258- TRAVELS THROUGH UPPER CANADA: 
suretoone another on finding' particular places 
accurately laid down,, which they had been 
acquainted with. The older men also seemed 
to have many stories to tell the others, pro¬ 
bably respecting the adventures they had met 
with at distant parts of the country, and which 
they were now glad of having an opportunity 
of elucidating by the map before them. 
Whenever a tract of ground is about to be 
purchased by government from the Indians, 
for no private individuals can purchase lands? 
from them by the laws of the province, a map 
of the country is drawn, and the part about to 
be contracted for, is particularly marked out. 
If there be any mistakes in these maps, the 
Indians will at once point them out; and after 
the bargain is made, they will, from the maps* 
mark out the boundaries of the lands they have 
ceded with the greatest accuracy, notching 
the trees, if there be any, along the boundary 
line, and if not, placing stakes or stones in the 
ground to denote where it runs. On these 
occasions regular deeds of sale are drawn, with 
accurate maps of the lands which have been 
purchased attached to them, and these deeds 
are signed in form by the contracting parties* 
I saw several of them in possession of our 
friend Captain E--, which were extremely 
curious on account of the Indian signaturesi 
The Indians, for the most part, take upon them 
