Non, Monsieur, ils demeurent very, very fair to de West.
Well, Ba’tiste, I’ll lay my course back again for the present, and at some future period, endeavour to go to the “West.” But you say you trade with the Indians and trap beavers; you are in the employment of the American Fur Company, I suppose?
Non, Monsieur, not quite éxact; mais, súppose, I am “free trappare,” free, Monsr. free.
Free trapper, what’s that? I don’t understand you, Ba’tiste.
Well, Monsr. súppose he is easy pour understand—you shall know all. In de first place, I am enlist for tree year in de Fur Comp in St. Louis—for bounté—pour bounté, eighty dollare (understand, ha?) den I am go for wages, et I ave come de Missouri up, et I am trap castors putty much for six years, you see, until I am learn very much; and den you see, Monsr. M‘Kenzie is give me tree horse—one pour ride, et two pour pack (mais he is not buy, him not give, he is lend), and he is lend twelve trap; and I ave make start into de Rocky Montaigne, et I am live all álone on de leet rivares pour prendre les castors. Sometime six months—sometime five month, and I come back to Yel Stone, et Monsr. M‘Kenzie is give me coot price pour all.
So Mr. M‘Kenzie fits you out, and takes your beaver of you at a certain price?
Oui, Monsr. oui.
What price does he pay you for your beaver, Ba’tiste?
Ha! súppose one dollare pour one beavare.
A dollar per skin, ah?