404 DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS. 



another division, if it may so be called, of class, 

 occurred, for in speaking of a house abstractedly one 

 term would be used, but when speaking of it in 

 connection with anything in or about it a new 

 expression became necessary. 



Mons. Pharoux drew a broad line of demarcation 

 between the characters of the two races. "The 

 Crees," said he, " are quick in comprehension, seizing 

 an idea with readiness, but, like a muTor, they retain 

 the impression so long only as the matter is before 

 them, and the consequence is it has in a short time 

 to be entirely re-explained. The Chipewyans, on the 

 contrary, are very slow (not dull) of comprehension, 

 and preserve a greater impassibility of expression ; so 

 that often, after explaining a point of difficulty, one 

 would dismiss them with the idea that they could 

 not understand it, but would find, on questioning 

 them afterwards, even at six months' distance of time, 

 that they had either understood the subject at once 

 or had pondered over it until perfect comprehension 

 was arrived at, and that the impression of the matter 

 was, moreover, a lasting one." 



I was told here of an Indian of the Beaver tribe, 

 who, after having experienced with many others the 

 horrors of starvation in 1849, visited in the spring of 

 the following year the fort at Dunvegen. The 



