168 THE HIVE OF THE BEE-HUNTER. 



crime or dissipation, are no longer allowed to associate 

 with their people ; they live by hunting or stealing, and 

 spend, in the towns, their precarious gains in intoxica- 

 tion. 



Among the throng that crowded on the flat-boat on 

 his arrival, were a number of these unfortunate beings ; 

 they were influenced by no other motive than that 

 of loitering round in idle speculation at what was 

 going on. 



Mike was attracted towards them at sight ; and as 

 he was idle, and consequently in the situation that is 

 deemed most favorable to mischief, it struck him that it 

 was a good opportunity to have a little sport at the In- 

 dians' expense. 



Without ceremony, he gave a terrific war-whoop ; 

 and then mixing the language of the aborigines and his 

 own together, he went on savage fashion, and bragged of 

 his triumphs and victories on the war-path, with all the 

 seeming earnestness of a real " brave." Nor were taunt- 

 ing words spared to exasperate the poor creatures, who, 

 while perfectly helpless, listened to the tales of their own 

 greatness, and their own shame, until wound up to the 

 highest pitch of impotent exasperation. Mike's com- 

 panions joined in ; thoughtless boys caught the spirit of 

 the aflair ; and the Indians were goaded until they, in 

 turn, made battle with their tongues. 



Then commenced a system of running against them, 

 pulling off their blankets, joined with a thousand other 



