me.

"I came here for that purpose," said he, "and shall stand by you to
the last."

Our _tete de boule_ had two guns, which he loaded; Sabourin had his,
which he promised to use in his own defence: thus prepared, we awaited
the expected attack. The remainder of the day, however, passed without
molestation, and after night-fall, I sent out my trusty Iroquois to
reconnoitre; he soon returned with the welcome intelligence that the
Indians had all retired to rest. We did the same.

Next morning I went to the chief's lodge, and found him perfectly
sober; I saluted him according to custom, which he returned with a
scowl, repeating my words in a contemptuous manner; this exasperated
my yet excited feelings to the highest degree. I felt assured that
the fellow had invited me on purpose to insult me, if not for a worse
purpose; and, addressing him in language that plainly bespoke my
feelings, I immediately ordered my men to prepare for our departure.
He remained silent for a moment, and then whispered in his wife's ear;
she turned round to me, smiling, and asked if I had not brought the
goods, my men were packing up, to trade?

"Yes," I replied.

"Then," said she, "you must not be in such a hurry to go away."

The husband now spoke to me in a conciliatory tone, begging me to
place all that had happened to the account of the "fire-water," and
for heaven's sake not to acquaint his father with his conduct.

This I readily assented to; we entered upon business, and nearly all
the goods I had were exchanged for their full value in beaver. We
found the travelling much better on our return, the small streams
having subsided, and the snow so much diminished, that we could walk
without snow-shoes.

CHAPTER XI.

SUCCESS OF THE IROQUOIS TRADERS--APPOINTED TO THE CHARGE OF THE
CHATS--CANADIAN DISPUTES POSSESSION--BIVOUAC WITHOUT A FIRE--RUSE TO
BAFFLE MY OPPONENTS--ROMAN CATHOLIC BIGOTRY.

The Iroquois passed early in spring with eighteen Indian packs in
their canoes,--each pack might be estimated at 60l.,--our other
opponent started for Montreal about the same time as last year, and
I was ordered down to Fort Coulonge to take Mr. S.'s place for the
summer. He returned from Montreal about the end of August, and I was
much gratified to learn from him that I had been again appointed to
the charge of the Chats, so that all the merit or demerit of good or
bad management would now be entirely my own. A few days after, a
mi