They were yet in their own country, seated on the edge of a prairie, and back of them as far as the eye could reach, there was nothing to be seen but the half melted snow; no rocks, no trees, relieved the sameness of the view.

On the opposite side of the Mississippi, high bluffs, with their worn sides and broken rocks, hung over the river; and in the centre of its waters lay the sacred isles, whose many trees and bushes wanted only the warm breath of summer to display their luxuriance.

The war chief commenced.
He prophesied that they would see deer on the next day, but that they must begin to be careful, for they would then have entered their enemies' country.

He told them how brave they were, and that he was braver still.

He told them the Chippeways were worse than prairie dogs.
To all of which the warriors responded, Ho! When they found themselves near their enemies, the chief forbade a gun being fired off; no straggling was allowed; none but the spies were to go beyond a certain distance from the party.
But after they entered the Chippeway country the duties of the war chief were still more important.