A SPORTING EXCURSION TO NIAGARA AND THE

CANADIAN LAKES.

BY SARON.

Continued.

We left our readers rather abruptly last month: a religious ceremony was about to take place, it being the anniversary of the death of the wife of an Indian chief. The circumstances connected with it were related to us by our friend Tee-tee-squass in a most simple and artless manner; the history interested us so much, that we cannot refrain from laying it before our readers.

"Mohawtan, an Ottawa warrior, had married Oneda, a young and beautiful girl of his own tribe. For some time there had been a deadly feud between the Ottawas and the Mississaguis, and in a skirmish Mohawtan had killed their chief, and possessed himself of his scalp. Shortly afterwards, the chief of the Ottawas died, and the young warrior was named as his successor; this post of honour he joyfully accepted, and was preparing another attack upon his foes, when a "flag of truce" arrived from the Mississaguis, offering peace between the two tribes, with the hand of their late chief's daughter to the new leader of the Ottawas. Mohawtan at first declined the proffered offer, but his tribe urged upon him the necessity of such a step, which would at once turn a powerful foe into a lasting ally, and at last consented to the fatal treaty. Mohawtan broke the intelligence to his faithful and adored Oneda, who received it with calmness. The following day every preparation was made for the meeting of the rival tribes, the calumet of peace was smoked: towards the afternoon the sounds of wild martial instruments announced the arrival of the bride; no sooner had the young warrior clasped her in his arms, than Oneda was seen mournfully going up the rocky promontory. A misgiving came over the mind of Mohawtan; he called to the partner of his choice, who solemnly replied, You are a traitor; henceforward I trust no more to man: may the Great Spirit have mercy on me.' Scarcely had the words been uttered, than the poor creature flung herself from the rock into a bubbling abyss formed within it, and sank to rise no more. Such was the history of the faithful Oneda, whose melancholy fate was annually commemorated by her own tribe. Mohawtan did not long survive her; having broken off his marriage with the young Mississaguis, he fell a victim to the treachery of one of that tribe, who mingled some poison with his food."

This narrative so affected the ladies of our party that we were happy to leave the spot, and give up our proposed visit to the Indian settle

ment. We now retraced our steps home, and by way of varying the road, skirted the forest over a dry and sandy plain. The sun was now in its zenith, the parched earth was most oppressive, and we dragged ourselves along the tedious path overwhelmed with heat and thirst. At length we reached a few wigwams, where we found a very venerable looking squaw nursing a little papoose or baby. It was a regular black-looking imp, that resembled much more a monkey than a human being, and which turned out to be her grandson. The faithful Teetee-squass told her our wants, introducing into the palm of her hand certain silver coins, which, residing as she did so near to the town of Kingston, she seemed perfectly to know the value of. The "siller" seemed to produce a most wonderful change of conduct; for the "bambino" was laid aside, and a hearty welcome, as far as gestures went, was given us. How true it is that " money," like love, rules the court, the camp, the grove, in civilized, as in savage society, or as Anacreon Moore says

"Oil of Palm's the thing that, flowing,

Sets the naves and felloes going,"

After a most excellent repast we resumed our journey, and arrived in Kingston just in time to attend a theatrical performance, which was about to commence on a temporary stage, erected in the ballroom of the hotel. The play bills had announced Home's celebrated tragedy of "Douglas, or the Shepherd Boy of the Grampians!" with the farce of "The Waterman, or Tom Tug's Courtship!!" The parts of young Norval by Miss Glendinning, that of Glenalvon by Mr. Stukeley Glendinning, and that of Lady Randolph by Mrs. Stukeley Glendinning, all from the London theatres! The remaining characters were assigned to Messrs. Smith, Brown, and Co. Great would have been the surprise of "Home, sweet home," the Scottish writer (as was ours), had he witnessed the performance we did. In country theatres it is usual to do what is technically called "doubling" a part, but in this instance it was quadrupling parts; for the three Glendinnings--father, mother, and daughter-enacted the whole tragedy and farce: it was a regular case of three and "the deuce."

