Heinterestedmebecausehewassoquietandsolitaryandsohappywithal；awellofgoodhumorandcontentmentwhichoverflowedathiseyes。Hismirthwaswithoutalloy。SometimesIsawhimathisworkinthewoods，fellingtrees，andhewouldgreetmewithalaughofinexpressiblesatisfaction，andasalutationinCanadianFrench，thoughhespokeEnglishaswell。WhenIapproachedhimhewouldsuspendhiswork，andwithhalf-suppressedmirthliealongthetrunkofapinewhichhehadfelled，and，peelingofftheinnerbark，rollitupintoaballandchewitwhilehelaughedandtalked。Suchanexuberanceofanimalspiritshadhethathesometimestumbleddownandrolledonthegroundwithlaughteratanythingwhichmadehimthinkandtickledhim。Lookingrounduponthetreeshewouldexclaim——“ByGeorge！Icanenjoymyselfwellenoughherechopping；Iwantnobettersport。“Sometimes，whenatleisure，heamusedhimselfalldayinthewoodswithapocketpistol，firingsalutestohimselfatregularintervalsashewalked。
Inthewinterhehadafirebywhichatnoonhewarmedhiscoffeeinakettle；andashesatonalogtoeathisdinnerthechickadeeswouldsometimescomeroundandalightonhisarmandpeckatthepotatoinhisfingers；andhesaidthathe“likedtohavethelittlefellersabouthim。“
Inhimtheanimalmanchieflywasdeveloped。Inphysicalenduranceandcontentmenthewascousintothepineandtherock。I
askedhimonceifhewasnotsometimestiredatnight，afterworkingallday；andheanswered，withasincereandseriouslook，“Gorrappit，Ineverwastiredinmylife。“Buttheintellectualandwhatiscalledspiritualmaninhimwereslumberingasinaninfant。
HehadbeeninstructedonlyinthatinnocentandineffectualwayinwhichtheCatholicprieststeachtheaborigines，bywhichthepupilisnevereducatedtothedegreeofconsciousness，butonlytothedegreeoftrustandreverence，andachildisnotmadeaman，butkeptachild。WhenNaturemadehim，shegavehimastrongbodyandcontentmentforhisportion，andproppedhimoneverysidewithreverenceandreliance，thathemightliveouthisthreescoreyearsandtenachild。Hewassogenuineandunsophisticatedthatnointroductionwouldservetointroducehim，morethanifyouintroducedawoodchucktoyourneighbor。Hehadgottofindhimoutasyoudid。Hewouldnotplayanypart。Menpaidhimwagesforwork，andsohelpedtofeedandclothehim；butheneverexchangedopinionswiththem。Hewassosimplyandnaturallyhumble——ifhecanbecalledhumblewhoneveraspires——thathumilitywasnodistinctqualityinhim，norcouldheconceiveofit。Wisermenweredemigodstohim。Ifyoutoldhimthatsuchaonewascoming，hedidasifhethoughtthatanythingsograndwouldexpectnothingofhimself，buttakealltheresponsibilityonitself，andlethimbeforgottenstill。Heneverheardthesoundofpraise。Heparticularlyreverencedthewriterandthepreacher。Theirperformancesweremiracles。WhenItoldhimthatIwroteconsiderably，hethoughtforalongtimethatitwasmerelythehandwritingwhichImeant，forhecouldwritearemarkablygoodhandhimself。Isometimesfoundthenameofhisnativeparishhandsomelywritteninthesnowbythehighway，withtheproperFrenchaccent，andknewthathehadpassed。Iaskedhimifheeverwishedtowritehisthoughts。Hesaidthathehadreadandwrittenlettersforthosewhocouldnot，buthenevertriedtowritethoughts——no，hecouldnot，hecouldnottellwhattoputfirst，itwouldkillhim，andthentherewasspellingtobeattendedtoatthesametime！