202 LABRADOR 
over rough and swampy ground; but every man, down 
to the least, prefers to take his two pieces at once rather 
than make two trips. The downward trip from Mistassini 
in a light canoe takes about ten days. 
The unit of value here, as formerly in most of the north, 
is the “Made Beaver.” In 1898 a fair-sized actual skin 
was worth 2 MB. Prices were virtually a nominal matter; 
the people simply took down their furs and brought back 
their necessaries, with a share for the post. If for any rea- 
son a man did not have much fur to turn in, he was still 
taken care of, being at least furnished ammunition and 
other means of getting fur and food. 
The Mistassini people hunt chiefly to the north on the 
east main head water, the “ Nichicun side” of the country. 
Far from outside help, this region has a history of starva- 
tion. Fora long term of years, the deaths from starvation 
were more than from all other causes combined. For a 
time the district was abandoned. The fur game increased 
remarkably, tempting the people back, and about the year 
1906 new cases of starvation occurred. There is not much 
large game, and in the periodic seventh year, when rabbits 
‘fail, and perhaps the uncertain ptarmigan or “white par- 
tridge”’ does not come, the worst may follow. 
All the families of the southern slope now take in enough 
supplies to escape actual starvation. About the year 1904 
the large Etienne family, of Ste. Anne, transported about 
one-third the total amount they would naturally consume; 
and this may be taken as a fair example of the best half- 
breed practice. So large an amount can be moved only by 
stages. The canoe carries a load to the end of the stage 
of a few miles, and then drops back for another cargo. 
