ing was, I would have been
glad to have seen the face of a friend.

"It was evening when a large city burst upon my sight. The houses were
built regularly on the shores of the river. As far as I could see, the
homes of the spirits of my forefathers were in view.

"But still I saw no one. I descended the hill towards the river, which I
must cross to reach the city of spirits. I saw no canoe, but I feared
nothing, I was so near my journey's end. The river was wide and deep,
and the waves were swiftly following one another, when I plunged among
them; soon I reached the opposite shore, and as I again stood on the
land, I heard some one cry, 'Here he comes! here he comes!' I approached
the nearest house and entered; everything looked awful and mysterious.

"In the corner of the room sat a figure whom I recognized. It was my
mother's brother, Flying Wind, the medicine man. I remembered him, for
it was he who taught me to use my bow and arrow.

"In a bark dish, in the corner of the room, was some wild rice. I was
very hungry, for I had not eaten since I left the earth. I asked my
uncle for some rice to eat, but he did not give it to me. Had I eaten of
the food for spirits, I never should have returned to earth.

"At last my uncle spoke to me. `My nephew,' said he, 'why are you
travelling without a bow and arrow? how can you provide yourself with
food when you have no means of killing game? When my home was on the
Mississippi, the warriors of the Dahcotahs were never without their bows
and arrows--either to secure their food or to strike to the hearts of
their enemies.'

"I then remembered that I had been travelling without my bow and arrows.
`But where,' said I to my uncle, `where are the spirits of my
forefathers? where is my brother who fell under the tomahawk of his
enemy? where is my sister who threw herself into the power of Unktahe,
rather than to live and see her rival the wife of the Sun? where are the
spirits of the Dahcotah braves whose deeds are still told from father to
son among us?'

"'The Dahcotah braves are still watching for their enemies--the hunters
are bringing in the deer and the buffalo--our women are planting corn
and tanning deer-skin. But you will not now see them; your step is firm
and your eye is bright; you must return to earth, and when your limbs
are feeble, when your eye is dim, then will you return and find your
home in the city of spirits.'

"So saying, he arose and gave me a bow and a