CHAP, xxiii. THE CONJURORS FALLS. 43 



sionally sending an arrow with fatal effect at those 

 who were bold enough to sliow themselves. The Mon- 

 tagnais, sure of their prey, contented themselves with 

 singing their songs of triiniiph. The Micmac chief and 

 conjuror suddenly jumped upon the rock behind v/hicli 

 he was hidden, and approached the Montagnais, telling 

 them to shoot. But the Montagnais wanted their prisoner 

 alive, so they let their arrows rest. The conjuror next 

 threw away his bow and arrows, and invited them to come 

 and attack him with their knives. The Montagnais 

 chief, anxious to display his courage, rose from his con- 

 cealment, knife in hand, and, throwing away his bow and 

 arrows, sprang towards the Micmac, who, to the amaze- 

 ment of all beholders, retreated towards the edge of the 

 rock overhanging the falls, thus drawing his enemy on, 

 when, with sudden spring, he locked him in a fatal 

 embrace, and, struggling towards the edge of the preci- 

 pice, leaped witli a shout of triumph into the foaming 

 waters, and was instantly swept away over the tremendous 

 cataract, which has since borne the name of the Conjuror's 

 or the Manitousin Falls. 



The Micmacs or Souriquois have played no unimportant 

 part in the history of the Labrador Peninsula, especially 

 in that portion of it which was formerly known as the 

 country of the Bersiamits, a Montagnais tribe, whose 

 lodges were grouped on the Bersiamits Eiver, and on 

 other tributaries to the estuary as far east as the Mingan 

 Islands. The hunting-grounds of the Micmac nation, in 

 the year 1600, extended over Nova Scotia, New Bruns- 

 wick, and part of the Gaspe Peninsula in Canada. Their 

 nimibers were estimated at 3,500. They entertained a 



