'"
Here the missionary paused to arrange his thoughts, and a slight
murmur was heard in the circle as the chiefs communed together, in
interested comments on what had just been said. The pause, however,
was short, and the speaker again proceeded, safe from any ungracious
interruption, among auditors so trained in self-restraint.
"Children, I shall not now say anything touching the birth of
Christ, the redemption of the world, and the history of the two
tribes that remained in the land where God had placed his people;
for that is a part of the subject that comes properly within the
scope of my ordinary teaching. At present I wish only to speak of
yourselves; of the red man of America, of his probable origin and
end, and of a great discovery that many of us think we have made, on
this most interesting topic in the history of the good book. Does
any one present know aught of the ten lost tribes of whom I have
spoken?"
Eye met eye, and expectation was lively among those primitive and
untaught savages. At length Crowsfeather arose to answer, the
missionary standing the whole time, motionless, as if waiting for a
reply.
"My brother has told us a tradition," said the Pottawattamie.
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