,historical ,microreproductions 7www4canadiana4org77 ,a ,,journal4 ,,printed ,,by ,l4 ,b4 ,,seeley1 ,,weston ,,green1 ,,thames ,,ditton4 ,,the ,,substance ,,of ,a ,,journal ,,during ,a ,,residence ,,at ,,the ,,red ,,river ,,colony1 ,british ,north ,america2 ,,and ,,frequent ,,excursions ,,among ,,the ,,north-,,west ,,american ,,indians1 ,,in ,,the ,,years #ahbj1 #ahba1 #ahbb1 #ahbc4 ,by ,,john ,,west1 ,m4 ,a4 ,,late ,,chaplain ,,to ,,the ,,hon4 ,,the ,,hudson',s ,,bay ,,company4 ,,printed ,,for ,l4 ,b4 ,,seeley ,,and ,,son1 ,,fleet ,,street1 ,,london4 ,,mdcccxxiv4 ,,to ,,the ,,rev4 ,,henry ,,budd1 ,m4 ,a4 ,,chaplain ,,to ,,bridewell ,,hospital1 ,,minister ,,of ,,bridewell ,,precinct1 ,,and ,,rector ,,of ,,white ,,roothing1 ,,essex1 ,,as ,a ,,testimony ,,of ,,gratitude ,,for ,,his ,,kindness ,,and ,,friendship1 ,,and ,,of ,,high ,,esteem ,,for ,,his ,,unwearied ,,exertions ,,in ,,every ,,cause ,,of ,,benevolence ,,and ,,enlightened ,,endeavour ,,to ,,promote ,,the ,,best ,,interests ,,of ,,man1 ,,the ,,following ,,pages ,,are ,,respectfully ,,dedicated ,,by ,,the ,,author4 ,transcriber's ,notes3 ,variant spellings have been retained4 ,the ,errata have been moved to the beginning of the text4 ,to improve readability1 dashes between entries in the ,table of ,contents and in chapter subheadings have been converted to periods4 ,,errata4 ,page #a1 line #g1 for ,salteaux1 read ,saulteaux4 #ba1 line #f1 for #ahbj1 read #ahag4 #cf1 line #b from bottom1 for spiritous1 read spirituous4 #eg1 line #bd1 for forty1 read sixty4 #gj1 bottom of the page1 for ,heritics1 read ,heretics4 #aca1 line #bd1 for ,loom1 read ,loon4 #aef1 line #c1 for a1 read no4 #ahj1 line #c1 for intrepedity1 read intrepidity4 #bjd1 line #ai1 for intention it1 read intention of it4 ,,preface4 ,we live in a day when the most distant parts of the earth are opening as the sphere of ,missionary labours4 ,the state of the heathen world is becoming better known1 and the sympathy of ,british ,christians has been awakened1 in zealous endeavours to evangelize and soothe its sorrows4 ,in these encouraging signs of the times1 the ,author is induced to give the following pages to the public1 from having traversed some of the dreary wilds of ,north ,america1 and felt deeply interested in the religious instruction and amelioration of the condition of the natives4 ,they are wandering1 in unnumbered tribes1 through vast wildernesses1 where generation after generation have passed away1 in gross ignorance and almost brutal degradation4 ,should any information he is enabled to give excite a further ,christian sympathy1 and more active benevolence in their behalf1 it will truly rejoice his heart3 and his prayer to ,god1 is1 that the ,aborigines of a ,british ,territory1 may not remain as outcasts from ,british ,missionary exertions2 but may be raised through their instrumentality1 to what they are capable of enjoying1 the advantages of civilized and social life1 with the blessings of ,christianity4 ,september1 #ahbd4 ,,contents4 ,,page4 ,,chapter ,i4--,departure from ,england4 ,arrival at the ,orkney ,isles4 ,enter ,hudson's ,straits4 ,icebergs4 ,esquimaux4 ,killing a ,polar ,bear4 ,york ,factory4 ,embarked for the ,red ,river ,colony4 ,difficulties of the ,navigation4 ,lake ,winipeg4 ,muskeggowuck1 or ,swamp ,indians4 ,pigewis1 a chief of the ,chipewyans1 or ,saulteaux ,tribe4 ,arrival at the ,red ,river4 ,colonists4 ,school established4 ,wolf dogs4 ,indians visit ,fort ,douglas4 ,design of a ,building for ,divine ,worship #a ,,chapter ,,ii4--,visit the ,school4 ,leave the ,forks for ,qu'appelle4 ,arrival at ,brandon ,house4 ,indian ,corpse staged4 ,marriages at ,company's ,posts4 ,distribution of the ,scriptures4 ,departure from ,brandon ,house4 ,encampment4 ,arrival at ,qu'appelle4 ,character and ,customs of ,stone ,indians4 ,stop at some ,hunter's ,tents on return to the ,colony4 ,visit ,pembina4 ,hunting ,buffaloes4 ,indian address4 ,canadian ,voyageurs4 ,indian ,marriages4 ,burial ,ground4 ,pemican4 ,indian ,hunter sends his son to be educated4 ,mosquitoes4 ,locusts #bh ,,chapter ,,iii4--,norway ,house4 ,baptisms4 ,arrival at ,york ,factory4 ,swiss ,emigrants4 ,auxiliary ,bible ,society formed4 ,boat wrecked4 ,catholic ,priests4 ,sioux ,indians killed at the ,colony4 ,circulation of the ,scriptures among the ,colonists4 ,scarcity of ,provisions4 ,fishing under the ,ice4 ,wild ,fowl4 ,meet the ,sioux ,indians at ,pembina4 ,they scalp an ,assiniboine4 ,war dance4 ,cruelly put to death a ,captive ,boy4 ,indian expression of gratitude for the ,education of his ,child4 ,sturgeon #fd ,,chapter ,,iv4--,arrival of ,canoe from ,montreal4 ,liberal ,provision for ,missionary ,establishment4 ,manitobah ,lake4 ,indian ,gardens4 ,meet ,captain ,franklin and ,officers of the ,arctic ,expedition at ,york ,factory4 ,first ,anniversary of the ,auxiliary ,bible ,society4 ,half-,caste ,children4 ,aurora ,borealis4 ,conversation with ,pigewis4 ,good ,harvest at the ,settlement1 and arrival of ,cattle from ,united ,states4 ,massacre of ,hunters4 ,produce of ,grain at ,colony #id ,,chapter ,v4--,climate of ,red ,river4 ,thermometer4 ,pigewis's ,nephew4 ,wolves4 ,remarks of ,general ,washington4 ,indian ,woman shot by her son4 ,sufferings of ,indians4 ,their notions of the ,deluge4 ,no visible object of adoration4 ,acknowledge a ,future ,life4 ,left the ,colony for ,bas la ,rivire4 ,lost on ,winipeg ,lake4 ,recover the ,track1 and meet an intoxicated ,indian4 ,apparent facilities for establishing ,schools ,west of ,rocky ,mountains4 ,russians affording ,religious instruction on the ,north ,west ,coast of ,north ,america4 ,rumours of ,war among the surrounding ,tribes with the ,sioux ,indians #aaj ,,chapter ,,vi4--,progress of ,indian ,children in reading4 ,building for ,divine ,worship4 ,left the ,colony4 ,arrival at ,york ,fort4 ,departure for ,churchill ,factory4 ,bears4 ,indian ,hieroglyphics4 ,arrival at ,churchill4 ,interview with ,esquimaux4 ,return to ,york ,factory4 ,embark for ,england4 ,moravian ,missionaries4 ,greenland4 ,arrival in the ,thames #aej ,,directions ,,to ,,the ,,binder4 #a4 ,the engraving of meeting the ,indians1 to face the title page4 #b4 ,scalping the ,indians to face page #he4 #c4 ,the ,protestant ,church1 to face page #aee4 ,,the ,,red ,,river ,,colony2 ,,and ,,the ,,north-,,west-,,american ,,indians4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,departure ,,from ,,england4 ,,arrival ,,at ,,the ,,orkney ,,isles4 ,,enter ,,hudson',s ,,straits4 ,,icebergs4 ,,esquimaux4 ,,killing ,a ,,polar ,,bear4 ,,york ,,factory4 ,,embarked ,,for ,,the ,,red ,,river ,,colony4 ,,difficulties ,,of ,,the ,,navigation4 ,,lake ,,winipeg4 ,,muskeggowuck1 ,,or ,,swamp ,,indians4 ,,pigewis1 ,a ,,chief ,,of ,,the ,,chippeways ,,or ,,salteaux ,,tribe4 ,,arrival ,,at ,,the ,,red ,,river4 ,,colonists4 ,,school ,,established4 ,,wolf-,,dogs4 ,,indians ,,visit ,,fort ,,douglas4 ,,design ,,of ,a ,,building ,,for ,,divine ,,worship4 ,on the #bgth of ,may1 #ahbj1 ,i embarked at ,gravesend1 on board the ,honourable ,hudson's ,bay ,company's ship1 the ,eddystone2 accompanied by the ship1 ,prince of ,wales1 and the ,luna brig1 for ,hudson's ,bay4 ,in my appointment as ,chaplain to the ,company1 my instructions were1 to reside at the ,red ,river ,settlement1 and under the encouragement and aid of the ,church ,missionary ,society1 ,i was to seek the instruction1 and endeavour to meliorate the condition of the native ,indians4 ,the anchor was weighed early on the following morning1 and sailing with a fine breeze1 the sea soon opened to our view4 ,the thought that ,i was now leaving all that was dear to me upon earth1 to encounter the perils of the ocean1 and the wilderness1 sensibly affected me at times2 but my feelings were relieved in the sanguine hope that ,i was borne on my way under the guidance of a kind protecting ,providence1 and that the circumstances of the country whither ,i was bound1 would soon admit of my being surrounded with my family4 ,with these sentiments1 ,i saw point after point sink in the horizon1 as we passed the shores of ,england and ,scotland for the ,orkneys4 ,we bore up for these ,isles on the #ajth of ,june1 after experiencing faint and variable winds for several days3 and a more dreary scene can scarcely be imagined than they present to the eye1 in general4 ,no tree or shrub is visible2 and all is barren except a few spots of cultivated ground in the vales1 which form a striking contrast with the barren heath-covered hills that surround them4 ,these cultivated spots mark the residence of the hardy ,orkneyman in a wretched looking habitation with scarcely any other light1 7as ,i found upon landing on one of the islands7 than from a smoke hole1 or from an aperture in the wall1 closed at night with a tuft of grass4 ,the calf and pig were seen as inmates1 while the little furniture that appeared1 was either festooned with strings of dried fish1 or crossed with a perch for the fowls to roost on4 ,a different scene1 however1 presented itself1 as we anchored the next day in the commodious harbour of ,stromness4 ,the view of the town1 with the surrounding cultivated parts of the country1 and the ,hoy ,hill1 is striking and romantic1 and as our stay here was for a few days1 ,i accepted an invitation to the ,manse1 from the kind and worthy minister of ,hoy1 and ascended with him the hill1 of about #afbj feet high4 ,the sabbath we spent at sea was a delight to me1 from the arrangement made by the captain for the attendance of the passengers and part of the crew on divine worship1 both morning and afternoon4 ,another sabbath had now returned1 and the weather being fair1 all were summoned to attend on the quarter deck4 ,we commenced the service by singing the ,old ,hundredth ,psalm1 and our voices being heard by the crews of several ships1 lying near to us at anchor1 they were seen hurrying on deck from below1 so as to present to us a most interesting and gratifying sight-- ,we stood1 and under open sky adored ,the ,god1 that made both 'seas1' air1 earth1 and heaven4 ,there appeared to be a solemn impression2 and ,i trust that religion was felt among us as a divine reality4 ,,june #bb4--,the ships got under weigh to proceed on our voyage2 and as we passed the rugged and broken rocks of ,hoy ,head1 we were reminded of the fury of a tempestuous ocean1 in forming some of them into detached pillars1 and vast caverns2 while they left an impression upon the mind1 of desolation and danger4 ,we had not sailed more than one hundred miles on the ,atlantic before it blew a strong head wind1 and several on board with myself were greatly affected by the motion of the ship4 ,it threw me into such a state of languor1 that ,i felt as though ,i could have willingly yielded to have been cast overboard1 and it was nearly a week before ,i was relieved from this painful sensation and nausea1 peculiar to sea sickness4 ,without any occurrence worthy of notice we arrived in ,davis's ,straits on the #aith of ,july1 where ,greenland ships are sometimes met with1 returning from the whale fishery1 but we saw not a single whaler in this solitary part of the ocean4 ,the ,mallemuk1 found in great numbers off ,greenland1 and the ,larus crepidatus1 or black toed gull1 frequently visited us2 and for nearly a whole day1 a large shoal of the ,delphinus deductor1 or leading whale1 was observed following the ship4 ,the captain ordered the harpoons and lances to be in readiness in case we fell in with the great ,greenland whale1 but nothing was seen of this monster of the deep4 ,in approaching ,hudson's straits1 we first saw one of those beautiful features in the scenery of the ,north1 an ,iceberg1 which being driven with vast masses of ice off ,cape ,farewell1 ,south ,greenland1 are soon destroyed by means of the solar heat1 and tempestuous force of the sea4 ,the thermometer was at #bg on the night of the #bbnd1 with ice in the boat2 and in the afternoon we saw an iceblink1 a beautiful effulgence or reflection of light over the floating ice1 to the extent of forty or fifty miles4 ,the next day we passed ,resolution ,island1 ,lat4 #fa #be'1 ,long4 #fe #b' and all was desolate and inhospitable in the view over black barren rocks1 and in the aspect of the shore4 ,this being ,sunday1 ,i preached in the morning1 catechized the young people in the afternoon1 and had divine service again in the evening1 as was our custom every sabbath in crossing the ,atlantic1 when the weather would permit3 and it afforded me much pleasure to witness the sailors at times in groups reading the life of ,newton1 or some religious tracts which ,i put into their hands4 ,the ,scotch ,i found generally well and scripturally informed1 and several of them joined the young people in reading to me the ,new ,testatament1 and answering the catechetical questions4 ,in our passage through the ,straits1 our progress was impeded by vast fields of ice1 and icebergs floating past us in every form of desolate magnificence4 ,the scene was truly grand and impressive1 and mocks imagination to describe4 ,there is a solemn and an overwhelming sensation produced in the mind1 by these enormous masses of snow and ice1 not to be conveyed in words4 ,they floated by us from one to two hundred feet above the water1 and sometimes of great length1 resembling huge mountains1 with deep vallies between1 lofty cliffs1 and all the imposing objects in nature1 passing in silent grandeur1 except at intervals1 when the fall of one was heard1 or the crashing of the ice struck the ear like the noise of distant thunder4 ,when nearly off ,saddle ,back1 with a light favourable breeze1 and about ten miles from the shore1 the ,esquimaux who1 visit the ,straits during summer1 were observed with their one man skin canoes1 followed by women in some of a larger size1 paddling towards the ship4 ,no sooner was the sail shortened than we were surrounded by nearly two hundred of them3 the men raising their paddles as they approached us1 shouting with much exultation1 'chimo6 chimo6 pillattaa6 pillattaa6' expressions probably of friendship1 or trade4 ,they were particularly eager to exchange all that they apparently possessed1 and hastily bartered with the ,eddystone1 blubber1 whalebone1 and seahorse teeth1 for axes1 saws1 knives1 tin kettles1 and bits of old iron hoop4 ,the women presented image toys1 made from the bones and teeth of animals1 models of canoes1 and various articles of dress1 made of seal skins1 and the membranes of the abdomen of the whale1 all of which displayed considerable ingenuity and neatness1 and for which they received in exchange1 needles1 knives1 and beads4 ,it was very clear that ,european deception had reached them1 from the manner in which they tenaciously held their articles till they grasped what was offered in barter for them2 and immediately they got the merchandise in possession1 they licked it with their tongues1 in satisfaction that it was their own4 ,the tribe appeared to be well-conditioned in their savage state1 and remarkably healthy4 ,some of the children1 ,i observed1 were eating raw flesh1 from the bones of animals that had been killed1 and given them by their mothers1 who appeared to have a strong natural affection for their offspring4 ,i threw one of them a halfpenny1 which she caught2 and pointing to the child she immediately gave it to him with much apparent fondness4 ,it has been supposed that in holding up their children1 as is sometimes the case1 it is for barter1 but ,i should rather conclude that it is for the purpose of exciting commiseration1 and to obtain some ,european article for them4 ,a few of the men were permitted to come on board1 and the good humour of the captain invited one to dance with him3 he took the step with much agility and quickness1 and imitated every gesture of his lively partner4 ,the breeze freshening1 we soon parted with this barbarous people1 and when at a short distance from the ship1 they assembled in their canoes1 each taking hold of the adjoining one1 in apparent consultation1 as to what bargains they had made1 and what articles they possessed1 till a canoe was observed to break off from the group1 which they all followed for their haunts along the shores of ,terra ,neiva1 and the ,savage ,islands4 ,having a copy of the ,esquimaux ,gospels from the ,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society1 it was my wish to have read part of a chapter to them1 with a view to ascertain1 if possible1 whether they knew of the ,moravian ,missionary establishment at ,nain1 on the ,labrador coast2 but such was the haste1 bustle1 and noise of their intercourse with us1 that ,i lost the opportunity4 ,though they have exchanged articles in barter for many years1 it is not known whether they are from the ,labrador shore on a summer excursion for killing seals1 and the whale fishery1 or from the ,east main coast1 where they return and winter4 ,the highest point of latitude we reached in our course1 was #fb #dd'--longitude #gd #af'1 and when off ,cape ,digges we parted company with the ,prince of ,wales1 as bound to ,james's ,bay4 ,we stood on direct for ,york ,factory1 and when about fifty miles from ,cary ,swan's ,nest1 the chief mate pointed out to me a polar bear1 with her two cubs swimming towards the ship4 ,he immediately ordered the jolly-boat to be lowered1 and asked me to accompany him in the attempt to kill her4 ,some axes were put into the boat1 in case the ferocious animal should approach us in the attack2 and the sailors pulled away in the direction she was swimming4 ,at the first shot1 when within about one hundred yards1 she growled tremendously1 and immediately made for the boat2 but having the advantage in rowing faster than she could swim1 our guns were reloaded till she was killed1 and one of the cubs also accidentally1 from swimming close to the mother2 the other got upon the floating carcase1 and was towed to the side of the ship1 when a noose was put around its neck1 and it was hauled on board for the captain to take with him alive1 on his return to ,england4 ,,august #c4--,we fell in with a great deal of floating ice1 the weather was very foggy1 and the thermometer at freezing point4 ,the ship occasionally received some heavy blows1 and with difficulty made way along a vein of water4 ,on the #eth we were completely blocked in with ice1 and nothing was to be seen in every part of the horizon1 but one vast mass1 as a barrier to our proceeding4 ,it was a terrific1 and sublime spectacle2 and the human mind cannot conceive any thing more awful1 than the destruction of a ship1 by the meeting of two enormous fields of ice1 advancing against each other at the rate of several miles an hour4 ,it may easily be imagined1 says ,captain ,scoresby1 that the strongest ship can no more withstand the shock of the contact of two fields1 than a sheet of paper can stop a musket-ball4 ,numbers of vessels since the establishment of the ,whale ,fishery have been thus destroyed4 ,some have been thrown upon the ice4 ,some have had their hulls completely thrown open1 and others have been buried beneath the heaped fragments of the ice4-- ,sunday1 the #fth4--,text in the morning #ast book ,samuel1 #cjth chapter1 latter part of the #fth verse4 ,the weather was very variable1 with much thunder and lightening2 which was awful and impressive4 ,on the #abth the thermometer was below freezing point1 and the rigging of the ship was covered with large icicles4 ,intense fogs often prevailed1 but of very inconsiderable height4 ,they would sometimes obscure the hull of the ship1 when the mast head was seen1 and the sun was visible and effulgent4 ,in the evening of the #acth1 the sailors gave three cheers1 as we got under weigh on the opening of the ice by a strong northerly wind1 and left the vast mass which had jammed us in for many days4 ,the next day we saw the land1 and came to the anchorage at ,york ,flatts the following morning1 with sentiments of gratitude to ,god for his protecting ,providence through the perils of the ice and of the sea1 and for the little interruption in the duties of my profession from the state of the weather1 during the voyage4 ,i was kindly received by the ,governor at the ,factory1 the principal dept of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 and on the sabbath1 every arrangement was made for the attendance of the ,company's servants on divine worship1 both parts of the day4 ,observing a number of half-breed children running about1 growing up in ignorance and idleness2 and being informed that they were a numerous offspring of ,europeans by ,indian women1 and found at all the ,company's ,posts2 ,i drew up a plan1 which ,i submitted to the ,governor1 for collecting a certain number of them1 to be maintained1 clothed1 and educated upon a regularly organized system4 ,it was transmitted by him to the ,committee of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 whose benevolent feelings towards this neglected race1 had induced them to send several schoolmasters to the country1 fifteen or sixteen years ago2 but who were unhappily diverted from their original purpose1 and became engaged as fur traders4 ,during my stay at this post1 ,i visited several ,indian families1 and no sooner saw them crowded together in their miserable-looking tents1 than ,i felt a lively interest 7as ,i anticipated7 in their behalf4 ,unlike the ,esquimaux ,i had seen in ,hudson's ,straits1 with their flat1 fat1 greasy faces1 these ',swampy ,crees' presented a way-worn countenance1 which depicted ,suffering without comfort1 while they sunk without hope4 ,the contrast was striking1 and forcibly impressed my mind with the idea1 that ,indians who knew not the corrupt influence and barter of spirituous liquors at a ,trading ,post1 were far happier1 than the wretched-looking group around me4 ,the duty devolved upon me1 to seek to meliorate their sad condition1 as degraded and emaciated1 wandering in ignorance1 and wearing away a short existence in one continued succession of hardships in procuring food4 ,i was told of difficulties1 and some spoke of impossibilities in the way of teaching them ,christianity or the first rudiments of settled and civilized life2 but with a combination of opposing circumstances1 ,i determined not to be intimidated1 nor to confer with flesh and blood1 but to put my hand immediately to the plough1 in the attempt to break in upon this heathen wilderness4 ,if little hope could be cherished of the adult ,indian in his wandering and unsettled habits of life1 it appeared to me1 that a wide and most extensive field1 presented itself for cultivation in the instruction of the native children4 ,with the aid of an interpreter1 ,i spoke to an ,indian1 called ,withaweecapo1 about taking two of his boys to the ,red ,river ,colony with me to educate and maintain4 ,he yielded to my request2 and ,i shall never forget the affectionate manner in which he brought the eldest boy in his arms1 and placed him in the canoe on the morning of my departure from ,york ,factory4 ,his two wives1 sisters1 accompanied him to the water's edge1 and while they stood gazing on us1 as the canoe was paddled from the shore1 ,i considered that ,i bore a pledge from the ,indian that many more children might be found1 if an establishment were formed in ,british ,christian sympathy1 and ,british liberality for their education and support4 ,i had to establish the principle1 that the ,north-,american ,indian of these regions would part with his children1 to be educated in white man's knowledge and religion4 ,the above circumstance therefore afforded us no small encouragement1 in embarking for the colony4 ,we overtook the boats going thither on the #gth of ,september1 slowly proceeding through a most difficult and laborious navigation4 ,the men were harnessed to a line1 as they walked along the steep declivity of a high bank1 dragging them against a strong current4 ,in many places1 as we proceeded1 the water was very shoal1 and opposed us with so much force in the rapids1 that the men were frequently obliged to get out1 and lift the boats over the stones2 at other times to unload1 and launch them over the rocks1 and carry the goods upon their backs1 or rather suspended in slings from their heads1 a considerable distance1 over some of the portages4 ,the weather was frequently very cold1 with snow and rain2 and our progress was so slow and mortifying1 particularly up ,hill ,river1 that the boats' crews were heard to execrate the man who first found out such a way into the interior4 ,the blasphemy of the men1 in the difficulties they had to encounter1 was truly painful to me4 ,i had hoped better things of the ,scotch1 from their known moral and enlightened education2 but their horrid imprecations proved a degeneracy of character in an ,indian country4 ,this ,i lamented to find was too generally the case with ,europeans1 particularly so in their barbarous treatment of women4 ,they do not admit them as their companions1 nor do they allow them to eat at their tables1 but degrade them merely as slaves to their arbitrary inclinations2 while the children grow up wild and uncultivated as the heathen4 ,the scenery throughout the passage is dull and monotonous 7excepting a few points in some of the small lakes1 which are picturesque71 till you reach the ,company's post1 ,norway ,house2 when a fine body of water bursts upon your view in ,lake ,winipeg4 ,we found the voyage1 from the ,factory to this point1 so sombre and dreary1 that the sight of a horse grazing on the bank greatly exhilarated us1 in the association of the idea that we were approaching some human habitation4 ,our provisions being short1 we recruited our stock at this post2 and ,i obtained another boy for education1 reported to me as the orphan son of a deceased ,indian and a half-caste woman2 and taught him the prayer which the other used morning and evening1 and which he soon learned3--,great ,father1 bless me1 through ,jesus ,christ4 ,may a gracious ,god hear their cry1 and raise them up as heralds of his salvation in this truly benighted and barbarous part of the world4 ,it often grieved me1 in our hurried passage1 to see the men employed in taking the goods over the carrying places1 or in rowing1 during the ,sabbath4 ,i contemplated the delight with which thousands in ,england enjoyed the privileges of this sacred day1 and welcomed divine ordinances4 ,in reading1 meditation1 and prayer1 however1 my soul was not forsaken of ,god1 and ,i gladly embraced an opportunity of calling those more immediately around me to join in reading the scriptures1 and in prayer in my tent4 ,october the #fth4 ,the ground was covered with snow1 and the weather most winterly1 when we embarked in our open boats to cross the lake for the ,red ,river4 ,its length1 from north to south1 is about three hundred miles2 and it abounds with sunken rocks1 which are very dangerous to boats sailing in a fresh breeze4 ,it is usual to run along shore1 for the sake of an encampment at night1 and of getting into a creek for shelter1 in ease of storms and tempestuous weather4 ,we had run about half the lake1 when the boat1 under a press of sail1 struck upon one of these rocks1 with so much violence as to threaten our immediate destruction4 ,the idea of never more seeing my family upon earth1 rushed upon my mind2 but the pang of thought was alleviated by the recollection that life at best was short1 and that they would soon meet me in 'brighter worlds1' whither ,i expected to be hurried1 through the supposed hasty death of drowning4 ,providentially however we escaped being wrecked2 and ,i could not but bless the ,god of my salvation1 for the anchor of hope afforded me amidst all dangers and difficulties and possible privations of life4 ,as ,i sat at the door of my tent near a fire one evening1 an ,indian joined me1 and gave me to understand that he knew a little ,english4 ,he told me that he was taken prisoner when very young1 and subsequently fell into the hands of an ,american gentleman1 who took him to ,england1 where he was very much frightened lest the houses should fall upon him4 ,he further added that he knew a little of ,jesus ,christ1 and hoped that ,i would teach him to read1 when he came to the ,red ,river1 which he intended to do after he had been on a visit to his relations4 ,he has a most interesting intelligent countenance1 and expressed much delight at my coming over to his country to teach the ,indians4 ,we saw but few of them in our route along the courses of the river1 and on the banks of the ,winipeg4 ,these are called ,muskeggouck1 or ,swamp ,indians1 and are considered a distinct tribe1 between the ,nahathaway or ,cree and ,saulteaux4 ,they subsist on fish1 and occasionally the moose deer or elk1 with the rein deer or caribou1 vast numbers of which1 as they swim the river in spring and in the fall of the year1 the ,indians spear in their canoes4 ,in times of extremity they gather moss from the rocks1 that is called by the ,canadians 'tripe de roche1' which boils into a clammy substance1 and has something of a nutritious quality4 ,the general appearance of these ,indians is that of wretchedness and want1 and excited in my mind much sympathy towards them4 ,i shook hands with them1 in the hope that ere the rising generation at least had passed away1 the light of ,christianity1 like the aurora borealis relieving the gloom of their winter night1 would shed around them its heavenly lustre1 and cheer their suffering existence with a scriptural hope of immortality4 ,in crossing the ,winipeg1 we saw almost daily large flocks of wild fowl1 geese1 ducks1 and swans1 flying to the south2 which was a sure indication to us that winter was setting in with severity to the north4 ,in fact it had already visited us1 and inflicted much suffering from cold2 and it was with no small delight that we entered the mouth of ,red ,river1 soon after the sun rose in majestic splendour over the lake1 on the morning of the #acth of ,october4 ,we proceeded to ,netley ,creek to breakfast1 where we met ,pigewis the chief of a tribe of ,saulteaux ,indians1 who live principally along the banks of the river4 ,this chief breakfasted with the party1 and shaking hands with me most cordially1 expressed a wish that more of the stumps and brushwood were cleared away for my feet1 in coming to see his country4 ,on our apprising him of the ,earl of ,selkirk's death1 he expressed much sorrow1 and appeared to feel deeply the loss which he and the colony had sustained in his ,lordship's decease4 ,he shewed me the following high testimony of his character1 given him by the late ,earl when at ,red ,river4 ,the bearer1 ,pigewis1 one of the principal chiefs of the ,chipewyans1 or ,saulteaux of ,red ,river1 has been a steady friend of the settlement ever since its first establishment1 and has never deserted its cause in its greatest reverses4 ,he has often exerted his influence to restore peace2 and having rendered most essential services to the settlers in their distress1 deserves to be treated with favour and distinction by the officers of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 and by all the friends of peace and good order4 7,signed47 ,,selkirk4 ,fort ,douglas1 ,july #ag1 #ahbj4 ,as we proceeded1 the banks were covered with oak1 elm1 ash1 poplar1 and maple1 and rose gradually higher as we approached the ,colony1 when the praries1 or open grassy plains1 presented to the eye an agreeable contrast with the almost continued forest of pine we were accustomed to in the route from ,york ,factory4 ,on the #adth of ,october we reached the settlement1 consisting of a number of huts widely scattered along the margin of the river2 in vain did ,i look for a cluster of cottages1 where the hum of a small population at least might be heard as in a village4 ,i saw but few marks of human industry in the cultivation of the soil4 ,almost every inhabitant we passed bore a gun upon his shoulder and all appeared in a wild and hunter-like state4 ,the colonists were a compound of individuals of various countries4 ,they were principally ,canadians1 and ,germans of the ,meuron regiment2 who were discharged in ,canada at the conclusion of the ,american war1 and were mostly ,catholics4 ,there was a large population of ,scotch emigrants also1 who with some retired servants of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company were chiefly ,protestants1 and by far the most industrious in agricultural pursuits4 ,there was an