18 THE LABRADOR PENINSULA. CHAP. n. 



who has been wintering there, and lie will tell us all 

 about the upper lakes.' 



A shout from the rear canoe brought us up. The 

 heavily-laden little craft was taking in water through the 

 holes in the sides, where the bark is fastened with watap 

 or sinew to the frame a light breeze having begun to 

 blow sufficient to raise a swell in the river. It was also 

 found to be leaking where the bark was sewn together, 

 the strain caused by the heavy load having cracked the 

 gum. Hence it became necessary not only to ' gum ' the 

 canoe, but also to readjust the baggage, before we could 

 proceed on our voyage. 



At the first favourable spot for camping we disembarked, 

 and set the Indians to examine all the canoes, and put 

 them into a proper condition. Two bags of biscuit were 

 found to be partially wetted, but no damage was done to 

 the flour, which had been properly laid on poles placed at 

 the bottom of the canoe which contained it. 



Towards evening I despatched a canoe to the fishing 

 station to procure an additional bag of flour in place of the 

 provisions which had been spoiled. The wetted biscuit 

 concerned the entire party ; but a close inspection of the 

 baggage after it was landed, showed that a misfortune 

 had happened to a waterproof India-rubber bag, which 

 might have been attended with some inconvenience. It 

 also gave us an insight into the character and disposition 

 of the Montagnais steersman, who turned out to be a 

 ' character.' In the waterproof bag were packed a 

 number of articles which it was most desirable to keep 

 dry ; it had been placed in the canoe in the proper 

 position, at the stern of the vessel, but the Montagnais 