In the play Miss Glendinning appeared as Lord Randolph, Anna, and Young Norval; her father represented the proud Glenalvon and Old Norval; while Mrs. Glendinning enacted the heroine, brought on messages, and prompted the piece. In the farce the managerial couple appeared as Mr. and Mrs. Bundle, in a scene in which the former vowed his daughter should not marry Robin; while the wife equally declared "she would pisen her beloved child sooner than she should throw herself away upon the jolly young waterman. Miss Glendinning then appeared as Wilhelmina, and, during the period her respected parents were changing their costume, sang a popular ballad; Mr. Glendinning then again appeared as that pink of perfection, Robin; while Mrs. G. soon afterwards made her bow as Tom Tug. Of course a great deal was said about Mr. and Mrs. Bundle in their absence, and their views upon matrimony, and the part wound up with a poetical "gag" (as the players call it), con

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sisting of some half-dozen doggrel lines, in which "smiles so winning," and "Glendinning"- your applause"- to serve our cause" were introduced with great effect, and ending with a complimentary stanza to Colonel Richmond, a retired veteran, and the patron of the evening's performance.

"If Richmond then approve, we will not yield,

But pitch our tents e'en here as Bosworth field."

Upon the following day we parted with our American friends, but not until we had made an appointment to meet them again at Kingston upon our return from Lake Huron.

Leaving Kingston, accompanied by our two faithful guides, Teetee-squass and "Skug," we proceeded on foot to Fort Erie, through a rich cultivated country. As we passed along we saw a variety of snakes basking in the sun; we did not, however, find any rattlesnakes, although "Skug" brought us the skin of one nearly four feet in length, which he had purchased for a few beads and a glass of brandy, from a wandering Indian. Tee-tee-squass told us that a soup made from rattle-snakes was most delicious and nourishing, and that the flesh was as white as the most delicate fish. Certainly a potage de serpent à sonnettes, with Spitchcock rattle-snakes, would have been a novelty in the culinary department; but there were a variety of reasons against our indulging in such luxuries, one of which was sufficient First catch your rattle-snakes."

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On reaching Fort Erie, where we remained a couple of days to lionize the neighbourhood, we found excellent accommodation in "the hotel" as it was called par excellence, and which was kept by a Scotch woman, Mrs. Micklereed by name. Our Canadian Meg Dods did her best to render our sejour at her house most agreeable; and upon the evening before our departure, produced a huge bowl of whiskey toddy, made in the true Glasgow fashion, and to which we did ample justice. The following morning we took our leave, after quaffing a quaick of real Glenlivet to the health of our hostess, and the country that had given her birth, "bonnie brave Scotland." During the day, we rambled through the woods, and along the shores of the lake, with our fowling pieces. On the strand we found a great number of gulls, and different birds of prey, such as hawks and kites; we also met with large flocks of sand larks, as they are called by the inhabitants, in colour somewhat resembling the grey lapwing. In the woods we fell in for the first time with a large covey, or flock, of spruce partridges, or pheasants, as they are called by the people of the country. Nothing could exceed their tameness; a day's sport after barn-door fowl in a farm yard would have been a joke to it. We bagged some half dozen, being anxious to stuff them, literally and figuratively, for we cooked four for dinner, and the remaining two may to this day be seen under a glass case in the room of the writer of this article.

We now traversed Lake Erie and Lake Huron, and entered Lake Superior, (the most magnificent body of fresh water in the world,) landing at the Grande Portage, which is a fort, situate near the North Western shore, containing several houses, erected for the accommoda

tion of the North West Company. This is the general rendezvous for the traders. Those that leave Montreal in the summer, here meet those who have spent their winter in the Northern establishments; and a general traffic in furs at "cost prices" takes place. We were too late for the grand gathering, but still found many traders congregating in the place. After remaining a few days at the Grande Portage, we embarked on the river Au Tourt, in bateaux about half the size of those we had been previously accustomed to. The Au Tourt is one of the finest rivers in the North Western parts of America. Lake Winnipeg, which we next approached, is the great reservoir for several large rivers: the Knistenaux and Algonquin tribes inhabit its banks. Beyond Lake Winnipeg we passed many rapids, and through several small lakes. From the mouth of the Saskatchiwine river we proceeded to our final destination, Fort Chepewyan, which is a fort on the bank of the Lake of the Hills, occupied by traders, who here deal for furs brought in by the Indians. As this spot terminated our pilgrimage, we devoted a week to it. Here we had some excellent fishing; by the word fishing, we mean to express angling, spearing, netting, and every other manner in which the finny tribe fall victims to the skill and cunning of man. The grey, or salmon trout, which frequently weighs from twenty to thirty pounds, is the best fish found in the large American lakes. One of our party, who had been a great fly-fisher in the Highland rivers, tried his luck upon a river in the neighbourhood of the fort, and was entirely unsuccessful. There were so many roots, trunks, limbs, and branches of trees, that he found it quite impossible to throw his fly; we therefore resorted to the very cockney-like sport of baiting sundry hooks, which we attached to lines, each having a float, and suspended from a strong cord, which we made fast to two wooden buoys which we anchored in the lake. These lines we visited morning, noon, and evening, and generally found more fish than empty hooks. The muskanungi, or pike, and sturgeon, are very plentiful in the large lakes, and these afford excellent sport in spearing. We found "Skug" most experienced at the "lance" exercise: nothing could exceed the precision with which he speared these Leviathans of the lakes. The time we selected for this sport was at night, and our plan of operation was as follows:-At the head of each boat stood an Indian with a lighted pine torch, and by his side was placed the spearsman; the fish, attracted by the light, soon came in numbers, and gave us ample sport. Our greatest difficulty was to preserve what an old lady once in our hearing called her equibilirium, for so slight and fragile were our barks, that the least over shot would upset them, or at least give the spearer a "header" in the lake.

