86 SrORTINQ ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 



two inside imitated the actions of the animal they were 

 supposed to represent very well, in some cases; and when- 

 ever they pi'etended to break through the circle, those 

 forming it played the part of dogs and hunters and beat 

 them back. After indulging in this hard work for half an 

 hour, all the Terpsichoreans bounded into the air sudden- 

 ly, and gave a long, loud, and prolonged yell that was so 

 blood-curdling and terrifying that my friend broke away 

 at once, being actually startled out of his wits by its in- 

 tensity and fierceness. The suddenness of his retreat and 

 his blanched countenance caused me to laugh heartily; but 

 when I learned that he knew too well what an Indian war- 

 whoop was in reality, and had cause to remember it, my 

 sense of ridicule was turned into sympathy, and I stopped 

 teasing him. 



This dance was followed by others in honor of the wolf, 

 deer, elk, and other quadrupeds ; but all were alike in char- 

 acter, except that the Terpsichoreans inside the circle wore 

 the skin of the animal they represented, and sometimes im- 

 itated its voice and action. The pale-faced dancer could 

 not be induced to take any further part in the ceremony, 

 however, and the fun which he saw in it at first had all 

 vanished. 



We were awake the next morning at an early hour, and, 

 seeing an unusual commotion in the encampment, asked 

 what was going on, and were told that the potlatch would 

 close with a grand feast, and that some of the braves were 

 going out hunting, while others were bound on a fishing 

 expedition. We asked permission to join the Nimrods, 

 and it was readily granted by the simple word "na-witka" 

 — yes — for the red men are sparing of words, except when 

 they are extolling their own deeds. 



The hunting-party, attired in all sorts of garments, from 

 blankets and buckskins to the tattered remnants of a white 

 man's clothes, or a simple shirt and a piece of cloth tied 

 round the legs, looked more like scarecrows than anything 

 else at a distance. Their head covering aided this appear- 

 ance ; for while some were bareheaded, others wore old 



