It preserved him in battle, directed him in the chase, watched over him on the march, and gave length of days to his wife and children.

Hair, of a quality like this, was not to be profaned by the touch of human hands.

I was assured that it had never been cut nor combed from his childhood upward, and, that when any part of it fell from his head, he treasured up that part with care: meanwhile, it did not escape all care, even while growing on the head; but was in the special charge of a spirit, who dressed it while the owner slept.

All this might be; but the spirit's style of hairdressing was at least peculiar; the hair being suffered to remain very much as if it received no dressing at all, and matted into ropes, which spread themselves in all directions." From this Assiniboin village Henry saw, for the first time, one of those herds of horses which the Assiniboins possessed in numbers.

The herd was feeding on the skirts of the plain.