But a well-
singed fur cap was the only evidence of harm having been done.

To increase the welcome, they courteously brought out for our special
benefit the few English and French words of which they were masters.
Some of them were most ludicrously out of place. It did require a good
deal of nerve to keep my face straight when a grave and dignified chief,
who wished to inquire politely as to my health, for the moment dropped
his own language, and in good English said, "Does your mother know
you're out?" I found out afterwards that a roguish fur-trader had
taught him the expression, as a very polite one to use to distinguished
strangers.

We quickly unharnessed and fed our faithful dogs. We hung up in the
trees our sleds and harness beyond the reach of the wolfish curs, which
in large numbers prowled around. If they could get the opportunity,
they would make short work of the deer-skin and raw-hide fastenings of
the sleds, and the harness would entirely disappear, with perhaps the
exception of the buckles. We waited until our big dogs had given a few
of the most impudent and saucy of these brutes a good thrashing, so that
there was some prospect of peace; and then, feeling that our outside
work was attended to, and that the Indians had had time to get arranged
in their council room, we went to the door, and were ceremoniously
ushered in. The council house was a large square log building of much
better construction than I had expected to see. It was without
partitions, and was lighted by the brilliant council fire, and a number
of fish oil lamps hanging from the walls. At the places of honour were
seated the chiefs of the band. Their "thrones of state" were curiously
woven mats of rushes made by the Indian women. Their head-dresses were
gorgeous masses of feathers, and their costume was very picturesque.
Some of them had not yet adopted the pantaloons of civilisation, but
wore instead the scant leggings of native manufacture.

From the chiefs on either side and extending around the room in circles,
were the old men and warriors and hunters, ranged according to their
rank and standing. Behind these were the young men and boys. All were
seated on the ground, and all were silent, as I entered. The chiefs
were fine-looking men, and there was that indescribable _hauteur_ now so
rarely seen among this interesting people. Crowded out behind the men
and boys, and in many places packed against the walls of the ho