FOREST, LAKE, AND RIVER 



" Ah ! you 'av' de veesite from de Maid of de 

 Montagne. Sacre ! I 'ave her de promeese made 

 for long tam for work h'on de stump." 



" Oh ! you have, have you ? Well, she left 

 word that you were to come at once or she would 

 get Angus McTavish to do it." 



" She giv' dat word ? She go got dat tam An- 

 goose for work. No, nevare ! I go for do dat 

 work tout de suite. You see dat gal, well, she 

 verra fine h'ole gal. I go for marry her when she 

 'av' de Ian' h'all clear. To-morrow I h'ax you 

 for leave me go." 



" But, Charlo, you were to stay with me for 

 another week ? " 



" Wal you h'ax anuder man h'on de settlemen' 

 for go wid you." 



As any further argument seemed useless, I let it 

 go at that. In the morning we paddled down the 

 river to the three or four log-houses that consti- 

 tuted the settlement, and Charlo departed after 

 consigning me to M'sieu MacDonald. To my 

 inquiry of the latter as to a man who knew the 

 river and could paddle a canoe, MacDonald 

 replied : 



** Angus McTavish is the mon. He kens the 

 reever fine. If he 's no at the Maid's, you '11 find 

 him at his ain hoose doun the river." 



300 



