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The friend mentioned in the last chapter was
a gay, light hearted young Irishman, by name,
Michael Cavenny. He was a clerk in the service
of the Hudson's Bay Company, and was feared
as an opponent by much older traders.

By the advice of Governor Semple, our hero
resolved to go to Assinneboin. His guardian
thought that in that wild country, where the want
of all the luxuries of life must be severely felt, he
would have a better prospect of overcoming
Cameron's opposition than at Montreal.

The same week the bois brulé set out for
Pembinaw. It is needless to relate how he accomplished
the first part of his journey through
the frozen wilderness on snow shoes, or what
savages he encountered withal; but from Fort
William, on the north shore of Lake Superior, he
was attended by two Canadians who knew him
not, nor were they aware that he understood
French, having never heard him speak it.

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One of them, by name La Verdure, was a man
of gigantic stature, remarkable for an unnatural
appetite, and a discontented, mutinous disposition.
They carried from Fort William provisions for
four days, relying on their guns and the chance
of meeting with Indians for their further support.
But the snow was deep, and they were too much
lamed by the weight of their snow shoes(5) to
pursue the few deer they saw. For four days
all went well enough, but on the fifth they fasted,
and La Verdure begun to talk to his comrade of
the good cheer they should find at Fort Douglass.
The next day passed in the same manner; not a
hoof nor a horn did they see, nor even a solitary
prairie hen. La Verdure was sullen and silent,
excepting that he occasionally muttered something
about the bourgeois that had sent them so
far into the desert to perish. At times he cast
wolfish, hungry glances at Gordon, but quickly
averted his head when he saw himself observed.
The bois brulé was as brave a man perhaps, as
ever lived, but he did not that night lie down
before the fire without some misgivings.

Noon came on the seventh day, and as yet
they had not seen an Indian, nor had an opportunity
to kill anything. Then it was that La
Verdure revealed his thoughts to his companion.
`Jussomme,' said he, `I am dying with hunger.
I shall not be able to walk tomorrow unless I find
something to eat.'

`Why,' said Jussomme, `this is not the first time
you have fasted, I suppose? I am hungry

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myself, but I could travel two days more without
eating.'

`I will tell you better. There is no need for
either of us to fast longer than tonight. Look at
that man there.'

`Well, and what then?' He has nothing to
give us, and we cannot eat him.'

`Why not? If we do not eat we must all three
perish. Sachristie! it is better that one should
die than three. He would last till we can get a
supply. Let us kill him as he sleeps.'

`God forbid! God forbid! (crossing himself)
that were a mortal sin. We could never get absolution.
I would rather die a thousand times.
Villain! I will inform the young man of your
intentions instantly, unless you promise to give
them up.'

`Will you so? then take care of yourself. If
you offer to tell him what I have said I will shoot
you on the spot: I do not fear but I shall be
able to deal with him alone. But I do not wish
to hurt you: you are from my own parish. I
tell you, though, that I neither can nor will live
any longer without food, and if you interfere your
blood be upon your own head.'

`It is a pity. It is a great pity. He is a fine
lad, and he has eaten less than either of us. Do
as you please, however: it is no business of
mine. I wash my hands of it.'

Jussomme was physically and morally a coward,
and he feared La Verdure, with whose
strength and desperation he was well acquainted.
Nevertheless, several times that afternoon he

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attempted to warn Gordon of his danger. But
when about to speak he always caught the eye of
La Verdure, who pointed significantly to his gun.
Once he fell back and addressed the cannibal.
`La Verdure,' said he, `when you have killed
him how will you conceal it? He started with
us, and we shall arrive without him: his body
will be found, and it will be discovered how he
came to his end. Besides, I shall be questioned.'

`If you hesitate an instant to swear to me by
the passion and crucifixion of our blessed Lord,
that you will never reveal what is about to happen,
I will kill you too. As to the rest, trust to
me: we will say that he was too weak to walk,
and that we were obliged to leave him. His
body will never be found. The wolves will take
care of that.'

Poor Jussomme sighed bitterly. He would
have given the world for an opportunity to speak
to our hero: but La Verdure stuck so close to
him that it was impossible. He feared, too, to
hear the report of the white savage's gun at every
moment. But La Verdure had formed his resolution
deliberately, and had no mind to run any
risk. He did not intend to kill the half breed till
night. No warning was needed, for Gordon understood
French more thoroughly, and spoke it
better than either of them. Reluctant to shed
blood, however justified by the circumstances, he
prayed fervently, though silently, that a deer or
some other animal might come in their way before
night. But none came. At sunset they stopped,

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collected wood, cleared away the snow, and cut
hay to sleep upon.

