or three horses each. Frequently, after they have followed and relished our instructions for a long time, as soon as we touch upon this article they go away, like the disciples of the Lord, saying, " Durus est hie sermo, et quis potest eum audire f " and we have the grief of seeing persons escape us, who, in all other respects, were giving us great hopes.
A still greater obstacle, and one which will, I fear, end in the total ruin of the nation, is drink; which brings in its train war, famine and pestilence, all together. The country is overrun by vagabond Americans; and the Government, which alone could put a stop to this abominable traffic, in spite of the severity of its laws, pays no attention to the matter. The Potawatomies, by their treaty with the Government, receive $50,000 per annum; this payment having been omitted last year, they received double in 1839. Such a sum, well placed, would procure for the savages victuals and goods in abundance, and would render them happy in regard to temporal things. But alas! all this money goes for liquor. As long as it lasts they neither work nor hunt -. and they now have enough to keep them going from New Year's day to the end of December. They quarrel and fight from morning to night; their bodies become veritable furnaces, full of foul humors, which cause them all sorts of maladies. Their love for liquor is really inconceivable; one must see it to be able to form any idea of the thing. It is a regular tarantula to them; as soon as they are bitten by it, all their blood flames in their veins, and they are crazy for more. If they get it, " More, more! " is their war-cry, until, as the flame consumes them, they fall over, drunk, like animals. And when the fumes of drink evaporate from their brains, their first and only cry is " Whisky! whisky! whisky! " as if it was a matter of life and death.
While they are drunk, their passions control them absolutely. At first they are moved to joyous songs, but these are soon succeeded by yells and roars. Disputes and quarrels follow, and then the knives, lances and tomahawks come out, and murders finally crown their abominable or