unfinished building as a ,catholic church1 and a small house adjoining1 the residence of the ,priest2 but no ,protestant manse1 church1 or school house1 which obliged me to take up my abode at the ,colony ,fort1 7,fort ,douglas17 where the ',charg d',affaires' of the settlement resided2 and who kindly afforded the accommodation of a room for divine worship on the sabbath4 ,my ministry was generally well attended by the settlers2 and soon after my arrival ,i got a log-house repaired about three miles below the ,fort1 among the ,scotch population1 where the schoolmaster took up his abode1 and began teaching from twenty to twenty-five of the children4 ,nov4 the #hth4--,the river was frozen over1 and the winter set in with severity4 ,many were harnessing and trying their dogs in sledges1 with a view to trip to ,pembina1 a distance of about seventy miles1 or to the ,hunters' tents1 on the plains1 for buffaloe meat4 ,the journey generally takes them a fortnight1 or sometimes more1 before they return to the settlement with provisions2 and this rambling and uncertain mode of obtaining subsistence in their necessity1 7the locusts having then destroyed their crops17 has given the settlers a fondness for tripping1 to the neglect of improving their dwellings and their farms4 ,the dogs used on these occasions1 and for travelling in carioles over the snow1 strongly resemble the wolf in size1 and frequently in colour4 ,they have pointed noses1 small sharp ears1 long bushy tails1 and a savage aspect4 ,they never bark1 but set up a fierce growl1 and when numerous about a ,fort1 their howling is truly melancholy4 ,a doubt can no longer exist1 that the dogs brought to the interior of these wilds by ,europeans1 engendered with the wolf1 and produced these dogs in common use4 ,they have no attachment1 and destroy all domestic animals4 ,they are lashed to a sledge1 and are often brutally driven to travel thirty or forty miles a day1 dragging after them a load of three and four hundred pounds weight4 ,when fat1 they are eaten by the ,canadians as a great delicacy2 and are generally presented by the ,indians at their feasts4 ,many ,indian families came frequently to the ,fort1 and as is common1 ,i believe1 to all the aborigines were of a copper colour complexion1 with black coarse hair4 ,whenever they dressed for any particular occasion1 they anointed themselves all over with charcoal and grease1 and painted their eyebrows1 lips and forehead1 or cheeks1 with vermillion4 ,some had their noses perforated through the cartilage1 in which was fixed part of a goose quill1 or a piece of tin1 worn as an ornament1 while others strutted with the skin of a raven ingeniously folded as a head dress1 to present the beak over the forehead1 and the tail spreading over the back of the neck4 ,their clothing consisted principally of a blanket1 a buffaloe skin1 and leggings1 with a cap1 which hung down their back1 and was fastened to a belt round the waist4 ,scoutaywaubo1 or fire water1 7rum7 was their principal request2 to obtain which they appeared ready to barter any thing1 or every thing they possessed4 ,the children ran about almost naked1 and were treated by their parents with all the instinctive fondness of animals4 ,they know of no restraint1 and as they grow up into life1 they are left at full liberty to be absolute masters of their own actions4 ,they were very lively1 and several of them had pleasing countenances which indicated a capacity for much intellectual improvement4 ,most of their ears were cut in large holes1 to which were suspended various ornaments1 but principally those of beads4 ,their mothers were in the practice of some disgusting habits towards them particularly that of devouring the vermin which were engendered from their dirty heads4 ,they put into their mouths all that they happen to find1 and will sometimes reserve a quantity1 and present the choice collection as a bonne bouche to their husbands4 ,after a short stay at the settlement1 they left us to roam through the forests1 like animals1 without any fixed residence1 in search of provisions1 till the rivers open in the following spring1 when they return to the ,company's ,post1 and trade with the skins and furs which they have taken in hunting4 ,december the #fth4 ,my residence was now removed to the farm belonging to the late ,earl of ,selkirk1 about three miles from ,fort ,douglas1 and six from the school4 ,though more comfortable in my quarters1 than at the ,fort1 the distance put me to much inconvenience in my professional duties4 ,we continued1 however1 to have divine service regularly on the ,sabbath2 and having frequently enforced the moral1 and social obligation of marriage upon those who were living with1 and had families by ,indian1 or half caste women1 ,i had the happiness to perform the ceremony for several of the most respectable of the settlers1 under the conviction1 that the institution of marriage1 and the security of property1 were the fundamental laws of society4 ,i had also many baptisms2 and with infants1 some adult half-breeds were brought to be baptized4 ,i endeavoured to explain to them simply and faithfully the nature and object of that ,divine ordinance2 but found great difficulty in conveying to their minds any just and true ideas of the ,saviour1 who gave the commission1 on his ascension into heaven ,to go and teach all nations1 baptizing them in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,this difficulty produced in me a strong desire to extend the blessing of education to them3 and from this period it became a leading object with me1 to erect in a central situation1 a substantial building1 which should contain apartments for the school-master1 afford accommodation for ,indian children1 be a day-school for the children of the settlers1 enable us to establish a ,sunday school for the half-caste adult population who would attend1 and fully answer the purpose of a church for the present1 till a brighter prospect arose in the colony1 and its inhabitants were more congregated4 ,i became anxious to see such a building arise as a ,protestant land-mark of ,christianity in a vast field of heathenism and general depravity of manners1 and cheerfully gave my hand and my heart to perfect the work4 ,i expected a willing co-operation from the ,scotch settlers2 but was disappointed in my sanguine hopes of their cheerful and persevering assistance1 through their prejudices against the ,english ,liturgy1 and the simple rites of our communion4 ,i visited them however in their affliction1 and performed all ministerial duties as their ,pastor2 while my motto1 was--,perseverance4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,visit ,,the ,,school4 ,,leave ,,the ,,forks ,,for ,,qu',,appelle4 ,,arrival ,,at ,,brandon ,,house4 ,,indian ,,corpse ,,staged4 ,,marriages ,,at ,,company',s ,,post4 ,,baptisms4 ,,distribution ,,of ,,the ,,scriptures4 ,,departure ,,from ,,brandon ,,house4 ,,encampment4 ,,arrival ,,at ,,qu',,appelle4 ,,character ,,and ,,customs ,,of ,,stone ,,indians4 ,,stop ,,at ,,some ,,hunters' ,,tents ,,on ,,return ,,to ,,the ,,colony4 ,,visit ,,pembina4 ,,hunting ,,buffaloes4 ,,indian ,,address4 ,,canadian ,,voyageurs4 ,,indian ,,marriages4 ,,burial ,,ground4 ,,pemican4 ,,indian ,,hunter ,,sends ,,his ,,son ,,to ,,be ,,educated4 ,,mosquitoes4 ,,locusts4 ,,january #a1 #ahba4--;,i went to the school this morning1 a distance of about six miles from my residence1 to examine the children1 and was much pleased at the progress which they had already made in reading4 ,having addressed them1 and prayed for a divine blessing on their instruction3 ,i distributed to those who could read a little book1 as a reward for their general good conduct in the school4 ,in returning to the farm1 my mind was filled with sentiments of gratitude and love to a divine ,saviour for his providential protection1 and gracious favour towards me during the past year4 ,he has shielded me in the shadow of his hand through the perils of the sea and of the wilderness from whence ,i may derive motives of devotion and activity in my profession4 ,thousands are involved in worse than ,egyptian darkness around me1 wandering in ignorance and perishing through lack of knowledge4 ,when will this wide waste howling wilderness blossom as the rose1 and the desert become as a fruitful field6 ,generations may first pass away2 and the seed of instruction that is now sown1 may lie buried1 waiting for the early and the latter rain1 yet1 the sure word of ,prophecy1 will ever animate ,christian liberality and exertion1 in the bright prospect of that glorious period1 when ,christianity shall burst upon the gloomy scene of heathenism1 and dispel every cloud of ignorance and superstition1 till the very ends of the earth shall see the salvation of the ,lord4 ,as ,i returned from divine service at the ,fort1 to the farm1 on the #gth1 it rained hard for nearly two hours1 which is a very unusual thing during winter in this northern latitude4 ,we have seldom any rain for nearly six months1 but a continued hard frost the greater part of this period4 ,the sky is generally clear1 and the snow lies about fifteen1 or at the utmost eighteen inches deep4 ,as the climate of a country is not known by merely measuring its distance from the equator1 but is affected differently in the same parallel of latitude by its locality1 and a variety of circumstances1 we find that of ,red ,river1 though situated in the same parallel1 far different from1 and intensely more cold than1 that of ,england4 ,the thermometer is frequently at #cj and #dj below zero1 when it is only about freezing point in the latter place4 ,this difference is probably occasioned by the prevailing north-westerly wind1 that blows with piercing keenness over the rocky mountains1 or ,andes1 which run from north to south through the whole ,continent1 and over a country which is buried in ice and snow4 ,as my instructions were to afford religious instruction and consolation to the servants in the active employment of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 as well as to the ,company's retired servants1 and other inhabitants of the settlement1 upon such occasions as the nature of the country and other circumstances would permit2 ,i left the ,forks#a in a cariole drawn by three dogs1 accompanied by a sledge with two dogs1 to carry the luggage and provisions1 and two men as drivers1 on the #aeth of ,january1 for ,brandon ,house1 and ,qu'appelle1 on the ,assiniboine ,river4 ,after we had travelled about fifteen miles1 we stopped on the edge of a wood1 and bivouacked on the snow for the night4 ,a large fire was soon kindled1 and a supply of wood cut to keep it up2 when supper being prepared and finished1 ,i wrapped myself in my blankets and buffaloe robe1 and laid down with a few twigs under me in place of a bed1 with my feet towards the fire1 and slept soundly under the open canopy of heaven4 ,the next morning we left our encampment before sunrise2 and the country as we passed presented some beautiful points and bluffs of wood4 ,we started again early the following morning1 which was intensely cold2 and ,i had much difficulty in keeping my face from freezing1 on my way to the encampment rather late in the evening1 at the ',portage de ,prair4' ,in crossing the plain the next morning1 with a sharp head wind1 my nose and part of my face were frozen quite hard and white4 ,i was not conscious of it1 till it was perceived by the driver1 who immediately rubbed the parts affected well with snow1 and restored the circulation1 so that ,i suffered no inconvenience from the circumstance1 but was obliged to keep my face covered with a blanket as ,i lay in the cariole the remaining part of the day4 #a ,so called from the junction of the ,assiniboine ,river with the ,red ,river4 ,on the #aith we were on the march as early as half past four1 and had a sharp piercing wind in our faces1 which drifted the snow1 and made the track very bad for the dogs4 ,this greatly impeded our progress2 and our provisions being short1 ,i shot some ptarmigans1 which were frequently seen on our route4 ,we perceived some traces of the buffaloe1 and the wolf was frequently seen following our track1 or crossing in the line we were travelling4 ,jan4 #bj4 ,we started at sunrise1 with a very cold head wind2 and my favourite ,english watch dog1 ,neptune1 left the encampment1 to follow us1 with great reluctance4 ,i was apprehensive that he might turn back1 on account of the severity of the morning2 and being obliged to put my head under the blanket in the cariole1 ,i requested the driver to encourage him along4 ,we had not pursued our journey however more than an hour1 before ,i was grieved to find that the piercing keenness of the wind had forced him to return2 and the poor animal was probably soon after devoured by the wolves4 ,we arrived at ,brandon ,house1 the ,company's provision post1 about three o'clock2 and the next day1 being ,sunday1 the servants were all assembled for divine worship at eleven o'clock3 and we met again in the evening at six1 when ,i married the officer of the post1 and baptized his two children4 ,on the following morning1 ,i saw an ,indian corpse staged1 or put upon a few cross sticks1 about ten feet from the ground1 at a short distance from the fort4 ,the property of the dead1 which may consist of a kettle1 axe1 and a few additional articles1 is generally put into the case1 or wrapped in the buffaloe skin with the body1 under the idea that the deceased will want them1 or that the spirit of these articles will accompany the departed spirit in travelling to another world4 ,and whenever they visit the stage or burying-place1 which they frequently do for years afterwards1 they will encircle it1 smoke their pipes1 weep bitterly1 and1 in their sorrow1 cut themselves with knives1 or pierce themselves with the points of sharp instruments4 ,i could not but reflect that theirs is a sorrow without hope3 all is gross darkness with them as to futurity2 and they wander through life without the consolatory and cheering influence of that gospel which has brought life and immortality to light4 ,before ,i left this post1 ,i married two of the ,company's servants1 and baptized ten or twelve children4 ,as their parents could read1 ,i distributed some ,bibles and ,testaments1 with some ,religious ,tracts among them4 ,on the #bdth1 we set off for ,qu'appelle1 but not without the kind attention of the officer1 in adding two armed servants to our party1 from the expectation that we might fall in with a tribe of ,stone ,indians1 who had been threatening him1 and had acted in a turbulent manner at the post a few days before4 ,in the course of the afternoon1 we saw a band of buffaloes1 which fled from us with considerable rapidity4 ,though an animal apparently of a very unwieldy make1 and as large as a ,devonshire ox1 they were soon out of our sight in a laboured canter4 ,in the evening our encampment was surrounded by wolves1 which serenaded us with their melancholy howling throughout the night3 and when ,i first put my head from under the buffaloe robe in the morning1 our encampment presented a truly wild and striking scene2--the guns were resting against a tree1 and pistols with powder horns were hanging on its branches2 one of the men had just recruited the fire1 and was cooking a small piece of buffaloe meat on the point of a stick1 while the others were lying around it in every direction4 ,intermingled with the party were the dogs1 lying in holes which they had scratched in the snow for shelter1 but from which they were soon dragged1 and harnessed that we might recommence our journey4 ,we had not proceeded far before we met one of the ,company's servants going to the fort which we had left1 who told us that the ,indians we were apprehensive of meeting had gone from their track considerably to the north of our direction4 ,in consequence of this information we sent back the two armed servants who had accompanied us4 ,in the course of the day we saw vast numbers of buffaloes2 some rambling through the plains1 while others in sheltered spots were scraping the snow away with their feet to graze4 ,in the evening we encamped among some dwarf willows2 and some time after we had