[The Dog Crusoe and His Master by Robert Michael Ballantyne]@TWC D-Link bookThe Dog Crusoe and His Master CHAPTER IX 7/16
The hair of his scalp, as he afterwards said, "began to lift a little and feel oneasy." But San-it-sa-rish stood honestly to his word, said that it would be well that the Pale-faces and the Pawnees should be brothers, and hoped that they would not forget the promise of annual presents from the hand of the great chief who lived in the big village near the rising sun. Having settled this matter amicably, Joe distributed among the Indians the proportion of his goods designed for them; and then they all adjourned to another tent, where a great feast was prepared for them. "Are ye hungry ?" inquired Joe of Dick as they walked along. "Ay, that am I.I feel as if I could eat a buffalo alive.
Why, it's my 'pinion we've tasted nothin' since daybreak-this mornin'." "Well, I've often told ye that them Redskins think it a disgrace to give in eatin' till all that's set before them at a feast is bolted. We'll ha' to stretch oursel's, we will." "I'se got a plenty room," remarked Henri. "Ye have, but ye'll wish ye had more in a little." "Bien, I not care!" In quarter of an hour all the guests invited to this great "medicine feast" were assembled.
No women were admitted.
They never are at Indian feasts. We may remark in passing that the word "medicine," as used among the North American Indians, has a very much wider signification than it has with us.
It is an almost inexplicable word.
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