On the morning of the 27th, a little after sunrise, the bear quitted the trunk, shook himself, "cast a longing, lingering look" toward me, and slowly disappeared in search of his morning repast. After waiting some time, apprehensive of his return, I descended and resumed my journey through the woods, in a north north-east direction. In a few hours all my anxiety of the preceding night was more than compensated by falling in with a well beaten horse path, with fresh traces on it, both of hoofs and human feet; it lay through a clear open wood, in a north-east course, in which I observed numbers of small deer. About six in the evening I arrived at a spot where a party must have slept the preceding night. Round the remains of a large fire which was still burning, were scattered several half-picked bones of grouse, partridges, and ducks, all of which I collected with economical industry. After devouring the flesh I broiled the bones. The whole scarcely sufficed to give me a moderate meal, but yet afforded a most seasonable relief to my famished body. I enjoyed a comfortable sleep this night, close to the fire, uninterrupted by any nocturnal visiter. On the morning of the 28th I set off with cheerful spirits, fully impressed with the hope of a speedy termination to my sufferings. My course was northerly, and lay through a thick wood. Late in the evening I arrived at a stagnant pool, from which I merely moistened my lips; and having covered myself with some birch bark, slept by its side. The bears and wolves occasionally serenaded me during the night, but I did not see any of them. I rose early on the morning of the 29th, and followed the fresh traces all day, through the wood, nearly north-east by north. I observed several deer, some of which came quite close to me; and in the evening I threw a stone at a small animal resembling a hare, the leg of which I broke. It ran away limping, but my feet were too sore to permit me to follow it. I passed the night by the side of a small stream, where I got a sufficient supply of hips and cherries. A few distant growls awoke me at intervals, but no animal appeared. On the 30th the path took a more easterly turn, and the woods became thicker and more gloomy. I had now nearly consumed the remnant of my trowsers in bandages for my wretched feet; and, with the exception of my shirt, was almost naked. The horse tracks every moment appeared more fresh, and fed my hopes. Late in the evening I arrived at a spot where the path branched off in different directions; one led up rather a steep hill, the other descended into a valley, and the tracks on both were equally recent. I took the higher; but after proceeding a few hundred paces through a deep wood, which appeared more dark from the thick foliage which shut out the rays of the sun, I returned, apprehensive of not procuring water for my supper, and descended the lower path. I had not advanced far when I imagined I heard the neighing of a horse. I listened with breathless attention, and became convinced it was no illusion. A few paces farther brought me in sight of several of those noble animals sporting in a handsome meadow, from which I was separated by a rapid stream. With some difficulty I crossed over, and ascended the opposite bank. One of the horses approached me: I thought him the "prince of palfreys; his neigh was like the bidding of a monarch, and his countenance enforced homage,"

On advancing a short distance into the meadow, the cheering sight of a small column of gracefully curling smoke, announced my vicinity to human beings, and in a moment after two Indian women perceived me: they instantly fled to a hut which appeared at the farther end of the meadow. This movement made me doubt whether I had arrived among friends or enemies; but my apprehensions were quickly dissipated by the approach of two men, who came running to me in the most friendly manner. On seeing the lacerated state of my feet, they carried me in their arms to a comfortable dwelling covered with deer skins. To wash and dress my torn limbs, roast some roots, and boil a small salmon, seemed but the business of a moment. After returning thanks to that great and good Being in whose hands are the issues of life and death, and who had watched over my wandering steps, and rescued me from the many perilous dangers I encountered, I sat down to my salmon, of which it is needless to say I made a hearty supper.

