Glickhicanwounduphislongdiscoursesbydeclaringhehadneverliedinthewholecourseofhisseventyyears,hadneverstolen,neverbetrayed,nevermurdered,neverkilled,saveinself—defence。Gazingatthechief\'sfinefeatures,nowcalm,yetshowingtracesofpaststorms,Jimbelievedhespokethetruth。
Whentheyoungministercame,however,tostudythehostileIndiansthatflockedtothevillage,anyconclusivedelineationofcharacter,oranysatisfactoryanalysisoftheirmentalstateinregardtothepalefacereligion,eludedhim。Theirpassive,silent,sphinx—likesecretivenesswasbaffling。Glickhicanhadtaughthimhowtopropitiatethefriendlybraves,andwiththesehewassuccessful。Littlehelearned,however,fromtheunfriendlyones。Whenmakinggiftstotheseredmenhecouldneverbecertainthathisofferingswereappreciated。ThejewelsandgoldhehadbroughtwestwithhimwenttotheFrenchtraders,whoinexchangegavehimtrinkets,baubles,braceletsandweapons。Jimmadehundredsofpresents。Boldlygoinguptobefeatheredandbefringedchieftains,heofferedthemknives,hatchets,orstringsofsilverybeads。Sometimeshiskindlyofferingswererepelledwithahaughtystare;atothertimestheywouldbeacceptedcoldly,suspiciously,asifthegiftsbroughtsomeunknownobligation。
Forawhitemanitwasanever—to—be—forgottenexperiencetoseeeightortenofthesegrim,slowlysteppingforestkings,arrayedinalltherichsplendoroftheircostume,stalkingamongtheteepeesoftheVillageofPeace。Somehow,suchaprocessionalwaysmadeJimshiver。Thesinging,prayingandpreachingtheyheardunmoved。Noemotionwasvisibleontheirbronzedfaces;nothingchangedtheirunalterablemien。Hadtheynotmoved,orgazedwithburningeyes,theywouldhavebeenstatues。WhenthesechieftainslookedattheconvertedIndians,someofwhomwerebravesoftheirnations,thecontemptintheirglancesbetrayedthattheynowregardedtheseChristianIndiansasbelongingtoanalienrace。
AmongthechiefsGlickhicanpointedouttoJimwereWingenund,theDelaware;
Tellane,theHalf—King;ShingissandKotoxen——alloftheWolftribeoftheDelawares。