ir contents with persevering industry.
The curling wreaths of smoke formed a black cloud among the numerous
fleecy ones in the blue sky, while all around, in every imaginable
attitude, sat, stood, and reclined the sunburnt, savage-looking
half-breeds, chatting, laughing, and smoking in perfect happiness. They
were all dressed alike, in light cloth capotes with hoods, corduroy
trousers, striped shirts open in front, with cotton kerchiefs tied
sailor-fashion loosely round their swarthy necks. A scarlet worsted
belt strapped each man's coat tightly to his body, and Indian moccasins
defended their feet. Their head-dresses were as various as fanciful--
some wore caps of coarse cloth; others coloured handkerchiefs, twisted
turban-fashion round their heads; and one or two, who might be looked
upon as voyageur-fops, sported tall black hats, covered so plenteously
with bullion tassels and feathers as to be scarcely recognisable.

The breakfast consisted solely of pemmican and flour, boiled into the
sort of thick soup dignified by the name of _robbiboo_. As might be
expected, it is not a very delicate dish, but is, nevertheless,
exceedingly nutritious; and those who have lived long in the country,
particularly the Canadians, are very fond of it. I think, however, that
another of their dishes, composed of the same materials, but fried
instead of boiled, is much superior to it. They call it _richeau_; it
is uncommonly rich, and very little will suffice for an ordinary man.

After staying about a quarter of an hour, chatting with Kippling about
the good folk of Red River and Norway House, we took our departure, just
as they commenced the first vigorous attack upon the capacious kettles
of robbiboo.

Shortly after, we arrived at the mouth of Hill River, which we began to
ascend. The face of the country was now greatly changed, and it was
evident that here spring had long ago dethroned winter. The banks of
the river were covered from top to bottom with the most luxuriant
foliage, while dark clumps of spruce-fir varied and improved the
landscape. In many places the banks, which appeared to be upwards of a
hundred feet high, ran almost perpendicularly down to the water's edge,
perfectly devoid of vegetation, except at the top, where large trees
overhung the precipice, some clinging by their roots and ready to fall.
In other places the bank sloped from nearly the same height, gradually,
and with slight undulations, down to the