FIRE-WATER. 75 



giving fire-water, and our lodge was soon crowded with 

 importunate guests. To end the matter, we sent them 

 off with what remained in the little keg, all they 

 actually knew that we possessed, for w^e had kept the 

 cask in the cart hidden securely out of their sight. In 

 about two hours all returned, more or less intoxicated 

 and the infernal clamour re-commenced with ten- 

 fold importunity. First one fellow thrust a marten 

 skin into our hands, another two or three fish, while 

 a third, attempting to strip off" his shirt for sale, fell 

 senseless into the arms of his squaAV. The demand 

 was the same with all, and incessant : " Isquitayoo 

 arpway! isquitayoo arpway!" (Fire-water! fire-water!) 

 Hour after hour we sat smoking our pipes w^ith an air 

 of unconcern we did not feel, and refusing all requests. 

 Afternoon came, and the scene still continued. We 

 dared not leave the lodge, lest they should search the 

 carts and discover our store. 



Wearily passed the time till darkness came on, and 

 still the crowd sat round, and still the same request 

 w^as dinned into our ears. But we were thoroughly 

 determined not to give way, and at last they began to 

 conclude we were inexorable, and di'opped off one by 

 one, immensely disgusted with our meanness. In the 

 dead of night we stealthily aros6, and La Eonde went 

 out to reconnoitre the position of the Indians. None 

 were near, and all was perfectly still. We now pro- 

 ceeded, with the greatest caution, to remove the cask 

 from its hiding-place, and La Eonde and Bruneau 

 went off to cache it safely at some distance. They 

 returned before daylight, very cold and wet, having 



