His lettered guide books are.
Needs he a fire? The kindling spark
He bids the chafed wood reveal.
Lacks he a boat? Of birchen bark
He frames a lightsome keel.”
Some of the older Indians have a natural dignity and beauty of expression that is wonderful. In time you will hear many quaint incidents of their lives; and if you are patient and gain their confidence, tales they have heard and the traditions of their fathers will gradually be yours.
In Rockwood Park, St. John
It is, of course, difficult to understand an Indian properly in any tongue other than his own. His English is often broken and peculiar. Here is a “snake story” just as told by a Maliceet: “From dis landin’, ’bout tree, may be four mile, I s’pose, dere’s a loggin’ road. ’Bout nine years ago, in de fall, I was goin’ down dat road with Archy Lodge, when we saw big pine log lyin’ right cross de road. Archy he say, ‘s’pose we have chop dat log to get team by.’ I say, ‘Yes, s’pose’; an’ Archy he get off an’ go to git de axe. Den dat tree he move right out de road, an’ go trough de brush like de devil, an’ break down maple saplin’s big’s my arm. So ’twas a big snake!”
