As he lay there, thoroughly enjoying the feast and the novelty of the
scene, Has-se came to him and placed in his hand the Flamingo Feather
that had been cut from his hair on the day before by Chitta's arrow.
As he did so he said, "This I give to thee, Ta-lah-lo-ko, as a token of
friendship forever between us, and for thee to keep in memory of this
day. It is a token such as may only be exchanged between chiefs or the
sons of chiefs; and if at any time it shall be sent to me or any of my
people in thy name, whatever request comes with it from thee must be
granted even at the cost of life. Keep the emblem hidden, and wear it
not, for that may only be done by the chiefs of my tribe, or those who
are sons of chiefs."
As he took the precious feather, and thanked Has-se warmly for the gift
and its assurance of friendship, Rene noted with surprise that attached
to it was a slender gold chain fastening a golden pin of strange and
exquisite make. It was by these that the feather had been confined in
Has-se's hair, and it was the cutting of this chain by Chitta's arrow
that had loosened it.
In answer to Rene's inquiries Has-se explained that these ornaments
came from a distant country in the direction of the setting sun, where
gold was like the sands on the shores of the great salt waters, and
whence they had reached his tribe through the hands of many traders.[1]
At sunrise on the following morning the journey towards the land of the
Alachuas was resumed, and Rene occupied with Nethla a canoe that was
paddled by Has-se and Yah-chi-la-ne (the Eagle), Nethla's young warrior
husband.
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