ed man; that they might sympathize
with his trials, and feel interested for his welfare.

The few words that had dropped from his lips, about the ordeal through
which the Indians pass before they are allowed to join war-parties,
had awakened Austin's curiosity. Nor was it long before, seated with
his brothers in the cottage, he was listening to the whole account.
"Please to begin at the very beginning," said he, "and I shall not
lose a single word."

_Hunter._ The Sioux, the Crows, the Sacs, the Ojibbeways, the
Camanchees, and the Chippewas, all exhibit astonishing proofs of
patience and endurance under pain; but in none of the tribes has ever
such torture been inflicted, or such courage witnessed, in enduring
torment, as among the Mandans.

_Brian._ Now we shall hear.

_Hunter._ The Mandans, who, as I have already told you, lived, when I
was a hunter, on the Upper Missouri, held a mystery lodge every year;
and this was indeed a very solemn gathering of the tribe. I was never
present in the lodge on this occasion, but will give you the
description of an eye-witness.

_Basil._ Why did they get together? What did they do?

_Hunter._ You shall hear. The mystery lodge, or it may be called the
religious meeting, was held, first, to appease the wrath and secure
the protection of the good and the evil spirits; secondly, to
celebrate the great flood, which they believed took place a long time
ago; thirdly, to perform the buffalo dance, to bring buffaloes; and,
fourthly, to try the strength, courage and endurance of their young
men, that they might know who were the most worthy among them, and the
most to be relied on in war-parties.

_Austin._ How came the Mandans to know any thing about the flood, if
they have no Bibles?

_Hunter._ That I cannot tell. Certain it is, that they had a large,
high tub, called the Great Canoe, in the centre of their village, set
up in commemoration of the flood; and that they held the mystery lodge
when the willow leaves were in their prime under the river bank,
because, they said, a bird had brought a willow bough in full leaf to
the Great Canoe in the flood.

_Austin._ Why, it is just as if they had read the Bible.

_Hunter._ The fact of the deluge (however they came by it) had
undoubtedly been handed down among them by tradition for many
generations: but I must go on with my account of the Mandan gathering.
The mystery lodge was opened by a strange-looking man, whom no one
seemed t