212

INDIAN MODE OF CATCHING FISH.

maliciously gave the Indian war-whoop, which is made by a shrill yell, rising in key; and rendered more unearthly by clapping the hand rapidly upon the open mouth; which terrified the unfortunate women to such an extent that we were disposed to be angry with him for his piece of mischief. We had ourselves, under his tuition, become great adepts in the art, and this exercise of our lungs derived an additional piquancy from the fact that the possibility of our being answered by a bond fide savage in sober earnest was by no means remote.

The women whom we so unexpectedly startled were evidently out upon a sort of general catering expedition, poking along the banks for musk-rats or mice, or visiting the mouths of the little streams which enter the river, and which are barred near the outlets with cruives somewhat similar to those used on salmon rivers in Scotland; so that sturgeon and large fish are able to ascend; but on descending, they are arrested by the poles of the dam forced against them. The Indian, walking across the dam with a pole, to which is attached a hook, sees the pressure of the descending fish and jerks him out. Most of these tributaries were small, sluggish streams, covered with wild rice, through which the women force their canoe, and, pressing the stalks over the side, beat out the grain with their paddles. They are, in fact, the comissariat corps of the villages, and have all sorts of ways of obtaining supplies, which more civilised nations would often be glad to know. The maple sugar

A HIGHLY-FAVOURED COUNTRY.

213

which they manufacture is not only for home consumption, but is largely exported. Thirty or forty boxes, of from twenty to seventy pounds weight, are often sold by an industrious and strong-handed family in the course of one season, in addition to the quantity they have used themselves. Nicollet remarks, however, that there are probably no Indians anywhere more highly favoured than those inhabiting the country about the sources of the Mississippi. Besides their natural resources of fish, wild rice, and maple sugar, with the addition of an abundance of game, the climate is found to be well adapted to the cultivation of corn, wheat, barley, oats and pulse. The potato is of superior quality to that of the middle States of the Union. In a trading point of view, the hunt is still very profitable. The bear, the deer and elk, the wolf, the fox, the wolverine, the fisher-racoon, musk-rat, mink, otter, marten, weasel, and a few remaining beavers, are the principal articles of traffic. The American moose is said still occasionally to make its appearance, so that this region may be considered as the only one in the United States now capable of supplying the finer sort of peltries.

CHAPTER XIX.

THE HEAD WATERS OF THE MISSISSIPPI-SHOOTING THE LITTLE FALLS IN A BARK CANOE.

THE Mississippi continues to wind through wide alluvial bottoms, covered with forest, until the character of the banks and of the wood changes together, and towards evening we found ourselves between high drift-banks covered with pine. The sections exposed by the river presented deposits of clay, sand, boulders, pebbles, and loam. Indeed, between Sandy Lake and Crow Wing there is no rock anywhere visible in situ. As the sun set, the view from the promontory on which we had established our camp, at an elevation of about eighty feet above the river, was very beautiful, and amply repaid us for the trouble of dragging our camp-equipage up the steep cliff. There was a portage 300 yards long from this point to Rabbit River, where some Indians were encamped, but we did not visit them. Rabbit River is a small tributary to the Mississippi, and runs parallel to it for some miles. As it has a very straight course, it is often ascended in preference to the main stream, a

portage to which is made at the head, and sixteen miles are thus saved. We were awoke next morning by a pouring rain, in the midst of which we started, and passed the mouth of Pine River, up which a belt of magnificent pine timber extends for many miles : it is navigable for three days for canoes; then we shot the Rabbit rapids, and landed at mid-day, to dry ourselves, round a huge blaze of pine logs. A few hours after, we were cheered by the sight of a log-hut and a ferry-boat, with a Yankee leaning over the rail, chewing a straw, and found we had reached Crow Wing, the highest white settlement upon the Mississippi, and about 150 miles from Sandy Lake.

The indications of civilisation which met our eyes here were quite refreshing. The town contained two log-houses and a pig-sty. There were a few children, some cocks and hens, an acre of potatoes, and another of Indian corn; a waggon standing near the door of one of the houses, and the ferry-boat aforesaid, which enabled the inhabitants of Crow Wing to cross over to a large house, the gable of which peeped out from among the trees, and which, we were told, was the residence of the principal chief of the Chippeway Indians, a great warrior, and a person of much celebrity, with an unpronounceable name, which I did not think of recording at the time.

We immediately invaded the most substantiallooking house, and found ourselves in a neat room, which contained nothing but a few plain tables and chairs; so we continued our explorations, and were

216

LUXURIOUS FARE.-SAFE PAY.

delighted to discover two women baking in the kitchen, who, seeing four famished ruffians thus unceremoniously intruding, were in no way disconcerted, but forthwith placed before us some excellent loaves of corn-bread, some delicious butter, and a can of fresh milk, which luxurious fare we attacked with a violence that explained more than words the nature of our necessities; and whilst we were burying our heads by turns in the milk-cans, and making loaves disappear magically, other dainties were set before us, in the shape of cold meat, cheese, and potatoes; with which at length we appeased our appetites, and then condescended to inform our hospitable entertainers, and the man who had lounged up from the ferry-boat, whence we had come and whither we were going, and suggested the propriety of trading for victuals on the spot. As the voyageurs, who knew him, guaranteed our being "safe pay," he forthwith sold us sundry delicacies, which we transported in triumph to the canoe, getting, meanwhile, as much information out of our friend as his taciturn disposition allowed him to afford us.

There is some practice required in fencing with Far-Westers: they are very dexterous in "pumping," and exceedingly difficult to "pump." The only way is never to answer a question without putting a portion of the reply into an interrogatory form. We gathered from the male inhabitant of Crow Wing, that his occupations were farming, and trading with the Indians; that the soil was good, and the country fer