Explorations in the interior of the Labrador Peninsula, the country of the Montagnais and Nasquappe Indians

Front matter

THE LABRADOR PENINSULA. VOL. I. LONDON PRINTED BY SPOTTISWOODE AND CO. NEW-STREET SQUARK THE THIRD RAPID ON THE MOISIE EXPLORATIONS IN TIIE INTERIOR OF THE LABRADOR PENINSULA THE COT7NTHY OF THE MONTAGNAIS AND NASQUAPEE INDIANS. BY HENEY YOULE HIND, M.A. F.E.G.S. Professor of Chemistry and Geology in the University of Trinity College, Toronto : Author of ' Narrative of the Canadian Red River Exploring Expedition of 1857, and of the / ssinniboine and Saskatchewan Exploring Expedition of 1S58.' IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. I. LONDON: LONGMAN, GEEEN, LONGMAN, ROBERTS, & GREEN. 1863.

Preface

. THE Labrador Peninsula, with the coast and islands of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, possesses a colonial and imperial interest which can scarfcely be over-estimated in contemplating the possible future of British North America. The annual value of the Fisheries hi British American , waters exceeds four millions sterhng, besides being the best nursery for seamen ' the world ever saw.' The fisheries on the Atlantic coast of Labrador alone yield a yearly return of at least one million sterling ; and yet, since the destruction of the town of Brest, at the Gulf entrance of the Straits of Belle Isle, more than two hundred years ago, no attempts have been made to form settlements on an extensive scale on or near the coast. In the great interior valleys, some ten or fifteen miles from the coast, timber fit for building purposes and fuel exists in abundance, and the climate and soil admit of the successful cultivation of all common culinary vegetables. • West of the Mingan Islands large areas exist suitable for settlement. Limestones and sandstones occupy the coast, and extend about ten miles back over a space of eighty miles on the Straits of Belle Isle, and great VI

PREFACE.

. facilities exist in many other places for the establishment of permanent curing establishments, by which an annual saving of more than a quarter of a million sterling would be secured at the outset, with the prospect of an indefinite increase. Local establishments for the supply of salt, food, and all the requirements of a vast fishing trade, are particularly demanded on the Gulf and Atlantic coasts. The British American Fisheries will eventually acquire a wholly unlooked-for importance by direct trade with the Southern States for cured fish, upon the return of peace, and with the great valley of the Mississippi for fresh salt-water fish conveyed in ice. The connection of the present terminus of the Grand Trunk Eailway of Canada at Biviere de Loup with the Bay of Chaleurs would bring the rich briny treasures of the Gulf within easy reach of the cities of the Western States.

As a nursery for seamen the great North American Fisheries have no equal, and the day will yet arrive when the hitherto desolate shores of Labrador, north, east, and west, will possess a resident population capable of con tributing largely to the comfort and prosperity of more favoured countries. Toronto : May 18C3. CONTENTS OF THE FIRST VOLUME.

Chapter I. The Labrador Peninsula

Requisites for the Exploration of part of the Labrador Peninsula — The Start — The Personnel of the Expedition — The Equipment — Provisions — Reported Character of the Country — Canoes adapted to the Rivers — Boundaries of the Labrador Peninsula — The Moisie or Mis-te-shipii River — Montagnais Maps of the Moisie and Ash-wani-pi Rivers — The Montagnais Map-makers — Objects of the Exploration — Official Information respecting the Montagnais and Nasquapee Indians — Information respecting the Ashwanipi or Hamilton River — Information respecting the Condition of the Nasquapees page 1

Chapter II. The Mouth Of The Moisie To The Grand Rapids

Scenery on the Moisie Bay — The Climate — Brent Geese — Leaky Canoes — Waterproof Bags — Louis, a Montagnais Indian — Louis' Squaw — Louis' Marriage — Seal Hunting — First Camp on the Moisie — Louis' Blanket — Seals — Salmon Fishing Stations on the Moisie — Captain Strachan's Station — Louis' Father-in-Law — Powdered Rhubarb — Carefulness of Indians with respect to Medicine — Strychnine — Its use by the Fur-traders . . . .10 CONTEXTS OF VIII