kindled the fire1 we were considerably alarmed by hearing the ,indians drumming1 shouting1 and dancing1 at a short distance from us in the woods4 ,we immediately almost extinguished the fire1 and lay down with our guns under our heads1 fully expecting that they had seen our fire1 and would visit us in the course of the night4 ,we dreaded this from the known character of the ,stone ,indians1 they being great thieves2 and it having been represented to us1 that they murdered individuals1 or small parties of white people1 for plunder2 or stripped them1 leaving them to travel to the posts without clothing1 in the most severe weather4 ,we had little sleep1 and started before break of day1 without having been observed by them4 ,we stopped to breakfast at the ,standing ,stone1 where the ,indians had deposited bits of tobacco1 small pieces of cloth1 c4 as a sacrifice1 in superstitious expectation that it would influence their manitou to give them buffaloes and a good hunt4 ,jan4 #bgth4 soon after midnight1 we were disturbed by the buffaloes passing close to our encampment3 we rose early1 and arrived at ,qu'appelle about three o'clock4 ,nearly about the same time1 a large band of ,indians came to the fort from the plains with provisions4 ,many of them rode good horses1 caparisoned with a saddle or pad of dressed skin1 stuffed with buffaloe wool1 from which were suspended wooden stirrups2 and a leathern thong1 tied at both ends to the under jaw of the animal1 formed the bridle4 ,when they had delivered their loads1 they paraded the fort with an air of independence4 ,it was not long however before they became clamorous for spiritous liquors2 and the evening presented such a bacchanalia1 including the women and the children1 as ,i never before witnessed4 ,drinking made them quarrelsome1 and one of the men became so infuriated1 that he would have killed another with his bow1 had not the master of the post immediately rushed in and taken it from him4 ,the following day1 being ,sunday1 the servants were all assembled for divine worship1 and again in the evening4 ,before ,i left the fort1 ,i married several of the ,company's servants1 who had been living with1 and had families by1 ,indian or half-caste women1 and baptized their children4 ,i explained to them the nature and obligations of marriage and baptism2 and distributed among them some ,bibles and ,testaments1 and ,religious ,tracts4 ,with the ,indians who were at the ,fort1 there was one of the ,company's servants who had been with the tribe nearly a year and a half1 to learn their language as an interpreter4 ,they were very partial to him1 and treated him with great kindness and hospitality4 ,he usually lived with their chief1 and upon informing him who ,i was1 and the object for which ,i came to the country1 he welcomed me by a hearty shake of the hand2 while others came round me1 and stroked me on the head1 as a fond father would his favourite boy4 ,on one occasion1 when ,i particularly noticed one of their children1 the boy's father was so affected with the attention1 that with tears he exclaimed1 ,see6 the ,god takes notice of my child4 ,many of these ,indians were strong1 athletic men1 and generally well-proportioned2 their countenances were pleasing1 with aquiline noses1 and beautifully white and regular teeth4 ,the buffaloe supplies them with food1 and also with clothing4 ,the skin was the principal1 and almost the only article of dress they wore1 and was wrapped round them1 or worn tastefully over the shoulder like the ,highland plaid4 ,the leggins of some of them were fringed with human hair1 taken from the scalps of their enemies2 and their moccassins1 or shoes1 were neatly ornamented with porcupine quills4 ,they are notorious horse-stealers1 and often make predatory excursions to the ,mandan villages on the banks of the ,missouri1 to steal them4 ,they sometimes visit the ,red ,river for this purpose1 and have swept off1 at times1 nearly the whole of our horses from the settlement4 ,such indeed is their propensity for this species of theft1 that they have fired upon1 and killed the ,company's servants1 close to the forts for these useful animals4 ,they run the buffaloe with them in the summer1 and fasten them to sledges which they drag over the snow when they travel in the winter2 while the dogs carry burdens upon their backs1 like packs upon the pack-horse4 ,it does not appear that chastity is much regarded among them4 ,they take as many wives as they please1 and part with them for a season1 or permit others to cohabit with them in their own lodges for a time1 for a gun1 a horse1 or some article they may wish to possess4 ,they are known1 however1 to kill the woman1 or cut off her ears or nose1 if she be unfaithful without their knowledge or permission4 ,all the lowest and most laborious drudgery is imposed upon her1 and she is not permitted to eat till after her lord has finished his meal1 who amidst the burdensome toil of life1 and a desultory and precarious existence1 will only condescend to carry his gun1 take care of his horse1 and hunt as want may compel him4 ,during the time the interpreter was with these ,indians the measles prevailed1 and carried off great numbers of them1 in different tribes4 ,they often expressed to him a very low opinion of the white people who introduced this disease amongst them1 and threatened to kill them all1 at the same time observing1 that they would not hurt him1 but send him home down the ,missouri4 ,when their relations1 or children of whom they are passionately fond1 were sick1 they were almost constantly addressing their manitou drumming1 and making a great noise2 and at the same time they sprinkled them with water where they complained of pain4 ,and when the interpreter was sick1 they were perpetually wanting to drum and conjure him well4 ,he spoke to them of that ,god and ,saviour whom white people adore2 but they called him a fool1 saying that he never came to their country1 or did any thing for them1 ,so vain were they in their imaginations1 and their foolish heart was darkened4 ,,jan4 #cj4--,we left ,qu'appelle to return to the colony1 and stopped for the night at an encampment of ,indians1 some of whom were engaged as hunters for the company4 ,they welcomed me with much cordiality to their wigwams4 ,we smoked the calumet as a token of friendship2 and a plentiful supply of buffaloe tongues was prepared for supper4 ,i slept in one of their tents1 wrapt in a buffaloe robe1 before a small fire in the centre1 but the wind drawing under it1 ,i suffered more from cold than when ,i slept in an open encampment4 ,as we were starting the next morning ,i observed a fine looking little boy standing by the side of the cariole1 and told his father that if he would send him to me at the ,settlement by the first opportunity1 ,i would be as a parent to him1 clothe him1 and feed him1 and teach him what ,i knew would be for his happiness1 with the ,indian boys ,i had already under my care4 ,we proceeded1 and after we had travelled about three hours1 the whole scene around us was animated with buffaloes2 so numerous1 that there could not be less1 ,i apprehend1 than ten thousand1 in different bands1 at one time in our view4 ,it took us nearly the whole day to cross the plain1 before we came to any wood for the night4 ,we resumed our journey at the dawn of the following morning1 and after travelling about three hours we stopped at a small creek to breakfast3 as soon as we had kindled the fire1 two ,indians made their appearance1 and pointing to the willows1 shewed me a buffaloe that they had just shot4 ,they were very expert in cutting up the animal1 and ate some of the fat1 ,i observed1 with a few choice pieces1 in a raw state4 ,soon afterwards ,i saw another ,indian peeping over an eminence1 whose head-dress at first gave him the appearance of a wolf3 and1 fearing some treachery1 we hurried our breakfast and started4 ,,feb4 #b4--,the night was so intensely cold that ,i had but little sleep1 and we hurried from our encampment at break of day4 ,the air was filled with small icy particles2 and some snow having fallen the evening before1 one of the men was obliged to walk in snow shoes1 to make a track for the dogs to follow4 ,our progress was slow1 but we persevered1 and arrived at ,brandon house about four o'clock4 ,we saw some persons at this post1 who had just come from the ,mandan villages3 they informed us of the custom that prevails among these ,indians1 as with many others1 of presenting females to strangers2 the husband his wife or daughter1 and the brother his sister1 as a mark of hospitality3 and parents are known to lend their daughters of tender age for a few beads or a little tobacco6 ,during our stay1 a ,sunday intervened1 when all met for divine worship in the morning and evening1 and ,i had an opportunity of baptizing several more children1 whose parents had come in from the hunting grounds1 since my arrival at the ,post1 in my way to ,qu'appelle4 ,on the #eth we left the fort1 and returning by the same track that we came1 ,i searched for traces of my favourite lost dog1 but found none4 ,the next morning ,i got into the cariole very early1 and the rising sun gradually opened to my view a beautiful and striking scenery4 ,all nature appeared silently and impressively to proclaim the goodness and wisdom of ,god4 ,day unto day1 in the revolutions of that glorious orb1 which shed a flood of light over the impenetrable forests and wild wastes that surrounded me1 uttereth speech4 ,yet ,his voice is not heard among the heathen1 nor ,his name known throughout these vast territories by ,europeans in general1 but to swear by4----,oh6 for wisdom1 truly ,christian faith1 integrity and zeal in my labours as a minister1 in this heathen and moral desert4 ,,feb4 #i4--,the wind drifted the snow this morning like a thick fog1 that at times we could scarcely see twenty yards from the cariole4 ,it did not stop us however in our way1 and ,i reached the farm about five o'clock1 with grateful thanks to ,god1 for protecting me through a perilous journey1 drawn by dogs over the snow a distance of between five and six hundred miles among some of the most treacherous tribes of ,indians in this northern wilderness4 ,,march #d4--,the weather continues very cold1 so as to prevent the women and the children from attending regularly divine service on the ,sabbath4 ,the sun however is seldom obscured with clouds1 but shines with a sickly face2 without softening at all at present1 the piercing north-westerly wind that prevails throughout the winter4 ,a wish having been expressed to me1 that ,i would attend a general meeting of the principal settlers at ,pembina1 ,i set off in a cariole for this point of the ,settlement1 a distance of nearly eighty miles1 on the #abth4 ,we stopped a few hours at the ,salt ,springs1 and then proceeded on our journey so as to reach ,fort ,daer the next morning to breakfast2 so expeditiously will the dogs drag the cariole in a good track1 and with a good driver4 ,we met for the purpose of considering the best means of protection1 and of resisting any attack that might be made by the ,sioux ,indians1 who were reported to have hostile intentions against this part of the colony1 in the ,spring4 ,they had frequently killed the hunters upon the plains2 and a war party from the ,mississippi1 scalped a boy last summer within a short distance of the fort where we were assembled2 leaving a painted stick upon the mangled body1 as a supposed indication that they would return for slaughter4 ,the #ahth being the ,sabbath1 ,i preached to a considerable number of persons assembled at the ,fort4 ,they heard me with great attention2 but ,i was often depressed in mind1 on the general view of character1 and at the spectacle of human depravity and barbarism ,i was called to witness4 ,during my stay1 ,i went to some hunter's tents on the plains1 and saw them kill the buffaloe1 by crawling on the snow1 and pushing their guns before them1 and this for a considerable distance till they got very near the band4 ,their approach to the animals was like the appearance of wolves1 which generally hover round them to devour the leg-wearied and the wounded2 and they killed three before the herd fled4 ,but in hunting the buffaloes for provisions it affords great diversion to pursue them on horseback4 ,i once accompanied two expert hunters to witness this mode of killing them4 ,it was in the spring3 at this season the bulls follow the bands of cows in the rear on their return to the south1 whereas in the beginning of the winter1 in their migration to the north1 they preceded them and led the way4 ,we fell in with a herd of about forty1 on an extensive prarie4 ,they were covering the retreat of the cows4 ,as soon as our horses espied them they shewed great spirit1 and became as eager to chase them as ,i have understood the old ,english hunter is to follow the fox-hounds in breaking cover4 ,the buffaloes were grazing1 and did not start till we approached within about half a mile of them1 when they all cantered off in nearly a compact body4 ,we immediately threw the reins upon the horses' necks1 and in a short time were intermingled with several of them4 ,pulling up my horse ,i then witnessed the interesting sight of the hunters continuing the chase1 till they had separated one of the bulls from the rest1 and after driving it some distance1 they gallopped alongside and fired upon the animal1 with the gun resting upon the front of the saddle4 ,immediately it was wounded1 it gave chase in the most furious manner1 and the horses aware of their danger1 turned and cantered away at the same pace as the buffaloe4 ,while the bull was pursuing them1 the men reloaded their guns1 which they do in a most expeditious manner1 by pouring the charge of powder into the palm of their hand half closed1 from a horn hung over the shoulder1 and taking a ball from the pouch that is fastened to their side1 and then suddenly breaking out of the line1 they shot the animal through the heart as it came opposite to them4 ,it was of a very large size1 with long shaggy hair on the head and shoulders1 and the head when separated from the carcase was nearly as much as ,i could lift from the ground4 ,the ,indians have another mode of pursuing the buffaloes for subsistence1 by driving them into a pound4 ,they make the inclosure of a circular form with trees felled on the spot1 to the extent of one or two hundred yards in diameter1 and raise the entrance with snow1 so as to prevent the retreat of the animals when they have once entered4 ,as soon as a herd is seen in the horizon coming in the direction of the pound1 a party of ,indians arrange themselves singly in two opposite lines1 branching out gradually on each side to a considerable distance1 that the buffaloes may advance between them4 ,in taking their station at the distance of twenty or thirty yards from each other1 they lie down1 while another party manoeuvre on horseback1 to get in rear of the band4 ,immediately they have succeeded they give chace1 and the party in ambush rising up as the buffaloes come opposite to them1 they all halloo1 and shout1 and fire their guns1 so as to drive them1 trampling upon each other1 into the snare1 where they are soon slaughtered by the arrow or the gun4 ,the buffaloe tongue1 when well cured1 is of excellent flavour1 and is much esteemed1 together with the bos1 or hump of the animal1 that is formed on the point of the shoulders4 ,the meat is much easier of digestion than ,english beef2 and many pounds of it are often taken by the hungry traveller just before he wraps himself in his buffaloe robe for the night without the least inconvenience4 ,on my return to the ,fort1 ,i had an opportunity of hearing from a chief of a small tribe of ,chipewyans1 surrounded by a party of his young men1 a most pathetic account1 and a powerful declaration of revenge against the ,sioux ,indians1 who had tomahawked and scalped his son4 ,laying his hand upon his heart as he related the tragical circumstance1 he emphatically exclaimed1 ',it is here ,i am affected1 and feel my loss2' then raising his hand above his head1 he said1 'the spirit of my son cries for vengeance4 ,it must be appeased4 ,his bones lie