Chapter X

La Ronde’s Return--Letters from Home--A Feast--The Journey
to Red River and back--Hardships--The Frozen Train--
Three Extra Days--The Sioux at Fort Garry--Their Spoils
of War--Late Visitors--Musk-Rats and their Houses--
Rat-catching--Our Weather-glass--Moose Hunting in the
Spring--Extreme Wariness of the Moose--His Stratagem to
Guard against Surprise--Marching during the Thaw--Prepare
to leave Winter Quarters--Search for the Horses--Their
Fine Condition--Nutritious Pasturage--Leave La Belle
Prairie--Carlton again--Good-bye to Treemiss and La
Ronde--Baptiste Supernat--Start for Fort Pitt--Passage
of Wild-Fowl--Baptiste’s Stories--Crossing Swollen
Rivers--Addition to our Party--Shooting for a Living--
The Prairie Bird’s Ball--Fort Pitt--Peace between the
Crees and Blackfeet--Cree Full Dress--The Blackfeet--The
Dress of their Women--Indian Solution of a Difficulty--
Rumours of War--Hasty Retreat of the Blackfeet--Louis
Battenotte, “The Assiniboine”--His Seductive Manners--
Departure for Edmonton--A Night Watch--A Fertile Land--
The Works of Beaver--Their Effect on the Country--Their
Decline in Power--How we crossed the Saskatchewan--Up the
Hill--Eggs and Chickens--Arrive at Edmonton 161

CHAPTER XI.

Edmonton--Grisly Bears--The Roman Catholic Mission at St.
Alban’s--The Priest preaches a Crusade against the
Grislies--Mr. Pembrun’s Story--The Gold Seekers--Perry,
the Miner--Mr. Hardisty’s Story--The Cree in Training--
Running for Life--Hunt for the Bears--Life at a Hudson’s
Bay Fort--Indian Fortitude--Mr. O’B. introduces Himself--
His Extensive Acquaintance--The Story of his Life--Wishes
to Accompany us--His Dread of Wolves and Bears--He comes
into the Doctor’s hands--He congratulates us upon his
Accession to our Party--The Hudson’s Bay People attempt
to dissuade us from trying the Leather Pass--Unknown
Country on the West of the Mountains--The Emigrants--The
other Passes--Explorations of Mr. Ross and Dr. Hector--
Our Plans--Mr. O’B. objects to “The Assiniboine”--“The
Assiniboine” protests against Mr. O’B.--Our Party and
Preparations 183