Let
me ask my friends one or two questions. Do not your traditions say
that your fathers once came from a far-off land?"
Bear's Meat now took his seat, not choosing to answer a question of
this nature, in the presence of a chief so much respected as Peter.
He preferred to let the last take up the dialogue where he now saw
fit to abandon it. As the other very well understood the reason of
this sudden movement, he quietly assumed the office of spokesman;
the whole affair proceeding much as if there had been no change.
"Our traditions DO tell us that our fathers came from a far-off
land," answered Peter, without rising.
"I thought so!--I thought so!" exclaimed the simple-minded and
confiding missionary. "How wonderful are the ways of God! Yes, my
brother, Judea is a far-off land, and your traditions say that your
fathers came from such a distance! This, then, is something proved.
Do not your traditions say, that once your tribes were more in favor
with the Great Spirit than they are now?"
"Our traditions do say this: once our tribes did not see the face of
the Manitou looking dark upon them, as it now does. That was before
the pale-faces came in their big canoes, across the great salt lake,
to drive the Indians from their hunting-grounds.
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