pirit was defended, first, by fiery serpents, who hissed
fire so that no one could pass them; and, in the second place, by a
large mass of gummy matter lying on the water, so soft and adhesive,
that whoever attempted to pass, or whatever came in contact with it,
was sure to stick there.

He continued making bows and arrows without number, but he had no heads
for his arrows. At last Noko told him that an old man who lived at some
distance could make them. He sent her to get some. She soon returned
with her conaus or wrapper full.[17] Still he told her he had not
enough, and sent her again. She returned with as much more. He thought
to himself, "I must find out the way of making these heads." Cunning and
curiosity prompted him to make the discovery. But he deemed it necessary
to deceive his grandmother in so doing. "Noko," said he, "while I take
my drum and rattle, and sing my war songs, go and try to get me some
_larger_ heads for my arrows, for those you brought me are all of the
same size. Go and see whether the old man cannot make some a little
larger." He followed her as she went, keeping at a distance, and saw the
old artificer at work, and so discovered his process. He also beheld the
old man's daughter, and perceived that she was very beautiful. He felt
his breast beat with a new emotion, but said nothing. He took care to
get home before his grandmother, and commenced singing as if he had
never left his lodge. When the old woman came near, she heard his drum
and rattle, without any suspicion that he had followed her. She
delivered him the arrow-heads.

One evening the old woman said, "My son, you ought to _fast_ before you
go to war, as your brothers frequently do, to find out whether you will
be successful or not."[18] He said he had no objection, and immediately
commenced a fast for several days. He would retire every day from the
lodge so far as to be out of reach of his grandmother's voice. It seems
she had indicated this spot, and was very anxious he should fast there,
and not at another place. She had a secret motive, which she carefully
hid from him. Deception always begets suspicion. After a while he
thought to himself, "I must find out why my grandmother is so anxious
for me to fast at this spot." Next evening he went but a short distance.
She cried out, "A little farther off;" but he came nearer to the lodge,
and cried out in a low, counterfeited voice, to make it appear that he
was distant. She then re