JODNEY THUOUGH THE WOODS. 311 
(i over them., and thus enable them to find out 
with certainty the intricate path through 
“ the thick forest we were about to traverse 
in other words,, that we would give them some 
brandy. It is always in figurative language of 
this kind that the Indians ask for spirits. We 
dispensed a glass full of the precious liquor, 
according to their desire,, to each of them, as 
well as to their squaws and children, whom 
they brought along with them to share our 
bounty, and then, the Indians having taken up 
their loads, we penetrated into the woods, 
along a narrow path scarcely discernible, owing 
to the quantities of w ithered leaves with which 
it was strewed. 
After proceeding a few miles, we stopped 
by the side of a little stream of clear water to 
, breakfast; on the banks of another stream we 
eat our dinner; and at a third we stopped for 
the night. Having laid down their loads, the 
Indians immediately began to erect poles, and 
cover them with pieces of bark, which they 
found lying on the ground, and which had 
evidently been left there by some travellers who 
had taken up their quarters for the night at this 
same place some time before; but we put a 
stop to their work, by shaking out from the 
bag in which it was deposited, our travelling 
tent. They perceived now that they must 
employ themselves in a different manner, and 
