i6o The Book of Woodcraft 



Now the hunters come in, and, facing the audience, the 

 leader says: 



"I am Chief of the Ojibwa, 

 These are all my chosen warriors. 

 We go hunting Mishi-Mokwa, 

 He the Big Bear of the mountains; 

 He that ravages our borders. 

 We will surely seek and slay him; 

 Or, if we should fall before him, 

 We will die like men of valor, 

 Dying, winning deathless glory." 



Or, as an alternative prose reading, he says: 



" I am Chief of the Black Hawk Band. These are my chosen 

 warriors; the pick of my tribe. We go to hunt the Mishi- 

 Mokwa, the Big Bear of the mountains. He is big and terrible. 

 He kills our people every day. Many of us may die in the fight, 

 but living or dead, we shall win glory. Now we dance the 

 war dance." 



All give the war whoop and dance, imitating a bear on 

 his hind legs. At intervals, when the music changes, every 

 other one strikes his neighbor on the back with his club, 

 at which he turns and growls horribly. 



Chief: "Now we go to seek the foe." 



They set out, looking for the trail. They find it and 

 follow, studying the ground, smelling it, peeking and 

 pointing here and there till they get pretty close to the 

 Big Bear, whereupon he rouses up with a growl. The war- 

 riors spring back, but, encouraged by the Chief, they form 

 a circle and approach the bear. The Chief shouts: 



"Ho, Mishi-Mokwa, we have found you. Come forth now, 

 for I mean to dub your head, and take that necklace for my own 

 neck. Come forth now. You are very brave when you find an 



