29t TRAVELS THROUGH UPPER CANADA ! 
and while it lasts, each warrior rises at will to 
help himself to a piece of it. After each per¬ 
son in the circle has in turn told of his exploits, 
they all rise, and join in a dance truly terrify¬ 
ing ; they throw themselves into a variety of 
postures, and leaping about in the most fran¬ 
tic manner, brandish their knives and other 
weapons; at the same time they set up the 
war hoop, and utter the most dreadful yells 
imaginable. In this manner the dance termi¬ 
nates. - 
The Indian flute or pipe is formed of a thick 
cane, similar to what is found on the banks of 
the Mississippi, and in the southern parts of 
the United States. It is about two feet or 
more in length, and has eight or nine holes in it, 
-in one row. It is held in the same manner as 
the oboe or clarinet, and the sound is produced 
by means of a mouth-piece not unlike that of a 
common whistle. The tones of the instru¬ 
ment are by no means unharmonious, and they 
would andmit of a pleasing modulation, but 1 
never met with an Indian that was able to play 
a regular air upon it, not even any one of the 
airs which they commonly sing, although I saw 
several that were extremely fond of amusing 
themselves with the instrument, and that would 
sit for hours together over the embers of their 
cabin fires, playing over a few wild melancholy 
nates. Every Indian that can bring a sound 
