gifts,
consisting of beaver tails, smoked moose tongues and pemmican, one of
the leading braves arose and said:

"Men who pretend to give us life, do you wish us to die! You know what
beaver is worth and the trouble we have to take it. You call yourselves
our brothers, and yet will not give us what those give who make no such
profession. Accept our gifts, and let us barter, or we will visit you
no more. We have but to travel a hundred leagues and we will encounter
the English, whose offers we have heard."

On the conclusion of this harangue, silence reigned for some moments.
All eyes were turned on the two white traders. Feeling that now or never
was the time to exhibit firmness, Radisson, without rising to his feet,
addressed the whole assemblage in haughty accents.

"Whom dost thou wish I should answer? I have heard a dog bark; when a
man shall speak, he will see I know how to defend my conduct and my
terms. We love our brothers and we deserve their love in return. For
have we not saved them all from the treachery of the English?"

Uttering these words fearlessly, he leaped to his feet and drew a long
hunting-knife from his belt. Seizing by the scalp-lock the chief of the
tribe, who had already adopted him as his son, he asked: "Who art thou?"
To which the chief responded, as was customary: "Thy father."

"Then," cried Radisson, "if that is so, and thou art my father, speak
for me. Thou art the master of my goods; but as for that dog who has
spoken, what is he doing in this company? Let him go to his brothers,
the English, at the head of the Bay. Or he need not travel so far. He
may, if he chooses, see them starving and helpless on yonder island;
answering to my words of command.

"I know how to speak to my Indian father," continued Radisson, "of the
perils of the woods, of the abandonment of his squaws and children, of
the risks of hunger and the peril of death by foes. All these you avoid
by trading with us here. But although I am mightily angry, I will take
pity on this wretch and let him still live. Go," addressing the brave
with his weapon outstretched, "take this as my gift to you, and depart.
When you meet your brothers, the English, tell them my name, and add
that we are soon coming to treat them and their factory yonder as we
have treated this one."

The speaker knew enough of the Indian character, especially in affairs
of trade, to be aware that a point once yielded them is never recovered.
And it i