CHAP. XXVIII. WINTER LIFE OF THE INDIANS. 121 



commencement of December, even from the heights of Hudson's 

 Straits. While at present the deer are extremely scarce, 

 porcupine almost wholly extinct, beaver very rarely to be got, 

 and the white partridge is seen only every third and fourth year, 

 starvation was in those days unknown both to Montagnais and 

 Nasquapees, but, these eighteen years past, some annually fall 

 victims. At the time when the porcupine were so very nume- 

 rous in the forest all over the country, and even in the woods 

 lining the sea-shore, an Indian would then consider 50 lbs. of 

 flour a superfluous weight to carry with him to the woods where 

 he intended to pass the winter, from his certainty of finding as 

 many porcupine as he chose to kill, and other animals fit for 

 food in pj-oportion ; but at present they have to carry in as much 

 flour as they can, and those who penetrate far inland must 

 carefully economise their provisions until such time as they 

 reach the large lakes where fish are to be found. Another and 

 very serious circumstance the Indian has to contend against, is 

 the yearly decline of the furied animals to what they formerly 

 have been. With all his labours, trapping and hunting, he 

 seldom can pay his debt at the Company's posts, and most 

 often only meets part of his expenses, which are yearly on the 

 increase. 



When leaving the coast for the interior, many families have 

 particular rivers to go up by, and often in a large body ; but 

 once a certain distance inland, the whole party break up and 

 disperse into bands of two and three families each to pass the 

 winter, and seldom see each other any more until spring ; but 

 before taking their final leave of each other a place is appointed 

 to meet, and he or they who first arrive at the prescribed 

 rendezvous (if having sufficient food to wait) keep about the 

 vicinity until the whole party collect; they then go to fetch 

 their canoes, wherever left when the cold sets in, and employ 

 themselves, some in making new canoes, others in repairing the 

 old ones, until such time as the ice breaks up in the large lakes, 

 and the waters subside in the rivers ; they then move off in a 

 fleet of canoes towards the sea, find generally make their 

 appearance at the coast about the latter end of June. 



