The anthropological review - National Library of Scotland

HAND-BOOK OF OViORLAND EXPEDITIONS. 14?
have been heaped upon their brethren who formerly occupied the
Eastern States for their gratitude, have not, so far as I have observed,
the most distant conception of that sentiment. You may confer
numberless benefits upon them for years, and the more that is done
for them the more they will expect. They do not seem to comprehend
the motive which dictates an act of benevolence or charity, and
they invariably attribute it to fear or the expectation of reward.
When they make a present, it is with a view of getting more than its
equivalent in return."
On this statement the editor makes the following remark
•' Such is the morale of all savages. The battle of life, and the
selection of species, compels every man to do unto his neighbour
what he would not have his neighbour do unto him. The word
'gratitude' is not to be found in the dialects of the wild men. Even
in Hindostan, it must be borrowed from Arabic or Persian, And
when trying to obtain an African equivalent for ' honest,' the nearest
approach to it is ' one who does not steal.' "
General Marcy also observes :
" I have never yet been able to discover that the Western wild
tribes possessed any of those attributes which among civilized nations
are regarded as virtues adorning the human character. They have
yet to be taught the first rudiments of civilization, and they are at
this time as far from any knowledge of Christianity, and as worthy
subjects for missionary enterprise, as the most untutored natives of
the South Sea Islands.
"The only way to made these merciless freebooters fear or respect
the authority of our government is, when they misbehave, first of all
to chastise them well by striking such a blow as will be felt for a long
time, and thus show them that we are superior to them in war. They
will then respect us much more than when their good-will is purchased
with presents.
" The opinion of a friend of mine, who has passed the last twenty-
five years of his life among the Indians of the Rocky Mountains, corroborates
the opinions I have advanced upon this head ; and although
I do not endorse all of his sentiments, yet many of them are deduced
from long and matured experience and critical observation. He says
"'They are the most onsartainest varmints in all creation, and I
reckon tha'r not mor'n half human; for you never seed a human,
arter you'd fed and treated him to the best fixins in your lodge, jist
turn round and steal all your horses, or ary other thing he could lay
his hands on. No, not adzactly. He would feel kinder grateful, and
ask you to spread a blanket in his lodge ef you ever passed that away.
But the Injun he don't care shucks for you, and is ready to do
you a heap of mischief as soon as he quits your feed. No, Cap.,' he
continued, ' it's not the right way to give um presents to buy peace
but ef I war governor of these yeer United States, I'll tell you what
I'd do. I'd invite um all to a big feast, and make b'lieve I wanted
to have a big talk; and as soon as I got um all together, I'd pitch in
and sculp about half of um, and then t'other half would be mighty
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