on the ground uncovered4 ,we want ammunition3 give us powder and ball1 and we will go and revenge his death upon our enemies4' ,their public speeches are full of bold metaphor1 energy and pathos4 ,no ,greek or ,roman orator ever spoke perhaps with more strength and sublimity than one of their chiefs when asked to remove with his tribe to a distance from their native soil4 ',we were born1' said he1 'on this ground1 our fathers lie buried in it1 shall we say to the bones of our fathers1 arise1 and come with us into a foreign land8' ,one of the ,indians left his wampum1 or belt1 at the ,fort as a pledge that he would return and pay the value of an article which was given to him at his request4 ,they consider this deposit sacred and inviolable1 and as giving a sanction to their words1 their promises and their treaties4 ,they are seldom known to fail in redeeming the pledge2 and they ratify their agreements with each other by a mutual exchange of the wampum1 regarding it with the smoking of tobacco1 as the great test of sincerity4 ,in conducting their war excursions1 they act upon the same principle as in hunting4 ,they are vigilant in espying out the track of those whom they pursue1 and will follow them over the praries1 and through the forests1 till they have discovered where they halt2 when they wait with the greatest patience1 under every privation1 either lurking in the grass1 or concealing themselves in the bushes1 till an opportunity offers to rush upon their prey1 at a time when they are least able to resist them4 ,these tribes are strangers to open warfare1 and laugh at ,europeans as fools for standing out1 as they say1 in the plains1 to be shot at4 ,on the #bbnd ,i reached the ,farm1 and from the expeditious mode of travelling over the snow1 ,i began to think1 as is common among the ,indians1 that one hundred miles was little more than a step1 or in fact but a short distance4 ,it often astonished me to see with what an unwearied pace1 the drivers hurry along their dogs in a cariole1 or sledge1 day after day in a journey of two and three hundred miles4 ,i have seen some of the ,english half-breeds greatly excel in this respect4 ,many of the ,canadians however are very expert drivers1 as they are excellent voyageurs in the canoe4 ,there is a native gaiety1 and vivacity of character1 which impel them forward1 and particularly so1 under the individual and encouraging appellation of 'bon homme4' ,when tripping1 they are commonly all life1 using the whip1 or more commonly a thick stick1 barbarously upon their dogs1 vociferating as they go ,sacres ,crapeaux1 ,sacre ,marne1 ,saintes ,diables1 and uttering expressions of the most appalling blasphemy4 ,in the rivers1 their canoe songs1 as sung to a lively air and chorus with the paddle1 are very cheerful and pleasing4 ,they smoke immediately and almost incessantly1 when the paddle is from their hands2 and none exceed them in skill1 in running the rapids1 passing the portages with pieces of eighty and ninety pounds weight upon their backs1 and expeditiously performing a journey of one thousand miles4 ,,april #a4--,last ,friday ,i married several couples1 at the ,company's ,post2 nearly all the ,english half-breeds were assembled on the occasion1 and so passionately fond are they of dancing1 that they continued to dance almost incessantly from two o'clock on ,friday afternoon1 till late on ,saturday night4 ,this morning the ,colony ,fort was nearly thronged with them to attend divine service2 and it was my endeavour to address them1 with plainness1 simplicity1 and fidelity4 ,there was much attention2 but1 ,i fear1 from their talking1 principally1 their mother tongue1 the ,indian language1 that they did not comprehend a great deal of my discourse4 ,this is the case also1 with a few of the ,scotch ,highland settlers1 who speak generally the ,gaelic language4 ,marriage1 ,i would enforce upon all1 who are living with1 and have children by half-caste1 or ,indian women4 ,the apostolic injunction is clear and decisive against the too common practice of the country1 in putting them away1 after enjoying the morning of their days2 or deserting them to be taken by the ,indians with their children1 when the parties1 who have cohabited with them1 leave the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's territories4#b ,and if a colony is to be organized1 and established in the wilderness1 the moral obligation of marriage must be felt4 ,it is the parent1 said ,sir ,william ,scott1 not the child of civil society4 ,some form1 or religious rite in marriage is also requisite1 and has generally been observed by enlightened and civilized nations4 ,it is a civil contract in civil society1 but the sanction of religion should be superadded4 ,the ancients considered it as a religious ceremony4 ,they consulted their imaginary gods1 before the marriage was solemnized1 and implored their assistance by prayers1 and sacrifices2 the gall was taken out of the victim1 as the seat of anger and malice1 and thrown behind the altar1 as hateful to the deities who presided over the nuptial ceremonies4 ,marriage1 by its original institution#c is the nearest of all earthly relations1 and as involving each other's happiness through life1 it surely ought to be entered upon by professing ,christians1 with religious rites1 invoking heaven as a party to it1 while the consent of the individuals is pledged to each other1 ratified and confirmed by a vow4 #b #a ,corin4 vii4 #ab4 #c ,gen4 ii4 #bd4 ,incestuous cohabitation is common with the ,indians1 and in some instances1 they will espouse several sisters at the same time2 but so far from adopting the custom of others in presenting their wives1 or daughters as a mark of hospitality due to a stranger1 the ,chipewyans or ,saulteaux tribe of ,red ,river1 appear very jealous of them towards ,europeans4 ,there is something patriarchal in their manner of first choosing their wives4 ,when a young man wishes to take a young woman to live with him2 he may perhaps mention his wishes to her1 but generally1 he speaks to the father1 or those who have authority over her4 ,if his proposal be accepted1 he is admitted into the tent1 and lives with the family1 generally a year1 bringing in the produce of his hunting for the general mess4 ,he then separates to a tent of his own1 and adds to the number of wives1 according to his success and character as a hunter4 ,the ,indians have been greatly corrupted in their simple and barbarous manners1 by their intercourse with ,europeans1 many of whom have borne scarcely any other mark of the ,christian character than the name2 and who have not only fallen into the habits of an ,indian life1 but have frequently exceeded the savage in their savage customs4 ,when a female is taken by them1 it does not appear that her wishes are at all consulted1 but she is obtained from the lodge as an inmate at the ,fort1 for the prime of her days generally1 through that irresistible bribe to ,indians1 rum4 ,childbirth1 is considered by them1 as an event of a trifling nature2 and it is not an uncommon case for a woman to be taken in labour1 step aside from the party she is travelling with1 and overtake them in the evening at their encampment1 with a new-born infant on her back4 ,it has been confidently stated that ,indian women suffer more from parturition with half-breed children than when the father is an ,indian4 ,if this account be true1 it can only be in consequence of their approach to the habits of civilized life1 exerting an injurious influence over their general constitution4 ,when taken to live with white men1 they have larger families1 and at the same time are liable to more disease consequent upon it1 than in their wild and wandering state4 ,they have customs1 such as separation for forty days at the birth of a child1 setting apart the female in a separate lodge at peculiar seasons1 and forbidding her to touch any articles in common use1 which bear a strong resemblance to the laws of uncleanness1 and separation commanded to be observed towards ,jewish females4 ,these strongly corroborate the idea1 that they are of ,asiatic origin2 descended from some of the scattered tribes of the children of ,israel3 and through some ancient transmigration1 came over by ,kamtchatka into these wild and extensive territories4 ,when they name their children1 it is common for them to make a feast1 smoke the calumet1 and address the ,master of life1 asking him to protect the child1 whom they call after some animal1 place1 or object in nature1 and make him a good hunter4 ,the ,stone ,indians add to the request1 a good horse-stealer4 ,the women suckle their children generally1 till the one supplants the other1 and it is not an uncommon circumstance to see them of three or four years old running to take the breast4 ,they have a burial ground at the ,settlement1 and usually put the property of the deceased into the grave with the corpse4 ,if any remains1 it is given away from an aversion they have to use any thing that belonged to their relations who have died4 ,some of the graves are very neatly covered over with short sticks and bark as a kind of canopy1 and a few scalps are affixed to poles that are stuck in the ground at the head of several of them4 ,you see also occasionally at the grave1 a piece of wood on which is either carved or painted the symbols of the tribe the deceased belonged to1 and which are taken from the different animals of the country4 ,,april #f4--,one of the principal settlers informed me this morning1 that an ,indian had stabbed one of his wives in a fit of intoxication at an encampment near his house4 ,i immediately went to the ,lodge to inquire into the circumstance1 and found that the poor woman had been stabbed in wanton cruelty1 through the shoulder and the arm1 but not mortally4 ,the ,indians were still drunk1 and some of them having knives in their hands1 ,i thought it most prudent to withdraw from their tents1 without offering any assistance4 ,the ,indians appear to me to be generally of an inoffensive and hospitable disposition2 but spirituous liquors1 like war1 infuriate them with the most revengeful and barbarous feelings4 ,they are so conscious of this effect of drinking1 that they generally deliver up their guns1 bows and arrows1 and knives1 to the officers1 before they begin to drink at the ,company's ,post2 and when at their tents1 it is the first care of the women to conceal them1 during the season of riot and intoxication4 ,a considerable quantity of snow fell on the night of the #abth1 and the weather continuing very cold1 it is not practicable yet to begin any operations in farming4 ,though ,i see not as yet any striking effects of my ministry among the settlers1 yet1 ,i trust1 some little outward reformation has taken place1 in the better observance of the ,sabbath4 ,,may #b4--,the rivers have broken up this spring unusually late1 and the ice is now floating down in large masses4 ,the settlers1 who went to ,pembina and the plains1 for buffaloe meat in the ,fall1 are returning upon rafts1 or in canoes formed by hollowing the large trunks of trees3 many of them are as improvident of to-morrow as the ,indians1 and have brought with them no dried provisions for the summer4 ,this is not the case however with the ,scotch1 who have been provident enough to bring with them a supply of dried meat and pemican for a future day4 ,the dried meat is prepared by cutting the flesh of the buffaloe thin1 and hanging it on stages of wood to dry by the fire2 and is generally tied in bundles of fifty or forty pounds weight4 ,it is very rough1 and tasteless1 except a strong flavour of the smoke4 ,pemican is made by pounding the dried meat1 and mixing it with boiled fat1 and is then put into bags made of buffaloe skin1 which weigh about eighty and a hundred pounds each4 ,it is a species of food well adapted to travelling in the country2 but so strongly cemented in the bag1 that when it is used1 it is necessary to apply the axe2 and very much resembles in appearance tallow-chandler's grease4 ,the #ajth4--,the plains have been on fire to a considerable extent for several days past1 and the awful spectacle is seen this evening1 through the whole of the northern1 and western horizon4 ,idle rumours prevail that the ,sioux ,indians will attack the ,settlement2 which unhappily unsettle the minds1 and interrupt the industry of the colonists4 ,but none of these things move me1 in carrying on my plans1 and making arrangements to erect a substantial building1 sixty feet by twenty4 ,the ,red ,river appears to me1 a most desirable spot for a ,missionary establishment1 and the formation of schools2 from whence ,christianity may arise1 and be propagated among the numerous tribes of the north4 ,the settlers are now actively employed in preparing to sow the small lots of land which they have cleared3 but this season is short from the great length of the winter4--,the #bjth being ,sunday more than one hundred of them assembled at the ,fort for divine service2 and their children from the school were present for public examination4 ,they gave general satisfaction in their answers to questions from the ,chief ,truths of the ,christian ,religion1 and ,lewis's ,catechism4--,text ,proverbs iii4 #ag4 ,by the arrival of the boats from ,qu'appelle1 on the #beth1 ,i received the little ,indian boy1 ,i noticed1 when leaving the ,hunter's ,tents1 during my excursion to that quarter in ,january last4 ,soon after my departure1 the father of the boy observed1 that as ,i had asked for his son1 and stood between the ,great ,spirit and the ,indians1 he would send him to me2 and just before the boats left the ,post for the ,red ,river1 he brought the boy1 and requested that he might be delivered to my care4 ,thus was ,i encouraged in the idea1 that native ,indian children might be collected from the wandering tribes of the north1 and educated in the knowledge of the true ,god1 and ,jesus ,christ whom he hath sent4 ,every additional ,indian child ,i obtained for this purpose1 together with the great inconvenience of having no place appropriated for public worship1 gave a fresh stimulus to exertion in erecting the proposed building4 ,there was but little willing assistance however1 towards this desirable object2 as few possessed any active spirit of public improvement2 and the general habits of the people being those of lounging and smoking1 were but little favourable to voluntary exertions4 ,sturgeon are caught at this period1 from sixty to one hundred pounds weight and more1 in great abundance at the ,settlement2 and also for about a month in the fall of the year1 a little below the rapids towards the mouth of the river4 ,the oil of this fish is sometimes used as lamp oil by the settlers2 and the sound1 when carefully and quickly dried in the shade1 by hanging it upon a line in a good breeze1 forms isinglass1 the simple solution of which in water makes a good jelly1 and may be seasoned by the addition of syrup and wine1 or of the expressed juices of any ripe fruit4 ,the roe is often cooked immediately it is taken from the fish2 but1 when salted and placed under a considerable pressure until dry1 it forms the very nutritious article of food named caviare4 ,they generally afford us an abundant supply of provisions for about a month or five weeks2 and when they leave the river1 we have usually a good supply of cat fish1 weighing about seven or eight pounds each1 and which are taken in greater or less quantities for the most part of the summer months4 ,june the #bjth4 ,the canoes arrived from ,montreal1 via ,lake ,superior1 and brought me the gratifying intelligence1 in letters from ,england1 that my family were all well4 ,it was my intention that they should have embarked with me in my mission to this country1 but circumstances prevented it2 and now that ,i was surrounded with unexpected difficulties1 situated in the very heart of an ,indian territory1 most difficult of access1 and without military protection1 ,i deemed it most advisable that they should defer the voyage1 in the hope that another year might lessen these difficulties1 and bring a better arrangement for the prosperity of the colony4 ,i could undergo privations1 and enter upon any arduous official