**
? HISI.KCT REVIEW.
Journal of n Voyage up the Nlver Jil?*ouri, per
former in the year 1811. ? Jly H. M, Brack
enridge, Ksq.
On tlie second of April, 181t, Mr. Bracken
ridge loll the village of 8t. Charles, fur the pur
pose of asccndingtHe Missouri river, in a barge
manned with twenty utout oarsmen, under the
command of Manuel Lisa. Tho object* of Mr.
Lisa mid his parly were to trade with the In
dians far up the river, and to carry relief to Mr*
llenry, one of the members* of the Missouri fur
company, who Imd established himsolf on one of
| the. branches of Columbia river. The motives
which induced Mr. Brackenrldgo to accompany
this party, nre thus set forth by him with mucli
candour and simplicity <
** With respect to myself, I must own to the
reader* that I had no other motive for underta
king a tour of severul thousand miles, through
regions but seldom marked even by the wander
ing footsteps of the Ravage, than what he will
term an idle curiosity : and 1 must confess that
I might have employed in? time more hiMiefn-i
ally to myself, and more usefully to the commu
nity. Would that I wore able to make some n
mends, by describing the many interesting oh
jects which 1 witnessed, in such a manner, an to
enable the render to particionte in the agreeable
parts of my peregrinations.''
Mr. Br&ckenridge accompanied the pa< ?y as
far as the country of the Ankara*, when being,
as he confessed, extreme! v anxious to return a
gain to the abodes of civilized men, ho descend
ed the river with two boats loaded with furs,
which Mere placed under his direction "by Mr.
Idsa. This was in the latter end of Julv, and
they reached 8t. Louis early in August, Wing
performed a voyage of fourteen hundred and for
ty miles in little better than fourteen days,
The amusing and interesting account of these
voyages, is given by Mr. Brflckeiiridge in the
form of a journal, exhibiting tho occurrence* of
each day, interspersed with descriptions of the
country on each side of this immense river, und
kucIi remarks and rellcctious as occurred to him
in the course of the progress. 'ilio wliblo form*
n work which docs credit to the author | ami wo
think, il cannot full of rece iving the eucourage
mont whlclithe adveqturoua b pi lit ami literary
talents of this young gcutlemaii deserve. U is
seldom thkt . tin* hanliho^d and Pliirit necessary
(o such on undertaking arts combined with the
power* of oiMorvatien and description possessed
by thin writer, and whoroVer they are so found
unit*), wo feci a peculiar gratification in -lend -
ing our aid to houor and reward the possessor.
The following passages are taken pretty much
at random fiom this tvork. aud will servo t<j give
the reader u specimen of the author's descrip*
tive powers.
u Salurday 18fA. A fine breete 8. W. At
acVen arrived at tho Black-bird hill. Ah thin in
one of the curiosities of tlie Missouri, a descrip
^on may be amusing. It rises on the common
fnugo to tlio height of four or llvo hundred feet.
The Missouri at its bnse, begins a strange wind
ing course, several times returning upon its
steps and at length coming within nine hun
dred yards of whero (he hills first approached ?
ao Hint In a course of thirty miles the lllack-bird
hill is still near us. It takes its mtino from a ce
lebrated chief of the Mohas, who caused himself
to be. interred on the top i u mound luis been e
reeled on the pinnacle, with a branch stuck in
it t a flag was formerly attached (o it. lie was
buried* sitting erect on horseback ; the reason
which lie gave for choosing this spot, was (hat
he might see (he traders as tliev ascended. This
chief was us fnjimus in his lifetime amongst all
(he nations in tliiH part of tho world, an Tamer
lane or liajav.et were in tho plains of Asia < a
superstitious awe is still paid to his grave. Y ct.
tho secret of his greatness was nothing more
than a quuiftity 01 arsenic, which lie had pro
cured from some (radcr. lie denounced death
against any one who displeased him, or opposed
his wishes : it is therefore not surprising, that
he, who held at his disposal the lives of others,
should possess unlimited power, and excite uni
versal terror. The proud savage, whenever this
terrible being appeared, rendered tho humane
of a sluve. The gods and heroes of aiitiuuity,
were, perhaps, little bettor. We may learn
this lesson, tliut ignorant rj;d savage man. is
most effectually ruled by fear, or superstitious
awo ; and in comparison with these, other mo
tives have but little force.''-? p. 88.
" With respect to their religion, it is extreme
ly difficult, particularly from tho slight uc<|uain
UnM I had with them* (0 form any just idea.
