﻿OLD PONTO. 



187 



fy that they did not understand him, and each' of them taking a 

 hand, they led him away, leaving poor Ponto helpless and bleeding 

 upon the ground. 



Henry thought they were taking him home, and was somewhat 

 alarmed when, the sun having disappeared, he found himself still in 

 the woods. He began to cry with fatigue, and was very glad when 

 the younger Indian took him in his arms, and spoke in a soothing 

 and kind voice to him. Putting his head upon the shoulder of his 

 conductor, little Henry shut his eyes, and was soon fast asleep. 



When he awoke he found himself laying upon a buffalo skin in 

 an Indian wigwam, and nobody near him but an old woman, who 

 sat on the floor weaving a basket, and singing a low monotonous 

 chant. 



Henry was very hungry, and making a noise to attract the atten- 

 tion of his companion, he pointed to his mouth. The Indian woman 

 nodded, and rising from her seat, she took out of a basket in the cor- 

 ner a piece of broiled venison, and a large cake made of Indian 

 meal. These she gave to the little captive, who ate them with much 

 relish. 



Soon after, the chief, whom he had seen at first, entered the wig- 

 wam, and looking at Henry, asked some question about him of the 

 woman, who answered with a low laugh, and pointed to the basket 

 in the corner ; upon which the chief nodded with an air of satisfac- 

 tion, and left the wigwam. 



Henry did not know who these people could be, who treated him 

 so kindly, but still kept him captive ; and he could not ask them any 

 questions, on account of his ignorance of the language. In a few 

 days they were joined by a large party of men, women and children, 

 and all proceeded on their journey, which w T as in a southerly direc- 

 tion. It was many days and nights before they reached their home, 

 which was situated in what is now the state of Rhode Island. 



This party belonged to a large tribe of Indians, who inhabited a 

 wide tract of country, and were very powerful among the other 

 tribes. They were called the Mount Hope tribe. They had come 

 to the eastern country to visit the Penobscots, who were their friends, 

 and they had hunted together among the mountains of Maine for 

 many moons. 



