258 TEAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



pying their lands. Promises were made to them that 

 their head men should receive suitable presents ; but 

 that as we were pressed extremely for time, and would 

 have great difficulty in carrying enough supplies with 

 us to last during our tedious journey, they must not 

 expect to receive them from the soldiers this year; 

 that the officer who was then representing Canada at 

 Fort Francis would arrange all particulars as to the 

 quantities of things they were to be given, and when 

 and where they were to receive them. 



They said they would go back and inform their 

 friends of what had been told them, and in the 

 meantime we were welcome to help ourselves to as 

 much wood and water along the line of route as we 

 might require daily. 



These representatives of the once flourishing tribe 

 of Ojibewahs or Chippewahs, as they are indiffer- 

 ently called were fine straight -looking men, and 

 moved about with a certain dignity of bearing. 

 Never but once did any of them express astonish- 

 ment at what they saw, when the oldest of the party, 

 after long and silent contemplation of the busy scene 

 at our crowded wharf, said, "What a number of 

 white men there must be in the world ! " They were 

 told to help themselves to a suit of clothes each 

 from a shop which an enterprising tradesman had 

 established near camp ; and, with the usual childish- 

 ness and improvidence of their race, they seemed to 

 select those articles which, of all others, were least 



