272 INDIAN FAMILY. 



spots on our own escutcheon ? Are we quite free 

 from blame in our treatment of the aborigines of 

 newly-discovered lands ? Let those that live in 

 glass houses beware of throwing stones, for abroad 

 there are ugly tales afloat, in reference to England 

 as well as America. 



Descending the brow of a hill, I observed a 

 family party of Indians, winding their way in single 

 file along the margin of the stream. It was evident 

 from the load with which each was encumbered, 

 that they were making, what is called in Scotland, 

 ( a flitting/ By using as shelter such intervening 

 obstacles as brush and boulders, I got within a 

 quarter of a mile of them ere my presence became 

 known, and believe I could have even come nearer, 

 but that the sharp ears, or possibly sharper noses, of 

 their curs, warned them that an intruder was close, 

 information they were not slow to impart to their 

 owners. On approaching, I discovered that the 

 party consisted of a family on the tramp. Though 

 my advent was not regarded without suspicion, an 

 old man at their head stood his ground, while his 

 squaw and two half-grown children by retiring 

 showed every evidence of a desire to seek safety in 

 flight. However, after a close inspection, during 

 which the throats of their vociferous pack had be- 

 come so dry from excessive exercise as to produce a 

 temporary lull in their vocal practice, I felt satisfied 

 that the impression I had made was not unfavourable. 



Seating myself on the ground I induced my new 



