on that well-nigh upset the gravity of our
hunters, and rendered Dick's efforts to look solemn quite abortive.
San-it-sa-rish had once been to the trading forts of the Pale-faces, and
while there had received the customary gift of a blue surtout with brass
buttons, and an ordinary hat, such as gentlemen wear at home. As the
coat was a good deal too small for him, a terrible length of dark, bony
wrist appeared below the cuffs. The waist was too high, and it was with
great difficulty that he managed to button the garment across his broad
chest. Being ignorant of the nature of a hat, the worthy savage had
allowed the paper and string with which it had been originally covered,
to remain on, supposing them to be part and parcel of the hat; and this,
together with the high collar of the coat, which gave him a crushed-up
appearance, the long black naked legs, and the painted visage, gave to
him a _tout ensemble_ which we can compare to nothing, as there was
nothing in nature comparable to it.

Those guests who assembled first passed their time in smoking the
medicine pipe until the others should arrive; for so long as a single
invited guest is absent the feast cannot begin. Dignified silence was
maintained while the pipe thus circulated from hand to hand. When the
last guest arrived they began.

The men were seated in two rows, face to face. Feasts of this kind
usually consist of but one species of food, and on the present occasion
it was an enormous cauldron full of maize which had to be devoured.
About fifty sat down to eat a quantity of what may be termed thick
porridge, that would have been ample allowance for a hundred ordinary
men. Before commencing, San-it-sa-rish desired an aged medicine-man to
make an oration, which he did fluently and poetically. Its subject was
the praise of the giver of the feast. At the end of each period there
was a general "Hou! hou!" of assent--equivalent to the hear! hear! of
civilised men.

Other orators then followed, all of whom spoke with great ease and
fluency, and some in the most impassioned strains, working themselves
and their audience up to the highest pitch of excitement, now shouting
with frenzied violence till their eyes glared from their sockets, and
the veins of their foreheads swelled almost to bursting as they spoke of
war and chase--anon breaking into soft modulated and pleasing tones,
while they dilated upon the pleasures of peace and hospitality.

After these h