nake."
So the Lenapes smoked with their new acquaintance; a firm league of
peace was made between the two nations, and they became very good
friends. They chatted for a long time of various matters, of the wars
which the rattlesnakes had waged against the black snakes, the
copperheads, the hornsnakes, and other warlike tribes of snakes. Again
they moved on, the rattlesnake leading the way, till, much fatigued,
their mocassins torn, and their wives cross, they spread their tents,
and a night's encampment took place[A]. Again their course was onward,
and again they encamped for another night. Spies were sent to search
out the land, while the Lenapes travelled after at their leisure. At
length the cunning old reptile, who still continued to guide them,
declared that he saw, in the dry grass, foot-prints of men who were
before them. While they halted, one went forward to reconnoitre. Soon
he returned, and told our people that there was a band of Indians
encamped in the path of the Lenapes, at a little distance from us. Our
hot-blooded young warriors were for attacking them, but the wise old
snake said, No. After offering many good reasons why peace should, at
all times, be preferred to war, he advised, that a belt of wampum
should be sent, and a league formed with them. The belt of wampum is
delivered to a brave young warrior, Mottschujinga, or the Little
Grizzly Bear. This redoubted chief clothes himself in his best robe;
he puts on his richest leggings; he fastens to his war-pipe the
_trotters_ of the fawn, and the cock-spurs of the wild turkey; he
places in his scalp-lock the wing of the red-bird, the crest of the
bittern, and the tail feathers of the pole-pecker. He paints one side
of his face, to show that he can smoke in the war-pipe, which hangs in
his belt, as gracefully and willingly as in the pipe of peace he
carries in his hand, and as a fearless warrior, that his thoughts are
quite as much of war as peace.

[Footnote A: A night's encampment is a halt of one year at a place.]

As he approaches the camp of the strange people, he puts on his most
martial airs, and commences his song. He sings the lofty and warlike
character of his nation, who never retreated from a foe, nor quailed
before the stern glance of warriors; who can fast for seven suns, and,
on the eighth, tire out the deer in his flight. He sings, that his
fathers have been conquerors of all the tribes who roam between the
mountains and the distant sea