168 THE CAPTIVE HANDED OVER. 



All the chiefs assembled at the fort in the 

 evening to receive payment, and hand over the 

 slave. Squatting on their heels, nose, and knees 

 together, their backs against the wall, they 

 formed a circle. The pipe produced (nothing 

 can be done without it) ; I say pipe, for one 

 only is used ; filled and lighted, it passes from, 

 mouth to mouth ; each, taking a good pull, puffs 

 the smoke slowly from his nostrils. The thirty 

 blankets and two guns being piled in the centre 

 of this strange assemblage, the slave was led 

 in. Each blanket underwent a most careful 

 inspection ; the guns, snapped and pointed, were 

 finally approved of. A husky grunt, from each 

 of the council, denoting general approval, the 

 guns and blankets were carried off in triumph, 

 and we became the fortunate possessors of this 

 strange purchase. 



Whilst in the fort I was tolerably exempt 

 from the insatiable and most annoying curio- 

 sity, that induces Indians to watch everything 

 a stranger does. One oily old chief, however, 

 always contrived to get into my room in tune to 

 see me dress. He used to stalk in, squat down 

 rolled in a dirty blanket, and testify his pleasure 

 by a series of grunts slightly varied in tone. 

 He was certainly the most blubbery-looking 



