Wau-bun | Page 9

But not so their auditor. There was to me something
inexpressibly beautiful in this morning song of praise from the untaught
sons of the forest. What a lesson did it preach to the civilized,
Christianized world, too many of whom lie down and rise up without
an aspiration of thanksgiving to their Almighty Preserver--without even
a remembrance of His care, who gives His angels charge concerning
them! Never has the impression of that simple act of worship faded
from my mind. I have loved to think that, with some, these strains
might be the outpouring of a devotion as pure as that of the Christian
when he utters the inspiring words of the sainted Ken--
"Awake, my soul! and with the sun," etc.
* * * * *
Among the visitors who called to offer me a welcome to the West, were
Mr. and Miss Cadle, who were earnestly engaged in the first steps of
their afterwards flourishing enterprise for the education of Indian and
half-breed children. The school-houses and chapel were not yet erected,
but we visited their proposed site, and listened with great interest to
bright anticipations of the future good that was to be accomplished--the
success that was to crown their efforts for taming the heathen and
teaching them the knowledge of their Saviour and the blessings of
civilized life. The sequel has shown how little the zeal of the few can
accomplish, when opposed to the cupidity of the many.
Our evening party went off as parties do elsewhere. The most
interesting feature to me, because the most novel, was the conversation
of some young ladies to whom I was introduced, natives of Green Bay
or its vicinity. Their mother was a Menomonee, but their father was a
Frenchman, a descendant of a settler some generations back, and who,

there is reason to believe, was a branch of the same family of Grignon
to which the daughter of Madame de Sévigné belonged. At least, it is
said there are in the possession of the family many old papers and
records which would give that impression, although the orthography of
the name has become slightly changed. Be that as it may, the Miss
Grignons were strikingly dignified, well-bred young ladies, and there
was a charm about their soft voices, and original, unsophisticated
remarks, very attractive to a stranger.
They opened to me, however, a new field of apprehension; for, on my
expressing my great impatience to see my new home, they exclaimed,
with a look of wonder,--
"_Vous n'avez donc pas peur des serpens_?"
"Snakes! was it possible there were snakes at Fort Winnebago?"
"At the Portage! oh! yes--one can never walk out for
them--rattle-snakes--copper-heads--all sorts!"
I am not naturally timid, but I must confess that the idea of the serpens
sonnettes and the siffleurs was not quite a subject of indifference.
There was one among these young ladies whose tall, graceful figure,
rich, blooming complexion, and dark, glancing eye, would have
distinguished her in any drawing-room--and another, whose gentle
sweetness and cultivated taste made it a matter of universal regret that
she was afterwards led to adopt the seclusion of a convent.
Captain Harney and his boat arrived in due time, and active
preparations far the comfort of our journey commenced under the kind
supervision of Mrs. Doty. The mess-basket was stowed with good
things of every description--ham and tongue--biscuit and
plum-cake--not to mention the substantiate of crackers, bread, and
boiled pork, the latter of which, however, a lady was supposed to be too
fastidious to think of touching, even if starving in the woods.
We had engaged three Canadian voyageurs to take charge of our tent,

mess-basket, and matters and things in general. Their business it was to
be to cut the wood for our fires, prepare our meals, and give a helping
hand to whatever was going forward. A messenger had also been sent
to the Kakalin, or rapids, twenty-one miles above, to notify
_Wish-tay-yun_,[3] the most accomplished guide through the difficult
passes of the river, to be in readiness for our service on a specified day.
In the mean time, we had leisure for one more party, and it was to be a
"real Western hop." Everybody will remember that dance at Mrs.
Baird's. All the people, young and old, that would be gathered
throughout, or, as it was the fashion to express it, on Green Bay, were
assembled. The young officers were up from Fort Howard, looking so
smart in their uniforms--treasures of finery, long uncalled forth, were
now brought to light--everybody was bound to do honor to the
strangers by appearing in their very best. It was to be an entertainment
unequalled by any given before. All the house was put in requisition for
the occasion. Desks and seats were unceremoniously dismissed from