A MIDNIGHT SCENE 239 



suggestions, and then gave his ideas on the subject ; 

 after which a vote was taken, and the question settled 

 accordingly. 



Sometimes, when we were skinning birds under our 

 house, we would suddenly notice that the village was 

 very quiet; and, on looking about, find that every 

 living being had left. Not only were all the people 

 gone, but the dogs and pigs had marched off with 

 them, as if by instinct ; leaving the place as deserted as 

 a graveyard at midnight. Why they left, or where 

 they went, was a mystery ; for they would not be gone 

 very long, sometimes returning the same day. 



They went off in this manner one afternoon, and did 

 not return at evening, so we thought they were going 

 to make a night of it ; but it rained heavily soon after 

 dark, and about midnight we were awakened by a great 

 noise; and, on looking out, saw the party returning, 

 Lohier at the head with a torch. The children were 

 crying, the women scolding, the dogs howling, and the 

 pigs grunting and squealing. As they slowly groped 

 their way along the wet and slippery path, with the 

 dark forest on each side, the only light coming from 

 Lohier's torch, they presented a strange, weird appear- 

 ance, equal to the scene in Macbeth where the witches 

 dance about the caldron. 



The Coyara is very kind to his wife and children ; 

 and, all the time we remained among them, we never 

 saw a child punished, or a woman ill-treated. The 



