HOSPITALITY OP MR. MACKENZIE. 285 



really rather unreasonable, for beaver meat is generally 

 esteemed a delicacy, though possessing a pecuhar 

 flavom-. I, at any rate, allowed myself no such foohsh 

 qualms, considering it preferable to my repasts of seal 

 and whale-flesh among the Tuski. 



Frost had now set in permanently, and ice com- 

 menced to drift in the Mackenzie towards the end of 

 the month, increasing day by day, and before the 1st 

 of November all but the main channel had frozen up. 

 We had little now to amuse or enliven, unless it was 

 created by ourselves. Fortunately a great treasure 

 was ours in the amusement afforded by a very good 

 violin belonging to Mr. Mac Kenzie ; and we were 

 thus enabled to have many a merry dance. Nor were 

 the pleasures of conversation altogether unprofitable. 

 I never tired of asking questions respecting the 

 country and tribes we had newly entered upon, and 

 gained much information from the intelhgent gentle- 

 man with whom I was located. Rich was he in store 

 of Indian legends, and no niggard in imparting his 

 knowledge. 



The following is one among the many tales with 

 which he whiled away the weary moments. I have 

 made a few slight alterations from his text, which was 

 given as narrated by the Salteaux tribe of Indians, in 

 communication with whom Mr. Mac Kenzie passed 



