DANCE OF THE SLAVE INDIANS. 827 



the height frequently of forty or fifty feet. We espied 

 one or two bears, but did not kill any ; a very nice 

 chance was lost by my lending an Indian my double- 

 barrel to go in chase : he got within shot of Mr. Bruin, 

 and pulled the trigger, but the gun was at half-cock 

 only, and he either feared or did not know how to cock 

 it, and came back with a very blank visage, whose 

 aspect was not improved by our merriment at his 

 stupidity. 



We were very glad to reach this place, where, for 

 the first time since separating from Mr. Pullen (a 

 period of ten months), we enjoyed the luxury of a 

 comfortable bed, having scarcely ever during that 

 time taken off our clothes for nightly repose. I saw 

 here a dance of the Slave Indians, a most uninterest- 

 ing spectacle, although there were many performers. 

 The dancers moved round and round in a circle, their 

 feet shuffling along in the " take close order " style ; 

 some moved their feet only, others swayed theii' bodies 

 and arms to and fro, and one or two waved eagles' 

 wings above their heads ; several women were among 

 the performers ; they were, if possible, less animated 

 than the men. All kept up a monotonous chant of the 

 most dismal tendency— "he he, he, he; ha ha; he he; 

 lio ho, ho ho ; he, he, he," &c., which was their only 

 nuisic, and the whole proceeding was so very " slow," 



