we received every desirable civility, kindness and prompt assistance in accomplishing the objects of the Government. The Indians, also, treated us, without a single exception, with much respect and attention, and listened, with their usual politeness, to my communications, as the representative of their great father, the President. Were it not that they are too numerous to be recited, and that it would be invidious to omit any, it would be gratifying to our feelings, to give the names of those who, for the government's sake, from regard to the cause in which we were embarked, as well as for our own sakes, shewed us this respect and kindness. It is a circumstance of regret, that Governor CASS, Superintendant of Indians in the Michigan Territory, from whom I had expected to receive much assistance and information, had, just before our arrival at Detroit, departed on his N. W. Expedition. The disappointment, however, was rendered as little inconvenient to us as possible, by the politeness and ready assistance of Lieut. Gov. WOODBRIDGE, Major General MACOMB, and many other respectable gentlemen of this city.

We were favored on our way with the company of gentlemen .of high consideration and intelligence, from whom was derived, not only the usual social gratifications, but much information relative to the object of my mission. We were so fortunate as to be on our way, when Governor CLINTON, General S. Van Rensselaer, and other gentlemen, Commissioners, were going to visit the Grand Erie Canal,* and enjoyed their company for three or four days, during our ride from Albany to Utica, and on the Canal, from Utica to Montezuma-Judge PLATT, also, was our fellow passenger to Utica,-gentlemen, than whom none could do more, or could be more ready to do what they were able, to promote the views of the Government; particularly in regard to the remnants of the Six Nations residing in the State of New-York.

In crossing Lake Erie, among other respectable passengers, we were gratified in finding the commissioners for settling the Northern boundary of the U. States; Maj. Gen. PETER B. PORTER, and the Hon. ANTHONY BARCLAY, and the gentlemen associated with them; also CHARLES STUART, Esq. of Malden, Upper Canada, who took a deep interest in the objects of my mission, and mani

* Appendix I.

fested an ardent desire that the British Government would co-operate with our own, in some general plan, that might be formed for the benefit of the Indians within the jurisdiction of both Governments. On this subject, of much importance, as will be shown hereafter, I conversed, at Detroit and Mackinaw, with several intelligent gentlemen, British subjects, who coincided with Mr. STUART in their feelings and opinions. These conversations suggested the idea of the visit to Canada, which was made in the summer of 1821.

In the feeble state of my health, I felt it to be a peculiar smile of Providence, to be favoured, as we were, from Canandaigua to Mackinaw, and during our stay at the latter place with the company of Dr. BEAUMONT, Post Surgeon of the 3d Regiment of the U. S. Army, a gentleman of much skill in his profession, and of most amiable and kind dispositions. To him, by means of his medical prescriptions and attentions, I feel indebted, under Providence, for the degree of health, which enabled me to fulfil my duties to the Government, probably even for my life.

On our passage from Detroit to Mackinaw, we had the pleasure of the company of Gen. MACOMB, Col. WooL, (who, in his office of Inspector General, for which he seemed peculiarly well fitted, was on his rout to visit and inspect the northern military posts) Capt. CROOKS, and Mr. STEWART, and many other gentlemen of respectability. The two gentlemen last named, are intelligent members of the American S. W. Fur Company, conversant with Indians, and had both of them visited Columbia river, and travelled over land, one of them twice, through the wide region inhabited by the Aborigines on both sides of the Rocky Mountains, and on the head waters of the rivers, which pass into the Missouri, and of those which pass directly into the Mississippi. Probably no men have had opportunity to acquire so extensive and accurate a knowledge of this terra incognita of our country, as these two gentlemen; and what they had acquired, that was valuable to my object, they have communicated with great readiness and politeness, and also made me acquainted with several of their most intelligent agents, who had resided a number of winters among the interior tribes. From these sources, beside much information of other kinds, I received for my statistical table, the names, num

bers, and places of residence, of many tribes, and of not a few, who had never before been visited by white people, and whose names, even, were not before known to us.

We endeavoured to be useful on our way, when there was opportunity, without injury to the main object of my mission, by preaching to the troops of the U. States, at the several military posts which we visited, and at other destitute places, administering the ordinances of religion, and dispensing moral and religious instruction by the distribution of bibles and tracts, establishing Sabbath and other schools, Bible and Tract Societies, and laying foundations for a stated ministry of the Gospel, and the permanent support of schools for the education of the rising generation. Our efforts of this kind, I have reason to hope, have been crowned with the blessing of God, and will issue, at no distant period, in measures beneficial to many of the destitute, who otherwise would have been left to grow up in ignorance and vice.

