164 TT1E LABRADOR PENINSULA. CHAP. xi. 



CHAPTER XL 



THE MOUNTAIN, OR TOP OF THE RIDGE, PORTAGE. 



Cooking in the Woods Balsam Trees Michel's Musk-rat 

 Michel's Breakfast Details of the Top of the Ridge Portage 

 The Mountain Michel and the Theodolite Louis and the Canoe 

 Nipi nipi ! Louis' Caution about drinking cold Water when 

 hot Death of Indian Louis' Beverage Indian Burial Rites 

 Tete de Boule Affection Swainpy Crees, Mode of Burying their 

 Dead Pope's Allusion to the Dog being buried with his Master- 

 Customs of Indians never change Montagnais Burials in 1631 

 Curious Customs Pointing with the Lips Indian Mode of 

 Snaring the Canada Grouse Trout Lake A Camp on Wet Moss 

 Precautions against Colds Montagnais formerly anointed their 

 Bodies with Seal Oil Odahwah Customs. 



IT rained all night, and I let the men. sleep till late 

 in the morning. They were weary with yesterday's 

 work, and the gentlemen undertook to cook breakfast 

 while they slept. We had had some experience in that de- 

 partment during our explorations of the country between 

 Lake Superior, Eed River, and the Saskatchewan Valley. 

 One arranged the fire, a most important operation in 

 rainy weather when cooking is in contemplation ; two were 

 despatched to cut large sheets of birch-bark to knead the 

 bread on ; a fourth chopped wood and assisted in coax- 

 ing the fire to burn. Our efforts were quite successful, 

 for, notwithstanding the pouring rain, we made a large 

 fire, which was pronounced fit for any camp in wet 



