competitor, if possible, in attention to his personal attractions.

Upon the present occasion he appeared in all his finery, and went
through the customary salutations with an air of solemn dignity, then
walked, as did the others, into the parlor (for I had received them in
the hall), where they all seated themselves upon the floor. Fortunately,
the room was now bare of furniture, but "alas!" thought I, "for my
pretty carpet, if this is to be the way they pay their respects to me!"
I watched the falling of the ashes from their long pipes, and the other
inconveniences of the use of tobacco, or kin-nee-kin-nick, with absolute
dismay.

The visit of the chiefs was succeeded by one from the interpreter and
his wife, with all the Canadian and half-breed women, whose husbands
found employment at the Agency or at the American Fur Company's
establishment.

By this time my piano had been taken from its case and set up in our
quarters. To our great joy, we found it entirely uninjured. Thanks to
the skill of Nunns and Clark, not a note was out of tune.

The women, to whom it was an entire novelty, were loud in their
exclamations of wonder and delight.

"_Eh-h-h! regardez donc! Quelles inventions! Quelles merveilles!_"[13]

One, observing the play of my fingers reflected in the nameboard, called
in great exultation to her companions. She had discovered, as she
thought, the hidden machinery by which the sounds were produced, and was
not a little mortified when she was undeceived.