BULLETS AND THEIE BILLETS 



work had been extended as long into the 

 autumn as the Chief dared; now they 

 were hurrying back, by forced marches, 

 to gain the coast before the freezing up 

 of the lakes and rivers. Breaking camp 

 one morning at sunrise, a portage of five 

 miles was made to navigable water, and 

 there Bastien discovered that his 

 sheath-knife, indispensable companion 

 of such journeyings, had been left at the 

 last sleeping-place. Time was far too 

 precious to allow him to return, so after 

 searching to see if it had not been stowed 

 somewhere in the scanty packs, he was 

 compelled to embark without it. A long 

 day of travelling advanced the party 

 fifty miles, bringing them to the junc- 

 tion of the stream they had been 

 descending with a larger river. Here 

 they found a band of Indians encamped, 

 on the way to winter hunting-grounds. 

 After the custom of the race, a member 

 of the band was " making medicine" to 

 discover whither they should direct 



194 