Chapter III. Mista-ka-pitagan Or The Grand Portage

High-water Portage— The Moisie Rapids — Dimensions — The Boulders of the Moisie Rapids — Labradorite — Fire-rocks — Montagnais and Cree Dialects — Vapour Baths — Essence of Ginger — The Mista-ka-pitagan or Grand Portage — Description of View from the Grand Portage — Spruce-bark Lodges — Frozen Rain-drops — Beautiful Spectacle — Extraordinary low Temperature — The Ascent of the Rapids in Canoes — Salmon — Dangers of the Ascent — Indian Skill — Move Camp — Desolateness of the Country — Probable Remains of Early Missionaries — Symmetrical Arrangement of Boulders page 29

Chapter IV. The Marten Trapper

Pierre, the Marten Trapper — The Marten Road — The Carcajou or Wolverine — The Carcajou following the Trapper's Steps — Death of the Carcajou — Indian mode of making a Cache to protect Furs from the Carcajou — Disposition of the Carcajou — The Sagacity of the Animal — Killing a Bear with an Axe — Killing a Bear with an Iron-shod Pole — Periodical Disappearance of the Marten — Number of Martens destroyed in Mackenzie's River District — Value of the Marten to the Fur-traders — An Incident in the Woods — Montagnais with the Dead Body of his Cousin — The Montagnais' Story — The Lynx — Wendigoes — Ferocity of the Lynx — Mr. Peter Mackenzie's Lynx Hunt — Montagnais Mythology — Resemblance between Odahwah and Montagnais Traditions — Assikinack, his Account of the Odahwah Tradition of the Flood — Tradition of Pharaoh and his Host ........ 47

Chapter V. The Grand Portage To The First Gorge Of The Moisie

Leave the Grand Portage — A Check — Grandeur and Solemnity of the Scenery — Ice, Rocks and Trees — Caribou drinking — A Waterfall — Its Appearance in the Spring — Rocks and Precipices — Beaver — Sounding for Beaver — Bear-tracks — Breakfast

CHAPTER V

— continued. Rocks — The Forks of the Moisie — Pierre's River — Tracking — Swiftness of the Current — First Gorge of the Moisie — Bear-paths — Ice in the Woods — A Canoe — Domenique, the Montagnais Chief — Donienique's Account of the Gorge — Of the Upper Country — Of his Tribe — Of Lake Ashwanipi — Of his People and Ancestors — Louis' Diplomacy — One Cause of the Decline of the Montagnais and Nasquapee Nations — Famine during the early History of Western Canada ....... page Go

Chapter VI. The First Gorge To The See-way-sini-kop Portage

Montagnais Map of the Country — Donienique's Camp in the Woods — Michel, Donienique's adopted Son — Domenique's Objections to the young Nasquapee going with us as a Guide — His Energy and Threats — Conclusion of the Bargain — The First Gorge of the Moisie — Difficulties of the Passage — First Falls of the Moisie — The See-way-sini-kop Portage — Trout, Salmon — Salmon-spearing by Torchlight — Appearance of Indians spearing Salmon — Self-control and Skill — Scene at the Foot of the Cataract by Torchlight — The Salmon — The Light extinguished — The Darkness — The Rapid — Coolness and Intrepidity of the Indians — Excitement . 88

Chapter VII. The Second Gorge Of The Moisie To Cold-water Riter Portage

Beautiful Scenery — Second Gorge — Magnificent Rocks — An Accident — Michel — Michel's Description of the Upper Country — The Terrible Current — Rabbits — Their Uses to Indians — Rabbit Pemmican — Forest Medicine — Indian Intermarriages — The Current again — The Cold-water River Portage - Trout — A Land Slide — Labradorite — Rich Forest — Chaos — Crossing the Slide — A Cache — Nothing lost on an Indian Trail — A Beaver Meadow — Cold-water River — Styx — More Trout . . . . CONTENTS OF X

Chapter VIII

' THE LAKE WHERE THE SAND LIES ' TO ' GNEISS TERRACES.' Moose — Moose Country — Moose Calling — Shaw-a-Gunsch — A Moose Story — Another Accident — Canada Balsam again — The 'Lake where the Sand lies' — Stillness and Beauty of the Scene — Effect on the Men — A Race — Trolling — Mosquitoes and Blackflies — The ' Gneiss Terraces ' — Their Symmetry and Characteristics — Mosses and Lichens — Making Tents comfortable — Rain — Wandering over the Terraces — Wonderful Lichens and Mosses — The Labrador Tea Plant page 121

