We had a pleasant night of it, and all the passengers appeared next morning with smiling faces.  It often blows heavily on that lake, but light airs off the land were all the breezes we encountered.  We were among the first to turn out, and on the upper deck forward, a place where the passengers are fond of collecting, as it enables them to look ahead, we found a single individual who immediately drew all of our attention to himself.  It was an aged man, with hair already as white as snow.  Still there was that in his gait, attitudes, and all his movements which indicated physical vigor, not to say the remains, at least, of great elasticity and sinewy activity.  Aged as he was, and he must have long since passed his fourscore years, his form was erect as that of a youth.  In stature he was of rather more than middle height, and in movements deliberate and dignified.  His dress was quite plain, being black, and according to the customs of the day.  The color of his face and hands, however, as well as the bold outlines of his countenance, and the still keen, restless, black eye, indicated the Indian.

Here, then, was a civilized red man, and it struck us at once, that he was an ancient child of the forest, who had been made to feel the truths of the gospel.  One seldom hesitates about addressing an Indian, and we commenced a discourse with our venerable fellow-passenger, with very little circumlocution or ceremony.

“Good-morning, sir,” we observed—­” a charming time we have of it, on the lake.”

“Yes—­good time—­” returned my red neighbor, speaking short and clipped, like an Indian, but pronouncing his words as if long accustomed to the language.

“These steamboats are great inventions for the western lakes, as are the railroads for this vast inland region.  I dare say you can remember Lake Erie when it was an unusual thing to see a sail of any sort on it; and now, I should think, we might count fifty.”

“Yes—­great change—­great change, friend!—­all change from ole time,”

“The traditions of your people, no doubt, give you reason to see and feel all this?”

The predominant expression of this red man’s countenance was that of love.  On everything, on every human being toward whom he turned his still expressive eyes, the looks he gave them would seem to indicate interest and affection.  This expression was so decided and peculiar, that we early remarked it, and it drew us closer and closer to the old chief, the longer we remained in his company.  That expression, however, slightly changed when we made this allusion to the traditions of his people, and a cloud passed before his countenance.  This change, nevertheless, was as transient as it was sudden, the benevolent and gentle look returning almost as soon as it had disappeared.  He seemed anxious to atone for this involuntary expression of regrets for the past, by making his communications to me as free as they could be.