He then handed me his pipe and pouch, and told me to take a good smoke. I did so. He then said he had something of importance to tell me, if I was now composed and ready to hear it. I told him I was ready to hear him. He said: "The reason why he deferred his speech till now, was, because few men are in a right humour to hear good talk when they are very hungry, as they are then generally fretful and discomposed; but as you now appear to enjoy calmness and serenity of mind, I will now communicate to you the thoughts of my heart-and those things I know to be true.

"Brother, as you have lived with the white people, you have not had the same advantage of knowing that the Great Being above feeds his people, and gives them their meat in due season, as we Indians have, who are frequently out of provisions, and yet are wonderfully supplied; and that so frequently, that it is evidently the hand of the Great Spirit that does this: whereas the white people have commonly large stocks of tame cattle, that they can kill when they please; and they also have barns and cribs, filled with grain, and therefore have not the same opportunity of seeing that they are supported by the Ruler of heaven and earth.

"Brother, I know you are now afraid that we

will all perish with hunger; but you have no just reason to fear this.

"Brother, I have been young, but am now old. I have been frequently under the like circumstances that we now are, and some time or other, in almost every year of my life; yet I have hitherto been supported, and my wants supplied in time of need.

"Brother, the Good Spirit sometimes suffers us to be in want, in order to teach us our dependence on Him, and to let us know that we are to love and serve Him; likewise to know the worth of the favours that we receive, and also to make us thankful.

"Brother, be assured that you will be supplied with food, and that just in the right time: but you must continue diligent in the use of means. Go to sleep, and rise early in the morning, and go a hunting-be strong, and exert yourself like a man, and the Great Spirit will direct your way.'

"The Captain was thus encouraged to try again the next morning, though much disheartened and extremely hungry. He went a great distance before he could shoot any thing; but at length he shot a buffalo cow: thus finding, as the good old Indian had said, that the Great Spirit enabled him to provide for them just at the time of their distress."

The faith of a poor Blind Woman.

A person going to see a very aged woman of colour, found a respectable looking white girl sitting by her, reading the Bible for her. On inquiring, of the old woman whether she could ever read, she was answered-"O yes, Misses! and I used to read a great deal in that book," (pointing to a Bible very much worn, that lay on the table,) "but now I am most blind, and the good girls read for me; but by and by, when I get on Zion's hill, I shall then see as well as any body."

The poor of this world are often found rich in faith, and their confidence in the wisdom and goodness of a bountiful Creator, strong. How frequently, on visiting the abodes of the aged and infirm, do we find this verified: some saying when something is handed them: "The Lord has sent me this."-Another: "The Lord put it into my heart to be industrious, and lay up something for old age," &c.

QUASHI.

T. Branagan, in his Essay on Slavery, makes the following remarks :-"To illustrate my assertion, that the Africans, no less than our

selves, are capable of gratitude and resentment, friendship and honour, I give the following wellattested relation :

"Quashi was, from his childhood, brought up in the same family with his master, and was his constant play-mate. As he was a lad of considerable abilities, he rose to be an overseer under his master, when he succeeded to the plantation. Still he retained for his master the tenderness, which, in childhood, he felt for his play-fellow. The respect for his new master was softened by that tender affection, which the remembrance of their juvenile intimacy still kept alive in his breast.

"He had no separate interest of his own; to promote his master's interest, not only while he was present, but when he was absent, was his constant study. Nay, in his master's absence, he redoubled his diligence, that his interest might sustain no injury from it. There was, in short, the most intimate, strong, and seemingly indissoluble union between them, that can subsist between a master and his slave.

"His master had discernment to perceive when he was well served, and policy to reward good behaviour. But, unfortunately for his faithful servant, if he conceived a fault committed, he was inexorable. Even when there was only an apparent cause of suspicion, he was

too apt to allow prejudice to usurp the place of proof. Something happened on the plantation, which Quashi could not explain so as to clear himself to the satisfaction of his master, and was threatened with the shameful, as well as painful punishment of the cart-whip; and he knew his master too well to doubt of the execution of his threatening.

"It is well known in the West Indies, that a Negro who has grown to manhood without undergoing the punishment of the cart-whip, is apt to feel a pride in the smoothness of his skin; and is at greater pains to escape the lash from this, than, perhaps, from any other considera

tion.

"It is not uncommon for a slave, when he is flogged, or threatened with it, for what he reckons no fault, or if any, a very trifling one, to stab himself. Such is the sense of honour, which some of them entertain, that, rather than be disgraced, they would choose to die.

"Dreading this mortal wound to his honour, Quashi secretly withdrew from his master. It is not unusual for slaves, when they are afraid of punishment, to apply to some friend of their master's to intercede for them. Such mediation a humane master readily accepts in the case of some trifling offence.

"Of this custom, Quashi intended to avail