, 1922-12-26
on THE TRAIL.


We ate breakfast and drank at the
river. where some among Us also
washed our -bodies-among others the
Riyer-reed, who stripped ~unabsshed,
innocent OF any shame, and cleansed
herself knee-deeP in a crystal green
pool under the Indian willows.
When she came back, the disk OF
blue ra.nt was gone from her brow.
and / saw her a-tishing in her beaded
wallet and presently bring forth blue
and red paint and a traders mirror
abou; two inches In diameter.
Then the little maid Of Askalego
sat down cross-legged and began to
paint herself for battle.
AT the root of her hair. where st
made a point above her forehead.
she painted a little crescent moon
in blue. And touched no more her
face; but on her belly she made a
blue picture of a heron-her clan
being the Heron. which Is an ensign
unknown amog Iroquois.
Now she took red paint. and upon
her chest she made a tiny human
foot.
I was surprised. for neither for war
nor for any ceremony I ever heard
Of had ] seen that dread symbol on
any indian.
The oneidas. also. were looking at
her in curiosity and establishment.
psusine in their own painting to dis
cover what she was about.
Then. as It struck me, 50. apparent
". Il came to them at the same In.
slant what their sorceress meant
what pledge to friend and foe alike
this tiny red foot embodied, shining
above her breast. And tho two young
warriors who had painted the tortoise
in blue upon their bellies. now made
each a little red foot upon their
chesis.
BY garFr exclaimed Silver. 'ees it
oNlee- re gens-du-bois who shall made
a boast to die fightinG7 Nom de dleu.
nont' And he unrollsd his blanket
and pulled out a packet OF rcd cloth
and thread and needle-whlch is like
d Frenchman. who lacks for nothing.
even in the wilderness.
He made a patter very deftIy out
OF his cloth. using the keen point of
now, wished to sew a little red foot
uDOli Lie glEdSl6 0L our OuCkEkln
shirts. and as he had cloth enough
for all, and for Joe de Golyer. toe.
when we should come up with him.
I and my men were presently marked
with the dread device, which was our
pledge and Dur defiance
Tho sun had painted scarlet the DIV.
er Adirondacks peaks when we start
ed north on the Sacandasa trail.
CAPTIVE.
The Water.snake caught an Ad.
irondack Just before ten O'Clock. and
was holding him on the trail as I came
up, followed by Luysnes and Tho
hero.
The Indian VA a poor, starved.
looking creature in ragged huckskins
and long hair, from which a few Wild
turkey quilts fell to his scrawny neck.
Let him loose" said I to the
water-snake: hers is but a poor
brother. who secs US armed and in
our paint and is afraid"
And I went to the man and offered
my hand. Which he touched as
though 1 were a rattlesnake.
"Brother,' said I, two white men
and oneidss have TO quarrel with any
Saguenay that 7 know about. Our
quarrel is with the Csnienga. and that
IS the reason we wear paint on this
trail. And we have stopped our
saguenay brother Iii the forest on his
lawful journey. 10 say to him. and to
all Saguenays. that we mean them
no harm"
The saguenay's' slitted ayes travel
ed from one to another, then he look.
cd at me.
Brother. " I said, how many Ma
quas are there eamped near the Big
Eddy7.