109 



great hunter, whom fiie was bound to conceal, who appeared to came 

 from fome very diftant country, was the providore of her bounty. The 

 prefents of the widow encreafed from day to day, till at length their 

 magnitude excited the curiofity of the whole nation, whofe joint efforts 

 fcarcely equalled the fuccefs of this fingle hunter, notwithftanding their 

 fuperior knowledge of the beft hunting grounds. In converfation the 

 • ftranger had intimated to his friends that he was unmarried, and defirous 

 to procure himfelf a wife ; this too was communicated as a fecret : and 

 at length, as the chief of the village had a daughter to bellow in mar- 

 riage, and the extraordinary virtues of the ftranger oifered an advan- 

 tageous alliance, it was refolved to invade his folitnde at the widow's 

 houfe, and draw him into fociety. The fon of the chief fought and ob- 

 tained his acquaintance, he fuffered himfelf to be entreated, and at length 

 yielded to the repeated entreaties of his friend, to become an inmate lit 

 the chiePs family. He there faw the chief's daughter, he found her pof- 

 fefled of thofe qualities which engaged his affeftions ; retflrning one day 

 from a fuccefsful chace, he communicated his wiflies of an alliance to her 

 brother, who without hefitation gave him his fifter.* The feftivities 

 attending the marriage were long continued. The feafts were provided 

 by the exertions of the ftrange hunter, who never failed to return from 

 the foreft, richly provided with game. Thus the moons rolled away. 

 At length the ftranger thought of his return. His wife's family oppofed 

 it in vain, his wife followed him reluftantly. Arrived at the abode of her 

 huflDand, flie found it the feat of folitude, his days were paffed at the 

 chace, the Ihades of the night always preceded his return, and her me- 

 lancholy and apprehenfion were encreafed, by obferving that uniformly 

 after their repaft, her huftjand, as if by ftealth, carried with him the 

 tongues and marrow of the animals he had killed, and after a Ihort ab- 

 fence, during which he difpofed of them in. fomc unknown place, re- 

 turned 



* The Indian brother almoft exclufively makes his Cflers marriages, aj he is bell ac- 

 quainted with the charafler and accomplilhments of the young men of his nation with 

 ■whom he pafles his life, this talli devolves on him with evident utility, 



