had been left by
his friends on the day of battle. Looking up, he beheld a large
_canieu_, or war-eagle, sitting upon the tree above his head. He
immediately recognised this bird to be the same he had dreamt of in
his youth, and whom he had selected as his guardian spirit or personal
Manitou. While his body had lain in its breathless and soulless state,
this friendly bird had watched it, and prevented other ravenous birds
from devouring it. He got up, and stood some time upon his feet, but
he was weak and exhausted, and it was a long time before respiration
became full and perfect, and the blood coursed in his veins as it was
wont to do before its transient suspension. The blood upon his wound
had stanched itself, and he now bound it up. Possessing, as every
Indian does, the knowledge of such roots as were efficacious for its
cure, he sought diligently in the woods for them, and obtained
sufficient for his purpose. Some of them he pounded between stones and
applied externally; others he chewed and swallowed. In a short time he
found himself so much recovered as to be able to commence his journey,
but he suffered greatly from hunger, not being able to see any large
animals. With his bow and arrows, however, he killed small birds
during the day, which he roasted before the fire at night. In this way
he sustained himself, until he came to a water that separated his wife
and friends from him. He then gave that peculiar whoop which indicates
the safe return of an absent friend. The signal was instantly known,
and a canoe dispatched to bring him across. But, while this canoe was
absent, conjecture was exhausting itself in designating the unknown
person who had given this friendly intimation of his approach. All who
had been of the war-party had returned, except those who were killed
on the field. There was no hunter absent. It might be a hunter of
some neighbouring nation. It might be some deep deception or stratagem
of their enemies. It was rash to send a canoe without knowing whether
it was a friend or foe. In the height of these conjectures, the
warrior chief was landed amidst the shouts of his friends and
relations, who thronged from every lodge to welcome their faithful
leader. When the first wild burst of joy and wonder had subsided, and
some degree of quiet was restored in the village, he related to his
people the account of his adventures which has been given. He then
concluded his narration by telling them that it is