e privilege
it was to speak, was silent, seemingly oppressed with the magnitude
of his subject. The delay had already continued long beyond the usual
deliberative pause that always preceded a conference; but no sign of
impatience or surprise escaped even the youngest boy. Occasionally an
eye was raised from the earth, where the looks of most were riveted,
and strayed toward a particular lodge, that was, however, in no manner
distinguished from those around it, except in the peculiar care that had
been taken to protect it against the assaults of the weather.

At length one of those low murmurs, that are so apt to disturb a
multitude, was heard, and the whole nation arose to their feet by
a common impulse. At that instant the door of the lodge in question
opened, and three men, issuing from it, slowly approached the place of
consultation. They were all aged, even beyond that period to which the
oldest present had reached; but one in the center, who leaned on his
companions for support, had numbered an amount of years to which the
human race is seldom permitted to attain. His frame, which had once been
tall and erect, like the cedar, was now bending under the pressure of
more than a century. The elastic, light step of an Indian was gone, and
in its place he was compelled to toil his tardy way over the ground,
inch by inch. His dark, wrinkled countenance was in singular and wild
contrast with the long white locks which floated on his shoulders, in
such thickness, as to announce that generations had probably passed away
since they had last been shorn.

The dress of this patriarch--for such, considering his vast age, in
conjunction with his affinity and influence with his people, he might
very properly be termed--was rich and imposing, though strictly after
the simple fashions of the tribe. His robe was of the finest
skins, which had been deprived of their fur, in order to admit of a
hieroglyphical representation of various deeds in arms, done in former
ages. His bosom was loaded with medals, some in massive silver, and one
or two even in gold, the gifts of various Christian potentates during
the long period of his life. He also wore armlets, and cinctures above
the ankles, of the latter precious metal. His head, on the whole of
which the hair had been permitted to grow, the pursuits of war having so
long been abandoned, was encircled by a sort of plated diadem, which, in
its turn, bore lesser and more glittering ornaments,