Old Hop,"--was evidently pleased by the
exceptional attention and made the most of his infirmity, leaning
heavily on the officer's arm. Arrayed in their finest fur robes with
beautiful broad collars of white swan's down about their necks, with
their faces mild and devoid of paint, seated in state before the great
fire, the head-men were regaled with French brandy, duly diluted, and
the best Virginia tobacco, offered in very curious pipes, which, with
some medals and gorgets imported for the purpose, were presented as
gifts when the ceremony was concluded, and which the Cherokees accepted
with a show of much pleasure; indeed, they conducted themselves always
under such circumstances with a very good grace and a certain dignity
and propriety of feeling which almost amounted to good breeding.

This was maintained when, invited by the commandant, they witnessed the
dress parade, especially elaborate in honor of the occasion, and they
listened attentively when Captain Stuart made a short address to the
troops on the subject of the sacred character of the day and adjured
them in a frank and soldierly fashion to have a care that they
maintained the moral discipline in which they had all been drilled and
gave no advantage to the Enemy because they were here, cut off from the
main body of Christianity, so far from the ministrations of a chaplain
and the beneficent usages of civilization. "Every soldier learns command
from obedience," he said. "And if I should send a detail from the ranks
on some special duty, the file-leader would know how to command it,
although he had never given an order in his life. You are each, with all
your spiritual forces, detached on special duty. You are veteran
soldiers of the Cross and under marching orders!"

Oconostota, with a kingly gesture, signified that the interpreter should
repeat in his ear this discourse, and now and again nodded his head
during its translation with cogitation and interest, and as if he
understood and approved it. He watched too, as if with sympathy, the
ranks go suddenly down upon their knees, as the commandant read the
collect for the day followed by the unanimous delivery of the Lord's
prayer, in their hearty, martial voices.

After the tap of the drum had given a resonant "Amen!" they marched off
upon the word and broke ranks; and such little observance as the fort
could offer in commemoration of the event was over.

The Indians all realized this, and were soon loit