214 CANADIAN NIGHTS 



might keep, but the viands would not. The 

 bride and bridegroom bore their disappointment 

 with a philosophical composure to be found only 

 among people who attach no value whatever to 

 time. In answer to our condolence they replied, 

 " Oh, no matter ; mebbe he come next steamer, 

 mebbe in two, three months, mebbe not come till 

 next year," and dismissed the subject as though 

 it were a matter of no importance whatever to 

 them. 



We tried hard to obtain the services of some 

 able-bodied Joe, but they were all bent on going 

 into the woods to hunt beaver on their own 

 account, and nothing would induce any of the 

 men to take service with us. We might have had 

 our pick of the women, and we regretted after- 

 wards that we had not engaged a couple of girls. 

 They are just as well acquainted with the country 

 as the men ; they can paddle a canoe and do all 

 that a man can, except carry loads, and are able 

 to fulfil certain duties that a man cannot — for 

 instance, they can cook, tan hides, and wash and 

 mend clothes. We often regretted afterwards that 

 we had gone into the country without a guide. 

 The Joes would not give our Indians any accurate 

 instructions, and although an Indian in St. John's 



