MONTAGNAIS INDIANS. 21 



The following day was bright and showery by turns, but the 

 heart's wish of our Grand River men was granted, and while the 

 schooner lay off the shoals at the mouth of the river they were 

 to make famous, they started as will be described, and the rest 

 of the expedition turned towards North West River, hoping 

 they, too, could now get down to their real work. 



The noble little vessel was reluctant to leave any of her freight 

 in so desolate a place, in such frail boats as the Rushtons 

 seemed, and in the calm between the thunder squalls, several 

 times turned towards them, as they energetically pushed up the 

 river's mouth, and seemed to call them back as she heavily 

 flapped her white sails. They kept steadily on, however, while 

 the Julia, bowing to a power stronger than herself, and to a 

 fresh puff from the rapidly rising thunder heads, speedily 

 reached North West River. 



North West River is a sportsman's paradise. Here we found 

 the only real summer weather of the trip, the thermometer 

 reaching j6 ° F. on two days in succession, and thunder storms 

 occurring regularly every afternoon. Our gunners and fisher- 

 men were tempted off on a long trip. One party planning to 

 be away two or three days, but returning the following morning, 

 reported tracks and sounds of large animals. They said the 

 rain induced them to return so soon. 



Here we found a camp of Montagnais Indians, bringing the 

 winter's spoils of furs to trade at the post for flour and powder, 

 and the other articles of civilization that they are slowly learning 

 to use. They loaf on their supplies during the summer, hunting 

 only enough to furnish themselves with meat, and then starve 

 during the winter if game happens to be scarce. Measurements 

 were made of some twenty-five of this branch of the Kree tribe, 

 hitherto unknown to anthropometric science, and a full collection 

 of household utensils peculiar to their tribe was procured. 

 Several of the Nascopee tribe were with them, the two inter- 

 marrying freely, and were also measured. The latter are not 

 such magnificent specimens of physical development as the 

 Montagnais, but their tribe is more numerous and seems, if 

 anything, better adapted to thrive in Labrador than their more 

 attractive brothers. 



