that stood close to our lodge. I would then say to myself, as I
listened to him, "here comes again my little orator," and I used to try
to understand what he had to say; and sometimes thought I understood
some of its utterances as follows: "Good morning, good morning! arise,
arise! shoot, shoot! come along, come along!" etc., every word repeated
twice. Even then, and so young as I was, I used to think that little
bird had a language which God or the Great Spirit had given him, and
every bird of the forest understood what he had to say, and that he was
appointed to preach to other birds, to tell them to be happy, to be
thankful for the blessings they enjoy among the summer green branches
of the forest, and the plenty of wild fruits to eat. The larger boys
used to amuse themselves by playing a ball called Paw-kaw-do-way, foot-
racing, wrestling, bow-arrow shooting, and trying to beat one another
shooting the greatest number of chipmunks and squirrels in a day, etc.

I never heard any boy or any grown person utter any bad language, even
if they were out of patience with anything. Swearing or profanity was
never heard among the Ottawa and Chippewa tribes of Indians, and not
even found in their language. Scarcely any drunkenness, only once in a
great while the old folks used to have a kind of short spree,
particularly when there was any special occasion of a great feast going
on. But all the young folks did not drink intoxicating liquors as a
beverage in those days. And we always rested in perfect safety at night
in our dwellings, and the doorways of our lodges had no fastenings to
them, but simply a frail mat or a blanket was hung over our doorways
which might be easily pushed or thrown one side without any noise if
theft or any other mischief was intended. But we were not afraid for
any such thing to happen us, because we knew that every child of the
forest was observing and living under the precepts which their
forefathers taught them, and the children were taught almost daily by