overtaken, they stopped short, and begged Mr. M'Kay to fire upon the
approaching savages, which he, being well acquainted with the Indian
character from the time he accompanied Sir Alexander M'Kenzie, and
having met with similar occurrences before, would by no means do; but
displayed a friendly sign to the astonished natives, and invited them to
land for an amicable talk; to which they immediately assented. Mr.
M'Kay had sent Mr. de Montigny to procure some tobacco and a pipe, in
order to strike a peace with these barbarians. The latter then returned
to Mr. M'Kay, with the necessary articles, and in the evening the party
came back to our camp, which we had fixed between the villages. We were
then informed that the Indians whom Mr. M'Kay had met, were at war with
the _Kreluits_. It was impossible, consequently, to close our eyes all
night; the natives passing and repassing continually from one village to
the other, making fearful cries, and coming every minute to solicit us
to discharge our firearms; all to frighten their enemies, and let them
see that they were on their guard.

On the 5th, in the morning, we paid a visit to the hostile camp; and
those savages, who had never seen white men, regarded us with curiosity
and astonishment, lifting the legs of our trowsers and opening our
shirts, to see if the skin of our bodies resembled that of our faces and
hands. We remained some time with them, to make proposals of peace; and
having ascertained that this warlike demonstration originated in a
trifling offence on the part of the _Kreluits_, we found them well
disposed to arrange matters in an amicable fashion. After having given
them, therefore, some looking-glasses, beads, knives, tobacco, and other
trifles, we quitted them and pursued our way.

Having passed a deserted village, and then several islands, we came in
sight of a noble mountain on the north, about twenty miles distant, all