386 AN INDIAN PUPIL. 



Mie supposed secret of the melodious strains that had 

 filled them with so much pleasure. 



After it had gone round the entire circle, the magic 

 instrument was returned to me, and Otami-ah, the squaw, 

 begged me, in the most graceful pantomime, to hand it to 

 her for a moment. Her tiny fingers immediately en- 

 deavoured to imitate my manipulation of the strings. For 

 a long time she tried to strike a chord, but in vain. I 

 studied with curiosity the beautiful Redskin's signs of 

 childish anger ; but in the midst of my attentive examina- 

 tion the hour of repose sounded for the whole tribe. We 

 all withdrew to our tents, and Gemmel brought to me the 

 black case, which I took care to lock securely. 



Next day we were kept in camp by the rain ; it was 

 impossible even to dream of a hunting excursion. I was 

 stretched under the canvas of one of the waggons, when 

 Otami-ah, preceded by Rahm-o-j-or and Duquesne, our 

 interpreter, glided towards me ; she came with a petition 

 that I would teach her to play the guitar. Though I did 

 not feel myself specially qualified to give lessons to the 

 young Indian belle, for I knew music only, as it were, 

 by instinct, I complied with her request. The lesson 

 began, and was prolonged to a late hour. Every evening, 

 so long as I remained with the Sioux, Otami-ah and I 

 took refuge behind a clump of cotton-trees, far from the 

 intrusive and importunate, and I found it a pleasure to 

 pour into her ear the instructions to which she listened 

 with so much intelligence and avidity. Before a fortnight 

 had passed by, the scholar knew as much as the master, 

 and her fingers had acquired a graceful dexterity which 

 would have astonished Carulli himself. 



