A burial mound?--the common lot."


THE GAY FRENCHMAN.

Then the conversation turned upon the early Frenchmen, who came to the
West during the days of French Canada, before Wolfe took Quebec. "Oh! I
have no doubt they would make a great ado," said the old patriarch,
"when they came here. The French, you know, are so fond of pageants. But
beyond a few rumors among the old Indians far up the Assiniboine River
of their remembrance of the crosses and of the priests, or black robes,
as they call them, I have never heard anything; these early explorers
themselves left few traces. When they retired from the country, after
Canada was taken by Wolfe, the Indians burnt their forts and tried to
destroy every vestige of them. You know the Indian is a cunning
diplomatist. He very soon sees which is the stronger side and takes it.
When the King is dead he is ready to shout, Long live the new King. I
have heard that down on the point, on the south side of the Forks of the
two rivers, the Frenchmen built a fort, but there wasn't a stick or a
stone of it left when the Selkirk Colonists came in 1812. But perhaps
you know that part of the story better than I do," ventured the old
patriarch. That is the Story of the French Explorers.

"Oh! Yes," replied the writer, "you know the world of men and things
about you; I know the world of books and journals and letters."

"Let us hear of that," said the patriarch eagerly.

[Illustration: MOUND BUILDERS' REMAINS
A. Native Copper Drill.