AU

ninnach Baga. minnach Baga.

nach Baga.

\innach Baga.

er‘ V ”, but the

à men havelong ppear long they bonly the forebine tails. The cely reaches the ës throw a little

ngers, nor slash by are much adiomy (1).

THE MISSISSOURI INDIANS 8651

CCREREEEELEEERENEELEEEEENEEX) 000000000000 00000000000000

About the beginning of August, the free.men whom we had despatched on our arrival to our establishment on the Red River returned, and informed me that Mr. Alexander Henry had arrived from Fort William. Concluding that a change had taken place in our department, [ became anxious for my departure.

After the Rocky Mountain Indians were gone, I had scarcely any occupation and saw little or nothing worthy of notice. Several bands of Assiniboines, Crees and Sauteux visited the villages, but nothing strange occured.

I mnst not forget to mention that there was a fine harvest at the Missurie this season. I never witnessed anything equal in richness to the appearance of the fields. The stalks of the Indian corn were generally eight feut high, the leaves of the kidney beans were entirely covered with blossoms, promissing abundance; the pumpkins were already gathered, cut into slices and dried in the sun ready for use.

On ihe 15th of August, [ crossed the Missurie with seven horses ; here I lost half a day waiting for my fellow traveller, Mr. Lafrance ; he had three horses, but he gave me a very poor account of the property entrusted to his care, which did not realise half the value.

In the evening we, left the banks of the Missurie ; eight horses carried our returns ; Lafrance led the van, I, in the rear, drove the horses after him. In this manner we jogged on, and no one can judge of the difficulties which we had to encounter but such as have travelled in the same route and with a like encurnbrance, travelling from the break of day to dusk. Still our daily progress was small.

Our route was through plains or meadows so thickly covered with buffaloes that we were often under the necessity of frightening them out our way with gun powder, and we were

in constant dread of being overrun and crushed by them at night in our encampments. The flies were extremely trouble. some and tormenting, and we had no means for fire but dry dung which burned like spunk. Provisions were supplied daily as required from the chase.

After leaving the buffaloe meadows a dreadful scarcity of water ensued. We had to alter our course and steer to a dis. tant lake, where we went to encamp but, when we got there, we found the lake dry ; however, we dug a pit which produced a kind of stinking liquid of which we all drank; it was salt and bitter, caused an inflamation of the mouth, left a disagreable roughness in the throat and seemed rather to increase than diminish our thirst. Our horses also partook of this unsavory beverage. We passed the night under great uneasiness; next day, we continued our journey, but not a drop of water was to be found any where on our route, and our distress became unsupportable. Lafrance lost his patience and swore so much that he could swear no more; he gave the country ten thousand times to the devil. At length his eyes became dim and we believed that he was drawing near a serious crisis.

All at once our horses bazcame so unruly that we could not manage them; we observed that they showed an inclination towards à hill which was close by. It struck me that they might have scented water in that direction, and I immediately ascended to the top of the hill when, to my great joy, I dis. covered a small pool of water at a small distance from me. Forgetting the distress of my fellow traveller through the excess of my own, I ran to the pool and drank plentifully, my horse plunged into it before I could muster time to prevent him. I then returned to the edge of the hill and beckoned to Lafrance, who was still at too great a distance to hear me. Whenhe reached me at last, the poor man seemed more dead than alive, his countenance was entirely changed into a dark hue and à

rest extr our retu fare.

with Ne rivec hisp we h So

d by them at mely trouble.

r fire but dry ‘supplied daily

ful scarcity of d steer to a dis.

we got there, vhich produced nk; it was salt ft a disagreable o increase than f this unsavory ineasiness ; next of water was to distress became swore s0 much try ten thousand me dim and we isis.

at we could not A an inclination ck me that they d I immediately great joy, Î disistance from me.

ler through the plentifully, my e to prevent him.

oued to Lafrance, br me. Whenhe , dead than alive, dark hue and à

THE MISSISSOURI INDIANS 853

thick scurf affected his mouth. He instantly gotinto the water, of which he partook so plentifully that I was fearful of the consequences, The horses also drank to excess and I was afraid they might be injured also.

After restg for some time in the vicinity of the water, we resumed our course, but did not proceed far when our recent extravagant libations began to tell both upon ourselves and upon our horses. Notwithstanding this, we thought prudent to return and pass the night at the same pool as we might have fared worse by continuing, and have been obliged to encamp without water.

Next morning at day break, we went on and that evening arrived at the Fort, where I found Mr. Henry in charge, he and his people in a state of starvation. We were welcome guests for we had plenty of provisions.

So ended my second expedition to the Missurie.