THE INDIANS 189 
Near Bersimis, some two hundred and twenty miles below 
Quebec, three large rivers converge to the coast, and all 
receive their customary families in the fall. The Mani- 
quagan is the chief of these, being ascended during recent 
years by as many as seventy families. Near and parallel 
with this is the more difficult Outardes River, named 
by the Indians Pletipi, “ Partridge-water,”’ from its chief 
lake. Many of its hunters ascend the Maniquagan some 
two hundred miles to the lakes, and cross to their own river 
by a toilsome portage route. A few pass directly up the 
Outardes. With the burden of provisions now necessary 
to the hunting of these rivers, the way up such a difficult 
stream as the Pletipi becomes peculiarly hard. Still, for 
these people, whatever their age or condition, there is 
little choice, — inland they must go, to their own lands. 
A party on the way up river was camped above the first 
portage a few years ago when the writer passed down. 
A bright old withered woman appeared at the landing, 
her husband, older and blind, standing close with his staff. 
Two children showed their heads from the bushes near 
the piled supplies, peering at the strange canoe. A small 
dog barked not far away, a shot followed, and soon, carry- 
ing a partridge, a young man came from that direction 
and joined the conversation which our Indians had begun. 
They were going to the large lake Pletipi on the head of 
the river. It would take a long time, all the fall; and they 
thought game to live on would be more plenty along the 
Pletipishtuk than on the other river where so many families 
travelled. They were cheerful enough, though with virtu- 
ally only one effective pair of arms to fend for all. 
In a country of such scanty resources and physical 
