The latter shook the ashes into the fire, muttering, in a low voice, a few unintelligible words; after which, be restored the calumet to the hachesto, who went out to watch, in order to ensure secrecy to the deliberations of the council.
There was a long silence; the profoundest calm brooded over the village; no sound disturbed the tranquillity of the atepelt; and one might have thought oneself a hundred leagues from a human dwelling.
At length the amantzin rose, cast a searching look over the assembly, and spoke.
"Let my brothers open their ears," he said in measured tones. "The spirit of the Master of Life has entered into my body; it is he who dictates the words which spring from my lips. Chiefs of the Bison-Apaches! The spirit of your ancestors has ceased to animate your souls. You are no longer the terrible warriors, who declared war, without truce or mercy, against the palefaces—those cowards, and hateful despoilers of your hunting grounds; you are only antelopes, who fly with faltering feet from the distant sound of an erupha (gun) of the palefaces; you are old women, to whom the Yorris (Spanish) give their petticoats; your blood no longer runs bright in your veins, and a skin stretches over your heart and covers it completely. You, formerly so brave and terrible, have made yourselves the coward slaves of a dog of a paleface, who chases you like frightened rabbits, and holds you trembling under his eye. Thus speaks the Master of Life. What do you answer, warriors of the Apaches?"
He ceased, and waited for one of the chiefs to take up the word. During this insulting speech, a tremor of indignation agitated the Indians; it was only by great efforts they obtained the mastery over their passion. But when the amantzin ceased, a chief rose.
"Is the sorcerer of the Apaches-Bisons mad," said he in a voice of thunder, "that he should speak thus to the chiefs of his nation? He who counts the foxes' tails attached to our heels will see if we are women, and if the courage of our ancestors is dead in our hearts. What if the Tigercat is a paleface?—His heart is Apache. The Tigercat is wise; he has seen many things; the counsels he gives are good."
The amantzin smiled with disdain.
"My brother the White-Eagle speaks well; it is not for me to answer him."
He struck his hands thrice. A warrior appeared.
"Let my brother," said the amantzin to him, "tell the council the mission with which he was charged by the Tigercat."