32 THE LABRADOE PENINSULA. chap. xxii. 



pointing to different directions of the compass, tlien to 

 himself, then particularly to the west, and at the same 

 time accompanying his address with such admirable signs 

 tliat, although I could understand but very few of the 

 words he was saying, it was evident he spoke of his 

 coming to Seven Islands Bay from a great distance, that 

 ]iis party when he arrived consisted of some fifteen 

 persons, that six or seven had died, four gone to the 

 west again, and four remained behind : the numbers 

 he represented by holding up his fingers. After a long 

 speech he sank down again on the sand and looked at the 

 rising tide, paying no attention to my second offer of the 

 tobacco-pouch. 



I returned to the mission determined to get an in- 

 terpretation of the long speech he had made. This 

 was effected in the following manner : — A young Mon- 

 tagnais who could speak English well, and who went 

 with Pere Arnaud up the Manicouagan Eiver, came after 

 nightfall to biing me a map he had di^awn, and I told 

 him about Otelne. ' Oh ! ' said he, ' it is nothing ; he has 

 been dreaming.' 



' Dreammg ? ' said I ; ' what do you mean ? ' 



' I mean he has been thinking about his own country : 

 he and the other Nasquapees often do it ; they want to get 

 back.' 



' Can you bring Otelne to my tent,' I said, ' and 

 interpret the long speech he made to me ? ' 



' Certainly,' he repHed. ' Ask Otelne to have a cup of 

 tea and a little molasses, and he will tell his speech over 

 again.' 



' Will he tell it truthfully ? ' I asked. 



