The Life-history of an Indian. 145 



or other belongings of her vi6Hm. Asked for his name 

 on one occasion by a traveller, the boy smiled in a half- 

 sly, half-silly manner, and pretended not to understand, 

 so the stranger called him PETER SIMPLE, or otherwise 

 Peter, which he adopted and always afterwards gave to 

 outsiders as his proper name. This visitor was the first 

 white man he had seen, but the boy, although a little shy, 

 shewed no fear of him and but little wonder at his 

 belongings. 



Very little gossip went on in the settlement. Hardly 

 anything was said beyond the few sentences ne- 

 cessary to describe their wants and hunting experi- 

 ences. Now and again one of the community went 

 to Georgetown and brought back such luxuries as 

 pins and needles, axes, knives, and perhaps a gun. He 

 would describe his adventures and show his acquisitions 

 to the little crowd, who examined everything quietly and 

 listened to his story, now and again giving a few grunts 

 of satisfa6lion. They were no doubt interested, but to a 

 stranger appeared almost indifferent. That the boys 

 were impressed by these rare events is shown by the 

 fa6l that they sometimes played at returning from town, 

 imitating the arrival in a canoe, and enumerating the 

 various articles brought. They were however, so effec- 

 tually moulded by their inherited charaflers and sur- 

 roundings that outside impressions had very little in- 

 fluence beyond those of the moment. 



Life was a serious thing to the boy. His highest 

 ambition never went beyond the present, for the 

 procuring of food was of such great importance as 

 to dominate everything else. Around him he saw bis 

 father and other men skilful hunters and fishers, and he 



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