tween the two tribes. They in fact seldom pass their
respective limits, and, with few exceptions, cannot converse together,
the language of the one being unintelligible to the other.

The Company established a post here in the spring of 1819, and when I
arrived it was in charge of Mr. Fisher, then a senior clerk. He had
two other clerks under him, besides myself, a like number of
_attaches_, two interpreters, two servants, and a horse to ride upon.
With such an establishment to rule over, need it be matter of surprise
that our _bourgeois_ was in his own estimation a magnate of the first
order? _N'importe_,--whatever might be his vanity, he possessed those
qualities which constitute a first-rate Indian trader, and he required
them to fill successfully his present situation. A number of petty
traders were settled in the village, who, whenever the Company entered
the lists against them, laid aside the feuds that subsisted among
themselves, and joined to oppose their united efforts against the
powerful rival that threatened to overwhelm them all. The spring fur
campaign was about to open when I made my _debut_ at the post. The
natives being daily expected from the interior, all parties watched
their arrival night and day. This was not a very harassing duty to us,
as we relieved each other; but the situation of our superior was
exceedingly irksome and annoying. The moment an Indian canoe appeared
(the Indians always arrived at night), we were ordered to apprize him
of it; having done so, he was immediately at the landing-place, our
opponents being also there, attending to their own interests. Some of
the natives were supplied by the Company, others by the petty traders;
and according as it happened to be the customers of either that
arrived, the servants assisted in unloading the canoes, conveying the
baggage to their houses, and kindling a fire. Provisions were
furnished in abundance by both parties. While these preliminary
operations were being performed by the servants, the traders
surrounded the principal object of their solicitude--the hunter; first
one, then another, taking him aside to persuade him of the superior
claims each had on his love and gratitude. After being pestered in
this manner for some time, he, (the hunter,) eventually allowed
himself to be led away to the residence of one of the parties, where
he was treated to the best their establishment afforded; the natives,
however, retaining their furs, and visi