168 THE HIVE OF THE BEE-HUNTER. 
crime or dissipation, are no longer allowed to associate 
with their people ; they live by hunting or stealing, and 
spend, in the towns, their precarious gains in intoxica- 
tion. 
Among the throng that crowded on the flat-boat on 
his arrival, were a number of these unfortunate beings ; 
they were influenced by no other motive than that 
of loitering round in idle speculation at what was 
going on. 
Mike was attracted towards them at sight; and as 
he was idle, and consequently in the situation that is 
deemed most favorable to mischief, it struck him that it 
was a good opportunity to have a little sport at the In- 
dians’ expense. 
Without ceremony, he gave a terrific war-whoop ; 
and then mixing the language of the aborigines and his 
own together, he went on savage fashion, and bragged of 
his triumphs and victories on the war-path, with all the 
seeming earnestness of a real “ brave.” Nor were taunt- 
ing words spared to exasperate the poor creatures, who, 
while perfectly helpless, listened to the tales of their own 
greatness, and their own shame, until wound up to the 
highest pitch of impotent exasperation. Mike’s com- 
panions joined in; thoughtless boys caught the spirit of 
the affair; and the Indians were goaded until they, in 
turn, made battle with their tongues. 
Then commenced a system of running against them, 
pulling off their blankets, joined with a thousand other 
