File:Indian Biography (1800) (14576867997).jpg

Identifier: indianbiography00that (find matches)
Title: Indian Biography
Year: 1800 (1800s)
Authors: Thatcher, B.B. (Benjamin Bussy), 1809-1840
Subjects: Indians of North America
Publisher: Philadelphia : Bowen
Contributing Library: University of Pittsburgh Library System
Digitizing Sponsor: Lyrasis Members and Sloan Foundation

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he trade of a blacksmith.Here, as in other cases, he was his own instructor, and his first taskwas to make for himself a pair of bellows; having effected which,he proceeded to make hoes, axes, and other of the most simpleimplements of agriculture. Before he went to work, in the year1820, he paid a visit to some friends residing at a Cherokee villageon the Tennessee river, during which a conversation occurred onthe subject of the art of writing. The Indians, keen and quick-sighted with regard to all the prominent points of difference betweenthemselves and the whites, had not failed to remark, with greatcuriosity and surprise, the fact that what was written by one personAvas understood by another, to whom it was delivered, at any dis-tance of time or place. This mode of communicating thoughts, orof recording facts, has always been the subject of much inquiryamong them; the more intelligent have sometimes attempted todetect the imposition, if any existed, by showing the same writing 2^^p
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TNWNTOR OV THE CHEROKEE M:PHABET ZU^)1^ SEQUOYAH. 41 to different persons; but finding the result to be uniform, havebecome satisfied that the white men possess a faculty unknown tothe Indians, and which they suppose to be the effect of sorcery, orsome other supernatural cause. In the conversation alluded to,great stress was laid on this power of the white man—on his abilityto put his thoughts on paper, and send them afar off to speak forhim, as if he who wrote them w^as present. There was a generalexpression of astonishment at the ingenuity of the whites, or ratherat their possession of what most of those engaged in the conversa-tion considered as a distinct faculty, or sense, and the drift of thediscussion turned upon the inquiry whether it was a faculty of themind, a gift of the Great Spirit, or a mere imposture. Guess, whohad listened in silence, at length remarked, that he did not regardit as being so very extraordinary. He considered it

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