MEETING OF THE WILD MEN 171 



along in a kind of a trotting walk, while Athabasca held the 

 reins. The morning being a fine sunny one, and the trees 

 being draped and festooned with snow, the scene was so beauti- 

 ful when we got into the thicker woods that it made one think 

 of fairyland. A couple of fluffy little whiskey jacks followed 

 us all the way there and back, just as though they wanted to 

 see and hear every thing that was going on; but those little 

 meddlers of the northwoods must have been disappointed, 

 for both Athabasca and I were not only too shy to talk, but too 

 bashful even to sit upright; in fact, we both leaned so far 

 away from one another that we each hung over our side of the 

 trap, and did nothing but gaze far off into the enchanted wood. 

 We must have been gone nearly two hours when the house 

 again came into view. Yes, I enjoyed it. It was so romantic. 

 But what I couldn't understand was why her parents allowed 

 her to go with me, when they were already counting on "Son- 

 in-law" marrying her. It was certainly a mystery to me. 

 However, that afternoon I left for Fort Consolation. 



BACK TO FORT CONSOLATION 



On my way across the lake I noticed that the wind was 

 veering round toward the east and that the temperature was 

 rising. When I arrived in good time for supper Factor 

 Mackenzie seemed relieved, and remarked that the barometer 

 indicated a big storm from the northeast. That night, in 

 front of the big open fire, we talked of the fur trade. Among 

 other books and papers he showed me was a copy of the Com- 

 pany's Deed Poll; not published a century ago, but printed 

 at the time of which I am writing, and thus it read: 



"To all whom these presents shall come, The Governor 

 and Company of Adventurers of England Trading into Hud- 

 son's Bay send greeting. Whereas His Majesty King Charles 

 the Second did, by His Royal Charter, constitute the Governor 



