02 FORT CONFIDENCE. 



which these people act towards each in regard to 

 provisions. The venison intended for us Avas 

 neatly packed on the sledges, but each Indian 

 generally carried a kind of knapsack on his 

 shoulders, containing some choice pieces of meat 

 to be consumed on the journey back to his tent. 

 The sharp eyes of the hungry party at the en- 

 campment discovered the approach of strangers 

 while yet at a great distance, and the rumour of 

 an arrival spreading with rapidity, men, women 

 and children crowded into the square of the fort. 

 The first act of the new-comers was to run the 

 loaded sledges at once into the store-house, which 

 was opened to receive them ; but as they arrived 

 in succession, the women from the camp generally 

 pressed in, and throwing their arms round a young 

 hunter, with much kindness of manner would say 

 to him, "It is long since we have seen you, my 

 relation ; how have you fared since we met ? You 

 are a generous man ! " and so on. While his 

 attention was thus engaged, and before he could 

 free himself from the unwashed sirens, whose 

 unwonted softness of speech led him to suspect 

 either ridicule or plunder, one of the females 

 having cut the strings of his knapsack would 

 carry it off, amidst the laughter of the crowd. 

 The young fellow, thus despoiled of his provisions, 

 however much he might be vexed in secret, was 



