LIFE AMONG THE INDIANS. 107 



It was an Indian camp, and all were occupied in 

 pitching their tents, and preparing for the night. 

 Here, were some cutting tent-poles with their toma- 

 hawks ; there, women collecting firewood for cooking ; 

 men securing the horses by hobbling their fore-legs ; 

 another skinning a deer. In short, it was life in the 

 wilds in highest force. I should never have tired 

 of looking at these noble muscular figures, their faces 

 marked with various ochres, their heads adorned with 

 feathers, and their bright-colored dresses. 



I was not long allowed to remain a spectator, for the 

 dogs barked and ran at me. Breaking off a green 

 bough, I went with it to the camp. The Indians 

 called off the dogs, and all eyes Avere now directed 

 towards the stranger. Going up to a group of young 

 men, who were stretching a deer-skin, I asked if any of 

 them spoke English, and was directed to an elderly 

 man, who Avas sitting smoking under a tree and 

 watching me. I told him that I Avas a traveller, that 

 I Avished to return to the banks of the Red river, and 

 asked if I could pass the night in his camp. A con- 

 siderable group of young men had in the mean time 

 assembled round us. At lemz-th the old man asked — 

 " Are white men so scarce that you come alone into 

 the Avilderness ? " I replied that I had only come for 

 the sake of shooting, and noAv Avished to return. In- 

 stead of an ansAver, he silently gaA'e me his pipe, out of 

 which I took a few Avhiffs, and then handed it to one of 

 the Indians standing near me. He did the same, and 

 returned it to the chief. I noAV sat down beside him. 

 He asked a great many questions, amongst others, hoAV 

 I had torn my coat so badly ? Whereupon I related 



