LIFE AND LOVE RETURN 293 



wailing of a broken concertina played by another half-breed 

 who preceded the newly married couple. Neykia wore a silk 

 handkerchief over her head, a light-coloured cotton waist open 

 at the throat, a silk sash over one shoulder, and a short skirt 

 revealing beaded leggings and moccasins. Behind the bride 

 and groom walked Oo-koo-hoo and the fathers of the bridal 

 couple, then the mothers and the rest of the relations, while 

 the clergy and the other guests brought up the rear. As the 

 little procession moved along, the men, lined up on either side 

 of the path, crossed their guns over the heads of the wedding 

 party, and discharged a feu de joie. 



On reaching a certain log-house the procession broke up. 

 The older people went in to partake of the wedding breakfast, 

 while the bride and groom went over to one of the warehouses 

 and amused themselves dancing with their young friends until 

 they were summoned to the second table of the marriage feast. 

 Everybody at the Post had contributed something toward 

 either the feast or the dance. Out of respect for Oo-koo-hoo 

 the Factor had furnished a liberal stock of groceries and had, in 

 addition, granted the free use of the buildings. The clerk had 

 sent in a quantity of candies and tobacco. The priest had 

 given potatoes; the clergyman had supplied a copy of the 

 Bible in syllabic characters; and the minister had given the 

 silver-plated wedding ring. The nuns had presented a supply 

 of skim-milk and butter. Mr. Spear provided jam, pickles, and 

 coal-oil for the lamps. The Mounted Police contributed two 

 dollars to pay for the "band" — the fiddle and the concertina — 

 and ammunition enough for the feu de joie. The friends and 

 relations had given a plentiful store of fresh, dried, and pounded 

 fish; and had also furnished a lavish supply of moose, caribou, 

 and bear meat; as well as dainty bits of beaver, lynx, muskrat, 

 and skunk. 



The bridal party having dined, they and their elders opened 

 the ball officially. The first dance was — as it always is — the 



