80 THE LABRADOR PENINSULA. CHAP. v. 



Louis acted as interpreter, Pierre not understanding the 

 Montagnais language sufficiently well. 



'Ask him, Louis.' I said, 'if we can pass up the river ?' 



As soon as Louis had propounded this question, 

 Domenique turned to his squaw and said a few words. 

 Both of them looked towards the gorge. The squaw shook 

 her head, and said 'No.' Domenique looked at Louis, 

 shook his head, and said ' No.' Louis looked at me, and, 

 with a roll of his head from side to side, said emphatically 

 ' No.' 



Domenique, turning to Louis, attempted to comfort 

 us by saying, ' When the water falls the canoes can go 

 up.' 



A cold thrill passed through me when I saw the 

 squaw's manner, and heard Domem'que's answer ; but 

 knowing well how easily Indians are deterred from any 

 efforts involving great labour, especially if waiting a week 

 will enable them to accomplish what they have in view 

 without it, a few minutes' reflection convinced me that it 

 would be very foolish to give up the hope of forcing a 

 passage through the gorge without waiting until the 

 waters fell. After a while I told Louis to ask him about 

 the upper country, whether there was much snow left. 



' Full of ice,' answered Louis, interpreting Domenique's 

 reply. ' No snow, but much ice.' 



' Where has Domenique been wintering ? ' 



' On this side of Ashwanipi Lake, close to the dividing- 

 ridge where the waters flow the other way.' 



' Did he kill many animals ? ' 



' Thirtv reindeer and four bears.' 



/ 



'What furs did he get?' 



