692 SENECA FICTION, LEGENDS, AND MYTHS [kth. ann. 32 



Then another chief, leaping to liis feet, siiid to the one who was 

 speaking: "Do you stop at once. Do not say that again; you must 

 stop that kind of talk. I will say but a few words for my part. You 

 two who are sitting here must listen and must hear all that I have to 

 say in my own behalf and in that of my people. I think that we all 

 realize that what we are about to do is a very important affair. 

 One person alone has made us of one flesh and of one form, and of 

 a reddish color. Now, too, you shall hear me declare that I agree 

 to accept your proposal for an adjustment of all difficulties between 

 your people and ours. We must bury deep in the ground all those 

 things with which we fight; and you must put them out of the 

 world; and this statement you must make when you two return to 

 your own homes." The chief accepted this proposition, saying: "So 

 now we will meet in joint council at the river, which is just halfway 

 from here to our own country ; we will meet there on oire side of the 

 river, and there you may prepare your camps. You must all go — 

 children, women, and men — all must be present there. On the oppo- 

 site side of the river we will make our camps. After the tenth night 

 from now we must all be in camp there, and I shall bring all the peo- 

 ple — children, women, and the warrioi-s. So there; thus it shall come 

 to pass. Then we shall lie down to rest and in the morning you and I 

 will talk together, as thou art a chief and as I, too, am a chief. So 

 you shall stand on the other side of the river, and I shall stand on 

 this side of the river. Then it shall be that you will tell me how you 

 and I may adjust our differences; and you shall accomplish this 

 within the time of 10 days. After 10 nights you will have arrived on 

 your side of the river, and I, too, shall have arrived on my side of the 

 river. So there is what I have to say. Come, now, make your prepa- 

 rations, and when you have completed them we shall start to go to 

 the river." 



In the meantime the two ambassadors had returned to their home 

 and had made their report, and their chiefs had given the people in- 

 structions to prepare themselves to go to meet their former enemies 

 at the river that bounded their lands. On both sides the people and 

 the chiefs kept tally of the days that passed ; the next day was one ; 

 the next, two; the next day, three, and so on. On the eighth day 

 the chief on each side said : " Come now, let us start." Thereupon 

 they left their homes for the place of meeting; none remained behind. 

 They traveled a long distance before th?y stopped for the night. 

 In the morning they started again and arrived at the river bank 

 at a seasonable hour. The chief of the opposite party said, too: 

 " Come now, let us depart for the river bank where we are to meet 

 in council." All started, not one remaining at home. They, too, 

 traveled a long distani'e before camping for the night, and in the 

 morning early they, too, continued their journey and in good time 



