d flew towards
the land. When it had arrived there, it took human shape, and the boy
recognised that it was the lost mother. She had a leather belt around
her, and another belt of white metal. She suckled the baby, and,
preparing to return to the water, said to the boy--

"Come here with the child whenever it cries, and I will nurse it."

The boy carried the child home, and told the father what had occurred.
When the child cried again, the man went with the boy to the shore,
and hid himself behind a clump of trees. Soon the gull made its
appearance, with a long shining chain attached to it. The bird came to
the shore, assumed the mother's shape, and began to suckle the child.
The husband stood with his spear in his hand, wondering what he had
best do to regain his wife. When he saw her preparing to return to the
lake he rushed forward, struck the shining chain with his spear, and
broke it. Then he took his wife and child home. As he entered the
lodge the old woman looked up, and, when she saw the wife, she dropped
her head in despair. A rustling was heard in the place; the next
moment the old woman leaped up, flew out of the lodge, and was never
heard of more.

THE FIRE PLUME.

Wassamo was living with his parents on the shores of a large bay on
the east coast of Lake Michigan. It was at a period when nature
spontaneously furnished everything that was wanted, when the Indians
used skins for clothing, and flints for arrow heads. It was long
before the time that the flag of the white man had first been seen in
these lakes, or the sound of an iron axe had been heard. The skill of
our people supplied them with weapons to kill game, with instruments
to procure bark for their canoes, and they knew to dress and cook
their victuals.

One day, when the season had commenced for fish to be plentiful near
the shore of the lake, Wassamo's mother said to him--

"My son, I wish you would go to yonder point, and see if you cannot
procure me some fish. You may ask your cousin to accompany you."

He did so. They set out, and, in the course of the afternoon, arrived
at the fishing-ground. His cousin attended to the nets, for he was
grown up to manhood, but Wassamo had not yet reached that age. They
put their nets in the water, and encamped near them, using only a few
pieces of birch-bark for a lodge to shelter them at night. They lit a
fire, and, while they were conversing together, the moon arose. Not a
breath of wind dis