repaid by the death
of those who had used the feathers. Then the chief commanded them to
throw all away except the head. "We will see," said he, "when we get
home, what we can do to it. We will try to make it shut its eyes."
When they reached their homes they took it to the council lodge, and
hung it up before the fire, fastening it with raw hide soaked, which
would shrink and become tightened by the action of the fire. "We will
then see," they said, "if we cannot make it shut its eyes."
Meanwhile, for several days, the sister of Iamo had been waiting for
the young men to bring back the head; till at last, getting impatient,
she went in search of it. The young men she found lying within short
distances of each other, dead, and covered with wounds. Various other
bodies lay scattered in different directions around them. She searched
for the head and sack, but they were nowhere to be found. She raised
her voice and wept, and blackened her face. Then she walked in
different directions, till she came to the place from whence the head
had been taken. There she found the magic bow and arrows, where the
young men, ignorant of their qualities, had left them. She thought to
herself that she would find her brother's head, and came to a piece of
rising ground, and there saw some of his paints and feathers. These she
carefully put up, and hung upon the branch of a tree till her return.
At dusk she arrived at the first lodge of the enemy, in a very
extensive village. Here she used a charm, common among Indians when
they wish to meet with a kind reception. On applying to the old man and
woman of the lodge, she was kindly received. She made known her errand.
The old man promised to aid her, and told her that the head was hung up
before the council fire, and that the chiefs of the village, with their
young men, kept watch over it continually. The former are considered as
Manitoes. She said she only wished to see it, and would be satisfied if
she could only get to the door of the lodge. She knew she had not
sufficient power to take it by force. "Come with me," said the Indian,
"I will take you there." They went, and they took their seats near the
door. The council lodge was filled with warriors, amusing themselves
with games, and constantly keeping up a fire to smoke the head, as they
said, to make dry meat. They saw the eyes move, and not knowing what to
make of it, one spoke and said, "Ha! ha! it is beginning to feel the
effects
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