I had been in that situation but a few minutes before all the Squaws in
the town came in to see me. I was soon surrounded by them, and they
immediately set up a most dismal howling, crying bitterly, and wringing
their hands in all the agonies of grief for a deceased relative.

Their tears flowed freely, and they exhibited all the signs of real
mourning. At the commencement of this scene, one of their number began, in
a voice somewhat between speaking and singing, to recite some words to the
following purport, and continued the recitation till the ceremony was
ended; the company at the same time varying the appearance of their
countenances, gestures and tone of voice, so as to correspond with the
sentiments expressed by their leader:

"Oh our brother! Alas! He is dead--he has gone; he will never return!
Friendless he died on the field of the slain, where his bones are yet
lying unburied! Oh, who will not mourn his sad fate? No tears dropped
around him; oh, no! No tears of his sisters were there! He fell in his
prime, when his arm was most needed to keep us from danger! Alas! he has
gone! and left us in sorrow, his loss to bewail: Oh where is his spirit?
His spirit went naked, and hungry it wanders, and thirsty and wounded it
groans to return! Oh helpless and wretched, our brother has gone! No
blanket nor food to nourish and warm him; nor candles to light him, nor
weapons of war:--Oh, none of those comforts had he! But well we remember
his deeds!--The deer he could take on the chase! The panther shrunk back
at the sight of his strength! His enemies fell at his feet! He was brave
and courageous in war! As the fawn was harmless: his friendship was
ardent: his temper was gentle: his pity was great! Oh! our friend, our
companion is dead! Our brother, your brother, alas! he is gone! But why do
we grieve for his loss? In the strength of a warrior, undaunted he left
us, to fight by the side of the Chiefs! His war-whoop was shrill! His