POACHERS 113 



were a few struggles and the fish got off. He had 

 struck too much towards the tail. Speaking 

 quietly in Indian, I said: "Your sight is bad, 

 William !" He turned as if he had been shot at, 

 and so surprised that I thought he was going to 

 fall in the river. He stared at me, utterly unable 

 to speak. "Give me your spear," I continued, 

 "and pick up your two salmon and come away 

 home." Without saying a word, he obeyed. 

 With my knife I cut away the fastenings of the 

 jaws and handle of the spear and threw them into 

 the river, keeping only the middle steel point. 

 In the meantime he had placed his two fish in a 

 bag and had them on his back. To show that I 

 was absolutely confident I led the way and he fol- 

 lowed. On arriving at the hill there was another 

 surprise party for the other chap. He was a 

 Trinity Bay Indian named "Bajou," (Big 

 Cheeks). I went up to him, and laying my hand 

 on his shoulder, said: "You are my prisoner, 

 come on down!" We went down the hill, where 

 the canoe was hid in a clump of alders. It was 

 put in the water and I took a comfortable seat in 

 the middle, making them paddle me home. On 

 the way, William found his tongue and asked, 

 "What are you going to do about us?" I an- 

 swered that I did not know yet, that I would con- 

 sult the superintendent first. After the return 

 journey I took the two salmon and carried them 

 to tne Chief, explaining how they had been ille- 

 gally taken, and that I hoped he would see this 



