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Even granting the truth in what the | Hindoos who tried to establish the ChurCatholics mean by the virtue of "detach-ruck Pooja or Swinging Festival, but were ment," granting, that is, that we ought to prevented by the Government; 25,000 live a life that is not all absorbed and were negroes; 20,000 Portuguese of Mawrapped up in earthly duties, that can bear deira, nominally Catholic, and some, 50,000 to contemplate a complete transformation or so Chinese, who have either no religion of those duties, even granting this, En- at all or adopt that of the ruling race. glishmen are likely to attain it, so far as The tongues spoken are endless, the variethey ever can, rather by exhausting the full ties of civilization as numerous, but still meaning of them, and finding out that they above them all calmly sits the Englishman, are not enough for the whole life within us, insisting on order, and in the main securing than by any sudden rupture of them. We, it, except when circumstances bring to light as a nation, if we ever do attain "detach- the inexplicable antipathy entertained by the ment," shall do so by exhausting the power Chinaman for the negro, an antipathy appaattachment," not by being shaken free rently deeper seated than that of the Anglofrom earthly ties. We suspect an era of Saxon. Among them all, the least known earthquake would demoralize us even more and the most interesting are the Aborigines, than it would demoralize most other races whom the Government for many reasons, of our globe. the principal, perhaps, being that we, and not they, are the intruders, have very much let alone. They have, however, an attraction for the Missionaries, and the author of this volume has resided years among them, and appears to have visited some of their observer, a fair draughtsman, and the work most sequestered retreats. He is a keen leaves a strong impression of his personal truthfulness, -not an invariable quality of explorers.

From The Spectator.

THE INDIANS OF GUIANA.*

MR. BRETT has had good materials to work with, but he has not used them well. We make no objection, except on the score of taste, to the odd little tags or sentences of artificial and unctuous piety with which The general type of the natives of Guihe studs his writing, for he is evidently a ana is quite uniform. "Their skin is of a sincere man yielding to a professional habit; but his book is discursive to weariness, and copper tint, a little darker than that of his information disjointed. He has adopted hair is straight and coarse, and continues the natives of Southern Europe. Their the chronological form of narrative, and facts jet black till an advanced period of life. about the same tribe have often to be sought at Their eyes are also black and keen, and wide intervals. Most Englishmen will, how their sight and hearing very acute." The ever, gain something from his book; for few men wear nothing of their own accord but a Englishmen, we suspect, are aware of the remarkable experiment working itself out in vals coronals of feathers; and the women strip of cotton about the loins, and on festiGuiana, of the amazing precipitate of man small aprons of beads, and necklaces either which has gradually there deposited itself of beads or teeth taken from wild animals; under British protection. Imagine a trop- but the Missionaries teach them some rules ical Delta, or a series of three Deltas, of dress as essential to godly, or at all 200 miles in breadth, and of an almost un-events to decorous, life. They dwell in known depth into the interior, pierced by thatched huts with sloping roofs, which many rivers, and inhabited, so far as it is inhabited at all—that is, on the coast-by usually contain two apartments, one for the man and his goods, the other for the women almost every dusky race under the sun, and children. Most of them allow polygnative " Americans," savage as the Red Indians, but more amenable to authority; women, and are expert both with the bow amy, throw the drudgery of life on their negroes, Portuguese from Madeira, Hindoos and arrow and the blow-pipe, a weapon from Bengal and the Nerbudda Valley, almost peculiar to themselves. Thus far Mohammedans from all parts of India, Pagans from the Nagpore jungles, and Chi-pecially from the Aborigines of India, but they differ little from other savages, and esnese from the Southern provinces. Of the 100,000 immigrants imported within 30 years of the Emancipation, 50,000 were from India, some of them Mussulmans who still observe the Mohurrum; and more

The Indian Tribes of Guiana. By Rev. W. H. Brett. London: Bell and Daldy.

they have a few customs peculiar to themselves. The most remarkable of these is their mode of avenging murder. When tribe indicates the murderer, and the nearany one is put to death the sorcerer of the est relative then goes through certain ceremonies, which end in his becoming a

