1/6 The Home of the Wolverene and Beaver. 



his companions quite exhausted with the hard 

 work, Ross seized a roll of tobacco, and started off 

 to carry it himself. By the time the top of the first 

 steep bank was reached, the severe nature of his 

 self-imposed task became apparent, and he stood 

 recovering his breath, when an Indian passed, to 

 whom he offered all the buttons on his coat if he 

 would convey the parcel across in safety. After 

 some demur the fellow acceded, and catching up 

 the roll, started off at speed, Mr. Ross following 

 him as best he could ; but when they had arrived 

 nearly at the other end, the Indian pitched the 

 parcel down a precipice two hundred feet in height, 

 and left the white man to recover it as best he could. 

 Mr. Ross had nothing left for it but to scramble 

 down first, and then scramble up with the tobacco 

 on his shoulders, during which performance he was 

 greeted with roars of laughter by the Indian and 

 by some fifty of his tribe, whom he had summoned 

 to witness the success of his little joke ; but what 

 added insult to injury was that the rascal insisted 

 on being paid, and claimed the buttons, which, 

 rather than embroil the party with the natives, 

 Mr. Ross gave tip. 



" You admire beautiful scenery, I know, Monsieur 

 Paul, therefore I shall tell you about the falls of the 

 Columbia River. I was there myself for many 