Chapter IX. The Ka-pi-sta-wa-ti-sagan, Or Ridge Portage, To The Ojia-pi-si-tagan, Or Top

OF THE RIDGE. The Ridge Portage — Beauty and Character of the Lake — A Saw-bill Duck and her Young — Tenderness and Sagacity of the Bird — Habits of the Saw-bill Duck —A Cache — The 'Top of the Ridge Lake ' — A-ta-cki-ka-mi-shish River — Its Descent of Five Hundred Feet in Two Miles and a Half — Mosquitoes and Blackflies — The Mountain Portage — Legend among the Lumbermen respecting the Mosquitoes — Trout — - Beautiful Lake and Scenery — Beautiful Variety of Trout — Louis' Ya-mah-pish — Proposed Ascent of a Mountain — The Nasquapee ' Ups ' — Magnificent View — Reindeer or Caribou — Old Nasquapee Camp — Nasquapee Intelligence — Mode of indicating Distance — Mode of indicating Time — Mode of obtaining Fire — Height of the Mountain or Top of the Ridge Portage — Mosquitoes — Laronde . . . .136

Chapter X

• THE NIGHT-BLIND VOYAGEUR. Night-blind — Laronde's Account — Effects of Night-blindness — Mode in which it affects the Lumberers , — The Loneliness of a Night-blind Man — Dreadful Appearance of Night-blind Men — Laronde's Story of the ' Night-blind ' — The Matawan — The Ottawa — Jerome — Meeting of Jerome and Laronde — The Walk — The Little Beaver Creek — The Crossing — Struck Night-blind — The Discovery — Struck in the Middle of the Stream — A Night on the Rock

CHAPTER X.

— continued. Rising Waters — A Flash of Lightning — A Glimpse of the Moon and Stars — Darkness again — The Thoughts of a Night-blind Man — A broken Arm — Light — Vision restored — A Jam — The Escape — Account of the ' Night-blind ' Men in the Lumbering Districts ......... page 153

CHAPTER XL THE MOUNTAIN, OR TOP OF THE RIDGE, PORTAGE.

Cooking in the Woods — Balsam Trees — Michel's Musk-rat — Michel's Breakfast — Details of the Top of the Ridge Portage — The Mountain — Michel and the Theodolite — Louis and the Canoe — Nipi Nipi ! — Louis' Caution about drinking cold Water when hot — Death of Indian — Louis' Beverage — Indian Burial Rites — Tete de Boule Affection — Swampy Crees, Mode of Burying their Dead — Pope's Allusion to the Dog being buried with his Master — Customs of Indians never change — Montagnais Burials in 1631 — Curious Customs — Pointing with the Lips — Indian Mode of snaring the Canada Grouse — Trout Lake — A Camp on Wet Moss — Precautions against Colds — Montagnais formerly anointed their Bodies with Seal Oil — Odahwah Customs . . . . .164 CHAPTER XLT. TROUT LAKE TO LAKE NIPISIS. Trout Lake — The ' Outlook ' — Magnificent Scenery — Beauty of the Lichens — A Herd of Caribou — Too late — Bear Skull — Anecdote of a Bear — Dogs scenting a Bear in the Winter — Bear Hunts — Ferocity of these Animals — Montagnais Superstitions — Bones of Porcupine — Bones and Blood of Bears — Mosquito.

Lake — A Labrador Trout Stream — Ambro and Ambrosis — Michel sick — The Hospital in the Wood — Indian Medicines — Dreams and Visions — Causes of Disease amongst Indians — Wolves — Ferocity of Wolves — A Storm on Lake Nipisis — Wind-bound — Vegetation on Lake Nipisis — Manicouagan Lake — The Fire Mountain of the Nasquapees — Pere Arnaud — Journey up the Manicouagan — Nasquapee sick — Lamentable Incident among the Tete de Boule Indians — Pere Arnaud's Difficulties — Winter Life in the Woods of the Labrador Peninsula — The Ptarmigan — The Return of the Priest CONTENTS OF XII

CHAPTER XIII. LAKE NIPISIS TO BEAR LAKE.