duties1 for the best interests of the natives and the settlers2 but ,i could not subject ,mrs4 ,west 7and infant children7 to the known existing trials of the country1 whose useful talents would otherwise have greatly aided me in the formation and superintendence of schools4 ,july #bnd4 ,an agreeable change has taken place in the scenery around us2 the trees are breaking into leaves1 and many plants are in blossom1 where1 but a short time ago1 everything bore the aspect of winter4 ,but this almost sudden and pleasing change has brought an unceasing torment3 night and day we are perpetually persecuted with the mosquitoes1 that swarm around us1 and afford no rest but in the annoying respiration of a smoky room4 ,they hover in clouds about the domestic cattle1 and drive them 7almost irritated to madness7 to the smoke of fires lighted with tufts of grass for their relief4 ,the trial of this ever busy and tormenting insect is inconceivable1 but to those who have endured it4 ,we retire to rest1 enveloped in clothes almost to suffocation1 but the musquitoe finds its way under the blankets1 piercing with its envenomed trunk1 till we often rise in a fever4 ,nor are we relieved from this painful scourge until the return of a slight frost1 in the beginning of ,september4 #bjth4 ,the weather is extremely hot1 the thermometer more than #ij above zero4 ,vegetation is making an astonishingly rapid progress1 and the grain in its luxuriant growth upon a rich soil1 presents to the eye the fairest prospects of a good harvest4 ,but the locust1 an insect very like the large grasshopper1 is beginning to make sad ravages1 by destroying the crops1 as it has done for the last three years1 at the ,settlement4 ,these insects multiply so rapidly1 that they soon overspread the land1 or rather the whole country2 and had not a wise ,providence limited their existence to a year1 they would no doubt 7if permitted to increase7 soon destroy the whole vegetative produce of the world4 ,they seem to devour1 not so much from a ravenous appetite1 as from the rage of destroying every vegetable substance that lies in the way2 and their work of destruction is frequently so regular in a field of corn1 as to have the appearance of being cut with a scythe4 ,where they are bred1 from eggs that are deposited in the earth the autumn before1 they stop during the months of ,april1 ,may1 and ,june2 towards the latter end of ,july1 they get strong1 and have wings1 when they rise together1 sometimes so numerous as to form a black cloud1 which darkens the rays of the sun4 ,their first direction is against the wind1 but afterwards they appear to be driven by its course1 and fall1 as a scourge1 as they become exhausted by flight4 ,the land may be as the garden of ,eden before them1 but behind them it is a desolate wilderness4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,norway ,,house4 ,,baptisms4 ,,arrival ,,at ,,york ,,factory4 ,,swiss ,,emigrants4 ,,auxiliary ,,bible ,,society ,,formed4 ,,boat ,,wrecked4 ,,catholic ,,priests4 ,,sioux ,,indians ,,killed ,,at ,,the ,,colony4 ,,circulation ,,of ,,the ,,scriptures ,,among ,,the ,,colonists4 ,,scarcity ,,of ,,provisions4 ,,fishing ,,under ,,the ,,ice4 ,,wild ,,fowl4 ,,meet ,,the ,,indians ,,at ,,pembina4 ,,they ,,scalp ,,an ,,assiniboine4 ,,war ,,dance4 ,,cruelly ,,put ,,to ,,death ,a ,,captive ,,boy4 ,,indian ,,expression ,,of ,,gratitude ,,for ,,the ,,education ,,of ,,his ,,child4 ,,sturgeon4 ,the late ,earl of ,selkirk having suggested that1 ,in the course of each summer1 it would be proper that the minister should visit the ,hudson's ,bay ,company's factory at ,norway ,house1 and also at ,york ,fort1 as a great number of their servants are assembled at these places1 for a few weeks in summer1 and have no other opportunity for any public religious instruction2 ,i left the settlement on the first of ,august1 and met1 at ,norway ,house1 one of the ,directors of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 and a gentleman of the ,north ,west1 on their route from ,montreal to ,york ,fort1 to make arrangements for the future trade of the country1 in consequence of a coalition between the two ,companies4 ,this was a circumstance which ,i could not but hail1 as highly encouraging in the attempt to better the condition of the native ,indians1 and likely to remove many of the evils that prevailed during the ardour of opposition4 ,the #abth of ,august1 being ,sunday1 we had divine service2 after which ,i baptized between twenty and thirty children1 and married two of the ,company's officers4 ,on the #adth1 we left this ,post1 and arrived at ,york ,factory1 the #bgth1 where we found a considerable number of ,swiss families1 who had left their country1 as emigrants to the ,red ,river ,colony4 ,they shewed me a prospectus1 which had been circulated in the ,swiss ,cantons1 by a gentleman who had been in ,canada1 but had never seen the ,settlement2 and were anxious in their inquiries whether it was rising to prosperity4 ,they appeared to me to be a different description of settlers1 from what the colony1 in its infancy of improvement1 was prepared to receive2 as consisting principally of watchmakers and mechanics4 ,the hardy husbandman was the character we wanted2 who would work his persevering way through the thickets1 clear the surface1 and spread cultivation around us2 and not easily repine if a storm overtook him in the wilderness4 ,during my stay at the ,factory1 several marriages and baptisms took place2 and it was no small encouragement to me1 in my ministerial labours1 to have the patronage and cordial co-operation of the ,director ,i had the pleasure of meeting1 in establishing an ,auxiliary ,bible ,society1 for ,prince ,rupert's ,land and the ,red ,river ,settlement4 ,it was formed with great liberality on the part of the ,company's officers1 who met on the occasion2 and more than one hundred and twenty pounds were immediately subscribed1 in aid of an institution1 7the ,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society17 which justly challenges the admiration of the world4 ,pure in its principle1 and simple yet mighty in operation1 it is diffusing blessings through the four quarters of the globe3 ,europe1 ,asia1 ,africa1 and ,america1 are partakers of its bounty2 and the tide of its beneficent liberality is flowing towards all nations1 kindreds1 tongues1 and complexions of our fellow men1 that they may read in their own tongues the wonderful works of ,god4 ,we cheered the ,director1 with the most cordial feelings of regard1 as he stepped into the boat1 on the morning of the #acth of ,september1 to embark in the ,prince of ,wales1 on his return to ,england2 and immediately afterwards1 ,i set off on my return to the ,red ,river4 ,we overtook the second division of boats1 with the ,swiss emigrants1 on the #bjth1 slowly proceeding1 and greatly harassed with the difficulties of the navigation4 ,they informed us1 that one of their party was accidentally drowned1 soon after they left the ,factory2 and that several of their children had died on the passage4 ,we were late on our return to the colony1 and under considerable apprehensions that the rivers would be frozen over before our arrival4 ,we experienced very cold weather the beginning of ,october2 and our encampment at night was frequently covered with snow4 ,one of the ,swiss got his feet dreadfully frozen1 from the careless neglect of not taking off his shoes and socks to dry1 before he lay down to rest4 ,in crossing ,winipeg ,lake1 one of the boats was wrecked1 but providentially no lives were lost4 ,this accident1 however1 detained us in an encampment for six or seven days2 and having scarcely any other subsistence than a little boiled barley1 ,i experienced at times the most pressing hunger4 ,every one rambled in pursuit of game1 but generally returned unsuccessful4 ,one evening1 a servant brought in from his day's hunt a large horned owl1 which was immediately cooked1 and eagerly despatched4 ,the next day1 ,i was walking along the shore with my gun1 when the waves cast at my feet a dead jack-fish2 ,i took it up1 and felt1 from the keenness of my appetite for animal food1 as though ,i could have immediately devoured it1 notwithstanding it bore the marks of having been dead a considerable time4 ,at this moment1 ,i heard the croaking of a raven1 and placing the fish upon the bank1 as a bait1 ,i shot it from behind a willow1 where ,i had concealed myself1 as it lighted upon the ground2 and the success afforded me a welcome repast at night4 ,we reached the mouth of the ,red ,river on the #bnd of ,november1 and found our friend ,pigewis1 the ,indian chief1 at his old encampment4 ,he received us most hospitably1 giving us a good supply of dried sturgeon4 ,our hungry party put the liberality of the ,indians to the test1 but it did not fail2 as ,i believe it seldom does1 in their improvidence of tomorrow4 ,i landed at ,fort ,douglas on the #dth1 and could not but recount the mercies of ,god in my safe return4 ,they have followed me through many a perilous1 and trying scene of life2 and ,i would that a sense of a continual protecting ,providence in the mercy of ,redemption1 may ever actuate me in whatsoever things may tend to the promotion of the happiness1 and of the best interests of my fellow men1 in the journeyings of my life1 through a disordered and distracted world4 ,no sooner had the ,swiss emigrants arrived1 than many of the ,germans1 who had come to the ,settlement a few years ago from ,canada1 and had houses1 presented themselves 'in search of a wife1' and having fixed their attachment with acceptance1 they received those families1 in which was their choice1 into their habitations4 ,those who had no daughters to afford this introduction1 were obliged to pitch their tents along the banks of the river1 and outside the stockades of the ,fort1 till they removed to ,pembina in the better prospect of provisions for the winter4 ,those of the ,germans1 who were ,catholics1 applied to the ,canadian ,catholic ,priests to solemnize their marriage2 but they refused1 because their intended wives were ,protestants2 and such was their bigotry in this matter1 in refusing to marry a ,catholic to a ,protestant1 that they expressed an opinion1 that a ,catholic could not be present1 even as a witness1 sine culpa#d when ,i performed the marriage ceremony1 inter ,catholicos et ,hreticos4#e #d ,without blame4 #e ,between ,catholics and ,heritics4 ,the locusts which had begun the work of destruction at my leaving the ,colony for ,york ,factory1 had completely destroyed the crops2 and during my absence1 a party of ,sioux ,indians1 came to ,fort ,douglas1 in expectation1 it was said1 of receiving presents from the stores4 ,it was thought advisable to promise them some goods1 on their returning peaceably to their own country1 and they manifested no other than a peaceable disposition to all parties4 ,the ,saulteaux ,indians1 however1 of ,red ,river1 between whom and the ,sioux nation1 a hostile feeling has existed from time immemorial1 became very irritable2 and a small party of them fired upon a straggling party of the ,sioux1 in a garden on the ,point below the ,colony ,fort2 they killed two1 and wounded a third2 and fled with such precipitation by swimming the river1 and running through the willows1 as to escape the vengeance1 and almost the view of those who survived4 ,it is the glory of the ,north ,american ,indian to steal upon his enemies like a fox1 to attack like a tiger1 and flee after the attack like a bird4 ,the ,indians were not seen any more till after the ,sioux had left the settlement1 who went away murmuring1 that powder and ball had been given1 as they said1 at the ,fort1 to the ,saulteaux1 to kill them4 ,in fact they had formed a deep laid scheme to scalp the person in charge of ,fort ,douglas1 in the absence of the ',charg d',affaires' of the ,colony1 and were only prevented carrying it into execution by one of the party giving information to a person at the ,farm1 as to their intentions4 ,they buried those who were shot near the ,stockades of the ,fort1 and for more than a week after they were gone1 the ,saulteaux1 in their savage fondness to exhibit the scalp in their war-dance1 and obtain possession of the toes and fingers of the slain1 made several attempts by night to disturb the graves1 but were prevented getting these trophies1 by a watch that was kept4 ,,november #aa4--,the winter is again set in with severity1 and ,i have been greatly disappointed in not having the building so far finished1 as to have accommodated the schoolmaster with a residence1 as well as to have afforded a place for divine worship before this period4 ,he is now resident with the ,indian boys1 at the ,post which formerly belonged to the ,north ,west ,company3 but being so far distant from the body of the ,protestant settlers his number of scholars is not so large as it was1 nor have we so many on the ,sabbath1 for divine worship as formerly4 ,the difficulties which we have hitherto met with in obtaining provisions1 and the mode of procuring them1 have formed the character of the ,colonists principally into that of hunters and fishermen2 so that labourers are not obtained but at a high remunerating price1 or at a dollar a day each4 ,a circulating medium would no doubt reduce the price of labour4 ,it has frequently been requested by the settlers1 and would relieve them from many unpleasant circumstances arising from barter and payment by bills4 ,i found the ,scriptures at some of the ,company's ,posts ,i visited1 most of the copies of which had been sent into the country1 together with the ,book of ,common ,prayer1 by one of the ,directors1 who ever expressed to me a lively interest for its moral improvement3 and the liberal supply which ,i had received from the ,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society1 in several different languages1 enabled me to circulate many copies of the ,bible among the colonists1 in ,english1 ,gaelic1 ,german1 ,danish1 ,italian1 and ,french4 ,they were gratefully received by them in general1 and by none more so than the ,highlanders1 one of whom on receiving a ,gaelic ,bible well remarked1 that one word in the heart was worth more than the whole volume in the pocket neglected4 ,the ,catholic priests1 however1 opposed this circulation1 and one of them called on a ,catholic1 to whom ,i had given a ,bible at his own particular request1 and after anathematizing our great reformer1 asked him to give it up4 ,the man refused with this pointed and pertinent question1 ,from whence1 ,sir1 do you get your knowledge of religion8 ,in this refusal1 he acted upon the enlightened principle1 that we derive all true sentiments in religious subjects from the ,bible1 and the ,bible alone2 and that the exercise of private judgment in the possession of the ,bible1 was the birth-right privilege of every man4 ,therein is contained the great charter of salvation1 and the awful code of divine communication to the human race4 ,a ,bible then to every man in the world1 is the sentiment we would encourage1 in opposition to such a priestly objection1 that is contrary to the liberal conduct of more enlightened ,catholics1 and manifestly opposed to scriptural examples1 and the divine command of the ,founder of ,christianity himself4 ,the ,eunuch was reading the scriptures1 searching for1 and inquiring after divine truth1 when ,philip received a commission from heaven to join himself to his chariot4 ,the ,saviour gave an authoritative command to the ,jews to search the scriptures1 and it is recorded of ,timothy that from a child he had known the ,holy ,scriptures4 ,they are the means of affording that instruction which man's wisdom cannot teach1 while they bear every mark of a divine revelation1 in a manner worthy of ,god1 and plain to the meanest capacity4 ,i had given a ,french ,testament to one of the ,canadians1 whom ,i married to a ,swiss ,protestant1 which excited the farther active prejudice of the ,catholic priest4 ,he called on him1 and requested that he might have it1 but the ,canadian objected1 saying1 that as his wife was a ,protestant1 she wished to read it4 ,he then asked to borrow it1 promising to return the ,testament in