owever, did not fail to send out scouts to
bring word whether the enemy had ventured into the neighbourhood. As no
traces of them could be seen, Kepenau came to the conclusion that the
strangers had gone off again to the westward, content with the game they
had obtained. Still, he thought it prudent, in case of treachery, to
keep on the watch; and day and night two or three of the party were
constantly scouring the country round, in search of tracks made by
strange Indians.

The time had now arrived for us to return. Mike had made himself a
universal favourite; the Indians, notwithstanding their general gravity,
delighting in the merry tunes he played on his fiddle. He frequently
set them jigging; and Reuben and I showed them how white people danced--
though neither of us had any exact notions on the subject. Ashatea
sometimes joined us, and moved about very gracefully, performing figures
of her own invention, which I have since discovered greatly resemble
those of the minuet of Europe.

She often told me how much she longed to go back and stay with Lily.
Native of the wilds as she was, she had gained a taste for civilised
life, she told Reuben and me. We assured her that Lily and Dora would
be delighted to see her, and that, if her father would allow her to
accompany us, we should be glad to take her at once. This, however,
Kepenau refused. He did not tell us why; only saying that he could not
let her go unless he went with her, and for the present he must not
leave his people, who had to hunt and fish, so as to lay in a store of
provisions for the winter.

I should have said that at the back of the lodges were several pieces of
cleared ground, on which Indian corn was growing and potatoes had been
planted. This showed that Kepenau and his people were in advance of the
hunting Indians, who trust only to the chase for subsistence, and are
thereby frequently reduced to a state of starvation.

All the inhabitants of the camp turned out to wish us farewell, and
offered up prayers for our safety as we stepped into our canoes. Kakaik
and Reuben led the way in one canoe, and Mike and I followed in the
other, flourishing our paddles over our heads as a farewell salute. We
plied them diligently, and, gliding rapidly down the stream, were soon
lost to sight. Having the current with us, we expected to reach home
before nightfall, should no accident happen.

"I'm afther hoping that none of those Indians we saw the