arrival of another party
of Winnebagoes, and these requested permission to dance for their
Father.

The compliment having been accepted, they assembled, as usual, on the
esplanade in front of the house. My sister, the children, and myself
stationed ourselves at the open windows, according to custom, and my
husband sat on the broad step before the door, which opened from the
outer air directly into the parlor where we were.

The performance commenced, and as the dancers proceeded, following each
other round and round in the progress of the dance, my sister, Mrs.
Helm, remarked to me, "Look at that small, dark Indian, with the green
boughs on his person--that is _a Sauk!_ They always mark themselves in
this manner with white clay, and ornament themselves with leaves when
they dance!" In truth, I had never seen this costume among our own
Indians, and as I gazed at this one with green chaplets round his head
and his legs, and even his gun wreathed in the same manner, while his
body displayed no paint except the white transverse streaks with which
it was covered, I saw that he was, indeed, a stranger. Without owing
anything to the exaggeration of fear, his countenance was truly
ferocious.

He held his gun in his hand, and every time the course of the dance
brought him directly in front of where we sat, he would turn his gaze
full upon us, and club his weapon before him with what we interpreted
into an air of defiance. We sat as still as death, for we knew it would
not be wise to exhibit any appearance of fear; but my sister remarked,
in a low tone, "I have always thought that I was to lose my life by the
hands of the Indians. This is the third Indian war I have gone through,
and now, I suppose, it will be the last."

It was the only time I ever saw her lose her self-possession. She was
always remarkably calm and resolute, but now I could see that she
trembled. Still we sat there--there was a sort of fascination as our
imaginations became more and more excited. Presently some rain-drops
began to fall. The Indians continued their dance for a few minutes
longer, then, with whoopings and shoutings, they rushed simultaneously
towards the house. We fled into my apartment and closed the door, which
my sister at first held fast, but she presently came and seated herself
by me on the bed, for she saw that I could not compose myself. Of all
forms of death, that by the hands of savages is the most difficult to
face calmly; and I