33-J THE LABRADOR PENINSULA. CHAP. xix. 



secure a due observance of the Sunday ; but he does 

 not appear to have succeeded in inducing the men to set 

 aside their ancient division of domestic labour, for the 

 women still do all the hard work, such as putting up 

 their lodges, collecting fire-wood and sapin, cleaning and 

 preparing the skins of animals, while the men devote 

 themselves to hunting, and, when in camp, to smoking or 

 indolently lounging. Towards evening a runner arrived 

 from the Moisie with a message to Pere Arnaud a 

 man who was supposed to be dying wished to see the 

 priest. Without a moment's hesitation, although it was 

 raining heavily at the time, Pere Arnaud set out on foot 

 to walk eighteen miles, to see the sick man and administer 

 the last consolations of religion. He hoped to find the 

 horse which had so astonished the Nasquapee two days 

 before, but if he did not succeed, he would have to make 

 the journey on foot and return to Seven Islands in time 

 for morning service at eight. Fortunately the horse was 

 seen about two miles from the lodge, near the beach in 

 the direction of the Moisie. 



Pere Arnaud caught him, and availed himself of the 

 animal's services, much to the astonishment of the Nas- 

 quapee, who ran to see the extraordinary spectacle of a 

 man mounting a horse and galloping away on his back. 

 The poor Indian laughed, shouted, and danced with 

 delight, expressing in a loud voice his admiration of both 

 rider and steed. Pere Arnaud reached the Moisie 

 settlements at 10 P.M. The night was dark and stormy, 

 yet he crossed the broad Moisie Bay in a bark canoe, 

 durin^ a storm of wind and rain, administered the last 



C 1 



sacraments to the dying man, recrossed the bay, 



