scalps from the hands of the owners, and toss them frantically about, with the screams and yells of demons.  I have seen as many as forty or fifty scalps figuring in one dance.  Upon one occasion one was borne by an Indian who approached quite near me, and I shuddered as I observed the long, fair hair, evidently that of a woman.  Another Indian had the skin of a human hand, stretched and prepared with as much care as if it had been some costly jewel.  When these dances occurred, as they sometimes did, by moonlight, they were peculiarly horrid and revolting.

* * * * *

Amid so many events of a painful character there were not wanting occasionally some that bordered on the ludicrous.

One evening, while sitting at tea, we were alarmed by the sound of guns firing in the direction of the Wisconsin.  All started up, and prepared, instinctively, for flight to the garrison.  As we left the house we found the whole bluff and the meadow below in commotion,—­Indians running with their guns and spears across their shoulders to the scene of alarm—­squaws and children standing in front of their lodges and looking anxiously in the direction of the unusual and unaccountable sounds—­groups of French and half-breeds, like ourselves, fleeing to gain the bridge and place themselves within the pickets so lately erected.

As one company of Indians passed us hurriedly, some weapon carelessly carried hit one of our party on the side of the head.  “Oh!” shrieked she, “I am killed! an Indian has tomahawked me!” and she was only reassured by finding she could still run as fast as the best of us.

When we reached the parade-ground, within the Fort, we could not help laughing at the grotesque appearance we presented.  Some without hats or shawls—­others with packages of valuables hastily secured at the moment—­one with her piece of bread-and-butter in hand, which she had not had the presence of mind to lay aside when she took to flight.

The alarm was, in the end, found to have proceeded from a party of Winnebagoes from one of the Barribault villages, who, being about to leave their home for a period, were going through the ceremony of burying the scalps which they and their fathers had taken.

Like the military funerals among civilized nations, their solemnities were closed on this occasion by the discharge of several volleys over the grave of their trophies.

* * * * *

At length, about the beginning of November, two months after the time appointed, Governor Porter, accompanied by Major Forsyth and Mr. Kercheval, arrived with the annuity money.  The Indians were again assembled, the payment was made, and having supplied themselves with a larger quantity of ammunition than usual,—­for they saw the necessity of a good hunt to remedy past and present deficiencies,—­they set off for their wintering grounds.

We were, ourselves, about changing our quarters, to our no small satisfaction.  Notwithstanding the Indian disturbances, the new Agency House (permission to build which had, after much delay, been accorded by Government) had been going steadily on, and soon after the departure of the Governor and his party, we took possession of it.