THE CANADA GROUSE. 109 
It was evident by their dress and looks that we had dis- 
turbed their repose, for they appeared as if they had 
jumped hurriedly out of bed, and were delighted to find 
that their visitors were nothing more dangerous than a 
small party of wandering whites. We gave them to un- 
derstand that we were out after game, and asked if any 
was to be found in that region, and one, who seemed to 
be the spokesman, replied: “‘heap, heap.” Having said 
this, which he thought was enough, all returned to their 
wickiups, like so many dusky spectres, and we wended 
our way back to the fire. After a quiet smoke, we rolled 
ourselves up in our blankets, pointed our feet towards 
thé fire, and gave ourselves over to the god of sleep. We 
were awake before dawn, and had breakfast stowed away 
before the first glimmering of light appeared in the east- 
ern horizon. We had scarcely partaken of it before some 
of the red men called on us to beg for tobacco, but as we 
did not like to give to one without giving to all, we re- 
fused them point blank, though we promised to give half 
a pound of ‘‘ plug” and a dollar aday to any one of them 
who would act as a guide. 
A strapping young fellow stepped forward on hearing 
this, and as he spoke some English, and understood 
more, we accepted his services. At his suggestion we 
hitched up the team and drove five miles further on, un- 
til we were within hearing of the hoarse roar of the sea, 
and there halted under the lee of a high bank, and in 
the midst of a forest of gigantic firs and spruces, whose 
tops seemed to kiss the clouds, while they were so dense 
that we could not see forty yards ahead in some places. 
It did not take us long to put up our tent, though there 
was much discussion as to which side the door ought to 
face; and one man was taunted for being so dead in love 
with the poles that he would not move away from them. 
The same individual afterwards displayed as much fear 
of going near the water as a dog suffering from hydrophg- 
