warriors, and each new and crafty allusion to the policy of
extinguishing their enemies, was followed by fresh and less restrained
bursts of approbation. In the height of this success the Teton closed
his speech, by a rapid appeal to the pride and hardihood of his native
band, and suddenly took his seat.

In the midst of the murmurs of applause, which succeeded so remarkable
an effort of eloquence, a low, feeble and hollow voice was heard rising
on the ear, as if it rolled from the inmost cavities of the human chest,
and gathered strength and energy as it issued into the air. A solemn
stillness followed the sounds, and then the lips of the aged man were
first seen to move.

"The day of Le Balafre is near its end," were the first words that were
distinctly audible. "He is like a buffaloe, on whom the hair will grow
no longer. He will soon be ready to leave his lodge, to go in search of
another, that is far from the villages of the Siouxes; therefore, what
he has to say concerns not him, but those he leaves behind him. His
words are like the fruit on the tree, ripe and fit to be given to
chiefs.

"Many snows have fallen since Le Balafre has been found on the war-path.
His blood has been very hot, but it has had time to cool. The Wahcondah
gives him dreams of war no longer; he sees that it is better to live in
peace.

"My brothers, one foot is turned to the happy hunting-grounds, the other
will soon follow, and then an old chief will be seen looking for the
prints of his father's moccasins, that he may make no mistake, but be
sure to come before the Master of Life, by the same path, as so many
good Indians have already travelled. But who will follow? Le Balafre has
no son. His oldest has ridden too many Pawnee horses; the bones of the
youngest have been gnawed by Konza dogs! Le Balafre has come to look for
a young arm, on which he may lean, and to find a son, that when he is
gone his lodge may not be empty. Tachechana, the skipping fawn of the
Tetons, is too weak, to prop a warrior, who is old. She looks before her
and not backwards. Her mind is in the lodge of her husband."

The enunciation of the veteran warrior had been calm, but distinct, and
decided. His declaration was received in silence; and though several of
the chiefs, who were in the counsels of Mahtoree, turned their eyes on
their leader, none presumed to oppose so aged and so venerated a brave,
in a resolution that was strictly in conformity to the usages