On an island in this lake they pitched their tents, as deer were very numerous.  During this time also they were busily employed in preparing staves of birch wood, about seven or eight feet long, to serve as tent poles in the summer, and in the winter to be converted into snowshoe frames.  Here also Chief Matonabi purchased another wife.  He had now with him no less than seven, most of whom would for size have made good grenadiers.  He prided himself much on the height and strength of his wives, and would frequently say few women could carry off heavier loads.  In fact in this country wives were very seldom selected for their beauty, but rather for their strength.

“Ask a Northern Indian,” wrote Hearne, “‘What is beauty?’ He will answer:  ’A broad, flat face, small eyes, high cheekbones, three or four broad black lines across each cheek, a low forehead, a broad chin, a clumsy hook nose, and a tawny hide.’”

But the model woman amongst these Indians was one who was capable of dressing all kinds of skins and making them into clothing, and who was strong enough to carry a load of about a hundred pounds in weight in summer, and to haul perhaps double that weight on a sledge in winter.  “As to their temper, it is of little consequence; for the men have a wonderful facility in making the most stubborn comply with as much alacrity as could possibly be expected.”  When the men kill any large beast the women are always sent to bring it to the tent.  When it is brought there, every operation it undergoes, such as splitting, drying, pounding, is performed by the women.  When anything is prepared for eating it is the women who cook it; and when it is done, not even the wives and daughters of the greatest chiefs in the country are served until all the males—­even the male slaves—­have eaten what they think proper.  In times of scarcity it was frequently the lot of the women to be left without a single mouthful; though, no doubt, they took good care to help themselves in secret.

[Illustration:  SAMUEL HEARNE; ALEXANDER MACKENZIE]

Hearne mentions that in this country among the Northern Indians the names of the boys were various and generally derived from some place, or season of the year, or animal; whilst the names of the girls were chiefly taken from some part or property of a marten,[4] such as the white marten, the black marten, the summer marten, the marten’s head, foot, heart, or tail.

[Footnote 4:  A fur-bearing animal (Mustela americana), very like the British pine marten.]

From the Lake of Little Fish Hill the party moved on to Lake Clowey, and here the Northern Indians set to work to build their canoes in the warm and dry weather, which was about to come in at the end of May.  These canoes were very slight and simple in construction and wonderfully light, which was necessary, for some of the northern portages might be a hundred to one hundred and fifty miles in length, over which the