d Ako to Du Gay.

It appeared afterwards that this was what the ceremony meant. For
several days the Frenchmen, carried northward in their captors' boats,
expected to die. No calumet was smoked with them; and every night one
of the old chiefs, named Aquipaguetin, who had lost a son in war and
formed a particular intention of taking somebody's scalp for solace,
sat by the prisoners stroking them and howling by the hour. One night
when the Frenchmen were forced to make their fire at the end of the
camp, Aquipaguetin sent word that he meant to finish them without more
delay. But they gave him some goods out of the store La Salle had sent
with them, and he changed his mind and concluded to wait awhile. He
carried the bones of one of his dead relations, dried and wrapped in
skins gaily ornamented with porcupine-quill work; and it was his custom
to lay these bones before the tribe and request that everybody blow
smoke on them. Of the Frenchmen, however, he demanded hatchets, beads,
and cloth. This cunning old Sioux wanted to get all he could before the
party reached their villages, where the spoil would be divided.

Nineteen days after their capture the prisoners were brought to a place
which is now the site of St. Paul in the state of Minnesota, where the
Sioux disbanded, scattering to their separate towns. They had finally
smoked the peace-pipe with the Frenchmen; and now, fortunately without
disagreement, portioned their white captives and distributed the goods.
Father Hennepin was given to Aquipaguetin, who promptly adopted him
as a son. The Flemish friar saw with disgust his gold-embroidered
vestments, which a missionary always carried with him for the impressive
celebration of mass, displayed on savage backs and greatly admired.

The explorers were really in the way of seeing as much of the
upper Mississippi as they could desire. They were far north of the
Wisconsin's mouth, where white men first entered the great river.
The young Mississippi, clear as a mountain stream, gathered many small
tributaries. St. Peter's joined it from a blue-earth channel. This
rugged northern world was wonderfully beautiful, with valleys and
heights and rocks and waterfalls.

The Sioux were tall, well-made Indians, and so active that the smaller
Frenchmen could hardly keep up with them on the march. They sometimes
carried Du Gay and Ako over streams, but the robust friar they forced to
wade or swim; and when he lagged lame-footed with ex