62 LAKE SUPERIOR. 



"smudge."* One, whom scientific ardor tempted a little way up 

 the river in a canoe, after water-plants, came back a frightful spec- 

 tacle, with blood-red rings round his eyes, his face bloody, and covered 

 with punctures. The next morning his head and neck were swollen 

 as if from an attack of erysipelas. Mr. S. said he had never seen 

 the flies so thick. Year before last there were hardly any ; last year 

 .they increased very much, and this season went beyond all his ex- 

 perience in this region. He consoled us, however, by the information, 

 that it was nothing to what they have further north. On Macken- 

 zie's River, the brigades are sometimes stopped by the musquitoes, and 

 very often are able to advance only by having fires in the canoe. 



The little plain on which we were thus collected, presented a stir- 

 ring scene, with the buildings of the factory, the lodges, the white 

 tents, the figures crossing from one fire to another, the half-starved 

 Indian dogs prowUng about to pick up anything loose, and the Indian 

 women and children staring at the unwonted spectacle. The dogs 

 were small, and fox-like in their appearance, and perhaps take rather 

 after the foxes, since they bark, (contrary to what is said of Indian 

 dogs in general,) and like them in a high key. Even the crying of 

 the children had a wild, animal sound, resembling the barking of the 

 dogs. A bull and some cows, (N. B. Mr. Swanston sent us fresh 

 butter and milk, for tea,) and a robin hopping along the ground with 

 an occasional chirrup, gave it by comparison quite a home look. 



The hunters were most of them in the woods making canoes, and 

 preparing for the winter campaign. In August they come for sup- 

 plies of ammunition, &c.,and are gone until the weather becomes too 

 severe to be endured abroad. This is usually in January, but some- 

 times they do not come in until March. 



According to Mr. S. they generally remain attached to the post 

 of the district where they are born, obtaining their supplies on credit 

 and paying for them in skins. It is said that they are very 

 scrupulous about discharging their debts, and although they some- 

 times have credit for over ,£100 currency, yet these wild fellows, 

 whose notions of morality seem in most points so loose, and in the 



* Readers familiar with the Maine or New Hampshire woods, will know that a smudge 

 means a smoke made to drive away the flies. Green evergreen boughs, or damp lichen 

 thrown on the fire will make a good smudge. 