Nasquapee Camp — Copper Fish-hook — A Cache — Caribou Horns — Nipisis River — Fresh Tracks — A Fire on the Portage — Narrow Escape of the Canoes — Destructiveness of Fires in the Woods — Desolation of part of the Labrador Peninsula produced by them — Magnificent Spectacle of a Spruce Forest on Fire at Night — Wild-fowl falling into the Flames — Nipisis River — Sketching under Difficulties — The Snow-white Rock — The early Morn in Labrador — Silence — Ducks — A Bear — Caribou — Beaver smell the Fire — Importance of the Caribou — Its Habits . . . page 201

CHAPTER XIV. THE SNOW-WHITE ROCK TO CARIBOU LAKE.

Trip to the Snow-white Rock — Pine Forest — Character of the Snow-white Rock — Young Forest — Beauty of the Scenery towards the East — Awful Desolation of the Country towards the North and West — Character of the Scene — A burnt Country — The burnt Portage — The River at the Beginning of the burnt Country — — Moss-covered Boulders — Treacherous Walking — Difference between the Country in the Valley of the Saskatchewan and Table Land of Labrador — A Walk through the burnt Woods — Tiers of Boulders — Infinite Number of Erratics — Desolate Character of the River — Shallows — River becoming impassable — Caribou Lake — River impassable beyond Caribou Lake — Remarkable Erratics — ' Desolation desolate ' — Caribou Moss — , Its Uses and Beauty — Lichens of Labrador — Their general Diffusion . 219

CHAPTER XV. THE BURNT COUNTRY AND THE TABLE LAND.

An Excursion on Foot — Aspect of the Country — Elevation — Scenery — The Dividing Ridge — The Burnt Country— Numerous Lakes— Boulders — Absence of Animal Life — Ruin everywhere Reflections — Life in the Desert — The Montagnais and the Nasquapees — Bear-feasts — Caribou Feasts — Winter Life — Michel and his Cousins' Caribou Hunt — His Affray with Wolves — Starvation in

CHAPTER XV.

— continued. the Winter — Tripe de Roche and Birch Buds — Cannibalism — The Advent of Spring — The Geese — The Value of Geese to Indians — The Number of Geese in Hudson's Bay killed by Indians — The probable Number of Geese in Northern America — Mode in which Domenique and the Nasquapees passed the Winter — Employment of the Women — Shifting Camp — Difficulty of catching Fish — Ojibway Mode of catching Fish in Winter — Return to Camp . page 233

CHAPTER XVI.

' THE DARK DAYS OF CANADA.' Traditional Accounts of Conflagrations in Labrador — Dark Days of 1785 — Chief Justice Sewell's Account of the Dark Days of 1814 — Ashes, Smoke, and ' thick Weather ' — Traditional Account of Volcanoes in Labrador — Henri Nouvel's Account of the Earthquake in 1663 — Lieutenant Ingall's Statement — Captain Baddeley's Statement — M. Gagnon's Account of an Eruption in 1785 in the rear of St. Paul's Bay — List of Earthquakes in Canada from 1663-1861 — The Fire-Mountain of the Nasquapees — Probability of ' the Dark Days ' having been occasioned by Fires in the Interior burning the Lichens and Mosses — Mr. Davis' Account — Interest of the Subject 250

CHAPTER XVII. THE RETURN.

The Fishing Spoon — Dimensions of Esquimaux Fishing Spoons — A French Half-Breed — Description of a Trout — Trout caught with a Spoon in Lake Superior — In Lake Huron — Large Trout of Lake Huron — Ice in July — Descending Rapids — Ke-way-den — Ke-way-den going down a Rapid — Ke-way-den and the Compass — Nasquapee Letter and Map — Nasquapee Post Office — Lonely Lake — Muskeg Lake — Vegetation in full Leaf at Trout Lake — Tradition of a Battle near Trout Lake — Paul le Jeime in 1632 and the Montagnais — The Death of an Iroquois — The Incursions of the Iroquois into the Labrador Peninsula — The Mistassinni Indians — Names of Places and Rivers derived from Historical Incidents — The Falls of She-wa-na-he-gan — The Kou-kou Cache — The Tete de CONTENTS OF XIV

CHAPTER XVII.

