378 AUDUBON 



not sell it. The chief of the party proves to be well in- 

 formed, and speaks French so as to be understood. He is 

 a fine-looking fellow of about forty; has a good-looking 

 wife and fine babe. His brother is also married, and has 

 several sons from fourteen to twenty years old. When 

 we landed the men came to us, and after the first saluta- 

 tions, to my astonishment offered us some excellent rum. 

 The women were all seated apart outside of the camp, 

 engaged in closing up sundry packages of provisions and 

 accoutrements. We entered a tent, and seated ourselves 

 round a cheerful fire, the smoke of which escaped through 

 the summit of the apartment, and over the fire two ket- 

 tles boiled. I put many questions to the chief and his 

 brother, and gained this information. The country from 

 here to the first settlement of the Hudson's Bay Co. is as 

 barren and rocky as that about us. Very large lakes of 

 great depth are met with about two hundred miles from 

 this seashore; these lakes abound in very large trout, carp, 

 and white fish, and many mussels, unfit to eat, which they 

 describe as black outside and purple within, and are no 

 doubt unios. Not a bush is to be met with, and the 

 Indians who now and then go across are obliged to carry 

 their tent poles with them, as well as their canoes; they 

 burn moss for fuel. So tedious is the travelling said 

 to be that not more than ten miles on an average per 

 day can be made, and when the journey is made in two 

 months it is considered a good one. Wolves and Black 

 Bear are frequent, no Deer, and not many Caribous ; not 

 a bird of any kind except Wild Geese and Brent about 

 the lakes, where they breed in perfect peace. When the 

 journey is undertaken in the winter, which is very seldom 

 the case, it is performed on snow-shoes, and no canoes 

 are taken. Fur animals are scarce, yet some few Beavers 

 and Otters are caught, a few Martens and Sables, and 

 some Foxes and Lynx, but every year diminishes their 

 numbers. The Fur Company may be called the exter- 



