This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1833 edition. Excerpt: ... INDIAN NOTION OF DUELLING. As the readers of the Port Folio have been satiated with the travels of a German, I enclose you an extract from the travels of an Indian, who visited our city, in the year. If you please you may try whether it be equally "interesting." "The customs of these people are so absurd, and so inconsistent with each other, that a person must live an age amongst them, to understand their nature, or their use; their houses are contrived, with astonishing pains, to shelter them from the trifling inconvenience of rain and cold, which they dread exceedingly; and of such great strength, as plainly declares their intention is to live and die, in the same place. It is wonderful that a people, so restless, should be contented to do so! They seem to be always busy, and often complain of fatigue, although they never undergo the toils of the chase, to provide for their families; but they are ever in pursuit of something, that they think is necessary to their existence, and they employ a vast number of persons to supply these artificial wants. "But in nothing, that we have yet seen, does their folly appear so great, as in a custom, which I am going to describe to you and to which they are all obliged to conform--it proves, that their boasted love of peace is not sincere--that war and bloodshed are natural to the heart of man. Soon after our arrival here, we heard a great deal of talk about a duel, that had lately happened between two of the chiefs of their nation. We were sometimes in ignorance what this might be--but as one of these men was a member of their great council, and the other a warrior, who had fought bravely against us, we concluded certainly that they had performed some glorious exploit, for the good of their...