Rivenoak was a ready speaker, and he answered as promptly
as comported with the notions of Indian decorum; that peculiar
people seeming to think a short delay respectful, inasmuch as it
manifests that the words already heard have been duly weighed.
"My daughter is handsomer than the wild roses of Ontario; her
voice is pleasant to the ear as the song of the wren," answered
the cautious and wily chief, who of all the band stood alone in not
being fully imposed on by the magnificent and unusual appearance
of Judith; but who distrusted even while he wondered: "the humming
bird is not much larger than the bee; yet, its feathers are as gay
as the tail of the peacock. The Great Spirit sometimes puts very
bright clothes on very little animals. Still He covers the Moose
with coarse hair. These things are beyond the understanding of
poor Indians, who can only comprehend what they see and hear. No
doubt my daughter has a very large wigwam somewhere about the lake;
the Hurons have not found it, on account of their ignorance?"
"I have told you, chief, that it would be useless to state my rank
and residence, in as much as you would not comprehend them. You
must trust to your eyes for this knowledge; what red man is there
who cannot see? This blanket that I wear is not the blanket of a
common squaw; these ornaments are such as the wives and daughters
of chiefs only appear in.
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