THE PIPE OF FRIENDSHIP. 273 



acquaintance to do the same. With pantomimic 

 gestures I endeavoured to convince him how wonder- 

 fully partial I was to all his race, and to himself in 

 particular. After the manner of his breed he grunted 

 an apparent approval of my pretty speeches. To cap 

 all by a favourable climax, with the greatest gravity 

 and formality I produced my pipe, which, from its 

 proportions, would have been called a ' dutheen ' in 

 Ireland. With the point of my knife the charred 

 embers were removed, not thrown away, but saved for 

 a top-dressing to the new charge of tobacco, and the 

 better to assist the lighting. My plug of cavendish 

 was brought forth ; the shavings that I sliced off 

 were carefully rubbed between my palms and placed 

 in the bowl. A few strokes of my flint and steel 

 produced a light; half-a-dozen long, steady puffs 

 kindled a fine glowing coal, when, removing it 

 from my own lips, I transferred it to those of my 

 associate. 



Cluck, cluck, went his mouth in evident enjoy- 

 ment. Again and again the pipe changed hands, 

 and the ceremony performed its work, for we were 

 now friends. 



It is usually regarded as a mark of friendship for 

 two persons to drink out of the same cup, and smok- 

 ing out of the same pipe, particularly if it be an old 

 and short one, must be considered expressive of even 

 stronger feelings of regard. Thus the noble savage 

 and the white wanderer hobnobbed over the fragrant 

 fumes arising from a thimbleful of honey-dew. 



T 



