possessed, disposed of them to ships of the British colonies, from New
York and elsewhere, lured thus to New Orleans, in exchange for English
cloths and other British manufactures, which the French then
surreptitiously furnished to the Indians of the British alliance,
underselling them on every hand.

"The intellects of the Frinch are so handsome!" cried O'Kimmon, the
tears of delighted laughter in his eyes. "Faix, that is what makes 'em
so close kin to the Oirish!"

Albeit the Cherokee treaty with the British forbade the Indians to trade
with white men of any other nationality than the English, these
professed aliens were promised protection and concealment from the
British government, and the pretext of their mission served to
countenance their lingering stay.

Soon their presence seemed a matter of course. The Indians had recurred
to their methods of suave hospitality. The two strangers encountered
only friendly looks and words, while affecting to gratify curiosity by
peering into all the unaccustomed habitudes,--the preparation of food,
the manufacture of deerskin garments, the care of the sick, the modeling
of bowls and jars of clay, in which the Cherokees were notably expert as
well as in the weaving of feather-wrought fabrics and baskets, the
athletic games, the horse-races, the continual dances and pantomimic
plays,--and were presently domiciled as it were in the tribe. Of so
little note did they soon become that when they gradually ceased these
manifestations of interest, as if familiarity had sated their curiosity,
it seemed to occasion no comment. They were obviously free to rove, to
stay, to live their lives as they would without interference or
surveillance.