and whispering something in the ear of Villiers, left
the mess room. Soon after, the latter officer disappeared
from the table, and in a few moments his example was
followed by Middlemore.




CHAPTER V.

The dinner party at Colonel D'Egville's was composed in
a manner to inspire an English exclusive with irrepressible
honor. At the suggestion of General Brock, Tecumseh had
been invited, and, with him, three other celebrated Indian
chiefs, whom we beg to introduce to our readers under
their familiar names--Split-log--Round-head--and Walk-
in-the-water--all of the formidable nation of the Hurons.
In his capacity of superintendant of Indian affairs,
Colonel D'Egville had been much in the habit of entertaining
the superior chiefs, who, with a tact peculiar to men of
their sedate and serious character, if they displayed
few of the graces of European polish, at least gave no
manifestation of an innate vulgarity. As it may not be
uninteresting to the reader to have a slight sketch of
the warriors, we will attempt the portraiture.

The chief Split-log, who indeed should rather have been
named Split-ear, as we shall presently show, was afflicted
with an aldermanic rotundity of person, by no means common
among his race, and was one, who from his love of ease