They would advance within twenty or thirty yards of each other, make a full halt, and then sit or lie down on the ground, not speaking for some minutes.

At length one of them, generally an elderly man, broke silence by acquainting the other party with every misfortune that had befallen him and his companions from the last time they had seen or heard of each other, including all deaths and other calamities which had happened to any other Indians during the same period.

When he finished, another orator, belonging to the other party, related in like manner all the bad news that had come to _his_ knowledge.

If these orations contained any news that in the least affected either party, it would not be long before some of them began to sigh and sob, and soon after to break out into a loud cry, which was generally accompanied by most of the grown persons of both sexes; and sometimes it was common to hear them all--men, women, and children--joining in one universal howl.

When the first transports of grief had subsided, they advanced by degrees, and both parties mixed with each other, the men with the men, the women with the women.