ng camp fires, that lighted up
the glade every night, and were speedily prepared and cooked for the
supper of the hungry hunters.

As the leader of the expedition, Tisquantum was always presented with
the choicest of the game; and it was Oriana's task to superintend the
curing of the elk and buffalo meat, and the cooking that was required
for her father's lodge. In all these household cares she was greatly
assisted by Mailah, who was both active and skilful in all the duties
of an Indian squaw: and eager also to evince her gratitude for the
kindness and protection that were afforded to herself and her child by
the Nausett Chief, by doing all that she could to lighten Oriana's
labors. Time and occupation did not fail to have their usual effect on
one so young, and naturally so light-hearted as Mailah; and animated
cheerfulness took the place of the mournful expression that had
hitherto so frequently sat on her countenance. She did not forget
Lincoya; but she forgot the call of the death-bird: and when she sang
her child to sleep, it was no longer with the same sad cadence as at
first. Sorrow could not strike very deep, or abide very long in the
heart of a being so gay, and with a mind and feelings so utterly
uncultivated as those of the young Stone Indian. Neither could she live
so much in the society of the white stranger, and his two chosen
companions, without imbibing something of their intelligence, and
becoming sensible of their superiority of mind to all others with whom
she had ever associated: and she grew more and more attached to them,
and learnt to regret less the friends and companions among whom her
youth had been spent.

She was a high-spirited and courageous creature: she would have
followed her husband unhesitatingly to death, had she been called on to
do so; or she would have died to save him, if her life could have
availed to purchase his. But now that he was gone, and she could not
even weep over his grave, and deck it with flowers and gifts, her
lively spirit rose again, and led her to seek amusement and occupation
in everything within her reach.

The accounts which Henrich and Jyanough continually gave to her and
Oriana of their exciting adventures in the prairie, had aroused in both
of them a strong desire to be spectators of the sport; and they sought
and obtained Tisquantum's permission to accompany the hunters one
morning to the buffalo ground that lay nearest to the camp, and there
to witnes