{"id":"01KG8AKE1S41RDRB2CQRZPZH2S","cid":"bafkreigpsvquiezs3tm5psyu33dnapwar57hbg6vccpewf4exypfbyqmre","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":6556,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:47:57.722Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 1","source_file":"01KG89J1JMR8XVKPA0G8ADAPC4","start_line":6502,"text":"CHAPTER XXVI.\r\n\r\nCONTAINING THE METAPHYSICS OF INDIAN-HATING, ACCORDING TO THE VIEWS OF\r\nONE EVIDENTLY NOT SO PREPOSSESSED AS ROUSSEAU IN FAVOR OF SAVAGES.\r\n\r\n\r\n\"The judge always began in these words: 'The backwoodsman's hatred of\r\nthe Indian has been a topic for some remark. In the earlier times of the\r\nfrontier the passion was thought to be readily accounted for. But Indian\r\nrapine having mostly ceased through regions where it once prevailed, the\r\nphilanthropist is surprised that Indian-hating has not in like degree\r\nceased with it. He wonders why the backwoodsman still regards the red\r\nman in much the same spirit that a jury does a murderer, or a trapper a\r\nwild cat--a creature, in whose behalf mercy were not wisdom; truce is\r\nvain; he must be executed.\r\n\r\n\"'A curious point,' the judge would continue, 'which perhaps not\r\neverybody, even upon explanation, may fully understand; while, in order\r\nfor any one to approach to an understanding, it is necessary for him to\r\nlearn, or if he already know, to bear in mind, what manner of man the\r\nbackwoodsman is; as for what manner of man the Indian is, many know,\r\neither from history or experience.\r\n\r\n\"'The backwoodsman is a lonely man. He is a thoughtful man. He is a man\r\nstrong and unsophisticated. Impulsive, he is what some might call\r\nunprincipled. At any rate, he is self-willed; being one who less\r\nhearkens to what others may say about things, than looks for himself, to\r\nsee what are things themselves. If in straits, there are few to help; he\r\nmust depend upon himself; he must continually look to himself. Hence\r\nself-reliance, to the degree of standing by his own judgment, though it\r\nstand alone. Not that he deems himself infallible; too many mistakes in\r\nfollowing trails prove the contrary; but he thinks that nature destines\r\nsuch sagacity as she has given him, as she destines it to the 'possum.\r\nTo these fellow-beings of the wilds their untutored sagacity is their\r\nbest dependence. If with either it prove faulty, if the 'possum's betray\r\nit to the trap, or the backwoodsman's mislead him into ambuscade, there\r\nare consequences to be undergone, but no self-blame. As with the\r\n'possum, instincts prevail with the backwoodsman over precepts. Like the\r\n'possum, the backwoodsman presents the spectacle of a creature dwelling\r\nexclusively among the works of God, yet these, truth must confess, breed\r\nlittle in him of a godly mind. Small bowing and scraping is his, further\r\nthan when with bent knee he points his rifle, or picks its flint. With\r\nfew companions, solitude by necessity his lengthened lot, he stands the\r\ntrial--no slight one, since, next to dying, solitude, rightly borne, is\r\nperhaps of fortitude the most rigorous test. But not merely is the\r\nbackwoodsman content to be alone, but in no few cases is anxious to be\r\nso. The sight of smoke ten miles off is provocation to one more remove\r\nfrom man, one step deeper into nature. Is it that he feels that whatever\r\nman may be, man is not the universe? that glory, beauty, kindness, are\r\nnot all engrossed by him? that as the presence of man frights birds\r\naway, so, many bird-like thoughts? Be that how it will, the backwoodsman\r\nis not without some fineness to his nature. Hairy Orson as he looks, it\r\nmay be with him as with the Shetland seal--beneath the bristles lurks\r\nthe fur.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 1"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJM4RTQF2ZVZVJD07P1FR","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1JMR8XVKPA0G8ADAPC4","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AKE21422MXM65KWB92NK1","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:04.153Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:11.281Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}