the agreeable Intelligence of my being superseded by the
bearer,--commanding me to obey him as my bourgeois, and to conduct
myself in such a manner as to give Mr. S. every satisfaction. The
latter injunction I felt very little inclination to comply with at the
time; in fact, the slight put upon me caused my northern blood to rise
to fever heat; and in this excited frame of mind I sat down to reply
to the "great man's" communication, in which I gave vent to my injured
feelings in very plain language. What he may have thought of the
epistle, I know not, as he never deigned to reply. It was
inconsiderate in me, however, to have so acted; but prudence had not
yet assumed her due influence over me.

Mr. S. had been at that time twenty-four years in the service, I only
three; he had therefore a superior claim to any I could advance: but
why not inform me at once that my appointment to the charge was merely
temporary? This double dealing manifested a distrust of me, for which
no cause could possibly be assigned: that excited my resentment, and
not the circumstance of being superseded.

Towards the latter end of the month of September, our opponents made
their appearance in three small canoes, while I embarked in pursuit
with the same number. One of my north canoes was in charge of three
men, the others contained two, counting myself as a man. Having become
rather expert as an amateur voyageur, I considered myself capable of
undertaking the real duty now, and accordingly volunteered my services
as steersman, as no additional hand could be spared, without great
inconvenience to my bourgeois. A little experience convinced me,
however, that my zeal exceeded my ability. My opponent was in a light
canoe, and moved, about with a celerity that my utmost exertions could
not cope with; for as soon as an Indian canoe appeared, he paddled off