They lmyo some notUm Of n Supreme Being,
whom they call * Master of life,' but they offer
him no rational worship, and have but indis
[tinct ideas of a future elate. Their devotion
manifests itself in a thousand curious tricks of
. Vch ??ey call magic, and which
ithetftDelieve to bo something
future)* Tfcey are very superstitious. lie
. ;elr magic, or mediefne lodge, in whicli
?y have a great collection of magic, or sacred
I things, every one has his private magic in his
lodge, or about Ills person. Any thing curious
It* imtn?unt0]y tnado an amulet, or a talisman j
ddercd as devoted or consecrated, so
~____JH?^ftWMer of the power of giving
it awlivJ Tlio (principal war-cliicf lately took
advantage of tnisi Having obtained a very tine
horse, \>li!ch lie was desirous of keeping, but
fearing that tome one tylgjht ask him ns a gift,
and as to refuse woutd to Unbecoming a great
man, who ought not toafct Ilia heart upon a mat
ter of so little importance, he announced that
lu? had given, or consecrated Ids horse to hi* ma
gic or medicine ! Home parts of their supehti
tious devotions or modeabf worship, are, the
most barbarous that can bo imagined, fl ob
served a gieat number whose bodies were sear*
red aud cut in the most shocking manner \ I was
informed that this was done in their devotion ;
tha( (o show their y.cal,. they sometimes sus
pend themselves by tho arms or legs, or the
sides, by hooks. 1 was shown a boy, who had
drawn two huffaloe heads several hundred yards
by cords tlxcd in tho fleshy part of his side*. I
might enumerate a variety of other particulars,
in which this ylrungo self-punishment is carried
to the greatest lengths. They have frequent
public holiday* | wlum the greater part of the
village appears to de?ist from labor, and dress
out iiiiUDually tine. On these occasions, each
one suspends his private nmuir on a high pole
before his door ; the painted shields, quivers of
a variety of colours, scurlet cloth, aud higlily
ornamented buffaloe robes, which compose these
troubles, nrwlni-n ? "
m r. ... ...v .iran;m wiunmi ueing un
der any apbrehension that anv of the same tril>e
will touch it, provided that there be the least
sign to show that it Is not lo*t. A kind of su
perstition similar to that of the Druid*, which
protected their offerings hung up in tho woods."
? -p. 1(11, .
'? On the fourth of July, wo had something
like a celebration ofthls glorious anniversary.?
The two princi|ml chiefs happened to bo witli us ;
the OwtmV, and the Ulfick-flhor. The former
is a giant Tn stature, and if his one eve had been
K laced in the middle of his forehead, ho might
ave passed for a Cyclop. Ilis huge limbs nnd
gigantic frame, his bushy hair shading his coarse
visage aud savage features, with Ins 0110 eye
flashing fire, constituted hint it fearful demon.
He sways, with unlimited controul, all these
village*, and is feared by all tho neighbouring
nations. 1 remarked (hat one or two occasions
he treated Hhedie-ke, with grea( contempt.-?
I.is.i having referred to some tiling raid bv that
chief, * What,' said this monster. 4 What! does
that bag of lies pretend to have any authority
here f '? He is sometimes a cruel and abomina
ble tyrant. .. A story \\ us related to mo of his
? Klf-he-kf ih ??!???. ? ???? . ?? *?*. ? ?
cruelty, which ha* in it something or n more
roflneu tragic nature, than wc usually meet
with amongst these people. Having fsiMeu in
love (for even Felypliemus folt tho influence <|f
the god who apare*H neither giants nor common
meii) Avitli the wife of* n voung warrior, he went
to hid lodge during hit) absence, and carried her
qfl'by force. Tito warrior on hi* return, repair -
ed to the One-ty'd demon, and demanded hi*
wife, but instead of receiving redress, wm put
to death, while the wretched object of the uis
|Hitu was retained in the embraces of herravish-*
er. The mother of the voting warrior, whoso
only clnhl ho was? became f untie, loot tier Hen
Men from cxccm ??| grief, and now doc* nothing
but go about reviling him, and loading him with
tier curses t yet sucli in the superstitious vene
ration (by the by it deserve* a better numo on
thin occasion) lor unhappy objects of this kind,
that this chief, great ;ih lie in, dare not lay his
hand on her, e. 3ii should kIio haunt hint like one
of the Kuminidcit, wherever he mnv appear."?
p. 185.
