Non, Monsieur, not putty éxact; we are in de coontrae of de dam Pieds noirs. Blackfeet, ha? Oui. What blue mountain is that which we see in the distance yonder? Ha, quel Montaigne? cela est la Montaigne du (pardón). Du Rochers, I suppose? Oui, Monsieur, de Rock Montaigne. You live here, I suppose? Non, Monsieur, I comes fair from de West. What, from the West! Where under the heavens is that? Wat, diable! de West? well you shall see, Monsieur, he is putty fair off, súppose. Monsieur Pierre Chouteau can give you de histoire de ma vie—il bien sait que je prends les castors, very fair in de West. You carry goods, I suppose, to trade with the Snake Indians beyond the mountains, and trap beaver also? Oui, Monsieur. Do you see anything of the “Flat-heads” in your country? 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? Oui. Well, you must live a lonesome and hazardous sort of life; can you make anything by it? Oh! oui, Monsr. putty coot, mais if it is not pour for de dam rascalité Riccaree, et de dam Pieds noirs, de Blackfoot Ingin, I am make very much monnair, mais (sacré), I am rob—rob—rob too much! What, do the Blackfeet rob you of your furs? Oui, Monsr. rob, súppose, five time! I am been free trappare seven year, et I am rob five time—I am someting left not at all—he is take all; he is take all de horse—he is take my gun—he is take all my clothes—he is takee de castors—et I am come back with foot. So in de Fort, some cloths is cost putty much monnair, et some whiskey is give sixteen dollares pour gall; so you see I am owe de Fur Comp 600 dollare, by Gar!