98 LAKE SUPERIOR. 



This we felt to be our moment of victory, and 

 Frank was directed to improve it. Standing before 

 the fire, with a gridiron in one hand and a dish-cloth 

 in the other, he burst into a strain of unequalled 

 eloquence. Without understanding a word, we 

 could imagine him painting our desolate condition ; 

 how we were strangers from a far-off land, had left 

 the pale-faces, our wives, our little ones, bringing 

 with us only their faint delineation on paper, in 

 order that we might see the beauties and grandeur 

 of the Indian's home to sleep in the woods, to 

 float upon the lakes, to wander through the forests, 

 to explore the rivers. How we felt the red men to 

 be our brothers, and wished to know them better, 

 wished to stay long with them, to voyage in their 

 company and under their guidance ; that we were 

 great men in our own land, but knew little of the 

 wilderness or the manners of savage life ; that we 

 were rich in corn, in pork, in flour and biscuit, but 

 had not thought to bring our purses, which were 

 filled to overflowing, with us ; but that we felt our 

 brethren of the great Chippewa tribe would befriend 

 us, would supply us with canoes and guides, and 

 help us on our way. That the great universal 

 brotherhood of man demanded it, and that the time 

 might come when they would be in our land, penni- 

 less and ignorant, and might have to look to us for 

 canoes and guides ; and would be glad to remind 

 us of the time they helped us up the Agawa. 



At the end of every sentence and at every pause, 

 the Indians all, big and little, broke in with a simul- 