— continued. Boule Indians — Majeshk — Indian Graves — Beauty of the Scenery near Trout Lake — A Lizard — The Saw-bill Duck again — The Game of Bones — Tea — Effects of Ice-cold Water — Ginger as usual — A ludicrous Accident — Louis tabognaying — Louis' Loss — Canada Balsam — Beauty of the Moisie — Salmon — Gambling common among the Oj ib ways and Crees — The ' Dawn of the Day ' — ' Stony ' — Ke-way-den again — His Gambling Propensities — Indian Repugnance to mention Names — Paul le Jeune's Account of this Repugnance in 1633 — Indian Customs at the naming of a Child — Superstitions respecting Names — An Accident — The Descent of the Rapids of the Moisie — The Third Rapid — Seals — A Narrow Escape at the Fourth Rapid — The Steep Rock Portage — The Fishing Station page 265

CHAPTER XVIII. THE MOISIE BAY AND THE FISHERIES OF THE GULF.

New Arrangements — The King's Post — A Nasquapee — His Clothing — His Arms — Stalking a Cow — The Nasquapee's Astonishment at seeing a Horse — His Antics — The Impressions of Nasquapees when they see the Ocean — Louis' Wife again — The Fishing Station at the Mouth of the Moisie — Mr. Tetu's Deep-sea Fishery — The Importance of the Canadian Fisheries — The Cod Fishery — Habits of the Cod — Mode of fishing for Cod — Importance of fresh Bait — Preparation for Foreign Market — The Stage — The Processes of Dressing — The Header, the Splitter, the Salter, &c. — Difficulty of drying Cod — Fish Offal — Fish Manure — Its Value — Its Composition — Compared with Guano — Value of Phosphate of Ammonia — Vast Importance of Fish Manure . . . . .291

CHAPTER XIX. THE MOISIE BAY TO SEVEN ISLANDS.

Animal Life on the Coast — Seven Islands — Beauty of the Coast The Montagnais of Seven Islands in 1660 — Their Fear of the Iroquois — The Nasquapees Otelne and Arkaske — Fate of a Party of Fifteen Nasquapees who had visited Seven Islands — Domenique — Otelne's Lodge — Appearance of the Nasquapees — Differences

CHAPTER XIX.

— continued. between the Western and Eastern Indians — Between Montagnais, Oj ib ways and Crees — Handsome Montagnais Women — Habits of the Nasquapees — Their Fish-hooks — A Visit to Otelne's Lodge — Curiosity of the Indians — Interior of his Lodge — Seal Oil — A Brush Fishery — The Herring Fishery in the Gulf — Habits and prodigious Numbers of the Herring — Mode of Catching this Fish — Importance of the Herring — Killing a Loon — Squaws preparing for Sunday — Pere Arnaud's Night Journey to the Moisie — Reflections page 318

CHAPTER XX. SEVEN ISLANDS.

The Chapel Mass — The Appearance of the Indians — The Dress of the Women — Domenique in Chapel — Otelne and Arkaske in Chapel — The Comparison — Past and Present Condition of the Montagnais and Nasquapees — Heathen Condition — Prevailing Names of Children — Mr. Anderson's Journal — The Procession — The Cross — Effect on the Indians — A Dinner Party — Nasquapee Manners — The Nasquapee and the Sugar — Montagnais Mass — The Graveyard at Seven Islands — An Old French Canadian Half-breed — His Description of the Nasquapees — Nasquapee Squaw buying a Winding-sheet — Appe-mus-kis' Wives — Their apparent Insensibility — The Squaw's Grief — Snow-shoes — A Lover's Present — Indian Attempt at Gymnastics — Physical Weakness of the Indians — The Nasquapee and the Compass — Louis' Opinion — A Montagnais Marriage — Inconstancy — A Wedding Feast — Seal, Loon, and Porcupine — Explanations — A Montagnais Girl's Reason for not marrying her Lover — New Arrangements — Bound for Mingan — Pere Arnaud's Departure — The Departure of the Indians — Seven Islands deserted — The Gulf of St. Lawrence . .