`How far is it to —, La Verdure?' said
Gordon.

`So far that I think you will never reach it,'
replied the other.

`I am very hungry, but I think I can hold out
some time yet.'

`I am hungry, too; but I shall not be tomorrow;—
at least, if you have flesh enough to feed me,'
he added in his own language.

`Say you so? Die, then, miscreant!' said
Gordon, firing his gun at him. The ball went
through La Verdure's head, and he fell and expired
without a groan.(6)

Jussomme, surprised at hearing our hero speak
French, and frightened at what had happened,
fell on his knees and begged for mercy. Gordon
quickly reassured him, telling him that he had
heard and understood all that had been said;
nevertheless, the Canadian slept little that night.
His nerves had received too severe a shock to
recover at once. Gordon's rest was little better:
he had been too short a time in the Indian country
to spill human blood with indifference. The
next morning, having dragged their feeble steps a
mile or two, they heard singing and the sound of
a drum. They proceeded in the direction of the
noise, and found that it came from three Algonquin
lodges. They were hospitably received by
the poor savages, who had hunted the deer and
moose to good purpose. Here they rested two
days to recruit their strength and give their swollen

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feet time to recover. The poor savages feasted
our travellers from morning till night. One of
them offered his daughter to Gordon for a wife,
before he departed, herself nothing loth, but the
proposal was declined.

In due time our hero and his attendant arrived
at Fort Douglass, situated at the confluence of the
Red and Assinneboin rivers. Gordon was received
by Mr Miles M'Donald, the deputy governor
of the colony, with much courtesy, and an apartment
was assigned him. He had the pleasure,
also, to find some of his Hohay kindred encamped
on the spot. They were not slow to exact of
him a considerable assortment of merchandise, on
account of his connexion with them; and they
asked him to go with them to their camp, an invitation
which he accepted with alacrity.

The reader must not suppose that the Forts of
the Indian country are constructed according to
the rules of Vauban. On the contrary, they are
mere stockades of pickets around the stores and
dwellings of the traders and their people. These
edifices are built of logs, rudely squared by the
axe and plastered with clay. They contain a
heterogeneous population, Indians, whites, and
their squaw wives and half breed children, dogs,
and in consequence, fleas innumerable. The
roofs are ornamented with dog sledges, and the
area inclosed by the buildings is occupied with
Canadian carts. Beside this, a trading fort is the
sanctuary of all evil odors.

At supper Gordon related to Mr M'Donald
how he had slain La Verdure. `You served him

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right,' said that dignitary, `and deserve the thanks
of the company. You have saved us from a
famine. His project of devouring you was in
strict keeping with his character. Why, man, his
voracity was incredible. I will relate an instance
of his gluttony. It is but one among many.
When I' —

But here he was interrupted by the entrance
of one of the engagés with a bowl of punch. The
compound was made with lime juice and high
wines. Both articles being easy of transportation
may be occasionally found beyond the frontier.

Gordon remained silent. But M'Donald filled
the glasses and proceeded with his story.

`Two years ago,' said he, `when I wintered at
Brandon House, La Verdure was one of my
people. In the spring our provisions gave out,
and we had fasted a day, when an Indian brought
me a fat swan. Here, said I, is enough for all
five of us, for one day at least.'

`I should think it was,' said Gordon. `A
swan, if I am not mistaken, weighs something like
twenty pounds.'

`Often more; but La Verdure appeared astonished
at my words. “Enough!” said he, “I
could eat it myself.” “Very well,” said I, “if you
can you shall; but mind, if you do not eat the
whole, I shall stop a week's wages.” He took me
at my word, and the fowl was skinned and boiled.
Well, sir, he sat down and ate, till I feared for
his life, and entreated him to stop; but he would
not desist while there was a mouthful left. When
he had finished he was unable to rise, and I

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thought he would die. However, he suffered no
inconvenience: the next morning he was as
well as ever.'

`I should have thought such an exploit impossible.
'

`Impossible! Sir, you can have no idea of his
prowess.'

`Yes I can, for I have witnessed, and had like
to have fallen a victim to it.'

`Good! He was a mutinous fellow, and set a
very bad example to our men in times of scarcity.
I for one, am very glad of what has come to pass.'