ncampment whither the warriors were already beginning to collect.

It might have been half an hour before each individual, including even
the women and children, was in his place. The delay had been created by
the grave preparations that were deemed necessary to so solemn and
unusual a conference. But when the sun was seen climbing above the tops
of that mountain against whose bosom the Delawares had constructed their
encampment, most were seated; and as his bright rays darted from behind
the outline of trees that fringed the eminence, they fell upon as grave,
as attentive, and as deeply interested a multitude, as was probably
ever before lighted by his morning beams. Its number somewhat exceeded a
thousand souls.

In a collection of such serious savages, there is never to be found any
impatient aspirant after premature distinction, standing ready to move
his auditors to some hasty, and, perhaps, injudicious discussion, in
order that his own reputation may be the gainer. An act of so much
precipitancy and presumption would seal the downfall of precocious
intellect forever. It rested solely with the oldest and most experienced
of the men to lay the subject of the conference before the people. Until
such a one chose to make some movement, no deeds in arms, no natural
gifts, nor any renown as an orator, would have justified the slightest
interruption. On the present occasion, the aged warrior whose 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 precedes 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 towards 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 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 centre, who leaned on his companions for
support, had numbered an amount of years to which the human r