their mountains whom they had known of old, and
whose exploits arid manners they had magnified by
repeated narration, no Indian stolidity could keep up
their traditional dignity. Children peeped from the
lodges, and squaws came out from among the trees,
with babies in willow baskets. There was a little
consultation, and we were taken to a lodge of great
dimensions, made of cedar bark fastened by
withes and weights to a framework of fir and
cedar poles. The walls were about eight feet high;
the roof sloping like that of an ordinary cabin, with
an opening in the comb for the smoke.
We had refreshments ; meats roasted by the fire, and manzanita berries ground to powder, and acorn bread.
Runners were sent to the Modoc camp, a half-day distant, and the few warriors came. But I did not know a single face. The old warriors had all perished. New men had grown in their places. It seemed as if I had outlived my generation even in my youth. Then a long smoke in silence, a little time for thought, and preparations were made for a great talk.
And what a talk it was ! Indians, like white men, talk best about themselves. They spoke by turns, each rising in his place, speaking but once, and few or many minutes, according to his age and inclination. They gesticulated greatly, and spoke rapidly; sometimes striking with imaginary knives, twanging bows, and hurling tomahawks ; and all the time
