60 My Dogs in the Northland 



pounds of tea for some fish and rabbits, and 

 I lived on them, in place of the supplies the 

 native dogs had appropriated to themselves. 

 After some days' visit here, the journey was 

 resumed and, after varied experience, gener- 

 ally more annoying than pleasant, with 

 these hired dogs, on the day appointed we 

 reached the village of the Indians with 

 whom the council was to be held. 



The natives who had visited me had evi- 

 dently returned with glowing accounts of 

 their interview. We found the people in a 

 very excited condition and eager to hear 

 what the " blackcoat " had to say to them 

 on this all-important question. 



They gave us a salute from all of their 

 guns that were available, and freely offered 

 us the pipe from their own mouths. Never 

 having acquired the " fumigatory art," I 

 was obliged to transfer the calumets to my 

 men, and have them do all of the smoking 

 expected of me, as by proxy. Singular to 

 relate, this my men were ever willing and 

 even anxious to do for me. 



Our first important duties after the noisy 

 welcomes were over and the pipes had been 

 duly passed around, was to secure our sleds 

 with their important loads. My Indian 