The family consisted of an elderly man, and his son, with their wives and children. I collected from their signs that they were aware of my being lost, and that they, with other Indians and white men, had been out several days scouring the woods and plains in search of me. I also understood from them that our party had arrived at their destination, which was only a few hours' march from their habitation. They behaved to me with affectionate solicitude; and while the old woman was carefully dressing my feet, the men were endeavoring to make me comprehend their meaning. I had been fourteen days in a wilderness without holding "communion kind" with any human being; and I need not say I listened with a thousand times more real delight to the harsh and guttural voices of those poor Indians, than was ever experienced by the most enthusiastic admirer of melody from the thrilling tones of a Catalani, or the melting sweetness of a Stephens. As it was too late, after finishing my supper, to proceed farther that night, I retired to rest on a comfortable couch of buffalo and deer skins. I slept soundly; and the morning of the 31st was far advanced before I awoke. After breakfasting on the remainder of the salmon, I prepared to join my white friends. A considerable stream, about ninety yards broad, called Cœur d'Alene river, flowed close to the hut. The old man and his son accompanied me. We crossed the river in a canoe ; after which they brought over three horses, and having enveloped my body in an Indian mantle of deer skin, we mounted, and set off at a smart trot in an easterly direction. We had not proceeded more than seven miles when I felt the bad effects of having eaten so much salmon after so long a fast. I had a severe attack of indigestion, and for two hours suffered extreme agony; and, but for the great attention of the kind Indians, I think it would have proved fatal, About an hour after recommencing our journey we arrived in a clear wood, in which, with joy unutterable, I observed our Canadians at work hewing timber. I rode between the two natives. One of our men named François Gardepie, who had been on a trading excursion, joined us on horseback. My deer-skin robe and sunburnt features completely set his powers of recognition at defiance, and he addressed me as an Indian. I replied in French, by asking him how all our people were. Poor François appeared electrified, exclaimed " Sainte Vierge!" and galloped into the

wood, vociferating "O mes amis! mes amis! il est trouvé !-Oui, oui, il est trouvé !”—“Qui? qui?" asked his comrades. "Monsieur Cox! Monsieur Cox!" replied François. "Le voilà! le voilà!" pointing toward me. Away went saws, hatchets, and axes, and each man rushed forward to the tents, where we had by this time arrived. It is needless to say that our astonishment and delight at my miraculous escape were mutual. The friendly Indians were liberally rewarded; the men were allowed a holyday, and every countenance bore the smile of joy and happiness.'

The six years' residence and wanderings of Mr. Cox among the tribes of this wilderness, enabled him to collect much valuable information respecting the character, customs, and manner of life of these natives of our forests, as well as the nature of the country which they inhabit, all of which he has spread before his readers in a lively, graphic, and interesting manner, and we cannot but recommend the attentive perusal of this volume to our readers, to those especially who are engaged in striving to elevate the Indian character by means of missionary labor, and the arts of civilized and domestic life. Already some of our Indian missions extend beyond the banks of the Mississippi, and will, we trust, soon border on the Rocky mountains. God has given us these people as a part of our inheritance. He has given us his Gospel and commanded us to carry it to them; and the manifest tokens of his sanction on the efforts we have already made for their conversion, afford us a sure earnest of future success, provided we prosecute our plans and labors in his name with vigor and perse

verance.

Why should not means be used without delay for the commencement of an aboriginal mission at Astoria at the mouth of the Columbia river? Should success attend the efforts of a mission at that place, might we not anticipate the day as not far distant when the missionaries from the east side of the Rocky mountains should meet those from the west side, and shake hands on the top of the lofty ridge which divides this vast continent into its eastern and western divisions, and there raise a shout of triumph in honor of Him to whom these Heathen have been given as a part of his inheritance! God hasten it in due time.

Let those men of God whose hearts burn for the salvation of these tribes of immortal beings, but who sometimes shrink from embarking in the glorious enterprise of carrying to them the tidings of salvation, for fear of the hardships they may be called upon to suffer, read the volume before us. They will then conclude that if men can be induced to encounter such perils and to endure such privations and hardships merely to attain a temporary object, surely those who have an eternal interest at stake, and are in pursuit of the immortal souls for whom Christ died, will not, or at least that they should not, shrink from the pursuit on account of the temporary labors and privations they must suffer in order to

attain to the high object of their ambition. To God we commend the cause of aboriginal missions. And may his Church remunerate herself with the spoils she may win by the conversion of these sons of the forest to the blessings of Christianity.

THE GENERAL CONFERENCE OF 1832.

