142 



FOREST J.IFE IN ACADIE. 



with little to mark liis age save the grizzly hue jiervading 

 the long hair wliieli streamed over his broad shoulders, 

 and half concealed the faded epaulettes of red scalloped 

 cloth and l)ead-work. A necklace of l)eads hung round 

 his neck, and, suspended from it, a silver crucifix lay on 

 his bare expansive chest. His voice, as he welcomed us, 

 and beckoned us to the post of honour opposite to the 

 fire and fuithest from the door, though soft and melo- 

 dious, was deep-toned and most impressive. Williams, 

 our Indian, greeted and was greeted enthusiastically ; he 

 had found an old friend, the protector of his youth, 

 in whose hunting camps he had learnt all his science ; 

 the old squaw, too, was his aunt, whom he had not seen 

 for many years. 



The chief was engaged in dressing fox-skins : he had 

 shot no less than twenty-three within the week or two 

 preceding, and whilst we were in the camp a couple of 

 traders arrived, and treated with him for the purchase of 

 the whole, offering two dollars a-piece for the red foxes, 

 and five or six for the silver or cross-fox, of whicli there 

 were three very good specimens in the camp. The skin 

 of the fox is used for sleigh robes, ca\)H, and trimmings. 

 The valual)le black fox is occasionally shot or trapped by 

 the Indians, and the skin sold, according to condition 

 and season, from ten, even as higli as twenty pounds. 

 The coat of a good specimen of the black fox in winter 

 is of a beautiful jet black colour, the hair very long, soft, 

 and glossy ; and, as the animal runs past you in the sun- 

 shine on the pure snow, and a puff of wind ruffles the 

 long hair, it gleams like burnished sib er. Ita])pears that 

 the whole of the black fox-skins are exported to liussia, 

 and are there worn by the nobility round the neck, or as 



