PLEASURES OF SOCIETY. 221 



they, with other Indians and white men, had heen out 

 several days scouring the woods and plains in search of 

 me. I also understood from them that our party had 

 arrived at their destination, which was only a few hours' 

 march from their habitation. They behaved to me with 

 affectionate solicitude; and while the old woman was 

 carefully dressing my feet, the men were endeavoring to 

 make me comprehend their meaning. I had been four- 

 teen days in a wilderness without holding "communion 

 kind" with any human being; and I need not say I 

 listened with a thousand times more real delight to the 

 harsh and guttural voices of those poor Indians, than 

 was ever experienced by the most enthusiastic admirer 

 of melody from the thrilling tones of a Catalani, or the 

 melting sweetness of a Stephens. As it was- too late, 

 after finishing my supper, to proceed farther that night, 

 I retired to rest on a comfortable couch of buffalo and 

 deer skins. I slept soundly : and the morning of the 

 31st was far advanced before I awoke. After break- 

 fasting on the remainder of the salmon, I prepared to 

 join my white friends. A considerable stream, about 

 ninety yards broad, called Coeur d' Alene river, flowed 

 close to the hut. The old man and his son accompanied 

 me. We crossed the river in a canoe ; after which they 

 brought over three horses, and having enveloped my 

 body in an Indian mantle of deer skin, we mounted, and 

 set off at a smart trot in an easterly direction. We had 

 not proceeded more than seven miles, when I felt the 

 bad effects of having eaten so much salmon after so long 

 a fast. I had a severe attack of indigestion, and for 

 two hours suffered extreme agony ; and, but for the great 



