JOURNEY TO THE NORTHERN OCEAN 97 



a committee of them entered my tent.* The ringleader seated 1770. 

 himself on my left-hand. They first begged me to lend them ' ^^^^ ' 

 my skipertogan t to fill a pipe of tobacco. After smoking two 

 or three pipes, they asked me for several articles which I had 

 not, and among others for a pack of cards ; but on my answer- 

 ing that I had not any of the articles they mentioned, one of 

 them put his hand on my baggage, and asked if it was mine. 

 Before I could answer in the affirmative, he and the rest of his 

 companions (six in number) had all my treasure spread on the 

 ground. One took one thing, and another another, till at last 

 nothing was left but the empty bag, which they permitted me 

 to keep. At length, considering that, though I was going to 

 the Factory, I should want a knife to cut my victuals, an awl to 

 mend my shoes, and a needle to mend my other clothing, they 

 readily gave me these articles, though not without making me 

 understand that I ought to look upon [49] it as a great favour. 

 Finding them possessed of so much generosity, I ventured to 

 solicit them for my razors ; but thinking that one would be 

 sufficient to shave me during my passage home, they made no 

 scruple to keep the other ; luckily they chose the worst. To 

 complete their generosity, they permitted me to take as much 

 soap as I thought would be sufficient to wash and shave me 

 during the remainder of my journey to the Factory. 



They were more cautious in plundering the Southern 

 Indians, as the relation of such outrages being committed on 

 them might occasion a war between the two nations ; but they 

 had nothing of that kind to dread from the English. How- 

 ever, the Northern Indians had address enough to talk my 

 home-guard Indians out of all they had : so that before we 



* This only consisted of three walking-sticks stuck into the ground, and a 

 blanket thrown over them. 



t Skipertogan is a small bag that contains a flint and steel, also a pipe and 

 tobacco, as well as touchwood, &c. for making a fire. Some of these bags may 

 be called truly elegant ; being richly ornamented with beads, porcupine-quills, 

 moose-hair, Sec. a work always performed by the women ; and they are, with 

 much propriety, greatly esteemed by most Europeans for the neatness of their 

 workmanship. 



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