44 A fow dav? after our arrival, a great com
motion was heard in the village, nul'oru daylight ;
ignorant of what might occasion it, ami Iroin
tiiw ulone, somewhat alarmed, when we recol
lected our situation. amongst being* in \t horn
we had but little re-iance, wc hastd v rose and
ascended the plain in order to ascortuiu tin?
cause. The interpreter, shortly after came to
uh with the information, that it was a partv of
three hundred men, on their return, after a hat -
tie with a party of Sioux the day before, ill
which they (md been victorious, with the loss of
two or three killed, and ten or twelve wounded,
and that they were thon within a fu?v miles of
the village, none but the chief of the party hav
ing come in. lly this our minds were quieted*
e waited with nnxiety for their approach to
the village, which we were informed would bo
made with considerable ceremony j that they
had lmHed within a fow miles of the place, to
prepare themselves fur a formal and Hpletid i?l
entry, and that a great deal of Indian ilucry had
heeii sent, to ?nab!e the warriors to decorate
themselves to tht best advantage.
" It was nearly doven o'clock in the day, bo
fore their approach wot announced ; in the mean*
while a still suspense reined throughout the vil
lage, nil spo ts and business suspended, and re
sembling a hol vday in one of our towns. Wo
discovered them at length, advancing bv the
sound of their voices over a Idll, about a mile be
low our encampment. In a short timo they
inado their appearance \ at the same time, the
inhabitants of the town moved out on foot to
meet them. I accompanied thorn for some dis
tance. and then took a favorable position where
1 might have a full view of this singular scene.
Thoy advanced in regular procession, with a
slow step and solemn mu4ic, extending .nearly a
quarter of a mile in !engthr and separated in
platoons, ten or twelve ^breast, the horsemen
placed between them, which contributed to ex
tend their line. The different bands, of wldch
I have spoken, the buftuloe, the bear, tho phea
sant, the dog, marched in senarate bodies, each
carrying their ensigns, which consisted of a
large spear or bow, richly ornamented with
painted feathers, heads, and porcupine quills.?
Hie warriors were dressed in a tarietv of ways,
some with their cincture and crown or feathers,
bearing their war-clubs,guns, bows and arrowy
ami painted shields t each platoon having it*
musician*, while tho whole joined in the song
and step together, with fftvat pfecl^jton. ? In each
hand there were scalpsTastencd to long poles :
this was nothing more than the few scalps thev
hadtaken,diTided into^r* "
soaa to give the aemblirtjc
liferent locks of hair,
,._.fcc of a greater number,
ince of tho whole, their music, & the
rohny persons, had a martial effect.
The scene which took place, whon their friends
and relations from the village mingled with them
was really afVecting ; the pen of a Fenelon
would not lie disgraced in attempting ti e de
scription of it. Tlieso approached with song
ond solemn dance, as the warriors proceeded
slowly through their rank? it was a meeting of
persons connected by the most tender relations.
The scene would baffle description. Father*,
mothers, wives, brothers, sisters, caressing each
other, without interrupting for a moment, the
regularity and order pi the procession, or the so
lemnity of the song and step ! I was partial
ly touched with the tenderness of a woman who
met her son, a youth reported badly wounded,
but who exerteu himself to keep on his horse,
and from Ids countenance one would have sup
posed nothing had been the matter with him. ?
She threw her amis around him and wept aloud.
Notwithstanding this, the young man expired
shortly after being brought 'to the medicine de
RartinV.it ; for it is the custom to carrv such as
ave been wounded in battle, to bo taken earn
of In this place, at the public expense; As they
drew neor tho village, the old people, who coul'd
barely walk, w ithered by extreme age, came out
like feeble grasshoppers, singing their shrill
songs, He rubbing tho warriors with their hands.
The day was spent in festivity by the village in
general, and in grief by those' who had lost their
relatives. >Ve saw a number of solitary females
on tho points of tho hills round tho vjlltige, la
menting in mournful wailings the misfortunes
which had bofallen them. For the two succeed -
ingday.1 the village exhibited a scene of festivi
ty ? all tlioir painted shields and trophies wem
raised on high poles near the lodges, and all (ho
inhabitants dressed out in their finery? all their
lalmrs and sports w ere s'iMpendcd, and the whole,
joined in the public demonstrations of joy, while
music, songs and dances w ere hardly intermit
ted for a moment. The temple, or medicino
lodge, was tho principal scene of their dancing.
I entered with the crowd, nnd found a upacious
building, sufllcient to contain six or ftavau !u;.<
dred persons. I found to my surprise that th ?
dan -i-i's were all females* with fti'iiu of jJm- ? : ?