basket from whose apparently inexhaustible depths came forth yet more
harmonicas, sets of celluloid jewelry, knives, combs, fish-hooks,
needles, etc., _ad infinitum_. The men, whose gravity equalled the
delight of the women and children, held themselves somewhat aloof,
seldom deigning to enter the circle about the magic basket, and making
their trades in a very dignified and careless fashion.

That these people are capable of civilization there can be no doubt.
Missing the interpreter, without whom nothing could be done, the
professor inquired for him and learned that he had returned to his
wigwam. Upon being summoned he said he was tired of talking. Thereupon
the professor bethought himself and asked him if he wanted more pay.
The interpreter, no longer tired, was willing to talk all night.

The camp was in a bend of the river and at the head of rapids about
four miles from the mouth, up which we had to track, that is, one man
had to haul the boat along by the bank with a small rope called a
tracking line, while another kept her off the rocks by pushing against
her with an oar. At that point the river opened out into a beautiful
lake from one to two miles in width, whose further end we could not
see. As this river never has been explored to its head, we were
surprised that Messrs. Bryant and Kenaston, who were ready for their
inland trip about a week after our party had started up the Grand
River, had not chosen it as a field for their work rather than follow
in the footsteps of our expedition.

[A carriage road] Of all Labrador north of the Straits, North West
River alone boasts a carriage road. To be sure, there are neither
horses nor carriages at that post, but when Sir Donald A. Smith, at
present at the head of the Hudson Bay Co.'s interests in Canada, but