AMONG THE REDSKINS. 105 



serenading had taken hold of his thoughts, kept up a 

 most objectionable chant, however pleasing it might 

 have been to his lady-love, till we wished the brute in 

 Jericho, or any other remote district ; not only that, but 

 I will not say that fear had not a little to do with my 

 feelings, for I can distinctly remember, as I listened, 

 my blood became exceedingly cold and stagnant, my 

 hands clammy, and my throat parched. Moreover, 

 all the stories I had ever read of the sanguinary pro- 

 pensities of these scourges of the distant settlements, 

 from "Little Ked Biding Hood" to "Robinson 

 Crusoe," recurred vividly to my recollection. 



However, quiet came with the sun, and, after a few 

 ineffectual efforts, we succeeded in attracting the at- 

 tention of a worthy redskin, who, for a trifling remu- 

 neration, landed us in the precincts of his island 

 domicile. Our business was soon made known, and a 

 hunting party was organised in an inexpressibly short 

 time. The inner man was still to be satisfied, and, 

 on making our wants known, we were borne off willing 

 captives to the grandest and most capacious log- 

 cabin, no less a worthy than a chief assuming the 

 responsibility of providing us with breakfast. I can- 

 not help here mentioning a little episode which, 

 although it had not the appetising effect of Worcester 

 sauce, chutney, a squeeze of lemon, or other familial- 

 auxiliaries, still had its influence on our then pleading 

 stomachs. Sun-fish was destined for the standing 

 dish, and as the good old squaw had a very small fry- 

 ing-pan and a large stock of the above finny treasures 

 to operate upon, it behoved her to make several cook- 

 ings ; and, to prevent the results of her first efforts 

 getting cold while the second lot were undergoing 



