﻿256 OLD MAN. August, 



we thought it better to let the inmates recover from 

 their surprise at our arrival, and to seek an inter- 

 view in their own way. 



After a time we saw a man coming towards us. 

 He made his approach very slowly, and by a devious 

 path, keeping a muddy channel between us and 

 him. On Mr. Rae going alone and unarmed to 

 meet him, he waited his approach with evident 

 trepidation, and, when they met, began to express 

 by signs and words that he was old, infirm, and 

 nearly blind, which was by no means the truth. 

 Mr. Rae invited him to come to our tents, which 

 were by this time pitched, and, after much per- 

 suasion, induced him to come on, but not until he 

 had, on the request of the old man, blown in each 

 of his ears, tapped his breast and touched his 

 eyes, as a charm, either to remove his maladies, 

 or more probably to avert any evil influence which 

 the white men might possess. After the perform- 

 ance of these ceremonies he came to us ; and as his 

 confidence increased he gradually laid aside the 

 appearance of infirmity, and began to bustle about 

 and pry into every thing, until at length he became 

 troublesome. Though repeatedly spoken to, and 

 told that we would not suffer him to handle any 

 thing belonging to us, he was scarcely restrained, 

 and required constant -watching to prevent him 

 from stealing. He took up his abode in one of the 

 huts, and, after we had retired to rest, made an 