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE FIEST VOLUME. MAPS. PAGE MAP OF THE RIVEE MOISIE AND ADJOINING COUNTRY, SHOWING THE ROUTE FOLLOWED BY THE LABRADOR expedition To face 239 CHROMO-LITHOGRAPHS. the third rapid on the moisie . . . Frontispiece RESTING ON THE PORTAGE PATH . . . . . To fctCC 43 SECOND GORGE ......... 104 VIEW FROM THE OJIAPISITAGAN OR TOF CF THE RIDGE PORTAGE AT THE SUMMIT ...... 147 MOSQUITO LAKE . ,, 187 AN ESCAPE AT THE FOURTH RAPID . . . . „ 289 A VISIT TO OTELNE IN HIS LODGE . . . . „ 323 ROMAN CATHOLIC PROCESSION OF MONTAGNAIS AND NAS- QUAPEES AT THE MISSION OF SEVEN ISLANDS . „ 335 WOODCUTS. THE START . 6 SEAL HUNTING ON THE MOISIE . . . . . . .21 CUTTING OUT A EOAD .30 CANOES CROSSING THE FOOT OF THE GRAND RAPIDS . To face 41 PERPENDICULAR ROCKS ON THE MOISIE ...... 73 DOMENIQUE, CHIEF OF THE MONTAGNAIS ON LAKE ASHWANIPI . . 78 TRACKING UP THE FIRST GORGE . 94 LAND-SLIDE ON COLD-WATER RIVER PORTAGE . . . .113 NASQUAPEE COPPER AND IRON FISH-HOOKS ..... 202 ESCAPE FROM A FIRE ON THE PORTAGE ..... 204 DESCENDING THE NIPISIS . . . . . . . .210 BEAR LAKE ••••...... 213 CARIBOU LAKE NEAR THE TABLE LAND ... . 229 ALMOST AN ACCIDENT ..... . . 281 NASQUAPEES ON THE MOISIE ...... 295 A MONTAGNAIS SQUAW ..... . . 33G EXPLORATIONS IN LABRADOR.

Chapter I. The Labrador Peninsula

Requisites for the Exploration of Part of the Labrador Peninsula — The Start — The Personnel of the Expedition — The Equipment — Provisions — Reported Character of the Country — Canoes adapted to the Rivers — Boundaries of the Labrador Peninsida — The Moisie or Mis-teshipii River — Montagnais Maps of the Moisie and Ash-wa-ni-pi Rivers — The Montagnais Map-Makers — Objects of the Exploration — Official Information respecting the Montagnais and Nasquapee Indians — Information respecting the Ashwanipi or Hamilton River — Information respecting the Condi tion of the Nasquapees. THE requisites for an exploration into the interior of the Labrador Peninsula are few and simple, but they require careful selection. Small, light, and strong canoes, a plentiful supply of the best provisions, portable tents, two or three changes of flannel clothing, a few good instruments, practised voyageurs, and skillful guides, are all that are absolutely necessary.

The mountainous cha racter of the country does not admit of canoes longer than three fathoms being used, and this condition places a limit to the .number of men that can be employed, and VOL. I. B C1HP I. the amount of provisions transported. A good three fathom canoe will carry three men and five hundred weight of provisions conveniently, without being too low in the water in a large and rapid river ; neither is it more than one man, accustomed to the work, can carry over the portages, which, in the wilds of Eastern Canada and Labrador, are generally long, ' rough,' and only capable of admitting the passage of the small canoes used by the Montagnais Indians. I made my preparations during the month of May 1861, bearing the foregoing considerations in mind, and acting in accordance with them as far as circumstances would permit.

On the 4th of June, my party being formed, and all needful preparations completed, we started from Quebec in the steamer 'Arabian' down the noble St. Lawrence. Our destination was the mouth of the Moisie Eiver, Gulf of St. Lawrence, about 400 miles from the great port of Canada, which at that time presented a very animated spectacle. An unusually large number of merchantmen were sailing majestically up the river ; others lay anchored in the rapid stream, or, moored three and four deep, side by side, occupied the spacious coves above the city. 1 was accompanied by my brother, Mr. William Hind, who had just arrived from England in the ill-fated steamer ' Canadian,' soon to be lost on her return passage, near the Straits of Belle Isle. My brother joined the expedition for the purpose of making sketches and water-colour drawings of scenery, Indians, and any novelty in the vegetable or mineral world which it might be desirable to transfer to his portfolio.

CHAP. I. THE MOUTH OF THE MOISIE RIVER. 3 Mr. J. F. Gaudet and Mi'. Edward Caley were appointed by the Crown Lands' Department of the Canadian Government to accompany me as surveyors. I also took with me from Quebec sive French-Canadian voyageurs, and the following requisites for the exploration : — Four birch-bark canoes, from fifteen to eighteen feet iu length. 500 pounds of smoked bacon. 800 pounds of flour. 200 pounds of biscuit. 2000 rations of pressed vegetables. 50 pounds of tea. 25 pounds of tobacco. Salt, pepper; pickles, &c. Surveying instruments, barometers, thermometers, &c. ; a plentiful supply of ammunition, fishing-tackle, nets, and a few portable non-essentials. These provisions were reserved for use in the country beyond the rapids of the Moisie, about fourteen miles from its mouth, as it was my intention to subsist on what we could procure at the fishing station on the coast, until thrown upon our own resources in the uninhabited reo-ion.

