countenance, no gesture, no line of the paint, nor even the fashion of a garment, unheeded, and without comment.

At length one whose hair was beginning to be sprinkled with gray, but whose sinewy limbs and firm tread announced that he was still equal to the duties of manhood, advanced out of the gloom of a corner, whither he had probably posted himself to make his observations unseen, and spoke. He used the language of the Wyandots, or Hurons; his words were, consequently, unintelligible to Heyward, though they seemed, by the gestures that accompanied them, to be uttered more in courtesy than anger. The latter shook his head, and made a gesture indicative of his inability to reply.

Do none of my brothers speak the French or the English? he said, in the former language, looking about him from countenance to countenance, in hopes of finding a nod of assent.

Though more than one had turned, as if to catch the meaning of his words, they remained unanswered.

I should be grieved to think, continued Duncan, speaking slowly, and using the simplest French of which he was the master, to believe that none of this wise and brave nation understand the language that the Grand Monarque uses when he talks to his children. His heart would be heavy did he believe his red warriors paid him so little respect!

A long and grave pause succeeded, during which no movement of a limb, nor any expression of an eye, betrayed the expression produced by his remark. Duncan, who knew that silence was a virtue among his hosts, gladly had recourse to the custom, in order to arrange his ideas. At length the same warrior who had before addressed him replied, by dryly demanding, in the language of the Canadas:

When our Great Father speaks to his people, is it with the tongue of a Huron?

He knows no difference in his children, whether the color of the skin be red, or black, or white, returned Duncan, evasively; though chiefly is he satisfied with the brave Hurons.

In what manner will he speak, demanded the wary chief, when the runners count to him the scalps which five nights ago grew on the heads of the Yengeese?

They were his enemies, said Duncan, shuddering involuntarily; and doubtless, he will say, it is good; my Hurons are very gallant.

Our Canada father does not think it. Instead of looking foward to reward his Indians, his eyes are turned backward. He sees the dead Yengeese, but no Huron. What can this mean?

A great chief, like him, has more thoughts than tongues. He looks to see that no enemies are on his trail.

The canoe of a dead warrior will not float on the Horican, returned the savage, gloomily. His ears are open to the Delawares, who are not our friends, and they fill them with lies.

It cannot be. See; he has bid me, who am a man that knows the art of healing, to go to his children, the red Hurons of the great lakes, and ask if any are sick!

Another silence succeeded this annunciation of the character Duncan had assumed. Every eye was simultaneously bent on his person, as if to inquire into the truth or falsehood of the declaration, with an intelligence and keenness that caused the subject of their scrutiny to tremble for the result. He was, however, relieved again by the former speaker.

Do the cunning men of the Canadas paint their skins? the Huron coldly continued; we have heard them boast that their faces were pale.