336 MICHILLIMACKINAC. [1763, June. 



heard no bad news, and said that through the 

 winter he himself had been much disturbed by the 

 singing of evil birds. Seeing that Henry gave 

 little attention to what he said, he at length went 

 away with a sad and mournful face. On the next 

 morning he came again, together with his squaw, 

 and, offering the trader a present of dried meat, 

 again pressed him to go with him, in the afternoon, 

 to the Sault Ste. Marie. When Henry demanded 

 his reason for such urgency, he asked if his brother 

 did not know that many bad Indians, who had 

 never shown themselves at the fort, were encamped 

 in the woods around it. To-morrow, he said, they 

 are coming to ask for whiskey, and would all get 

 drunk, so that it would be dangerous to remain. 

 Wawatam let fall, in addition, various other hints, 

 which, but for Henry's imperfect knowledge of the 

 Algonquin language, could hardly have failed to 

 draw his attention. As it was, however, his friend's 

 words were spoken in vain ; and at length, after 

 long and persevering efforts, he and his squaw 

 took their departure, but not, as Henry declares, 

 before each had let fall some tears. Among the 

 Indian women, the practice of weeping and wailing 

 is universal upon all occasions of sorrowful emo- 

 tion ; and the kind-hearted squaw, as she took 

 down her husband's lodge, and loaded his canoe 

 for departure, did not cease to sob and moan aloud. 

 On this same afternoon, Henry remembers that 

 the fort was full of Indians, moving about among 

 the soldiers with a great appearance of friendship. 

 Many of them came to his house, to purchase 



