United States or Palestine ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"Greatly does the heart of thy brother rejoice at such word, and a present over and above that meant for him shall be given Quamenoka. Let the talk go on. We listen." But before the chief could speak again, Edmonton Ridgar had broken silence: "Negansahima is chief of that tribe and my Indian father, he having adopted me with all ceremony once when I sojourned a year among them.
Not long have the Nakonkirhirinons traded their furs, living to themselves in their hills, and much credit is due Quamenoka by whose word they come this year to his brothers on the Assiniboine." The chief paused impressively and raised his glance to the factor's face. McElroy nodded.
In the trading-room sat the chief with his headmen and old Quamenoka of the Assiniboines, smoking gravely many pipes and listening to the trading. Like some wild eagle of the peaks brought down to earth he seemed, ever alert and watchful behind his stately silence.
What is the word of the west? What tribes come in to the factory with peltry? We would hear Quamenoka speak." He fell silent, sat down in his chair, and waited.
"A runner of the Saulteurs, resting in the lodges of the Assiniboines, has told Quamenoka of their strange customs, their hardness, and their shut forts guarded with suspicion and sentinelled with fear." He ceased a moment and smoked in silence. No breath of sound broke the stillness, for this was ceremony and of great dignity.
"My brothers," he said, glancing around at the solemn visages of these his friends and people, "may the sun smile all day upon us together in peace." Wherewith he smoked a moment at the carven mouthpiece and handed the pipe to Quamenoka.
The chief fell silent, for the year had been told, and McElroy spoke presently of his joy at their presence, their words, and their friendship, as was the custom of the H. B. Company's factors on such occasions; and Ridgar rose from the council to bid a young clerk, one Gifford, bring forth the presents for the guests, a coat with coarse white lace and lining of vermilion, a hat of felt and a sash of many colours for Quamenoka, and lesser glories for his four headmen.
It was irregular, the intrusion of an outsider in the ceremony of the opening of the trade; but for his life the young factor of De Seviere could not have said so to this girl who went fearlessly where she listed and whose eyes held such mystery of strength and wistfulness. Moreover, Quamenoka was speaking and the council harkened.
"We greet our brother," gravely replied Quamenoka as he stepped from his canoe, gathering his blanket around his body with a practised sweep. Swiftly four headmen disembarked from the first four canoes of the half-moon which closed in with scarce a paddle dip, so deft were the braves with their slender, shining blades of white ash, and stood behind.
If he wondered at first how they had held out against De Courtenay it was all made plain when among the strangers he espied many Assiniboines and saw in the great canoe of the chief Negansahima, old Quamenoka, who had boasted of the coming of this tribe to De Seviere as his work. He had spoken truly and had evidently made his word good by meeting the approaching columns and returning with them.
Word Of The Day