56 THE LABRADOR PENINSULA. CHAP. iv. 



' We sat and smoked together. 



' After a while, I said, " Did you bring the body 

 far ? " 



' " Six days up the St. Marguerite ; perhaps eight days 

 from here. I came with some Nasquapees across the 

 country, who had come from, the Trinity River, and were 

 following the caribou. The Nasquapees got enough 

 meat, and went back. I came on to go down the Moisie 

 to Seven Islands, and leave the body there till the spring. 



' " How did he die ? " I said at length. 



' The Indian looked at the fire and said nothing. I 

 knew that there was some very sorrowful tale to tell, or 

 he would have spoken at once. 



' After a long pause the Indian said, " He is rny cousin ; 

 I ana taking him to be buried at the Post. He asked me ; 

 I promised him. It is a long journey in winter ; but he 







wished it, and he wih 1 soon be there." 



' The Indian then began to teh 1 me how it happened. 

 " He and I," he said, pointing to the body but he men- 

 tioned no name "were hunting together; we came 

 upon the track of a cat." ' * 



'By cat you mean lynx, of course,' said one of the 

 listeners. 



' Yes ; we always call them cats : many white folk call 

 them lynx. It's an animal about the size of a big dog, 

 only lower and stronger, with sharp pointed ears, and a 

 tuft at the end of each.' 



' Yes, that 's the lynx. Go on.' 



' Well, the Indian said, " We came upon the track of a 



* Cat, or lynx. 



