Becoming America - An Exploration of American Literature from Precolonial to Post-Revolution, 2018a

BECOMING AMERICA
REVOLUTIONARY AND EARLY NATIONAL PERIOD LITERATURE
kind oce to a society of men who so readily oer to assist us into their social
partnership, and to extend to my family the shelter of their village, the strength
of their adoption, and even the dignity of their names. God grant us a prosperous
beginning, we may then hope to be of more service to them than even missionaries
who have been sent to preach to them a Gospel they cannot understand.
As to religion, our mode of worship will not suffer much by this removal
from a cultivated country, into the bosom of the woods; for it cannot be much
simpler than that which we have followed here these many years: and I will with
as much care as I can, redouble my attention, and twice a week, retrace to them
the great outlines of their duty to God and to man. I will read and expound to
them some part of the decalogue, which is the method I have pursued ever since
I married.
Half a dozen of acres on the shores of—-, the soil of which I know well,
will yield us a great abundance of all we want; I will make it a point to give the
over-plus to such Indians as shall be most unfortunate in their huntings; I will
persuade them, if I can, to till a little more land than they do, and not to trust
so much to the produce of the chase. To encourage them still farther, I will give
a quirn to every six families; I have built many for our poor back settlers, it
being often the want of mills which prevents them from raising grain. As I am
a carpenter, I can build my own plough, and can be of great service to many of
them; my example alone, may rouse the industry of some, and serve to direct
others in their labours. The diculties of the language will soon be removed; in
my evening conversations, I will endeavour to make them regulate the trade of
their village in such a manner as that those pests of the continent, those Indian
traders, may not come within a certain distance; and there they shall be obliged
to transact their business before the old people. I am in hopes that the constant
respect which is paid to the elders, and shame, may prevent the young hunters
from infringing this regulation. The son of——will soon be made acquainted
with our schemes, and I trust that the power of love, and the strong attachment
he professes for my daughter, may bring him along with us: he will make an
excellent hunter; young and vigorous, he will equal in dexterity the stoutest
man in the village. Had it not been for this fortunate circumstance, there would
have been the greatest danger; for however I respect the simple, the inoensive
society of these people in their villages, the strongest prejudices would make
me abhor any alliance with them in blood: disagreeable no doubt, to nature’s
intentions which have strongly divided us by so many indelible characters. In the
days of our sickness, we shall have recourse to their medical knowledge, which
is well calculated for the simple diseases to which they are subject. Thus shall
we metamorphose ourselves, from neat, decent, opulent planters, surrounded
with every conveniency which our external labour and internal industry could
give, into a still simpler people divested of everything beside hope, food, and
the raiment of the woods: abandoning the large framed house, to dwell under
the wigwam; and the featherbed, to lie on the mat, or bear’s skin. There shall
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