a few days1 and took it home with him4 ,i had written on the inside of the cover-- ,the man's name4 ,from the ,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society4 ,sondez les ,ecritures4 ,st4 ,jean1 v4 #ci4 ,a short time after it was returned1 the ,canadian shewed me the remarks which the priest had written1 and gave me the ,testament1 at my request1 in exchange for a ,bible4 ,over the above text1 the ,catholic priest wrote1 ,lisez avee soin les ,ecritures1 mais ne les explicuez point d'apres vos lumieres1 and immediately following my name1 which ,i had put at the bottom of the cover3 ,si quelquun ncoute pas l',eglise regardez le comme un ,pain1 et un ,publicain4 ,matth4 xviii4 #ag2 adding the following observations3 ,dans ce livre1 on ne dit pas un mot de la penitence qui afflige le corps4 ,cependant il est de foi qu'elle est absolument necessaire au salut aprs le pch1 c'est a l',eglise de ,j4 ,c4 qu'il appartient de determiner le sens des ,ecritures4 ,the prejudices which the ,canadian priests at the ,colony express against ,catholics marrying ,protestants must tend to weaken the religious and moral obligation of the marriage contract1 as entered into between them4 ,i have known the priests refuse to marry the parties of the above different persuasions1 at the time that they were co-habiting together1 as though it were better for them to live in fornication1 than that they should violate the rigid statutes of the ,papal see4 ,i married a couple a short time ago1 and afterwards found that the priest had been unwearied in calling upon the woman who was a professed ,protestant1 and never ceased to repeat to her their opinions of heretics1 till1 with the persuasion of her husband1 they prevailed upon her to be re-baptized1 and re-married by them in the nominal profession of the ,catholic faith4 ,and ,i was assured by a ,swiss gentleman at the ,settlement1 who had married a ,catholic from ,montreal1 that some months after their marriage1 one of the priests called upon his wife1 and told her that it would have been better for her to have married a heathen1 than a ,protestant4 ,a heathen1 he said1 might be converted to the ,catholic faith1 and be saved1 but little hope could be entertained of a ,protestant4 ,these circumstances prove that ,popery1 as it now exists1 at least in this quarter of the globe1 is not contrary to what it was in the days of the ,reformation4 ,christmas is again returned1 and appears to be generally known amongst us1 as in ,europe1 only as a season of intoxication4 ,will not the very heathen rise up in judgment1 at the last day1 and condemn such a gross perversion of the supposed period of the ,redeemer's birth2 the knowledge of whose name1 they have hitherto been unacquainted with4 ,we had divine service at the ,fort3--text1 ,luke ii4 #h-aa4 ,the ,indian boys repeated some hymns1 and joined in the singing ,hallelujah6 to the ,emmanuel1 which being interpreted1 is1 ,god with us4 ,i meet with many discouraging circumstances in my ministerial labours2 but my path is sometimes cheered with the pleasing hope1 that they are not altogether in vain2 and that the light of ,christianity will break in upon the heathen darkness that surrounds me4 ,the promises of ,god are sure2 and when cast down1 ,i am not disheartened4 ,,january #a1 #ahbb4--,oh thou ,god of mercy1 as thou hast brought me hitherto1 be pleased to support and direct me in the wilderness2 order my footsteps1 and make my path acceptable to thyself--,hoping all things1 may ,i endure all things1 in the desire of usefulness1 as ,i proceed in the journey of life1 and be endued with a ,spirit of ,love1 and of a sound mind1 as year after year revolves over my head4 ,the #afth4 ,we are suffering great privations at the ,settlement4 ,very little buffaloe meat has been obtained from the plains1 and our principal subsistence is from grain boiled into soup4 ,few have either pepper1 salt1 flour1 or vegetables4 ,one of the ,swiss was lately frozen to death on the plains2 and a ,meuron settler returning to the colony with a horse sledge of provisions perished also from the severity of the winter4 ,,feb4 #ad4--,times do not yet wear a more favourable aspect1 and most of the settlers are upon an allowance of a pint of wheat each a day4 ,sometimes a few fish are taken with nets1 from under the ice1 which are put down by making holes at the distance of about fifteen or twenty feet from each other1 and affixing the net line to a pole of this length1 by which the net is drawn in the water from one opening to the other1 till it is easily set4 ,the fish that are caught1 are pike1 perch1 and a species of herring1 called gold-eyes1 and for which an exorbitant price is frequently paid4 ,the northern ,indians angle for fish in winter1 by cutting round holes in the ice about a foot or two in diameter1 and letting down a baited hook4 ,this is always kept in motion to prevent the water from freezing1 and to attract the fish to the spot4 ,immediately they take a fish1 they scoop out the eyes and swallow them1 thinking them as great a delicacy as the ,european does the oyster4 ,my professional duties calling me to ,pembina1 ,i left the ,farm in a cariole on the #bjth1 and was sorry to find on my arrival many ,swiss families suffering from the want of a regular supply of provisions from the plains4 ,this was occasioned in a great measure from the irregularity and eagerness with which the hunters pursued the buffaloes immediately they made their appearance4 ,had they suffered some of the leading bands to have passed in the direction they were going towards the ,settlement1 instead of pursuing and turning them as soon as they were seen in the horizon1 others would probably have followed1 and plenty of provisions had been obtained4 ,but the fugitive supplies of the chase are generally a poor dependance2 and the colony will be greatly encouraged should the domestic cattle that have been purchased arrive from the ,united ,states4 ,the difficulties which the ,swiss emigrants have had to encounter1 and the severity of the climate have disheartened many of them from settling in the country1 and they have determined on going to a settlement on the ,ohio in the ,spring4 ,they attended divine service on the ,sabbath during my stay1 and expressed much gratitude for my reading to them the ,french ,testament and the ministerial duties ,i performed among them4 ,i returned to the ,farm1 where a report reached me1 which was in circulation1 upon strong grounds of suspicion1 that a most deliberate and barbarous murder had been committed by one of the half-breeds on a ,canadian freeman4 ,he was supposed to have been instigated to the bloody deed by a woman he lived with1 and whom he received from the ,canadian for so many buffaloes as provision4 ,evidence however was wanting1 it was thought1 that would justify his being sent down to ,montreal1 or to ,england for trial1 to convict him there2 as there was no criminal jurisdiction established within the territories of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company4 ,,march #be4--,the thaw has come on unexpectedly early1 and caused many of the hunters to return from the plains with scarcely any provisions4 ,there were a few tame buffaloes that had been reared in the colony1 which have been slaughtered1 and to save as much seed corn as possible1 the allowance of grain is given out to the settlers with the most rigid economy by the ,charg d',affaires4 ,there was a general shout to day in the ,settlement at the sight of some swans and geese1 as the sure harbingers of ,spring1 and of immense flocks of wild fowl1 that bend their course in the ,spring to the north1 as in the fall of the year they fly to the south4 ,it was indeed a cheerful sight1 as nearly all the feathered tribe leave us during a long and severe winter4 ,in this season1 we hear only1 and that but very seldom the croaking of the raven1 the chattering of the magpie1 or the tapping of the woodpecker4 ,but as summer bursts upon us1 the call of the whip-poor-will is heard in the dusk of the evening1 and the solitude of the woods is enlivened with a rich variety of birds1 some of which dazzle the eye with the beauty of their colours4 ,they have no notes however in their gay plumage1 or melody of sound1 which catch1 and delight the ear4 ,the wild fowl are mere birds of passage at the ,red ,river1 and but few were shot1 as they passed over the colony1 for our relief1 in the want of provisions4 ,our numbers increased almost daily1 from the return of the settlers from the plains1 and it was the general opinion that it would be far better to kill all the horses and dogs in the ,settlement for food1 than distribute the whole of the grain1 so as to be without seed corn4 ,,april #e4--,one of the chief officers of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company arrived1 and gave us the welcome promise1 7before we were actually driven to the above extremity17 that the ,colony should receive some wheat to sow from the ,company's ,post at ,bas la ,rivire1 on ,lake ,winepeg1 where there is a good farm1 and the crops had escaped the ravages of the locusts4 ,when cheered by this prospect1 the information reached us1 that a party of ,sioux ,indians were on their way to the ,settlement4 ,as their intentions in visiting us were not known1 and being apprehensive that more blood would be shed by the ,saulteaux if they came down to ,fort ,douglas1 it was resolved that two boats should be manned to prevent if possible their proceeding any farther than ,pembina4 ,it was far better to present an imposing force to them on the borders of the colony1 than to suffer them to come down amongst us1 where we should have been completely in their power1 in our scattered habitations4 ,at the request of the chief officer ,i accompanied the boats1 and set off with him for the ,company's ,post at ,pembina1 about the middle of ,may4 ,we arrived on the ,friday1 and soon after divine service on the ,sunday morning the ,sioux ,indians were seen marching over the plains1 with several colours flying1 towards the ,colony ,fort1 which was immediately opposite to that of the ,company4 ,when at the distance of about five hundred yards from us1 they halted1 and a ,saulteaux ,indian who happened to be at ,pembina1 immediately stripped himself naked1 and rushed towards them as a proof of his courage4 ,they received him with a cold reserve1 while some of them pointed their guns close to his body4 ,he then mingled with the party1 and we conducted them to the ,colony ,fort1 as is customary when ,indians are supposed to visit with peaceable and friendly intentions4 ,as soon as they had entered the ,fort they placed two sentinels at the gate1 one with a bow and arrows1 and the other with a gun4 ,there was something like military discipline among them1 which they had probably learned during the late ,american war1 in which they were engaged by the ,english2 many of them were of a remarkably fine stature1 and well-proportioned1 but more formed for agility than strength4 ,their countenances were stamped with a fierce and barbarous expression1 and being all armed with either long knives1 tomahawks1 guns1 or bows1 they soon encircled and formed a guard for the ,chief of their party4 ,after a short time1 they became very restless1 and searched every corner and outhouse of the ,fort1 under the suspicion that some treacherous attack might be made upon them4 ,a few of them then crossed over to the ,company's ,post1 and no idea was entertained but that they would conduct themselves peaceably4 ,liquor was given them at both posts2 and as ,i was standing within the stockades of that of the ,company1 at eight o'clock in the evening1 a ,chief of the party named ,wanatou1 came in apparently intoxicated1 and snatching a gun from an ,indian who stood near him1 he fired it with ball in a manner that indicated some evil design4 ,leaving the ,fort he wrestled with another for his gun which he fired in the air1 and went immediately to the other post1 where it was supposed they had taken up their quarters for the night4 ,a guard being mounted1 we retired to rest1 but were disturbed about eleven o'clock with the cry1 that the ,sioux ,indians had shot and scalped an ,assiniboine1 who with two others had travelled a considerable distance to smoke the calumet with them at ,pembina4 ,the bloody and unsuspected deed was committed by ,wanatou1 whose intention was to have killed the other two had they not immediately fled1 because some one1 or a party of their nation had stolen a horse from him about a year before4 ,as soon as the scalp was taken they all started for the plains with this notorious ,chief1 who had shed the blood of ten or twelve ,indians and ,americans before2 and who bore the marks of having been several times pierced with balls by his enemies4 ,it was formerly the custom to cut off the heads of those whom they slew in war1 and to carry them away as trophies2 but these were found cumbersome in the hasty retreat which they always make as soon as they have killed their enemy2 they are now satisfied with only tearing off the scalp4 ,this is usually taken from the crown of the head1 of a small circular size2 sometimes however they take the whole integuments of the skull1 with which they ornament their war jackets and leggins1 or twist into a brush for the purpose of keeping off the mosquitoes4 ,the scalp is their glory and triumph1 and is often carried by women stretched upon a stick1 and hung with various articles so as to make a jingle to men when they perform the war-dance4 ,this is very animated and striking1 as they generally dance completely armed1 and with gestures to represent their mode of going to war1 their attack upon their enemy1 the scalping of those who are slain1 and their triumphant return as conquerors4 ,they go through these evolutions in such a wild and savage manner as frequently to excite the fears of the ,european1 who witnesses the war dance1 lest it should terminate1 in a bloody conflict1 and the death of most of the party4 ,we returned to the ,forks1 after having seen a party of half-breeds set off with their horses and carts for buffaloe meat1 in the same direction the ,sioux ,indians were gone4 ,they were advised not to follow their track so immediately2 but the want of provisions led them to neglect this advice2 and in about a fortnight afterwards we were informed1 that they had been fired upon in their encampment in the dawn of the morning 7the time when ,indians generally make their attack7 that two of them were killed1 a third mortally wounded1 and that all their horses were stolen4 ,it was strongly suspected though never ascertained as a fact1 that this savage deed was committed by the ,indians who had so recently left ,pembina2 as well as the scalping of one of the ,company's servants who was killed a short time afterwards within a mile of the ,fort4 ,the ,sioux are a great nation1 spread over a vast tract of country1 between the ,missisippi and ,pembina2 along the banks of the ,missouri1 and towards the ,saskashawan4 ,they are divided into numerous tribes1 called ,sisatoones1 ,yanktoons1 ,wapatoones1 and others1 with the ,assiniboines or ,stone ,indians1 who are recognized as descendents or seceders1 by a similarity of language and customs4 ,on the banks of the ,mississippi and ,missouri rivers they have small villages1 where they grow ,indian corn1 pumpkins1 and water melons2 but they live principally on the plains in the chase of the buffaloe4 ,their language is very guttural and difficult1 and superstitious ceremonies and customs prevail amongst them which are similar to those observed by the ,tartars4 ,the ,sioux1 like the ,tartars1 sometimes offer water as a symbol of peace and safety to a stranger1 or of pardon to an offender1 which strongly corroborates the idea that they were originally from ,asia4 ,some time ago ,i was informed by an officer1 who had numbers of them under his influence in the ,american war1 that a ,sioux ,indian was doomed to die for an offence which he had committed1 and taking his station before the tribe1 and drawing his blanket over his face1 in expectation of the fatal shot1 the ,chief stepped forward and presented some water to him1 as a