THE CANADA GROUSE. 109 



It was evident by their dress and looks that we had dis- 

 turbed their repose, for they appeared as if they had 

 jumped hurriedly out of bed, and were delighted to find 

 that their yisitors were nothing more dangerous than a 

 small party of wandering whites. We gave them to un- 

 derstand that we were out after game, and asked if any 

 was to be found in that region, and one, who seemed to 

 be the spokesman, replied: ""heap, heap." Having said 

 this, which he thought was enough, all returned to their 

 wickiups, like so many dusky spectres, and we wended 

 our way back to the fire. After a quiet smoke, we rolled 

 ourselves up in our blankets, pointed our feet towards 

 the fire, and gave ourselves over to the god of sleep. We 

 were awake before dawn, and had breakfast stowed away 

 before the first glimmering of light appeared in the east- 

 ern horizon. We had scarcely partaken of it before some 

 of the red men called on us to beg for tobacco, but as we 

 did not like to give to one without giving to all, we re- 

 fused them point blank, though we promised to give half 

 a pound of "plug" and a dollar a day to any one of them 

 who v/ould act as a guide. 



A strapping young fellow stepped forward on hearing 

 this, and as he spoke some English, and understood 

 more, we accepted his services. At his suggestion we 

 hitched up the team and drove five miles further on, un- 

 til we were within hearing of the hoarse roar of the sea, 

 and there halted under the lee of a high bank, and in 

 the midst of a forest of gigantic firs and spruces, whose 

 tops seemed to kiss the clouds, while they were so dense 

 that we could not see forty yards ahead in some places. 

 It did not take us long to put up our tent, though there 

 was much discussion as to which side the door ought to 

 face; and one man Avas taunted for being so dead in love 

 with the poles that he would not move away from tliem. 

 The same individual afterwards displayed as much fear 

 of going near the water as a dog suffering from hydrophor 



