106 Thirty Years 



Mr. Wentzel with a measured and dignified step, 

 looking neither to the right nor to the left, at the per- 

 sons who had assembled on the beach to witness his 

 debarkation, but preserving the same immovability 

 of countenance until he reached the hall, and was in- 

 troduced to the officers. When he had smoked his 

 pipe, drank a small portion of spirits and water him- 

 self, and issued a glass to each of his companions, who 

 had seated themselves on the floor, he commenced his 

 harangue, by mentioning the circumstances that led 

 to his agreeing to accompany the expedition, an en- 

 gagement which he was quite prepared to fulfil. He 

 was rejoiced, he said, to see such great chiefs on his 

 lands, his tribe were poor, but they loved white men 

 who had been their benefactors ; and he hoped that 

 our visit woTild be productive of much good to them. 

 The report which preceded our arrival, he said, had 

 caused much grief to him. It was at first rumored 

 that a great medicine chief accompanied us, who was 

 able to restore the dead to life; at this he rejoiced, 

 the prospecl of agaiD seeing his departed relatives had 

 enlivened his spirits, but his first communication with 

 Mr. Wentzel had removed these vain hopes, and he 

 felt as if his friends had a second time been torn from 

 him. lie now wished to be informed exactly of ih< v 

 nature of our expedition. 

 In reply to this Bpeech, which 1 understood had 



