468 PILFERING HABITS OF THE INDIANS. 



to us with a few fish, ostensibly for the purpose 

 of exchanging them for tobacco with the voy- 

 ageurSy but in reality to pilfer anything they 

 could conveniently carry away. However, they 

 were narrowly watched ; and nothing was missed 

 until at the moment of starting, when one of our 

 Iroquois, leaping on shore, went directly up to 

 an elderly Sauteaux, who was quietly seated on 

 a rock, pushed him aside, and discovered his hat, 

 which the old fellow had dexterously contrived 

 to secrete under his dress. This detection so an- 

 noyed him, that when the canoe was pushed off 

 from the land he began pelting us with stones, 

 but desisted on my holding up my hand in token 

 of disapprobation. 



The river Kaministiquoyawas found so shallow 

 that three or four of the crew were obliged to walk 

 along the banks ; and in attempting to make a 

 short cut through the woods they got bewildered. 

 After endeavouring for a short time in vain to 

 recover the track by which they had entered, 

 one of the number climbed a pine-tree, in the 

 hope of descrying the river; but unfortunately, in 

 grasping one of the topmost branches, he uncon- 

 sciously disturbed a wasp's nest, suspended just 

 above his head ; and so instantaneous and fierce 

 was the attack upon his face and eyes, that the 

 poor fellow tumbled, rather than came down, co- 

 vered with stings, and vociferating loudly for as- 



