116 THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE BY LAND. 



enoTigli, for it was impossible to be dull with such a 

 lively, light-hearted companion as Misquapamayoo. 

 This may perhaps be thought strange when it is stated 

 that Cheadle, when he set out, did not know more 

 than two or three words of the Cree language. Yet 

 this very circumstance was a prolific source of amuse- 

 ment, and nothing delighted the boy more than to 

 instruct his companion, falling into fits of laughter at 

 his mispronunciations and mistakes. The easy manner 

 in which communication was carried on between 

 the two, each ignorant of the other's language, w^as 

 very astonishing. But Misquapamayoo appeared to 

 divine by instinct what was required, and it seemed 

 difficult to believe at first that he really did not under- 

 stand a word of English. The perceptions of an 

 Indian are so nice, his attention so constantly on the 

 alert, and his conclusions so rapidly formed, that he 

 draws inferences from general signs with great readi- 

 ness and accuracy. 



The wolverine had renewed his visits along the 

 line of traps, and broken all which had been re- 

 constructed, devouring the animals which had been 

 caught. Cheadle now adopted a device which he 

 flattered himself would catch the enemy in his own 

 toils. All the broken traps were repaired and set 

 again, and poisoned baits substituted for the ordinary 

 ones in the traps — not in every instance, but here and 

 there along the line. 



The forest in which w^e hunted commenced on the 

 further side of our lake, stretching aw^ay to the north' 

 apparently indefinitely. This was broken only by 