1. Report of the Committee on Missions.-2. Report of the Committee on Bible, Sunday School, and Tract Societies.-3. Report of the Committee on Education.-4. The Pastoral Address.-5. Report of the Committee on Temperance.

THESE several reports present the views of the conference on those subjects and as they all embrace matters of high importance to the Church of Christ, we shall briefly notice them in the order above stated.

I.-Report on Missions.

The Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church was formed in the year 1819, and was recognised by the general conference in 1820, as forming an integral part of our great itinerant system. Its commencement was indeed small, nor has its funds ever amounted in any one year to but little over fourteen thousand dollars. But considering the scantiness of the means at its command, it has accomplished wonders. Since its commencement upward of thirteen thousand souls have been brought into the Church, about seven thousand of whom have been collected from among the Heathen of our wilderness. If, therefore, it be supported as it ought to and may be, what shall hinder it from going forward, and increasing in usefulness until it shall unite with others of a similar character in hailing the day when all the tribes of the earth shall come and worship the Lord in his holy mountain?

The sentiments and feelings manifested by the late general conference toward the cause of missions, and the provisions made for its extension, both on our own continent and elsewhere, give reason to hope that, by the continued blessings of God on its operations, the missionary field will be greatly enlarged and thoroughly cultivated. The following extracts from the report which, we believe, was almost unanimously concurred in by the conference, will show the views taken upon this subject of vital interest to the wellbeing of souls:

'Among other places which might be named as demanding missionary enterprise, the committee would mention

1. Liberia on the coast of Africa. This place, now so well known, presents an inviting prospect for an entrance into the interior of that vast continent, where darkness, mental and spiritual, has long brooded over the people, and where, of course, there is ample room for a full exercise of the most enlarged benevolence and extended missionary VOL. III.-July, 1832.

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exertions. At Liberia are many of our colored brethren, ministers and members, who have affectionately and pressingly invited us to send them missionary aid; and we are glad to be assured, from the address of the bishops at the opening of the conference, that there is an encouraging prospect of soon occupying this field of labor, with men of God sent out under the auspices and patronage of our missionary society.

2. In our more immediate neighborhood are the states of South America, where, indeed, a superstition no less disparaging to the human intellect than some forms of Paganism itself, has long held the mind in spiritual bondage, and the people in general in degrading vassalage; and although the prospects are less inviting here than in some other places, yet it is believed to be worthy of a serious effort to penetrate this dense forest of uncultivated land. Surely Divine Providence has not doomed Spanish America to everlasting darkness and thraldom, but, like other places once the seat of the beast and the false prophet, it shall become enlightened by the rays of Gospel truth.

3. From a survey of the missions already established among several tribes of the aborigines of our own country, we cannot refrain from an expression of lively gratitude for what our gracious God has already done for these people. Many of them have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before them; and these good beginnings are doubtless sure indications, that He who has made of one blood all the nations of the earth, has blessings in store for all these lost tribes of our wilderness; and it is our imperious duty to carry these blessings to them, in his mighty name, as far and as fully as possible. We are invited to do this by the encouraging openings which are presenting themselves among tribes which inhabit our western and north-western settlements and wildernesses, with the fairest prospect of success. Voices, indeed, from these wilds, are daily saluting our ears, and announcing to us that they are ready to "hear the words of the book." And from the small experiments already made, it has been found that translations of portions of the sacred Scriptures, and some of our hymns, into the Indian languages, and printed for their use, have greatly aided the missionary in his arduous work.

4. The missions among the slaves also, in some of our southern states, have been attended with most salutary effects, and should therefore be prosecuted with vigor and perseverance, as the most effectual way to better the condition of these people.

5. Those missions which have been established among the white settlements, generally denominated domestic missions, in our newly settled and other destitute places, have been signally owned and blessed by the Head of the Church, and should therefore, in our opinion, be continued and enlarged.

With a view to a more extended and vigorous prosecution of all these objects, and to meet, as far as practicable, the wishes of the managers of our missionary society, we recommend the adoption of the following resolutions :

1. Resolved, by the delegates of the several annual conferences in general conference assembled, That the bishops be, and they