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By this time the canoe and flotilla were so near that Nazinred recognised the trader, and threw up a hand in salutation, whereupon MacSweenie and Mowat, taking off their caps, treated the party to a rousing British cheer, which was so congenial to the lively Eskimos that they burst into a sympathetic howl, mingled with laughter and some fair attempts to imitate the cheer, while they splashed up the water with their paddles, and otherwise conducted themselves jovially.
Indeed, none of them, except MacSweenie, could dance even these in correct fashion; but the reel, like the Scotch character, is adaptable. It lends itself to circumstances, if we may say so, and admits of the absolutely ignorant being pushed, trundled, shoved or kicked through at least a semblance of it, which to the operators is almost as good as the reality.
"We will take them by surprise, Tonal'. I'm fond o' givin' people a surprise," said MacSweenie in an undertone as they drew near to the little wharf that had been run out from the land in front of the main building. A few Indians were watching the arrival with some curiosity.
"Now, Tonal'," remarked MacSweenie, on the morning of that auspicious day, "it iss a house-warming that I will be giving to-night, for the Indians will be expectin' something o' the sort, so you will be telling the cook to make the biggest lump o' plum-duff he ever putt his hands to; an' tell him not to spare the plums.
Having the cares of state on their shoulders, these three naturally drew together for a little consultation after the others had retired. "What iss your opeenion, Bartong?" asked MacSweenie, pushing down the tobacco in his pipe with the end of a very blunt and much charred forefinger; "do you think the savitches will come here at all?"
"Weel, as ye put it to me, I must say that I'm strongly of Bartong's opeenion." "Just so," remarked MacSweenie, with a thoughtful air; "so, as I agree wi' you both, I think it iss about time for us all to turn in." He turned in accordingly, by lying back in his place and drawing his blanket over him. The other statesmen immediately followed his example, and the camp subsided into silence.
But poor MacSweenie was not satisfied to merely imbibe knowledge; he wished also to discuss it; to philosophise and to ring the changes on it. He occasionally tried his hand on Mowat, who was undoubtedly the most advanced of his staff intellectually, but the results were not encouraging.
But at a Strathspey or the Reel o' Tulloch he was almost equal to Neil Gow himself so admirable were his tune and time. In a lonesome land, where amusements are few and the nights long, the power to "fuddle" counts for much. Besides being MacSweenie's interpreter, Donald was also his storekeeper. "Give them both a quid, Tonal', to begin with," said MacSweenie.
"There now, look at that," cried MacSweenie, who was a sketcher, and an enthusiast in regard to scenery; "did ever you see a prettier spot than that, Tonal'? Just the place for a fort a wee burn dancin' doon the hull, wi' a bit fa' to turn a grindstone, an' a long piece o' flat land for the houses, an' what a grand composeetion for a pictur', wi' trees, gress, water, sky, an' such light and shade!
As he spoke the flotilla rounded a point on the river, and came in sight of MacSweenie's canoe making for the land after having picked up the geese. An impartial observer would not have found it easy to determine which party expressed more surprise. "Fire-spouters!" shouted the new arrivals. "Eskimos!" exclaimed Mowat. "Savitches whatever!" said MacSweenie. "Wow! but this iss goot luck!
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