The different tribes of Indians are so numerous and so unlike each other, that it would be impos sible to describe them all. Some have a coppercoloured complexion, while others are of a light brown: almost all have straight black hair, and deep-set eyes; but some tribes are tall and handsome, and others on the contrary short and illlooking. Their dress usually consists of a large mantle of buffalo-skin, embroidered in the middle and at the corners. On their feet they wear moccassins, which are a kind of boot or legging made of deer-skin, and often fancifully ornamented. When in full dress, an Indian warrior presents a most grotesque appearance: his face is painted with scarlet, green, or white stripes, according to his taste; his head is shaved in front, and the hair at the back is fastened to a plume of feathers, or a large tuft of horse's and deer's hair dyed red. Round his neck he wears chains made of carved shells, and on his fingers and arms rings of silver. The women's dress is much simpler, and is the same in all the tribes. Their glossy black hair hangs down their backs, without any ornament, but it is their pride to keep it constantly smooth and clean; and they stain the partings of their hair, and also the sides of their cheeks with scarlet.

When their infants are quite young, the Indian women fasten them securely to a flat board, and carry them about, by means of a strap which passes round the forehead of the mother, who is thus enabled to perform her numerous tasks without much inconvenience.

In times of peace the Indians amuse themselves with various games and dances; they have also a war dance, which is always performed before going to battle. Their only music is a kind of drum, which is accompanied by a sort of humming made

by the voice. Smoking is one of their principal enjoyments-they sometimes smoke tobacco, and sometimes a plant called sumach.

When one tribe wishes for peace with another, a party is sent bearing a pipe made of wood, and adorned in many ways; this is called the calumet, or pipe of peace. If, on the contrary, they desire war, they send a hatchet, with the handle painted red.

The Indians believe in one God, whom they call "the Great Spirit." They never fail to return thanks to Him for everything they enjoy; and never mention Him without a serious and respectful manner. Thus, though they have not been taught to hallow God's name as we have, they set an example which some among us might do well to follow. They have no idols, and no regular form of worship; but in some tribes it is the custom for every man to have some spot of ground, in which he goes to pray alone; and when thus engaged, not even his nearest relations venture to intrude upon him.

Some of the Indians have been converted to Christianity; but the wandering, unsettled life of the greater number is a great hindrance to their civilization.

The American Indians are sometimes described as cold and silent in disposition, and almost devoid of natural affection-but this is a mistake. They are often warmly attached to their friends, and nowhere are more affectionate parents to be found. Some time ago a party of Indians of the Ioway tribe visited Dublin, and exhibited their curious dress and weapons. They were a fine set of men, with intelligent countenances and a very gentle expression. Their manners were calm and dignified, but not wanting in animation. Some of them had brought their wives, who were pleasing-looking

women, but not so tall and handsome as the men. Unfortunately the climate of Ireland did not agree with the health of these Indians, who were used to a drier air, and one of them did not live to return to his native country, but died soon after leaving Ireland.

LESSON XXVI.

THE WEST INDIES.

THE West India Islands are at the entrance of the Gulf of Mexico; and some of them close to the coast of South America. The greatest number of them belong now to Great Britain; but several are the property of France, several of Spain, and a few belong to the Dutch, Danes, and Swedes.

These islands are many of them extremely beautiful; their surface is generally mountainous, and they abound in the finest fruit and the most lovely and curious flowers and trees. The mahogany tree, of which so many pieces of furniture are made the pine-apple, which yields a delicious fruit, sometimes seen in hot-houses here-the tree which produces the nutmeg, contained in a crimson shell or husk, which is also sweet-smelling and called mace-the peppervine, a creeping plant from which black pepper is taken, and many others equally remarkable, are common here. But the chief articles of cultivation are coffee and sugar. The coffee is an evergreen, its flowers are white and its berries red: these contain the seeds which are the coffee we use. It is grown in large plantations, and when the fruit is ripe, it is plucked off and spread out to dry in the sun.

The account of the sugar-cane, and the boiling

and preparing of the sugar, is given in the description of the Vegetable Kingdom.

Formerly all the work in the West Indies was done by negro slaves; but slavery has lately been abolished in the British dominions, and all the negroes in the islands belonging to Great Britain are free. Unhappily this is not the case with those belonging to Spain and to some other foreign nations, and in these slavery still continues.

The largest of the British West India islands is Jamaica, whose capital is Kingston. The chief of the Spanish islands is Cuba; its capital is Havanna.

St. Domingo, or Hayti, formerly belonged partly to France, and partly to Spain; but about the beginning of this century the negroes shook off the government of the whites, and the country is now a free black republic.

LESSON XXVII.

PART I.

SOUTH AMERICA.

THE general features of this great peninsula are extremely simple. Through the centre, from north to south, stretches an expanse of low country, composed of marshy or sandy plains, and intersected by numerous rivers, amongst which is the celebrated Amazon, the largest river in the world. On the west of this, and parallel to it, lies an ex tensive plain, elevated about 12,000 feet above the level of the sea, and upon which rises the lofty chain of the Andes. On the east of the central plain rises another extent of table land less elevated than the western one. These three natural

1

divisions constitute the whole of the South Ame

rican peninsula.

The Spaniards occupy the greater part of the western table land, and the Portuguese possess the beautiful country to the east, under the name of the empire of Brazil.

The ranges of the Andes are among the highest mountains in the world. They derive their name from a Peruvian word signifying copper. They are rich in mines, not of copper only, but also of gold, silver, and many other metals. On one of these mountains, called Pichinca, is the town of Quito, in Columbia. It is remarkable for enjoying a very agreeable and temperate climate, though situated directly under the equator, because it stands so high above the level of the sea. It is said, that of two persons meeting in the streets of Quito, one coming from the snow-capped summit of the mountain, and the other from the burning plains below, the first complains of the heat, and the second shivers with cold, the inhabitants of the town, meanwhile, find the temperature delightful-neither too hot nor too cold.

Compared with Asia and Africa, South America has but few wild animals. The largest is the lama, a beautiful creature, which is used as a beast of burden; its wool is also valuable, a delicate kind of stuff being manufactured from it. The lama approaches more nearly to the dromedary, no camel, than to any other animal; but it has or hump, and its graceful motions are very unlike the clumsy, hobbling gait of the camel.

The vegetable productions of South America are innumerable; the flowers are unequalled in beauty by those of any other quarter of the world, and a great variety of valuable medicines are obtained from Brazil, Peru, and Guiana. One of these, called Peruvian bark, was discovered in