of the head and laid it low for ever.

After this she joined her sister-wife (if we may be allowed the
expression) in trying to tear the Indians asunder. This was
accomplished after a few seconds, but the two men still glared at each
other. Fortunately they could do little more, having left their knives
in the canoe. While they were still in a state of indecision, an
unfortunate swan, which had taken refuge behind a bush, so far recovered
its breath as to think it advisable to get still further away from such
company. It was observed and followed as wildly as before by English
Chief. This time Coppernose had the sense to confine his attentions to
another part of the field, where, while prosecuting the chase, he
suddenly came upon a flock of geese in the same helpless circumstances
as the swans. Soon the swans were routed out of their places of
concealment, and the cries of men, women, and birds again resounded in
the air. The way in which those swans behaved was quite marvellous.
They dodged the blows aimed at them, and "jinked" round the bushes as if
they had been trained to such work in a regular public school for human
bipeds, and they struck out with their pinions, too, so deftly and with
such force that the pursuers had to become extremely cautious as well as
bold in their approaches.

At last, when the Indians were thoroughly exhausted, they gave up the
chase. On conveying the fruits of their exertions to the canoe, they
found that they had killed five swans and a like number of geese. With
these they returned in triumph to camp, to the great relief of
Mackenzie, who had began to fear either that an accident had befallen
them, or that they had deserted him.

At this place two bags of pemmican were concealed on an island, and here
one of their leads was lost in taking soundings. The current of the
river also was so violent that Mackenzie concluded they must be
approaching the rapids, of which some of the natives had made mention.
The strength of the current may be estimated from the fact that, when
the lead just referred to caught on the bottom and held on, they
attempted to clear it by paddling up stream; yet although they had eight
paddles, and were held by the line, the strength of which was equal to
four paddles, they were borne down with such force that the line snapped
asunder.

Here the weather became very bad. They had frequent thunderstorms
accompanied with violent rain, and, although it was