386 
THE BEAR. 
tions were made for a feast. The lodge 
was cleaned and swept, the head lifted up, 
and a new blanket, which had never been 
used before, spread under it. The pipes 
were lighted, and Watawam blew tobacco- 
smoke into the nostrils of the bear, telling 
me to do the same and thus appease the 
anger of the bear on account of my having 
killed her. I tried to persuade my bene¬ 
factor and friendly adviser that she no 
longer had any life, and assured him that I 
was under no apprehensions from her dis¬ 
pleasure. But the first proposition gained 
no credit, and the last gave but little satis¬ 
faction. At last, the feast being ready, 
Watawam made a speech, resembling in 
many things his address to the manes of his 
relations and departed companions, but 
having this peculiarity,—that he deplored 
the necessity which men laboured under to 
destroy their friends. He represented, how¬ 
ever, that the misfortune was unavoidable, 
since without doing so they could by no 
means subsist. The speech being ended, 
we all ate heartily of the bear’s fiesh; and 
even the head, after remaining for three 
