LIFE IN THE FAB WEST 65 



resort, drinking and fighting as long as their money 

 lasts, which, as they are generous and lavish as Jack 

 Tars, is for a few days only. Such scenes, both tragic 

 and comic, as are enacted in the Rocky-Mountain House, 

 are beyond the powers of pen to describe ; and when a 

 fandango is in progress, to which congregate the 

 coquettish belles from "Vide Poche," as the French 

 portion of the suburb is nicknamed, the grotesque 

 endeavours of the bear-like mountaineers to sport a 

 figure on the light fantastic toe, and their insertions 

 into the dance of the mystic jumps of Terpsichorean 

 Indians when engaged in the " medicine *' dances in 

 honour of bear, of buffalo, or ravished scalp, are such 

 startling innovations on the choreographic art as would 

 make the shade of Gallini quake and gibber in his pumps. 

 Passing the open doors and windows of the Moun- 

 tain House, the stranger stops short as the sounds of 

 violin and banjo twang upon his ears, accompanied by 

 extraordinary noises sounding unearthly to the green- 

 horn listener, but recognised by the initiated as an 

 Indian song roared out of the stentorian lungs of a 

 mountaineer, who patting his stomach with open hands, 

 to improve the necessary shake, choruses the well- 

 known Indian chant : 



Hi-Hi Hi Hi, 



Hi-i Hi-i Hi-i Hi-i 

 Hi-ya hi-ya hi-ya hi-ya 



Hi-ya hi-ya bi-ya hi-ya 

 Hi-ya hi-ya hi hi, 

 &c. &c. &c. 



and polishes off the high notes with a whoop which 

 E 



