They Gathered Round The Grave And Mourned;
The Warriors Were Silent In Their Grief; But The Women And
Children Bewailed Their Loss With Loud Lamentations.
"For three
days," said the old man, "we performed the solemn dances for the
dead, and prayed the Great Spirit that our brother might be happy
in the land of brave warriors and hunters.
Then we killed at his
grave fifteen of our best and strongest horses, to serve him when
he should arrive at the happy hunting grounds; and having done
all this, we returned sorrowfully to our homes."
While the chief was still talking, an Indian scout came galloping
up, and, presenting him with a powder-horn, wheeled round, and
was speedily out of sight. The eyes of the old chief now
brightened; and all his self-importance returned. His petty
mystery was about to explode. Turning to Captain Bonneville, he
pointed to a hill hard by, and informed him, that behind it was a
village governed by a little chief, whom he had notified of the
approach of the bald-headed chief, and a party of the Big Hearts
of the East, and that he was prepared to receive them in becoming
style. As, among other ceremonials, he intended to salute them
with a discharge of firearms, he had sent the horn of gunpowder
that they might return the salute in a manner correspondent to
his dignity.
They now proceeded on until they doubled the point of the hill,
when the whole population of the village broke upon their view,
drawn out in the most imposing style, and arrayed in all their
finery.
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