The poor Canadians eyed them with rueful glances, and now and then a fearful ejaculation escaped them.

"Parbleu! this is a sad scrape we are in, brother!" one would mutter to the next oarsman.

"Aye, aye!" the other would reply, "we are not going to a wedding, my friend!" When the boats arrived within rifle-shot, the hunters and other fighting personages on board seized their weapons, and prepared for action.
As they rose to fire, a confusion took place among the savages.

They displayed their buffalo robes, raised them with both hands above their heads, and then spread them before them on the ground.

At sight of this, Pierre Dorion eagerly cried out to the party not to fire, as this movement was a peaceful signal, and an invitation to a parley.
Immediately about a dozen of the principal warriors, separating from the rest, descended to the edge of the river, lighted a fire, seated themselves in a semicircle round it, and, displaying the calumet, invited the party to land.