at he could not tell, but advised that
preparation should be made for the worst.

It may be well here to remark that although Lumley and I, as well as
some of our men, had acquired a smattering of the Indian tongue, our
chief deemed it expedient to give us a regular interpreter whose
knowledge of both languages was sufficiently extensive. Such an
interpreter had been found in the youth whom we had styled Salamander,
and whose real name I have now forgotten. This lad's knowledge of
Indian was perfect. He also understood French well, and spoke it badly,
while his comprehension of English was quite equal to any emergency,
though his power of speaking it was exceedingly limited. What he spoke
could scarcely be styled a broken tongue; it was rather what we may call
thoroughly smashed-up English! Such as it was, however, it served our
purpose well enough, and as the lad was a willing, cheery, somewhat
humorous fellow, he was justly deemed an acquisition to our party.
While on this subject I may add that Blondin, who brought the winter
packet to Dunregan, was one of our number--also, that both our Scotsmen
were Highlanders, one being named Donald Bane, the other James Dougall.
Why the first called the second Shames Tougall, and the second styled
the first Tonal' Pane is a circumstance which I cannot explain.

Among the French-Canadian half-breeds our blacksmith, Marcelle Dumont
and our carpenter, Henri Coppet, were the most noteworthy; the first
being a short but herculean man with a jovial temperament, the latter a
thin, lanky, lugubrious fellow, with a grave disposition. Both were
first-rate workmen, but indeed the same may be said of nearly all our
men, who had been chosen very much because of their readiness and
ability to turn their hands to anything.

Soon the kettles boiled. In one we infused tea. In another we prepared
that thick soup so familiar to the Nor'-wester, composed of pemmican and
flour, which is known by the name of _robbiboo_. From a frying-pan the
same substances, much thicker, sent up a savoury steam under the name of
_richeau_.

There was not much conversation among us at the commencement of the
meal, as we sat round the camp-fire, but when appetite was appeased
muttered remarks were interchanged, and when tobacco-pipes came out, our
tongues, set free from food, began to wag apace.

"Dere is noting like a good _souper_," remarked Marcelle Dumont, the
blacksmith, extending his burly form on