KABAOOSA. WABUNOSA. BOSTON, _Onahbaunegises, The month of crusts on the snow._ The invitation was cordially accepted, and in August the party of guests, twelve in all, left the train at Desbarats on the north shore of Lake Huron; there they were met by the Indians in full costume, and in sailboat and canoes they set forth for the little rocky island, which had been prepared for them. There was a square stone lodge on the highest part of the island, most picturesquely finished inside and out, with the flag of England floating above it. Surrounding this were several tepees of tanned hide and stained canvas, and nearer the shore two little groups of tents, where two Indian families lived, who cooked and served, sailed the boats, entertained their guests with songs, dancing, and story-telling, doing all with a quiet dignity, ease of manner, and genuine kindliness that removed every difficulty. The play of "Hiawatha" was performed on a rocky, thickly wooded point about two miles away. Near the shore a platform was built around a tall pine-tree, and grouped around this were tepees and wigwams forming the Indian village. Behind this the ground sloped gradually upward, forming a natural amphitheatre. As a prelude to the play a large pile of brushwood was lighted. "And the smoke rose slowly, slowly, As a signal to the Nations." Down the hillsides rushed the braves in war-paint and feathers,-- "Wildly glaring at each other, In their hearts the feuds of ages. Then upon the ground the warriors Threw their weapons and their war-gear, Leaped into the rushing river, Washed the war-paint from their faces, And in silence all the warriors Broke the red stone of the quarry, Smoothed and formed it into Peace-Pipes." Then appeared old Nokomis leading by the hand the youthful Hiawatha, and taught him how to shoot the bow and arrow, while the warriors stood around watching and applauding when he hit the mark. The third scene was the journey of Hiawatha in his manhood after his battle with Mudjekeewis, a picturesque figure striding through the woods flecked with sunshine and shadow. "Only once his pace he slackened, Paused to purchase heads of arrows Of the ancient arrow-maker." The wigwam of the ancient arrow-maker was placed far from the rest in the shade of the trees, to give an idea of distance. The arrow-maker himself, a very old man, sat by the entrance, cutting arrowheads; his daughter, a modest Indian maiden, stood beside him with downcast eyes, while the stranger paused to talk with her father. This scene was followed by the return of Hiawatha to the land of the Dakotahs. Again the old man sat in the doorway, and by him was Minnehaha, "plaiting mats of flags and rushes."