248 AT OF CHALEl'R. 



event of the year. The Mission is decorated with sprnce 

 boughs, particularly the chapel, which is really very taste- 

 fully ornamented. After service St. Anne's bones are 

 carried about in a birch-bark box, followed by every man, 

 woman, aud child in the Mission in their gayest costumes. 

 The procession is enlivened by a hurdy-gurdy, a couple of 

 fiddles, and an incessant discharge of musketry, for every 

 man and boy carries his firelock on his shoulder, and burns 

 his half-pound of powder in honour of his patron saint. 

 Afterwards they dance, and smoke, and chatter, and enjoy 

 their festivities more thoroughly, perhaps, than we enjoy 

 any of our conventional amusements. 



These Indians are not decreasing in numbers, but the 

 admixture of white blood is so great that there are few 

 full-blooded Micmacs. Children with blue eyes and light 

 curly hair are not an uncommon sight in their camps. 

 They are, or were not long ago, divided into two parties, 

 under the respective leadership of Sam Soap and Peter 

 Basket. The latter personage, some twenty years ago, went 

 to London as ambassador from his tribe to Queen Victoria, 

 to obtain redress for Indian lands that had been appro- 

 priated by the whites. Being unsuccessful in his mission, 

 and making some friends in England, who showed him the 

 Lion, he remained in that country for fifteen years, living 

 at his ease. But all this time he had a longing for the 

 Restigouche, for the smoky wigwam, for the salmon spear- 

 ing, for the hunting, and the freedom of a savage life. So 

 uncontrollable these feelings grew, that getting a sum of 

 money from his patrons he started off, and arrived safely 

 at the well-remembered wigwam. The old squaw was en- 

 gaged at her household duties when her husband entered. 



