LIFE AMONQ THE INDIANS. 71 



then, other people in this wilderness, and not very far 

 off, for the shooter must be on the other side of the near- 

 est hill. I turned rapidly in the direction whence the 

 sound came, and had hardly gained the crest of the hill, 

 when a romantic and variegated scene spread itself be- 

 fore my eyes. 



It was an Indian camp, and all were occupied in 

 pitching their tents, and preparing for the night. Here, 

 were some cutting tent-poles with their tomahawks ; 

 there, women collecting firewood for cooking ; men se- 

 curing the horses by hobbling their forelegs ; another 

 skinning a deer. In short, it was life in the wilds in 

 highest force. I should never have tired of looking at 

 these noble muscular figures, their faces marked with 

 various ochres, their heads adorned with feathers, and 

 their bright-colored dresses. 



I was not long allowed to remain a spectator, for the 

 dogs barked and ran at me. Breaking off a green 

 bough, I went with it to the camp. The Indians called 

 off the dogs, and all eyes were now directed towards the 

 stranger. Going up to a group of young men, who were 

 stretching a deer-skin, I asked -if any of them spoke 

 English, and was directed to an elderly man, who was 

 sitting smoking under a tree, and watching me. I told 

 him that I was a traveler, that I wished to return to the 

 banks of the Red river, and asked if I could pass the 

 ni>ht in his camp. A considerable group of young men 

 had, in the meantime, assembled round us. At length 

 the old man asked, " Aje white men so scarce that you 

 come alone into the wilderness?" I replied that I liad 

 only conic for the sake of shooting, and now wished to 



