THE AMERICANS AND THE ABORIGINES. 353 



V. 



Upon the following morning Lafitte's lieutenant 

 roused him from his sleep, and informed him that 

 there was an unusual stir and bustle amongst the 

 Indians. The pirate hastily dressed, and repaired 

 to the wigwam of the Miko, whom he found rest- 

 less and excited. The cause of this soon became 

 apparent. 



On a sudden the village resounded with a long joy- 

 ous shout, which, spreading like wildfire from hut to 

 hut, swelled at last into one wild and universal 

 chorus, in which men, women, and children united 

 their voices. The Miko had betaken himself in haste 

 to the council wigwam, and the whole village was in 

 an uproar. From behind each hedge, from out of 

 every hut, the Oconees emerged and rushed towards 

 the council-house ; even the presence of Tokeah was 

 insufficient to keep them within bounds. On the 

 further side of the Natchez was seen a party of thirty 

 Indians, all on horseback. Some of them were seek- 

 ing a ford ; but presently a young man, impatient of 

 the delay, plunged with his horse into the water, and 

 all thirty followed him, in the same order in which 

 they had appoached the river. The breadth of the 

 stream, opposite to the wigwam, was about five hun- 

 dred feet, and the depth considerable. Nevertheless 

 the gallant little troop seemed in their element, and, 



