it as few white men could have drawn. Accordingly, he soon tells of
feasting once more. What broke the famine was a storm of wind and rain
that caused the snow to fall from the trees, cleared the forests, and
formed, after a freeze, a crust on the snow that enabled the hunters to
kill an abundance of game. Deer, with their sharp hoofs, broke through
the crust "after they made 7 or 8 capers" (bounds), and were easily
taken. There was other food, too, for there came a deputation of
Indians to visit the white strangers, accompanied by their women
"loaded of Oates, corne that growes in that country." He means wild
rice, which formed the staple food of certain tribes. This was a gift,
and at its presentation there were elaborate ceremonies, the account of
which fills several pages. Still this was only the beginning, for the
appointed time for a grand council was approaching, and soon there
arrived deputations from eighteen different tribes, until five hundred
{218} warriors were assembled. More feasting, more ceremonies, more
honors to the white visitors, who received more beaver-skins than they
could possibly carry away, and pledges of eternal friendship on both
sides.

Hardly were these rites ended, when there came fresh troops of savages,
and all began over again. "There weare," says Radisson, "playes,
mirths, and bataills for sport. In the publick place the women danced
with melody. The yong men that indeavoured to gett a pryse [prize]
indeavored to clime up a great post, very smooth, and greased with oyle
of beare."

Then followed a most interesting exhibition "in similitud of warrs,"
the young men going through the various motions of attack, retreat, and
the like, without a word, all the commands being given by "nodding or
gesture," the old men meanwhile beating furiously on drums made of
"earthen potts full of water covered with staggs-skin." There followed
a dance of women, "very modest, not lifting much their feete from the
ground, making a sweet harmony."

Finally, after more feasting, more "renewing of alliances," more
exchange of gifts, in which, of course, the Frenchmen received valuable
furs in {219} return for the merest trifles, the great assembly broke
up, the red men filed off toward their distant villages, and the
honored strangers started on their long homeward journey, with numerous
sled-loads of peltry.

All that summer they traveled among the numerous islands on the north
shore of the