token of welcome. The chiefs and old men advancing
to the front, seated themselves on the ground in a semi-circle, while the
young men and braves remained standing or lying on the ground farther
back in two deep lines. In front of all stood Henry Prince the son of
Pequis, Chief of the Swampy tribe, attended by his interpreter and
pipe-bearer.

My appearance upon the door-step was the signal for a burst of deep and
long-rolling, "Ho, ho's," and then the ceremony commenced. There Was no
dance or "pow wow;" it meant business at once. Striking his hand upon
his breast the chief began; as he finished each sentence the interpreter
took up the thread, explaining with difficulty the long rolling, words of
the Indian.

"You see here," he said, "the most faithful children of the Great Mother;
they have heard that you have come from the great chief who is bringing
thither his warriors from the Kitchi-gami" (Lake Superior), "and they
have come to bid you welcome, and to place between you and the enemies
of the Great Mother their guns and their lives. But these children are
sorely puzzled; they know not what to do. They have gathered in from the
East, and the North, and the West, because bad men have risen their hands
against the Great Mother and robbed her goods and killed her sons and put
a strange flag over her fort. And these bad men are now living in plenty
on what they have robbed, and the faithful children of the Great Mother
are starving and very poor, and they wish to know what they are to do. It
is said that a great chief is coming across from the big sea-water with
many mighty braves and warriors, and much goods and presents for the
Indians. But though we have watched long for him, the lake is still
clear of his canoes, and we begin to think he is not coming at all;
therefore we were glad when we were told that you had come, for now you
will tell us what we are to do and what message the great Ogima has sent
to the red children of the Great Mother."

The speech ended, a deep and prolonged "Ho!"--a sort of universal "thems
our sentiments "--ran round the painted throng of warriors, and then they
awaited my answer, each looking with stolid indifference straight before
him.

My reply was couched in as few words as possible. "It was true what they
had heard. The big chief was coming across from the Kitchi-gami at the
head of many warriors. The arm of the Great Mother was a long one, and
stretched far over'seas and forests