We spent two or three days at the mouth of the Moisie in preparing canoes for the journey, collecting information, and in procuring the services of Indians and guides. The description given of the portages by the Montagnais, who were accustomed to pass up the Moisie to their hunting-grounds on the table land of the Labrador Penin sula, was very discouraging. Indeed, some of these people, who had just descended the river from the interior, n-2 CHAP. r. 4 declared it was impossible to ascend, on account of the large quantity of water coming down from the melting snows of the upper country. They counselled us to wait a fortnight at least ' to give the river time to fall.' ' No canoe,' they exclaimed, ' can pass the gorges while the water is high ; perpendicular rocks, smooth as glass, flank the river on each side, and it rushes between them like a rapid.

You can't put out a line to tow, there is no ground to walk on, nothing but high rocks, high, high ! * You must wait until the river falls.' We experienced great difficulty in prevailing upon Indians to accompany us, and no pecuniary inducement I could offer was adequate to persuade any of the Nasquapees at Seven Islands, who had visited the coast for the first time two years ago, to venture on the journey. This unwillingness arose partly from sickness and habitual indolence — partly also from a wish to await the arrival of the Roman Catholic priest, who was expected to visit Seven Islands during the month of July. We soon found that the Montagnais and Nasquapees, who linger on the coast, rapidly lose the energy and bodily strength which characterise them when living in the interior, and which are absolutely necessary in order that they may maintain themselves in a mountainous country thinly stocked with game.

Once on the coast, their habits soon change — they learn to live on seals and fish, become very susceptible of changes in the weather, and are liable during the spring of the year to prolonged attacks of influenza ; the * When Indians wish to be very emphatic in their description, they repeat the adjective twice, and sometimes three times. HABITS OF INDIAN'S ON THE COAST. CHAP. I. 5 young people become consumptive, the middle-aged rheumatic, and death rapidly thins the ranks of this once numerous and singularly interesting race. After much trouble we succeeded in procuring the services of an Abenakis* and a Montagnais, at the rate of one dollar a day each and then provisions. Neither of these men knew the country beyond a point fifty miles from the coast ; but they told us we should be sure* to meet with Montagnais, and probably also some Nasqua pees, descending the river from the far interior to see the priest, according to an arrangement made with them two years ago. * This tribe is represented in Canada by two villages — the Abenakis of St. Francis and the Abenakis of Becancour.

They are sometimes called the Abenquois. The date of the deed assigning to them certain lands on the St. Francis River, Lower Canada, is Aug. 1700. They number now 387 souls on the St. Francis, and 172 in the village of Be9ancour. Their hunting grounds formerly extended over a considerable part of New Brunswick, the State of Maine, and the country drained by the St. Francis, in Lower Canada. They are half civilised ; and most of them speak either the English or French language, in addition to their native tongue. The Abenakis are Algonquins, but their language differs so much from the Montagnais dialect, that our Indian could not understand his companion, so as to carry on a conversation. The word Abenakis is derived from Waban, 'it is morning,' and ykhi, 'earth,' the whole signifying 'men of the morning,' or east.

The village and environs of the Abenakis of St. Francois, in 1821, contained 500 souls. In 1818 their church was burned, and they petitioned the Legislature of Lower Canada for assistance in rebuilding it. Their interpreter, J. B. D'Estimanville, gave evidence before the Committee of the House, appointed to investigate the claim of the Abenakis, to the effect that he had resided among the tribe for twenty years, and had been their inter preter since 1804. Among their claims he mentioned the loyalty of this people during the first American war ; their great influence over the other Indians south of the River St. Lawrence, from Cape Breton to Missisquia Bay, and over the Chaouans and the nation of the Wolves of Upper Canada, in alliance with them. In 1637 the Abenakis ascended the St. Lawrence as far as Three Rivers, to trade porcelain beads (wampum) with the Algonquins, for beaver skins.