108 THROUGH CANADA 



victims, and the forest fire was the type of her 

 dwelling-place. 



Despite this repulsive side of the Indian's 

 character, there were phases that belonged to another 

 category. Their courage was boundless, and they 

 ranked bravery above life itself. They suffered in 

 absolute silence, and marched to their enemies' 

 fortified positions, knowing that it meant certain 

 death. 



Their sense of honour at times was so great that 

 the perfidy of members of a tribe was regarded as a 

 disgrace. On one occasion when inter-tribal terms 

 were under discussion an old chief was known to 

 commit suicide on discovering a serious breach of 

 good faith on the part of one of his companions. 



There was a native poetry in Huron life that 

 might have seemied promising soil for the growth of 

 " sweeter manners, nobler laws." They believed that 

 nature was peopled with spirits. Tales must not be 

 told in summer-time, when the spirits were listening 

 and might take offence. Such recitals must be 

 reserved until nature was locked in ice and snow and 

 their ears were deaf. The thunder was a bird which 

 caused the lightings to flash in opening and closing 

 its wings. The violence of the storms was nothing 

 more than the clamour of the young brood in their 

 nests, and its mutterings the stooping of the clouds 

 towards the earth to gather up snakes. Their escha- 

 tology made its appeal to the heroic temperament. 



