OF THE POLAR SEA. 157 



of whom we have already spoken as the 

 worshipper of Kepoochikawn, made a de- 

 termination not to eat of the flesh of the Wa- 

 waskeesh or American stag ; but during our 

 abode at that place, she was induced to feed 

 heartily upon it, through the intentional 

 deceit of her husband, who told her that it 

 was buffalo meat. When she had finished 

 her meal, her husband told her of the trick, 

 and seemed to enjoy the terror with which 

 she contemplated the consequences of the 

 involuntary breach of her vow. Vows of 

 this nature are often made by a Cree before 

 he joins a war party, and they sometimes, 

 like the eastern bonzes, walk for a certain 

 number of days on all fours, or impose upon 

 themselves some other penance equally ri- 

 diculous. By such means the Cree warrior 

 becomes godlike; but unless he kills an 

 enemy before his return, his newly-acquired 

 powers are estimated to be productive in 

 future of some direful consequences to him- 

 self. 



As we did not witness any of the Cree 

 dances ourselves, we shall merely mention 



