THE AMERICANS AND THE ABORIGINES. 325 



nal feeling held a visible contest in the bosom of the 

 deeply moved chief. Finally the latter prevailed. 



" Canondah may speak." 



" My father, the white youth has sworn to me that 

 he is no spy, and not one of the Yengheese. He is 

 from the island of the foolish chief, the land of 

 which you have told me that it is cold and icy. 

 His people are on the war-path against our foes, the 

 Yengheese. It is but a few suns since he and his 

 friends came across the great salt lake ; they will go 

 up the great river and burn the wigwams of our 

 enemies. The chief of the Salt Lake, he says, is a 

 thief, who overpowered him and his brothers whilst 

 they caught oysters and turtle, and took them to his 

 wigwam. He escaped, and for eight suns he suffered 

 hunger. His people will hang the chief of the Salt 

 Lake by the neck to a tree. See, father, thy 

 daughter delivered him from the jaws of the great 

 water-snake, and he was already nearly dead. He 

 has returned to his brothers, to lift the hatchet 

 against your foes. He is no spy; his hands are 

 soft, and he was weak." 



" Has Canondah more lies to tell her father 1 " said 

 the old man, in a milder tone. " Her tongue is very 

 nimble." 



The abashed maiden cast her eyes to the ground. 

 Her words, however, had visibly made a deep im- 

 pression upon the Miko, and he remained for a while 

 sunk in reflection. Tokeah was a savage by birth, 



