has not suffered his imagination to run wild from a foolish vanity to win applause as a fine writer, when the great object should be to give the reader a view of what he describes, as far as language will permit, in the same light in which he beheld it himself.  He aims to give you a just and true account of what he has seen and heard, and his book will be referred to as a record of facts by the learned and scientific at home and abroad.  It is a production honorable to the country, and, if we mistake not, will advance her reputation in the opinion of the fastidious reviewers of Scotland and England, in spite of their deep-rooted prejudices.”

Mr. Walsh, of the National Gazette, deems it a valuable addition to this class of literature.

“Public attention,” he remarks, “was much excited last year by the prospectus of the expedition, of which Mr. Schoolcraft formed a part as mineralogist, and whose journey he has now described.  He remarks, in his introduction, with truth, that but little detailed information was before possessed of the extreme north-western region of the Union—­of the great chain of lakes—­and of the sources of the Mississippi River, which continued to be a subject of dispute between geographical writers.  In the autumn of 1819 Governor Cass, of Michigan Territory, projected an expedition for exploring what was so imperfectly known, and yet so worthy of being industriously surveyed.

“The Secretary of War—­to whom Mr. Schoolcraft’s book is appropriately dedicated, with a just testimony to the liberal and enlightened character of his official administration—­not only admitted the plan of Governor Cass, but furnished him with the means of carrying it into full effect by providing an escort of soldiers and directing the commandants of the frontier garrisons to furnish every aid, of whatever description, which the party might require.  To the Governor, as chief of the expedition, he associated several gentlemen qualified to accomplish its objects; which were—­a more correct knowledge of the names, numbers, customs, history, mode of subsistence, and dispositions of the Indian tribes—­the collection of materials for an accurate map of the country—­the investigation of the subject of the north-western copper and lead mines, and gypsum quarries; and the acquisition, from the Indians, of such tracts as might be necessary to secure the benefit of them to the United States.

“In the course of last March, we published a letter of Governor Cass to the Secretary of War, describing in a happy manner some of the scenes and occurrences which fell within the observation or inquiry of the expedition.  Mr. Schoolcraft states, at the end of his introductory remarks, that he does not profess to communicate all the topographical information collected, and that a special topographical report and map may be expected, together with other reports and the scientific observations of the expedition in general.  We anticipate, therefore, an ample and valuable accession to our stock of knowledge respecting so important a portion of the American territory; and such evidence of the utility of enterprises of the kind, as will inspire every branch of the government with a desire to see them repeated with equipments and facilities adapted to the most comprehensive research, and fitted to render them creditable in their fruits to the national character abroad.