INDIANS VERSUS SETTLERS. 79 



Some dry driftwood, collected no doubt by the Indian, 

 furnished fuel, and in a very short time the three trap- 

 pers were seated round the cheerful blaze, engaged in 

 the pleasant task of appeasing appetites sharpened by 

 long fasting as well as by exertion. 



" Wai, I guess this is a snug location now," said Jake, 

 casting an eye round the cavern, which was not so 

 large as to impress its occupants with a sense of dis- 

 comfort. "Them Injuns ur great at finding out the 

 best places in the woods. I niver seed an Injun camp 

 in an oncomfortable spot ; an' the critturs hev an eye 

 for beauty too they hev so. Ef they kin, they a'most 

 allus pitches thur camp in a nice, cool, green place, 

 with timmer an' water at hand, an' a nice view at that." 



"With such taste for the picturesque," said Pierre, 

 " they are certainly less savage than many of the old 

 country settlers who come among us. They do not 

 seem to have taste of any kind ; and I am sure that 

 with regard to manners, the Indian is infinitely their 

 superior." 



"That's true for you," said Jake; "but I reckon, 

 to git a raal Injun, one must leave the frontier behind. 

 Thur's a class o' whites along the border as cud teach 

 the devil himself wickedness he didn't know afore, an' 

 the Injuns are apt to larn all that's bad they sees. 

 Yer raal wild Injun's a gentleman that is, when he 

 likes to be. On the war-trail, though, I calc'late thur 

 all alike." 



"I don't know that we're any better at that time 



