THE MONTAGNAIS INDIANS 
twelve miles and fall 302 feet sheer, —and 
explored Lake Michikamau. From the Ham- 
ilton River he ascended the Attikonak, 
and, by way of the Romaine and the St. John 
Rivers, descended to the Gulf of St. Law- 
rence. 
Yet after all the greater part of this interior 
of Labrador is a vast wilderness, still unspoiled 
by the whites, still a happy hunting-ground for 
the Indians. The Eskimos, true sea-dogs that 
they are, keep to the sea-coast, except in the 
far north beyond the Koksoak River. Of the 
Indians there are two main tribes in Labrador, 
divisions of the Cree branch of the great 
Algonquin family. North of the Hamilton 
River dwell the Nascaupees, while south of this 
grand natural boundary the Montagnais or 
Mountaineers have their migratory homes. 
Besides these is the small tribe of coastal 
Indians of Hudson Bay. 
Originally dwelling further to the west these 
Algonquins were gradually driven east and 
north during the 16th and 17th centuries by 
the terrible Iroquois, whose name even now 
strikes terror to their hearts and serves as a 
bogey to frighten their children, The Iroquois 
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