"The braves will not speak to us; they say our talk means nothing."
"Who said that?"
"Outchipouac. He showed me a grass ring hanging on a pole by his
lodge. He says that when you come again and hang a silver one in its
place it will be time for him to listen."
I knew the Indians were watching, though covertly, so I could only bow.
I went to the canoe and looked to its provisioning. There were two
bags of rice, one of jerked meat, some ears of maize, and the dried
rind of a squash; a knife and a hatchet lay with them. Our hosts had
been generous. We were to be aided even if we were to be disciplined.
I found my place, and Pierre took the paddle and pushed away.
It is one thing to be at enmity with savages, it is another to be an
outcast among them. I knew that their attitude had excuse, and I was
sick with myself. Then my Indian dress chafed my pride. I was sure
that Pierre was laughing under his wrinkled red skin, and I was
childish enough to be ready to rate him if he showed so much as a
pucker of an eye. For I had always refused to let my men adopt the
slightest particular of the savage dress. I had held--and I contend
rightly--that a man must resist the wilderness most when he loves it
most, and that he is in danger when he forgets the least point of his
dress or manner.
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