igorously built their raft, and by
noon all were happily reassembled to press on their way.

For two days they moved slowly and laboriously along, cutting their
way, with the two axes, through an immense forest of cane-brakes. On
the third day an incident occurred which peculiarly illustrates the
sagacity and endurance of the Indians. Their Indian hunter, Nika, who,
as we have said, accompanied La Salle from Canada, left the party the
day before they reached the river, in search of game. They had heard
nothing from him since. It was in vain to search for him, and the party
could not delay its march to wait for his return.

On the evening of the fourth day after his absence, as the men were
gathered around the camp fire, little expecting to see Nika again, he
came quietly into the camp as composed as if nothing unusual had
occurred. He had on his shoulders a large amount of the choicest cuts
of venison, which he had dried in the sun, and nearly the whole of a
deer which he had just killed. He had probably swum the stream,
floating the venison across on a log by his side. And all this he had
done, notwithstanding his wound from the bite of a snake and all the
cruel surgery he had undergone. La Salle was so overjoyed to see again
his faithful attendant and friend, that he ordered several guns to be
fired in salute of his safe return.

"Still marching east," writes Father Douay, "we entered countries more
beautiful than any we yet had passed. Here we found native tribes who
had nothing barbarous about them but the name. Among others we met a
very honest Indian returning from the chase with his wife and family.
He presented Chevalier de la Salle with one of his horses, and some
meat. He also invited all our party to his cabin. To induce us to visit
him, he left his wife, children, and game with us as pledges, and
galloped off to his village to announce our coming and to secure for us
a cordial welcome."

Nika, and another of the attendants of La Salle, accompanied him. The
village was at some distance, so that two days passed before their
return. The hospitable Indian came back with two horses laden with
provisions. Several chiefs and warriors came back with him on
horseback. They were all neatly and even beautifully dressed, in softly
tanned deer-skins, tastefully fringed, and with head-dresses of waving
plumes. In picturesque beauty their attire would favorably compare with
the court dresses of most of the European mon