“Holla, Mac, where are you going with your basket?”

“Why, I am going across to Herd’s shanty, to get my axes ground.”

“My dear fellow, how can you think of risking yourself in such a gimcrack contrivance as that?  I must absolutely send a couple of my men along with you to see no accident happens to you.”

Having a parcel of goods ready for emergencies of this kind, my men started in a moment, and embarked at the same time as my neighbour.  I continued with my only man completing my castle; but the earth being already hard frozen, no clay could be obtained for the purpose of plastering; the interstices between the logs were therefore caulked with moss; a large aperture being left in the roof to serve the double purpose of chimney and window.  I had formerly seen houses so constructed—­somewhere—­but let no one dare to imagine that I allude to “my own, my native land.”  Stones were piled up against the logs, to protect them from the fire.  The timber required for floor, door, and beds, was all prepared with the axe; our building being thus rendered habitable without even going to the extent of Lycurgus’ frugal laws, for the axe was our only implement.

My opponent returned in four days, having been at an Indian camp, not far distant, where both he and our people traded a considerable quantity of furs.  This was our only trip by open water.  As soon as the river became ice-bound, we were again in motion.

To enter into minute details of our various movements would but prove tedious; I shall therefore present a general sketch of our mode of life at this period, and such occurrences as I may consider worthy of note.

Macdonell had chosen his situation with great judgment.  The majority of the Algonquins take their start from the Grand River at this place for their hunting-grounds.  Some of them not being more than a day’s journey distant from us, the joyful intelligence soon spread amongst them that an opposition party had been established in their neighbourhood; they accordingly flocked about us as soon as travelling became practicable on the ice, and generally brought with them the means of ensuring a friendly reception.  One party came in at this early season with all their fall hunts, which they bartered for liquors and provisions, and encamped close by, enjoying themselves, until an event occurred that alarmed them so much, (being with some reason considered by them as a punishment for the wicked life they had led,) that with the utmost precipitation they struck their camp.

I was joined early in the month of January by a party of men and a clerk, whom Mr. S. had ordered, or rather “requested,” from Montreal; and having, on the day of their arrival, received an invitation from one of our Algonquin chiefs to pay him a trading visit, I started next day, leaving Mr. Lane in charge, accompanied by two men, and reached the chief’s wigwam late in the evening.  As soon as I was