116 THE LABRADOR PENINSULA. CHAP. vii. 



We were sitting on a piece of rock on the opposite 

 side of the path of the slide when this reply was given, 

 and we watched them make the traverse with a little 

 anxiety. 



There was no difficulty in lightly skipping across the 

 side of the hill at an angle of 45, loosely covered with 

 debris ; but when rapid motion was impeded by a burden 

 of 100 Ibs. on the back, great care became necessary in 

 order to secure a firm footing. 



Ah 1 crossed in safety, and lodged their burdens on the 

 other side, returning to camp deeply impressed with the 

 wildness of a scene where disorder seemed to reign, and 

 fully alive to the beauties, and, perhaps, most of all, to the 

 silence of those remote mountain wilds. 



They spoke in whispers, lest the sound of their voices 

 should detach loose fragments from the overhanging 

 cliffs ; and it was not until they had reached the valley 

 below in the dusk of the evening, and saw the red glow 

 of the camp fires lighting up the forest, that they broke 

 into their usual buoyant spirits, and, brightening up, 

 made those silent woods resound with joke, laughter, and 



song. 



At daylight on the following morning (21st) I was 

 going to the river to fish for trout, when I saw the young 

 Nasquapee at the foot of a large birch close to the portage 

 path, gazing at something about two feet beyond his 

 reach. I went to the object, and saw that it was a roll 

 of birch -bark, tightly tied with sinew and suspended to 

 a branch. I motioned the Nasquapee to get up the tree 

 and take it down ; he did so immediately, and, handing 

 it to me, I was enabled to trace some letters upon it 



