Here the younger women and the children were waiting, and some of
them had donned their best attire for the occasion of the
strangers' visit. Their dresses were of cotton and woollen goods.
Few wore skin clothes, and those who did had on a rather long skin
shirt with hood attached, but under the shirt were numerous cloth
garments. Only the old men and little children were dressed
altogether in skins. One young woman appeared in a gorgeous purple
dress, and on her head the black and red _tuque_ with beaded band
worn by most of the Montagnais women, and I wondered if she had
come to the Nascaupee camp the bride of one of its braves. There
was about her an air of conscious difference from the others, but
this was unrecognised by them. The faces here were not bright and
happy looking as at the Montagnais camp. Nearly all were sad and
wistful. The old women seemed the brightest of all and were
apparently important people in the camp. Even the little
children's faces were sad and old in expression as if they too
realised something of the cares of wilderness life.
At first they stood about rather shyly watching me, with evident
interest, but making no move to greet or welcome me.
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