CHAP. ix. PEOPOSED ASCENT OF A MOUNTAIN. 145 



' Why do you say " Ya-mah," Louis ? ' I said. 



'You go top that mountain, not see you again for 

 two or three days ; want to wish you good-bye for a little 

 while.' 



4 What ! Do you mean to say it will take us two days 

 to get to that peak ? ' 



' Think not,' said Louis ; ' think you won't get there 

 at all. Nasquapee tell me the way to the top of that 

 mountain is on the other side ; rocks this side too steep.' 



This was a poser. The mountain looked accessible 

 enough, but the air was so clear, and distances apparently 

 so much smaller than they are in reality among those 

 lofty hills, that I felt rather uncomfortable at Louis' 

 proffered farewell. 



' At all events, Louis,' I said, ' we'll try.' 



' Try ; p'r'aps you get up there, p'r'aps not.' 



The ' p'r'aps not ' was said with such a solemn shake of 

 the head, that I began to think Louis' experience among 

 the mountains of this part of the Labrador peninsula 

 was worth more than a confident reliance on our own 

 powers of endurance. 



However, after breakfast, we started, and with what 

 results will be seen hereafter. 



Caley and I set out each with a small knapsack con- 

 taining our aneroids, hammers, and a ' bite,' followed by 

 my brother with his sketching apparatus. For half an 

 hour we followed the Montagnais path through a brule, 

 or burnt track of country, in the valley of Cold-water 

 Eiver. The path then turned suddenly to our right, and 

 led us up the side of the mountain. We soon came to a 

 series of gneiss terraces covered with lichens, and, having 



VOL. I. L 



