206 LOST IN THE WILDERNESS 



ed in gin ! The bucket on the peg was full of it, 

 and so was our tea kettle, which I think we just 

 removed in time to prevent it from catching fire. 

 Everyone got up and had a good laugh at our ex- 

 pense and our parting was not quiet as we had 

 anticipated. 



<K0usttt Militant 



In my early trapping days, I had an uncle living 

 at Three Rivers. He was well-to-do and his 

 three boys had the advantage of receiving a good 

 education. Two of them had availed themselves 

 of this opportunity, but William was lazy and fond 

 of a drink when he could get it and not over scru- 

 pulous as to how he got it either. He had learned 

 to read and write in French and English tolerably 

 well and chiefly made use of his little learning to 

 read novels. Indian and pirate stories, and a copy 

 of the Relation des Jesuites, which his father 

 owned, were his favorite books. He had also got 

 mixed up in some nasty scrapes which had given 

 his father considerable trouble. He was at that 

 time "sowing his wild oats," as they term it. 



Paying my relatives a visit one fall, my uncle 

 said to me: Alexander, I wish you would take 

 William down with you for the winter and teach 

 him how to hunt or shoot; anything to get him 

 away from here to cure him, if possible, of his 

 bad habits. I will give you all his expenses and 

 something over, if you will do so. I did not feel 



