rnant_," or one who
has already passed a winter in the country. He will not only not
associate with him, but if invited by him to join him in a friendly
glass, he will make some excuse for declining. The most inveterate
drunkard, while tortured by a longing to partake his favorite
indulgence, will yet never suffer himself to be enticed into an
infringement of this custom.

After the first winter, the _mangeur-de-lard_ rises from his freshman
class, and takes his place where he can in turn lord it over all
new-comers.

Another peculiarity of the voyageurs is their fancy for transforming the
names of their bourgeois into something funny, which resembles it in
sound. Thus, Kinzie would be called by one "_Quinze nez_" (fifteen
noses), by another "_Singe_" (monkeyfied). Mr. Kercheval was denominated
_Mons. Court-cheval_ (short horse), the Judge of Probate, "_le Juge
Trop-bete"_ (too foolish), etc. The following is an instance in point.

Mr. Shaw, one of the agents of the Northwest Fur Company, had passed
many years on the frontier, and was by the voyageurs called Monsieur Le
Chat.[28] On quitting the Indian country he married a Canadian lady and
became the father of several children. Some years after his return to
Canada, his old foreman, named Louis la Liberte, went to Montreal to
spend the winter. He had heard of his old bourgeois' marriage, and was
anxious to see him.

Mr. Shaw was walking in the Champ de Mars with a couple of officers,
when La Liberte espied him. He immediately ran up, and, seizing him by
both hands, accosted him,--

"_Ah! mon cher Monsieur le Chat: comment vous portez-vous_?" (My dear
Mr. Cat, how do you do?)

"_Tres-bien, Louizon_."

"_Et comment se porte Madame la Chatte_?" (How is the mother cat?)

"_Bien, bien, Louizon; elle est tres-bien_" (She is very well.)

"_Et tous les petits Chatons_?" (And all the kittens?)

This was too much for Mr. Shaw. He answered shortly that the _kittens
were all well_, and turned away with his military friends, leaving poor
Louizon quite astonished at the abruptness of his departure.

Cut off, in the manner described, from the world at large, with no
society but the military, thus lived the family of Mr. Kinzie, in great
contentment, and in the enjoyment of all the comforts, together with
most of the luxuries, of life.

The Indians reciprocated the friendship that was shown them, and formed
for them an attachment of no ordinary strength, as was manifest