ADVENTURES IN LOUISIANA. 175 



round, a square foot of dry land to make your 

 fire onl" 



To say the truth, we did not altogether like the 

 company we had fallen amongst. These Yankee 

 squatters bore in general but an indifferent character. 

 They were said to fear neither God nor man, to trust 

 entirely to their axe and their rifle, and to be little 

 scrupulous in questions of property ; in short, to be 

 scarce less wild and dangerous than the Indians 

 themselves. 



The Yankee who had hitherto acted as spokesman, 

 and who seemed to be in some way or other the chief 

 of the party, was a man apparently near sixty years 

 of age, upwards of six feet high, thin in person, but 

 with such bone and muscle as indicated great strength 

 in the possessor. His features were keen and sharp ; 

 his eye like a falcon's ; his bearing and manners 

 bespoke an exalted opinion of himself, and (at least 

 as far as we Avere concerned) a tolerable degree of 

 contempt for others. His dress consisted of a jacket 

 of skins, secured round the waist by a girdle, in 

 Avhich Avas stuck a long knife ; leather breeches, a 

 straAV hat Avithout a brim, and mocassins. His com- 

 panion Avas similarly accoutred. 



" Where is Martin ? " cried Carleton. 



"Do you mean the Acadian lad Avho brought us 

 to you?" 



"The same." 



The Yankee pointed toAvards the smoke. " Yonder, 