"Kanaima," that is, a man possessed with take in hand, whether it be for evil or for the deity of that name. He devotes him- good. So at least we found it with this self to the slaughter of the murderer, or clan, then separate from all their brethren. some one of his family, lives by rule, and Having believed and embraced Christianity, appears to work himself up to a state of they were evidently trying to live up to it. madness, in which he is as dangerous as a Of those who first came to us, there rewild beast. When his victim is found he mained, in a few years, not one unbaptised, first renders him dumb by pressing poison nor a couple unmarried." It appears that into his mouth, then kills him; and then if even in the wild state their women are the relatives remove the body visits his chaste, and they are probably the only savgrave to run a stake through his heart, in ages in the world who habitually speak low, order that he may taste it. If he can fulfil -a mark of a character given to selfall these ceremonies he goes home com- restraint. Even the Acawoios, however, posed, if not, he wanders on till overtaken yield both in courage and cruelty, to the by madness or starvation. This custom is Caribs, the warrior tribe which once ruled dying out on the coast, but is still pre- the whole of this region, was declared by served in the interior, and, perhaps, ac- the Dutch to eat its enemies, and was uncounts for the dislike of many tribes to questionably fierce and courageous beyond quarrelling. The uniformity of the native any other in America. The Caribs are clans is only apparent, as the word "na- now comparatively civilized, though still tive " includes several tribes, notably the liable to ferocious bursts of passion, and in Arawaks, Acawoios, Waraus, and Caribs. Guiana, as everywhere, they are rapidly The Arawaks, or Lokono, are a gentle dying out. On the Corentyn, the eastern tribe, much favoured by the Dutch, who boundary of the colony, rude carvings are take readily to Christianity and civilization, constantly seen in places whence the huseldom quarrel, and would, but for a ten-man race has died out, the Caribs having dency to get drunk on chewed cassava, apparently worn themselves out with war, very much resemble the less civilized in- slave-hunting, and the orgies to which the habitants of Bengal. They are willing to latter habit gave rise. They had probably learn, are interested in maps and pictures, adopted, moreover, some habit of infantiand exhibit, as we gather from several cide, for in 1866 the average of children anecdotes, a livelier conscience than most among a few scattered families which still semi-civilized people. The Waraus seem remained was only one per couple. In one to be precisely like the Sonthals, cling to place where they had been numerous, only the coast, are indolent, but capable of hard 29 Caribs remained, still honoured by the labour, and, unlike most American savages, Indians of other tribes as the descendants are of a jovial disposition. The Acawoios of a once irresistible race. The same deare a fiercer tribe, who combine the avoca- cline is visible in all provinces, and this tion of traders and pirates. They under- not only within our rule, but in districts take immense journeys, which they make in which no white man has ever visited—a armed parties, to Venezuela or Brazil, strange fact, as it disposes of one plausible usually massacring the people of any vil- theory, that the presence of Europeans imlage en route not strong enough to resist presses the native imagination till, hopeless them. They are brave to audacity, and of rivalling or enduring the invaders, they are dreaded by their neighbours, and ex- perish of melancholy. At all events, unhibit the phenomenon, rare, though not un- like the aborigines of India and the neknown among savages, of discontent with groes, they are perishing, and officials extheir own creed. În 1845 an impostor, pect speedily to record their extinction. supposed to have been a white man, summoned them to encamp in a sort of paradise, as he described it, and they marched in in hundreds from all parts of their territory, received orders from a concealed voice, and remained encamped, waiting apparently for a new revelation, till after twelve months' delay they came to the conclusion that they had been duped by the Devil. Once civilized, they become excellent Christians. "Quiet resolution and strength of purpose seem to be characteristic of this more than of any other aboriginal tribe; and they enter thoroughly into whatever business they

The creed of all these races seems to be of the same kind, a general belief in a Supreme being, and a special belief in evil spirits, furies or demons whom he allows to torment mankind—an idea almost universal among races who have found nature hostile. They hold that man was created by God, or His son Sigu, and tell wild and poetic legends to account for the natural facts around them. They believe in the future life, and bury their dead upright to show that they are not beasts, and have a tradition of a deluge, and like other American Indians repeat stories of great men

called the Merrimac, and that she would soon leave Richmond, prepared to destroy our fleet and burn our towns, without meeting with any power that could probably resist her. The whole country was alarmed, as well as the Government.

Under these circumstances a special agent was directed by telegraph to wait upon Commodore Vanderbilt at 11 o'clock at night and ask him for what sum of money he could agree to blockade this iron-clad and keep her from getting out of port. Commodore Vanderbilt instantly said to the agent:

