328 THE MONTAGNAIS INDIANS AND THEIR FOLK-LORE 



less forest, they are the most polite and obliging of 

 servants. No domestic was ever more particular 

 about the comfort of her mistress than these Monta- 

 gnais are in promoting that of their patrons in camp 

 or canoe. They know every pool and almost every 

 springhole where fish are likely to be found in the 

 country to which they are accustomed ; and for the 

 appliances at their command it would be difficult to 

 find their superiors as chefs de cuisine. 



No small treat is in store for the epicure or an- 

 gler who places himself unreservedly in the hands of 

 a couple of these red men for a camping, canoeing, 

 and fishing excursion. As a rule they are perfectly 

 trustworthy, and few of them are given to making 

 rash promises. If to your anxious query, upon break- 

 ing camp in the morning, as to the prospect of the 

 day's sport either of your Indians ventures the reply, 

 " Tshika mitshonou matamek a-nootche-kashigatt" it 

 will not be their fault if you do not catch trout that 

 day. If " Nilta mitshonan ouananiche oua-batshe" is 

 what one of them remarks to the other over the even- 

 ing meal, you may thoroughly test the casting -line 

 destined for the morrow's use, and reasonably antic- 

 ipate as appetizing a fish dinner next day as ever was 

 served. Neither ouananiche nor trout, freshly caught 

 and fried with slices of bacon or salt pork, is to be 

 despised in the woods, but is not to be compared 

 with this fish well wrapped in leaves gathered for 

 the purpose by the Indians, and baked in the hot 

 embers ; and much less with one of either, split open, 

 skewered back flat with slips of willow, and roasted 

 at a stake stuck firmly in the ground before a clear, 



