Pat
and me. "I did not expect to find white men here, at this time of the
year."

"Who are you?" I asked.

"I am Miskwandib, and wish to be your friend," answered the Indian. "At
present I am hungry, and should be glad of food. Had I been an enemy I
could have killed you both with my arrows at a distance, and taken what
I require."

"Much obliged to you, friend Miskwandib, for your kindness," said Pat.
"Sit down, and make yourself at home, and you shall have some of our
supper." Pat spoke partly in English and partly in the Cree language.

The Indian understood him, and coming round to our side of the fire sat
down next to Pat. We immediately handed him some of the venison, which
he ate ravenously, while I put on a fresh piece to roast. It greatly
diminished our stock of provisions, but we could not withhold it from
the starving Indian.

"Have you any friends in the neighbourhood, Misther Miskwandib?" asked
Pat.

"I have my squaw and children encamped at the farther end of the wood,"
he answered. "They, too, are starving and want food. They nearly
perished in the snowstorm which occurred some time back, and since then
I have been unable to kill any game for their support. You with your
firearms will be able to obtain what you may require."

We, of course, did not wish to say that we had no powder, or that I had
not even a gun. Pat and I, after a short consultation, agreed that
humanity demanded we should share our provisions with the starving
Indians.

While we were talking, the Indian's eye fell upon the roots by Pat's
side.

"What are these for?" he asked.

"Shure! to cook and ate," answered Pat.

"If you eat these roots, before many hours are over you will be dead
men," exclaimed the Indian, taking them up one after another, and
throwing them to a distance, reserving only four or five of a different
species from the rest. "These are wholesome, if you boil them
sufficiently; they are such as my family and I have lived on for many
days past."

Being assured that the Indian spoke the truth, we thanked him for the
timely warning he had given us. We now did up the larger portion of
what remained of our meat, reserving only enough for the following day,
and giving it to him, asked if he knew Fort Black, and would agree to
guide us to it. He seemed somewhat surprised at our liberality, and
replied that if we would wait a day or two, till his family were fit to
travel, he would show us the di