148 THE LABRADOR PENINSULA. CHAP. ix. 



when I returned to where my companion was sitting. 

 ' Well did the Nasquapee say it was " Up - - up up ! ' 

 All we can do is to leave it to themselves for the present, 

 and if they break down we must take our turn and help 

 them.' 



Leaving my brother to complete his sketch, Caley and 

 I walked on to the other end of the portage, descending 

 300 feet to Cold-water Eiver again. Upon our return 

 we met Gaudet and the young Nasquapee, measuring 

 the length of the portage with a chain. Mr. Gaudet 

 described the remarkable ease with which the Nasquapee 

 comprehended his signs, and how intelligibly he answered 

 the questions put to him. Anxious to know how far 

 it was to the other end of the portage, he placed two 

 sticks on the ground, a yard apart, and, touching one 

 stick, pointed towards the end of the portage from 

 which they had come ; then touching the other stick in 

 the direction in which they were going, he uttered at the 

 same time the word Ka-pi-ta-gan, or portage. He then 

 took a third stick, and placed it between the other two, at 

 an equal distance from both, and pointed first to the stick 

 and then to himself. A gleam of intelligence shot across 

 the countenance of the Nasquapee, who shook his head, 

 and, raising the middle stick, placed it about one-third of 

 the distance from the first, indicating that they had only 

 come a third part of the way. ' Shortly afterwards,' 

 Gaudet added, ' the Nasquapee stopped, and put a stick 

 before his face, and pointed first towards one end of the 

 portage, then towards the other; thus indicating that they 

 had come half the distance.' 



After proceeding onward for about half an hour, he 



