103

97.

fashion of our own gipsies at home - This Kettle with a
few wooden spoons comprised the whole furniture of the
establishment which consisted of three men four squaws
and six children.

Two wretched ill looking half starved dogs
announced our approach in rather an uncourteous manner
at which the chief made an instant spring upon his feet
exclaiming, no bite! no bite, called off his faithful sentinels
at the same time administering with his foot sundry
kicks on their skeleton sides as a compliment for their
offensive and noisy clamor. This Indian Indigenous was about
thirty years of age, five feet ten in stature, well made
and perfectly straight, His hair of the blackest dye, cut
close round his neck which showed that breadth and
ample thickness, alone to be found in men that possess
great strength; his limbs combined power at the same time
possessed much lightness and activity. The muscular
frame of this son of the forest was loosly covered with a
shirt open to the waist, which was tightly bound with
a red sash, a pair of of short trousers of coarse stuff, and
moccasins composed his whole attire.

Such was the beardless chief before us. His small
dark eyes flashed fire and his whole look and appearance
plainly indicated that some latent circumstance unknown
to us had stirred up the wrath of the inward man
the wide nostrils seemed to have acquired additional
expansion to give more freedom to the columns of vapored
breath, tainted as they were with the poisoned fumes
of spiritous liquor, as his heaving breast gave vent
to the raging passion that burnt within.