20 THE LABKADOR PENINSULA. CHAP. n. 



through it ; for Louis brightened up when he saw I was 

 angry, and paddled with a will. That fellow will either 

 be a great nuisance to us, or very amusing and useful. 

 He is strong as a horse, laughs at everything, and cares 

 for nothing.' 



Louis was described to me before I engaged him as a 

 very good-tempered Indian, and thoroughly capable of 



* 



managing a canoe, but not fond of work or very sure 

 with his gun. His qualifications as regards canoes made 

 him acceptable, and, although he was weak and ill during 

 the first week, from change of diet and constant exposure 

 to wet day and night, he soon became a valuable addition 

 to our party, independently of the constant amusement 

 he afforded to the other men. 



' Do you see that handsome squaw there ? ' said a Nova 

 Scotia fisherman to me the morning before we started 

 from the mouth of the Moisie. 



' Yes,' I replied, ' I see her - - what of her ? ' 

 4 That's Louis' wife, the Indian you engaged.' 

 4 Louis' wife. Why, she doesn't live in his lodge.' 

 ' No,' said the fisherman with a smile, ' she don't, and, 

 what 's more, she won't : she won't have anything to say 

 to her husband, and, what 's more, she 's ashamed of 

 him.' 



4 What has he done to offend her ? ' I asked, both 

 surprised and curious. 



' Well, the fact is, he can't hunt.' 



' Can't hunt ? Do you mean to say that that hand- 

 some woman married Louis knowing he could not 

 hunt?' 



' That 's where it is ; she didn't know he could not hunt 



