ied meat, but of what animal it had originally formed
a part, I was entirely unable to determine.

In place of bread, I was given a sort of cake made from the _pinon_
nuts, and not unpalatable, but a poor substitute for the food to which I
had been accustomed. When my day's toil was over, WAKOMETKLA,
motioning me to follow him, led the way into an adjoining apartment, and
pointing to a rude couch of skins, indicated that it was to be my
resting place for the night. Wearied by my unaccustomed labor, I threw
myself down without the formality of undressing, and was soon buried in
deep and dreamless slumber.

At an early hour on the following morning I was awakened by
WAKOMETKLA, and found myself much refreshed by the first
night's sound sleep I had enjoyed for many days. I was again conducted
to the scene of my labors of the day previous and soon found myself at
work again. This time, however, I was set at a different employment from
that in which I had been hitherto engaged. Seated upon the earthen
floor, with a large flat stone before me, I picked over and separated
the various strange herbs, sorting them into heaps; the medicine man
stood by and directed my operations, uttering a grunt of approval when
he saw that I comprehended his pantomimic instructions. At length,
seeming satisfied that I could complete the task without further
assistance, he left me, and for several hours I worked on alone. About
the middle of the forenoon, I had nearly finished my labor, when
WAKOMETKLA suddenly entered and motioned me to rise and follow
him; we passed through several apartments and entered the mystery room.
Approaching a recess in one corner, my master drew back a curtain of
skins and disclosed an aperture of considerable size; this he entered
and disappeared for a moment, but quickly returned, bearing in his hand
a metallic circlet which glittered in the light of the lambent flame
that arose from the altar; as he approached me I saw that it was a
rudely fashioned collar of silver, its surface covered with engraved
lines and strange cabalistic characters; this he speedily fastened
around my neck in such a way that I could not displace it, and again
motioned me to follow him; leaving me entirely in the dark, as to the
object or meaning of this singular proceeding. Reaching the first
terrace of the temple, we descended to the plain and passed through the
main street of the village until we reached its outskirts.

Although wonder