STRIKE THE LIGHT GUITAR." 383 



preparations for my journey, perceived my guitar sus- 

 pended in a corner of the room, and strongly pressed me 

 to pack it up with the rest of my baggage. 



" What on earth," said I, " shall I do with a tin kettle 

 like that? Do men hunt the bison to the strumming of 

 a guitar 1 Shall I, like a new Orpheus, charm the birds 

 and animals with the lugubrious notes of this hollow box 

 and its six strings? In a word, is this a novel hunting 

 weapon, unknown till now, and patented by yourself?" 



" By no means," replied Mr. Simonton ; " you know 

 very well I cannot ' strike the light guitar ; ' but I rely 

 on your skill and science to perform the miracle of at- 

 tracting to our side not beasts, but men ! " 



" Explain yourself." 



" By-and-by you will find out what I mean." 



And spite of my reiterated questions, my comrade would 

 not add another word ; he left me in a state of complete 

 ignorance as to his meaning. 



Thus it was that I brought into the camp of the Sioux 

 my guitar, lying forgotten in one of our waggons, at the 

 bottom of its fir-wood case. On the second evening of our 

 sojourn with Rahm-o-j-or, Mr. Simonton, however, sud- 

 denly bethought himself of the treasure. We had just 

 finished supper : each guest, seated before a blazing fire, 

 was smoking his pipe in the most profound silence, when 

 a voice, addressing Gemmel, one of our three Canadians, 

 ordered him to go in search of the black box. 



" Yes, sir," replied our servant ; and, darting from the 

 circle, he soon returned with the guitar and its case. 



Mr. Simonton, with the characteristic quickness of 

 Americans, opened the lock, stripped the instrument of 

 its many coverings, and revealed it to the gaze of the 



