“It is now twelve moons, it is more!  I met Owato Wanisha and his two brothers.  He is a chief of the great Shoshones, who are our grandfathers, far—­far under the setting of the sun beyond the big mountains.  His two brothers are two great warriors from powerful nations far in the east and beyond the Sioux, the Chippewas beyond the ‘Oposh-ton-ehoc[20],’ even beyond the deep salt-water.  One is a ‘Shakanah’ (Englishman), the other a ‘Naimewa’ from the ‘Maha-mate-kosh-ehoj’ (an exile from the French).  They are good and they are brave:  they have learned wisdom from the ‘Macota Konayas’ (priests), and Owato Wanisha knows how to build strong forts, which he can better defend than the Watchinangoes have defended theirs.  I have invited him and his brother to come and taste the buffalo of our prairies, to ride our horses, and smoke the calumet of friendship.  They have come, and will remain with us till we ourselves go to the big stony river (the Colorado of the West).  They have come; they are our guests; the best we can command is their own already; but they are chiefs and warriors.  A chief is a chief everywhere.  We must treat them as chiefs, and let them select a band of warriors for themselves to follow them till they go away from us.

[Footnote 20:  Americans.]

“You have heard what our scouts have said; they would have been eaten by the Cayugas, had it not been for our guests, who have preserved not only the lives of four men—­that is nothing—­but the honour of the tribe.  I need say no more; I know my young men; I know my warriors; I know they will love the strangers as chiefs and brothers.  I have said.”

Having thus spoken, he walked slowly out of the lodge, which was immediately deserted for the green lawn before the village.  There we were sumptuously entertained by all the principal chiefs and warriors of the tribe, after which they conducted us to a new tent, which they had erected for us in the middle of their principal square.  There we found also six magnificent horses, well caparisoned, tied to the posts of the tent; they were the presents of the chiefs.  At a few steps from the door was an immense shield, suspended upon four posts, and on which a beaver, the head of an eagle, and the claws of a bear were admirably painted—­the first totem for me, the second for Gabriel, and the third for Roche.  We gratefully thanked our hospitable hosts, and retired to rest in our rich and elegant dwelling.

The next morning we awoke just in time to witness the ceremony of departure; a war party, already on horseback, was waiting for their chief.  At the foot of our shield were one hundred lances, whose owners belonged to the family and kindred of the Indians whom we had rescued from the Cayugas.  A few minutes afterwards, the owners of the weapons appeared in the square, well mounted and armed, to place themselves at our entire disposal.  We could not put our authority to a better use than by joining our friends in their expedition, so when the chief arrived, surrounded by the elders of the tribe, Gabriel advanced towards him.