CHAPTER V 



A CONFERENCE WITH THE CHIEFS 



A FEW bands of Buffalo are said to exist in the coun- 

 try east of Great Slave River. Among other matters, 

 Major Jarvis had to report on these, find out how many 

 were left, and exactly where they were. When he in- 

 vited me to join his expedition, with these questions 

 in view, I needed no pressing. 



Our first business was to get guides, and now our 

 troubles began. 



Through the traders we found four natives who 

 knew the Buffalo range — they were Kiya, Sousi, Kirma, 

 and Peter Squirrel. However, they seemed in no way 

 desirous of guiding any one into that country. They 

 dodged and delayed and secured many postponements, 

 but the Royal Mounted Police and the Hudson's Bay 

 Company are the two mighty powers of the land, so, 

 urged by an officer of each, these worthies sullenly 

 assembled to meet us in Sousi's cabin. 



Sousi, by the way, is Chipewyan for Joseph, and this 

 man's name was Joseph Beaulieu. Other northern 

 travellers have warned all that came after them to be- 

 ware of the tribe of Beaulieu, so we were on guard. 



Sullen silence greeted us as we entered; we could feel 

 their covert antagonism. Jarvis is one of those affable, 

 good-tempered individuals that most persons take for 

 "easy." In some ways he may be so, but I soon real- 



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