240 THE LABRADOR PENINSULA. CHAP. xv. 



notwithstanding the intense cold. He enters his 



o 



with a loud shout of greeting, throws down his burden, 

 cuts off a slice, hands it to a relative, saying, 'Eat ! Kim 

 and tell so and so to come. I have killed a deer ; w r e will 

 feast.' Michel told me of a great feast his father made 

 last winter, when he had killed a fat bear, how he and 

 one of his cousins were sent on a message of invitation 

 across the Dividing Kidge to the people of his own tribe, 

 bearing also with them a small supply of meat for the 

 squaws and children who could not come such a long- 

 distance a full day's journey on snow-shoes, that when 

 he was close to their lodges, he met two hunters coming 

 to Domenique's camp, bringing part of a caribou and an 

 invitation to a feast, for they had killed four. The whole 

 party returned to the Nasquapee camp, bringing the news, 

 and on the following morning nine in all set out, each 

 with a little present of meat, and arrived late in the 

 evening at Domenique's camp. The feast then began ; the 

 bear was cut into two halves, and one half placed on each 

 side of a large fire in Domenique's lodge. Each Indian 

 had a short stick and a knife. They cut off bits of meat, 

 roasted it for a minute, and ate it, and so continued 

 feasting until the bear was demolished. Some of them, 

 when satisfied, would lie down, and after a short time rise 

 again and renew their meal. The bear was -not com- 

 pletely eaten until daylight on the following morning. 

 They slept during the whole of that day and the 

 following night. On the third morning, Domenique and 

 several other Montagnais went back with the Nasquapees 

 to their camp and had a similar feast of caribou. Michel 

 spoke of this savage enjoyment without much emotion ; 



