Stationary
Fig. 10. Shell Vessels.
All this was done in silence, and they looked on him with awe. His white hair and long snowy beard, the kindliness of his face, and his brave demeanor seemed to impress them in a wonderful way.
At an order from the chief the warriors and attendants disappeared, and he was left by the side of the couch, holding the sufferer’s hand.
In less than a half hour the attendants brought a bountiful supply of food, but he waived them aside, and remained there undisturbed for fully two hours, during which time he had administered three doses of the medicine.
The chief came in, and, taking him by the hand, led him away, and did all in his power to express his thanks for the service. One of the three rooms was assigned to him, and during the night he went to the patient many times, and to his gratification by morning the fever was broken, and the child began to perspire freely.
When the chief came in and saw the condition of the little girl his gratification was beyond all bounds. The Professor witnessed, for the first time, how savage affection for their own can be just as intense as among civilized tribes.
The chief led him outside and pointed to the north, indicating that he was ready to take him back to his friends; but the Professor shook his head, and pointed to the child. This amazed the chief, and he could hardly believe in the refusal of his captive to leave.
During the afternoon he was surprised to notice the arrival of a large number of warriors, who had, evidently, returned from some skirmish, as they carried several wounded, and also three prisoners, who were incarcerated in a hut near the center of the village.
No restraint whatever was placed on his movements, and he wandered from place to place, and witnessed the wailings of several women who heard of the deaths of their own kindred. The Professor reproached himself, as he thought of the suffering he had, unwillingly, caused to others, but it could not be helped.