THE MONTAGNAIS INDIANS 



twelve miles and fall 302 feet sheer, and 

 explored Lake Michikamau. From the Ham- 

 ilton River he ascended the Attikonak, 

 and, by way of the Romaine and the St. John 

 Rivers, descended to the Gulf of St. Law- 

 rence. 



Yet after all the greater part of this interior 

 of Labrador is a vast wilderness, still unspoiled 

 by the whites, still a happy hunting-ground for 

 the Indians. The Eskimos, true sea-dogs that 

 they are, keep to the sea-coast, except in the 

 far north beyond the Koksoak River. Of the 

 Indians there are two main tribes in Labrador, 

 divisions of the Cree branch of the great 

 Algonquin family. North of the Hamilton 

 River dwell the Nascaupees, while south of this 

 grand natural boundary the Montagnais or 

 Mountaineers have their migratory homes. 

 Besides these is the small tribe of coastal 

 Indians of Hudson Bay. 



Originally dwelling further to the west these 

 Algon quins were gradually driven east and 

 north during the i6th and iyth centuries by 

 the terrible Iroquois, whose name even now 

 strikes terror to their hearts and serves as a 

 bogey to frighten their children. The Iroquois 



151 



