Chapter II

Georgetown--Minnesota Volunteers--The Successful Hunters--
An Indian Hag--Resolve to go to Fort Garry in Canoes--
Rumours of a Sioux Outbreak--The Half-breeds refuse to
Accompany us--Prepare to Start Alone--Our Canoes and
Equipment--A Sioux War Party--The Half-breed’s Story--
Down Red River--Strange Sights and Sounds--Our First
Night Out--Effects of the Sun and Mosquitoes--Milton
Disabled--Monotony of the Scenery--Leaky Canoes--
Travelling by Night--The “Oven” Camp--Hunting Geese
in Canoes--Meet the Steamer--Milton’s Narrow Escape--
Treemiss and Cheadle follow Suit--Carried Down the
Rapids--Vain Attempts to Ascend--A Hard Struggle--On
Board at last--Start once more--Delays--Try a Night
Voyage again--The “Riband Storm”--“In Thunder, Lightning,
and in Rain”--Fearful Phenomena--Our Miserable Plight--
No Escape--Steering in Utter Darkness--Snags and Rocks--
A Long Night’s Watching--No Fire--A Drying Day--Another
Terrible Storm--And Another--Camp of Disasters--Leave it
at last--Marks of the Fury of the Storms--Provisions at
an End--Fishing for Gold-eyes--A Day’s Fast--Slaughter
of Wild-Fowl--Our Voracity--A Pleasant Awakening--Caught
up by the Steamer--Pembina--Fort Garry--La Ronde--We go
under Canvass 18