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who taught them improvements and then "went upwards." The Waraus are said to hold a belief about the fall of man not widely differing from that of the author of Genesis, indeed, so like it, that we are inclined to suspect Mr. Brett of a too credulous attention to a native who had heard the Christian account. There is, however, little evidence that any tribe in Guiana had ever reached a civilized stage, and some that they were once wilder than they are, Mr. Brett having discovered great mounds of shells filled with the skeletons of men who had evidently been eaten, the bones having been carefully cracked to extract "Telegraph to Mr. Stanton that I will the marrow. The modern Indians speak see him at once," and went immediately to with horror of cannibalism, and Mr. Brett, Washington, called upon Mr. Stanton, and who knows them so thoroughly, apparently said to him: "I have come on about this regrets the extinction which seems to be business. Who is there to be consulted? their doom. They will be replaced, it If any one, call him, as I have no time to seems clear, either by a composite race, talk it over twice." Mr. Stanton replied, with negro blood predominating in its "The President, Mr. Lincoln, must be conveins, a race hardy, prolific, and somewhat sulted." Then," said the Commodore, untamable; or by Chinese, whom the Euro-let us go to his house at once," which peans greatly prefer to all other immi- they did. grants, as they bring with them, at all Mr. Lincoln said: "Can you stop this events, the capacity for speedy civilization. iron-clad ? " The Commodore replied: The Chinaman, it is well known, prospers 'Yes, at least there are nine chances out of in all climates, and we may yet discover in ten I can. I will take my ship, the C. VanGuiana the secret which Lord Dalhousie derbilt, cover her machinery, &c., with 500 used to say was beyond English power, bales of cotton, raise the steam, and rush how to govern Chinamen so that their her with overwhelming force on the ironTrades' Unions should not be stronger than clad, and sink her before she can escape, or the law. cripple us." Mr. Lincoln then said: How much money will you demand for such a service?" Commodore Vanderbilt replied that the Government had not money enough to hire him; that he had not come to speculate upon the trials of his country, but to try and help her in this her hour of need; that he would give them his ship without charge; that he would instantly order her by telegraph to be equipped and on her way toward Richmond in thirty-six hours, which of his own captains, and the Commodore in was done, she sailing under the order of one person on board.

COMMODORE VANDERBILT AND THE WAR - AN INTERESTING ANECDOTE.

WE find the following interesting anecdote in a letter to the Evening Post. We have reason to know that its statements are strictly correct. As an act of justice to Commodore Vanderbilt, and as an illustration of his prompt, liberal, and disinterested patriotism, it is worthy of preservation among the most interesting incidents of our great civil war.

New York Times.

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Having reached Hampton Roads, among our blockading squadron, the Commander of the fleet went on board the ship. After some consultation, Commodore Vanderbilt asked him if the iron-clad would probably come out. The Commander replied: She will." Then," said Commodore Vanderbilt, "I have one favor to ask of you, and that is, if she should come, you will keep your fleet out of the way, that I may have room to sink her." The iron-clad, as is well known, did come out, and was disabled and put back by the Monitor, sent from New York. The object being accomplished, Commodore Vanderbilt left his ship and

came home, and has never asked or received one cent for his ship, ever since held as Government property, and which at the moment they took her was worth fully $1, 500,000. Instead of giving them this sum he could have made almost any terms for himself.

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This interview with the President and Secretary at once enabled them to see that they had in their presence an extraordinary man. Mr. Lincoln said: "Can you not turn one of your other ships into an ironclad ?" Yes," was the reply, "I think I can, and have her ready in six weeks; but must first consult my engineers and headbuilders; my price for this smaller ship will be $500,000." Mr. Lincoln turned to Mr. Stanton and said: "We accept these terms it is a bargain." Commodore Vanderbilt at once gave orders to equip this smaller ship, and see if she was capable for what she was intended. After some time, during which she had been nearly cased in bar iron, the Commodore found, to his regret, that he could not make her what was needed, and he at once released the Government from their contract, and thus relieved his noble gift from all suspicion of receiving with it any pecuniary advantage. These great transactions should be commemorated on canvas. The historian will

charge himself with the duty of handing them down to posterity; the school-books will contain the account, and the eyes of children yet unborn will glisten as they read and reflect upon such true and lofty patriotism; which is an invaluable inheri tance to our country, and should be placed on the same shelf in the archives where are deposited the famous deeds of our most distinguished men.

Noble, generous, and self-sacrificing as all this is, its brilliancy is obscured by the absence of all ostentation in the quiet, retiring and unpretending manner in which the great work was done.

In 1813, the Austrian Government being distressed for money, they went to the Rothschilds, who granted a loan, probably as a mere business transaction. So great was the gratitude of the Emperor that he created all the brothers of the eminent house barons, which titles they have since enjoyed, and to which all Europe considers them entitled. No distinguished citizen has ever expressed less desire for notoriety than Commodore Vanderbilt. No man has ever conducted large transactions with a more decided and independent mind, and no man enjoys a higher reputation for gentleness of character, conciliation, and princely liberality to those with whom he contends.

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