A new fire was kindled, with fresh sparks, from flint and steel; and the pipes being smoked, the spikes were carefully buried, in a hole made in the ground for that purpose, within the lodge.

This done, the whole family began a dance, Wawatam singing, and beating a drum.

The dance continued the greater part of the night, to the great pleasure of the lodge.

The night of the feast was that of the first day of November." [Footnote 6: _Populus nigra_, called by the French Canadians _liard_.] [Footnote 7: The grains of maize (Indian corn) grow in compact cells, round a pithy core.] In the month of January, Henry happened to observe that the trunk of a very large pine tree was much torn by the claws of a bear, made both in going up and down.

On further examination he saw there was a large opening, in the upper part, near which the smaller branches were broken.