Our friend Tee-tee-squass had struck up a most friendly alliance with one of the Knistenaux Indians, Metessin (last born)-literally "the pet"-by name; and who hearing that we were sportsmen, kindly invited us to join his tribe in an Elk hunting excursion: this we gladly availed ourselves of. In all the Northern parts of America, the elk or orignal is to be met with, as is the caribou, a species of rein deer. Knowing that even in civilized countries the way to a man's heart is very often through his mouth, we thought it highly

advisable to get a good footing with this uncivilized tribe, by giving them a feast; this we accordingly did, inviting a party of the tribe, consisting of eight, to what in the fashionable circles of London would be called a déjeuner dinatoire. As that organ of the bon ton, the Morning Post, would say, the entertainment consisted of all the luxuries of the season; and the viands were of the first quality. During our repast, Metessin explained to us, through our interpreter, the numerous ways of hunting the elk, and entered into some peculiarities connected with these animals. In winter, the Indians follow them, shod in their snow shoes, by means of which they walk without sinking, and easily overtake the elk, who is often nearly up to his knees in the snow, and unable to make much way. At other times they are driven into deep pits, covered over with brushwood and branches of trees. They are also shot with muskets and rifles. A peculiarity which is common to the elk must not be omitted. When the animal runs, the joints of his limbs make a great noise, like the smashing of flints upon a macadamized English road; when, to borrow one of Mr. Hood's jokes, "breaking up is no holiday." The quiricajou hearing this noise, waits the approach of the elk, and darting down upon its back, fixes its claws in his throat, tearing the creature's neck a little below the ears, until it falls down. It is remarkable, that this animal, which is not larger than a badger, should prove itself so powerful a foe to the elk, who is strong enough to slay a man or wolf; but such is the fact, as may be attested by all the authorities who have written upon this subject.

To return to our chasse. By daylight the next morning we were at the rendezvous; the guns were placed at the extremity of a narrow strip of wood, and the Indians, accompanied by a host of boys and girls, proceeded to beat and burn it out. Their yelling, shouting, hollowing, and bellowing, added to the smoke and flames of fire that arose from the brushwood and high grass, soon put the game on foot, and we had a capital day's sport. The scene altogether reminded one of the demon's hunt in Der Freyschutz, or the last scene of Don Giovanni at the opera house; for such a set of fiendish-looking personages could scarcely be looked upon as belonging to any mortal hunt. Upon our return we partook of a haunch of elk venison, and found the flesh tender and delicate. The tongue is very much esteemed, and we purchased some of these dried, which were looked upon as great rarities among the gourmets of Quebec. Upon the following day we witnessed the capture of a few beavers; but the sport was too insipid to interest us: the animals being driven from the ponds by dogs, were taken prisoners or speared in their own dwellings. As Englishmen we ought to have blushed at this unconstitutional attack upon the rights and liberties of the subject. Another dodge resorted to by the Indians was to let the water escape from the dam, leaving the animals high and dry. We now took leave of our Indians, with the exception of Tee-tee-squass and "Skug," and commenced our return to the more civilized provinces. We shot and fished our way back, occasionally having some excellent sport, and seldom or ever having a blank day. It was late in September that, after a very prosperous journey, we landed at Kingston, and having warned our