CHAP. xvn. MUSKAIG AND LONELY LAKES. 271 



sketched during their repast with their handkerchiefs and 

 mosquito nets about their faces. 



The water of the lake had already fallen a foot since we 

 passed through it before. 



On our return through the small lakes between Nipisis 

 and Trout Lake, we fished with great success, catching as 

 many trout as we wanted for our noon-day and evening 

 meal. We also had an opportunity of securing a sketch of 

 Muskaig and Lonely Lakes, which the interference of the 

 mosquitoes prevented during our upward journey. Lonely 

 Lake is very picturesque, and full of trout. 



On the 5th we reached Trout Lake, and found a great 

 change in the vegetation as well as in the little river 

 through which we had passed the canoes. 



The Labrador tea plant was in full bloom and scented 

 the evening air ; the water lilies were beginning to show 

 their leaves on the surface, and every kind of tree, with 

 the exception of the larch, was in full leaf. 



There is a tradition respecting a battle which was once 

 fought near Trout Lake between the Montagnais and a 

 people from the west. But neither Domenique nor Bar- 

 telmi nor Otelne could give any information respecting 

 the name and country of the people. They were probably 

 the Iroquois, whose excursions extended far to the east 

 of their own hunting grounds. 



The wars between the Montagnais and the Iroquois 

 are of very ancient date. Paul le Jeune * relates that when 



* Paul le Jeune may be regarded as the father of the Jesuit missions in 

 Canada, although he arrived so late as 1632, after the restoration of Quebec 

 to France. He soon made himself familiar with the Montagnais language, iu 

 which he wrote a catechism for the Indians. In 1649 he was recalled to 

 France and made Procureur des Missions Etrangeres. 