I considered improvements of this kind, in these destitute places, as having an important bearing and influence on the benevolent project of the Government, in regard to the Indians; whose intercourse with these military posts, and with the inhabitants of these villages, is frequent and extensive. In these circumstances, good examples in the soldiers and citizens will be of much advantage to their Indian visitants. To make these soldiers and citizens good, of course, is doing good to the Indians. These observations apply with peculiar force to the inhabitants of Mackinaw and Green Bay, which places are regularly frequented by large numbers of the Indians, and in these places the establishments mentioned above were made.

I add, that the season was remarkably fine. We suffered no hindrance in our journey from unfavorable weather or any disaster. By the aid which I received, under a kind Providence, though my health was extremely feeble for a tour so extensive and of so much fatigue and responsibility, I was enabled to collect much information on the several topics specified in my commission. This will be found in as much order, as the nature of the several topics will admit, in the Appendix to this Report.

TOUR INTO CANADA.

Conceiving that it was within the spirit and meaning of my commission, and that it might, in various ways, aid essentially the accomplishment of the grand object of the Government in respect to the Indians, I left home on the 4th of July 1821, with a view to visit both the Canadas, and to ascertain the feelings and views of the Governors and principal men in those provinces, on the subject of the civilization and moral and religious improvement of the Indians, within their respective jurisdictions, and whether their cooperation, in such manner as they should deem proper, might be expected.* I proceeded by way of Buffalo, Niagara Falls and Town, to York, the seat of the government of Upper Canada, where I arrived the 3d of August; and the same day had a very full and satisfactory conversation with His Excellency, Sir PEREGRINE MAITLAND, on the subject of my visit, the result of which will be found in the following letter, which I had the honor to address to you from Niagara.

NIAGARA, August 5th, 1821.

Dear Sir,

I HAVE just returned to this place from a visit to His Excellency PEREGRINE MAITLAND, Governor of Upper Canada, at York. He received me with much civility, in a manner respectful to the Government under whose commission I had been acting; heard my communications with an attention, which indicated deep interest in them; communicated, in turn, what had been done, and was now doing, for the Indians in this Province; expressed in strong terms his approbation of what was doing in the U. States, for the benefit of our Indians; rejoiced very sincerely in our success, and manifested his readiness to co-operate with us in all suitable ways and measures practicable for the accomplishment of the great and common object in view, the complete civilization of the Indians. A plan of

A summary Journal of this Tour is given in the Appendix K.

future proceeding in this business was proposed by him, to which I gave my ready assent.* He will confer with Governor DALHOUSIE, now on a tour in the western part of this province, on this subject, and of whose approbation of the benevolent design, of doing good to the Indians, he entertains no doubt.

I have conversed also with the Hon. and Rev. Dr. STRACHAN, and other gentlemen of York; and with the Hon. WILLIAM CLAUS, Deputy Inspector General of Indian Affairs, in Upper Canada, and a considerable number of other respectable gentlemen in Niagara, on this business, and by all am assured of their warm approbation of it, and have their promises of cordial support.

A foundation, I trust, is thus laid for future intercourse and cooperation between the Governments, and respectable and influential individuals in these Provinces, and our own Government and individuals connected with it, which will tend to harmonize and strengthen the efforts which shall in future be made, each within their respective jurisdictions, to raise the long neglected native tribes, whom the Providence of God has placed under our care, as christian nations, from their present state of ignorance and wretchedness, to the enjoyment, with us, of all the blessings of civilization, and of our holy religion. In all events, I shall never regret, that I have made this visit and effort to accomplish an object obviously good, and of deep importance. The gratifications I have enjoyed in the polite and favourable manner in which my communications were received, as well as in other respects, are an abun

*The plan suggested was, that a correspondence should be opened and continued between the Honourable and Reverend Dr. STUART of Lower Canada and myself on the subject at large, under his, the Governor's sanction, and that in this form he would most cheerfully give the business his influence. A letter, accordingly, introducing and opening the subject, has been forwarded to Dr. STUART.

The absence of Governor DALHOUSIE, prevented my going, as I had intended, to Montreal and Quebec, and of course my ascertaining from personal conversation, the feelings and opinions of a number of respectable gentlemen in those places, particularly Chief Justice SEWALL, and Sir WILLIAM JOHNSON, Bart. Inspector General of Indian Affairs, to whom I had letters of introduction. These letters have been since forwarded, with letters explaining fully the design of my intended visit to them. Their answers have not yet been received.