token of pardon1 when he was permitted again to join the party4 ,they consider it also as a very bad omen in common with the ,tartars1 to cut a stick that has been burnt by fire1 and with them they consign every thing to destruction1 though it be their canoe1 as polluted1 if it be sprinkled with the water of animals4 ,and it is a remarkable fact1 that the laws of separation and uncleanness1 being forty days for a male child and eighty for a female1 observed by these ,indians1 exactly correspond with the ,levitical law imposed upon the ,jews in the birth of their children4 ,they are truly barbarous1 like the ,indians in general1 towards their captive enemies4 ,the following circumstance1 as related to me by an ,indian woman1 whom ,i married to one of the principal settlers1 and who was a near relation of one of the women who was tomahawked by a war party of ,sioux ,indians1 some time ago1 is calculated to fill the mind with horror4 ,they fell upon four lodges belonging to the ,saulteaux1 who had encamped near ,fond du ,lac1 ,lake ,superior1 and which contained the wives and children of about twelve men1 who were at that time absent a hunting2 and immediately killed and scalped the whole party1 except one woman and two or three of the children4 ,with the most wanton and savage cruelty1 they proceeded to put one of these little ones to death1 by first turning him for a short time close before a fire1 when they cut off one of his arms1 and told him to run2 and afterwards cruelly tortured him1 with the other children1 till he died4 ,it is almost incredible the torture to which they will sometimes put their prisoners2 and the adult captives will endure it without a tear or a groan4 ,in spite of all their sufferings1 which the love of cruelty and revenge can invent and inflict upon them1 they continue to chaunt their death song with a firm voice2 considering that to die like a man1 courting pain rather than flinching from it1 is the noblest triumph of the warrior4 ,in going to war1 some time ago1 a ,sioux chief cut a piece of flesh from his thigh1 and holding it up with a view to animate and encourage the party who were to accompany him to the ferocious conflict1 told them to see how little he regarded pain1 and that1 despising torture and the scalping knife and tomahawk of their enemies1 they should rush upon them1 and pursue them till they were exterminated2 and thereby console the spirits of the dead whom they had slain4 ,it does not appear that cannibalism is practised by any of the ,north ,american ,indians2 on the contrary1 the eating of human flesh is held in great abhorrence by them3 and when they are driven to eat it1 through dire necessity1 they are generally shunned by other ,indians who know it1 and who often take their lives secretly4 ,it is not an uncommon practice1 however1 for them to cut flesh from their captives1 and1 when cooked to eat small bits of it1 as well as to give some to their children1 with a little of their blood1 no doubt under the idea that it will give them courage1 and a spirit of hatred and revenge against their enemies4 ,what can calm these ferocious feelings1 and curb this savage fury of the passions in the torturous destruction of defenceless women and sucking infants8 what1 but the introduction and influence of ,christianity1 the best civilizer of the wandering natives of these dreary wilds1 and the most probable means of fixing them in the pursuit of agriculture1 and of those social advantages and privileges to which they are at present strangers4 ,,may #bd4--;,by the arrival of the boats from ,qu'appelle1 ,i received another little ,indian boy for admission into the school2 and felt encouraged in the persuasion1 that should we extend our travels among the ,indians1 and make known to them our simple object in visiting them as ,missionaries1 many probably among the different tribes who traded at the ,company's ,posts1 would be gradually led to give up their children for education4 ,i had now several under my care1 who could converse pretty freely in ,english1 and were beginning to read tolerably well1 repeating the ,lord's prayer correctly4 ,the primary object in teaching them1 was to give them a religious education2 but the use of the bow was not to be forgotten1 and they were hereafter to be engaged in hunting1 as opportunities and circumstances might allow4 ,as agriculture was an important branch in the system of instruction1 ,i had given them some small portions of ground to cultivate2 and ,i never saw ,european schoolboys more delighted than they were1 in hoeing and planting their separate gardens4 ,nor were the parents of these boys insensible to the care and kindness that were shewn to them4 ,i was told by one of the ,company's officers1 that before he left ,qu'appelle for the colony1 he saw the father of the boy ,i had received from the ,indian tents1 after my visit to that quarter1 and asked him to part with a fine horse that he was riding1 which he refused to do1 saying that he kept it for the ,black ,robe1 a name by which they distinguished me from the ,catholic priests1 whom they call the ,long ,robe1 for taking care of his boy4 ,he repeated his application for the horse1 with the tempting offer of some rum2 but the ,indian was firm in his intention of keeping it1 as a present for kindness shewn to his child4 ,this was gratitude2 and ,i left directions1 in my absence from the ,settlement1 that should he bring it down1 he should be treated with all possible kindness2 and amply repaid with blankets1 or any useful ,european articles that he might want and which could be procured1 in return for the gift of his horse4 ,it was now hinted to me1 that the interest ,i was taking in the education of the native children1 had already excited the fears of some of the chief factors and traders1 as to the extent to which it might be carried4 ,though a few conversed liberally with me on the subject1 there were others who were apprehensive that the extension of knowledge among the natives1 and the locating them in agricultural pursuits1 where practicable1 would operate as an injury to the fur trade4 ,my reply on the contrary was1 that if ,christian knowledge were gradually diffused among the natives throughout the vast territory of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company1 from the shores of the ,atlantic to those of the ,north ,pacific1 it would best promote the honour and advantages of all parties concerned in the fur trade1 and which ,i was persuaded was the general enlightened opinion of the ,directors in ,london4 ,the #bhth4 ,the ,settlers have been busily employed of late in getting in their seed corn1 and much more has been sown than was expected a short time ago1 from the prudent management of the grain1 by the ,charg d',affaires of the ,colony1 in the dearth of provisions2 and from the supply which we have received from ,bas la ,rivire4 ,the sturgeon season also has been very successful1 which has in some measure brightened the countenances of a people1 who have passed a long and severe winter1 without the sound of the mill stones1 and the light of the candle4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,arrival ,,of ,,canoe ,,from ,,montreal4 ,,liberal ,,provision ,,for ,,missionary ,,establishment4 ,,manitobah ,,lake4 ,,indian ,,gardens4 ,,meet ,,captain ,,franklin ,,and ,,officers ,,of ,,the ,,arctic ,,expedition1 ,,at ,,york ,,factory4 ,,first ,,anniversary ,,of ,,the ,,auxiliary ,,bible ,,society4 ,,half-,,caste ,,children4 ,,aurora ,,borealis4 ,,conversation ,,with ,,pigewis4 ,,good ,,harvest ,,at ,,the ,,settlement1 ,,and ,,arrival ,,of ,,cattle ,,from ,,united ,,states ,,massacre ,,of ,,hunters4 ,,produce ,,of ,,grain ,,at ,,the ,,colony4 ,on the #bjth of ,june1 the light canoe arrived from ,montreal1 which brought me letters from ,england2 and no one ever received news from a far country1 which gladdened the heart more than these letters did mine4 ,my family were all well2 and a liberal provision had been made1 for a ,missionary establishment at the ,red ,river1 for the maintenance and education of native ,indian children1 by the ,church ,missionary ,society4 ,in conveying this information to me1 an active friend to the communication of ,christianity to the ,indians1 observes1 ,i hope a foundation is now laid to extend the blessings of ,christianity1 religion1 morals1 and education1 wherever the representative of the ,company may set his foot4 ,god grant that if may6 and that the ,light which first sprang up in ,judea1 may break forth upon every part of these vast territories1 dissipate the present darkness of the natives1 and lead them to the enjoyment of the fulness of the blessings of the gospel of ,christ4 ,all1 all1 is encouraging to proceed3 yet ,i will not conceal my fears1 that expectations may be raised too high1 as to the progress that may be made in that vast field of labour which presents itself4--,there are a great many willows to cut down1 and roots to remove1 as an ,indian chief said to me1 when he welcomed me to the country1 before the path will be clear to walk in4 ,the axe1 however1 is laid to the root of the tree1 in the establishment of schools1 as the means of instruction and of diffusing ,christian knowledge in this moral wilderness2 and we may anticipate the hope that numbers will arise to enjoy what they are capable of feeling1 the endearments of social life1 as well as of moral and religious education4 ,soon after the express canoe arrived1 a ,director of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company and an executor of the late ,earl of ,selkirk1 came to the ,settlement1 via ,montreal4 ,i accompanied him to ,pembina2 and he acted upon the opinion1 that the inhabitants of this distant and extreme point of the colony1 who were principally hunters1 were living too near the supposed line of demarcation1 between the ,british territories and the ,united ,states2 and that it would be far better for them to remove down to the ,forks2 where1 if the industry of the colonists was more concentrated1 it would tend more to their protection and prosperity4 ,many promised to comply with this suggestion4 ,on our return1 ,i took the opportunity of opening1 with divine service1 the building 7though it was not finished7 which was intended as a school-house1 and a temporary place for divine worship2 and1 at the same time1 baptized two of the boys who had been under my charge1 one as ,james ,hope1 and the other as ,henry ,budd2 they being able to read the ,new ,testament1 repeat the ,church ,catechism1 and to understand the chief truths of the ,christian ,religion4 ,,july #ah4--,we have the satisfaction of seeing the new sown grain promise well for a crop2 and great hopes are entertained that it will this year escape the ravages of the locusts4 ,under this sanguine expectation1 ,i left the colony1 with the ,director1 on the #bb;d1 on my annual visit to ,york ,factory1 taking the route of ,manitobah ,lake4 ,as we passed this fine and extensive sheet of water1 we saw occasionally some beautiful points1 or bluffs of wood and the most striking and romantic scenery that can be presented to the eye4 ,the waters abound with fish2 and the alluvial soil of some parts1 near the banks of the lake1 promises every encouragement to the active industry of the agriculturist4 ,a tribe of ,indians1 who traverse this part of the country1 have gardens1 in which they grow potatoes and pumpkins2 and were encouragement given them1 by the presence and superintendence of a ,missionary1 in the cultivation of the soil1 and the assistance of a plough and seed corn1 afforded them from the ,colony1 with the view to establish them in a village1 there is little doubt1 that they would gradually1 or indeed soon1 become so far civilized1 as to promote the formation of a school among them for the education of their children4 ,we proceeded on our way1 through the ,dauphin ,river1 into ,lake ,winipeg1 and arrived at ,norway ,house1 in about a week after we left the ,settlement4 ,when within about fifty miles of ,york ,fort1 two ,indians paddled their canoe to the side of the boat1 and requested that ,i would take a little boy1 who was with them1 under my charge4 ,this ,i consented to do1 if they would bring him to me on my return to the ,colony2 and ,i threw him a blanket1 as he was almost naked1 and suffering apparently from cold4 ,in landing at the ,factory1 ,i had the pleasure of meeting ,captain ,franklin1 and the gentlemen of the ,northern ,land ,expedition1 recently returned from their arduous journey to the mouth of the ,coppermine ,river1 and waiting for the return of the ,company's ship to ,england4 ,an ,esquimaux ,indian1 who accompanied the expedition as one of the guides1 named ,augustus1 and who survived the supposed fate of his companion1 ,junius1#f often came to my room1 and interested me with his conversation in ,english1 which was tolerably well understood by him1 from the instructions he had received during his travels4 ,he belongs to a tribe that annually visits ,churchill ,factory1 from the northward2 and often assures me1 that ,esquimaux want white man to come and teach them2 and tells me1 that they would make snow house1 good1 properly1 for him in winter2 and bring plenty of musk oxen and deer for him to eat4 ,captain ,franklin expressed much interest for this harmless race of ,indians3 and having spoken to the ,governor of this northern district1 ,i have resolved upon visiting ,churchill1 next ,july1 in the hope of meeting the tribe on their visit to that ,factory1 and to obtain information1 as to the practicability of sending a schoolmaster amongst them1 or forming a school for the education of their children4 #f ,see ,captain ,franklin's ,journey to the ,coppermine ,river1 ,vol4 ,,ii4 p4 #bgj1 second edition4 ,during my stay at the ,factory1 we held the first anniversary meeting of the ,auxiliary ,bible ,society1 and were warmly assisted by ,captain ,franklin and the gentlemen of the expedition4 ,it appeared that the amount of donations and annual subscriptions for the past year1 i4e4 from ,sept4 #bnd1 #ahba1 when the ,society was first formed1 to ,sept4 #bnd1 #ahbb1 was #bjjl4 #js4 #f;d4 the whole of which sum was remitted to the parent institution in ,london2 and the very encouraging sum of sixty pounds was subscribed at the meeting1 towards the collection for the second year4 ,there were but few persons who came out by the ship for the ,colony this year1 as the succession of difficulties we had met with1 had lessened the encouragement to emigrate to this quarter4 ,among those who came1 however1 was a young woman1 as the intended wife of the schoolmaster1 who was appointed by the ,church ,missionary ,society1 to assist in teaching at the ,mission ,establishment at ,red ,river4 ,i obtained a little boy and girl from an ,indian tent at the ,factory1 to accompany her1 in addition to those who were already there4 ,the features of the boy bore a strong resemblance to those of the ,esquimaux3 but there was a shade of difference between the little girl1 and ,indians of entire blood1 which was particularly seen in the colour of her hair4 ,it was not of that jet black1 which is common with the ,indians in general1 and which is the case with many of the children belonging to the tribes1 or individual families who visit1 or are much about the different ,factories4 ,i often met with half-caste children1 whose parents had died or deserted them2 who are growing up with numbers at the different posts in great depravity4 ,should their education be neglected1 as it has hitherto been1 and should they be led to find their grounds1 with the ,indians1 it cannot be a matter of surprise1 if at any time hereafter they should collectively or in parties1 threaten the peace of the country1 and the safety of the trading ,posts4 ,,sept4 #d4--,the ,indians who brought the boy in the canoe to the boat on my way to the ,factory met me on my return1 and he is taking his passage with the other two children to the ,settlement4 ,though ,i have now made the voyage several times from ,york ,fort to the ,colony1 ,i do not find that the labour and difficulty of the way are at all relieved4 ,some parts of the tracking ground might evidently be improved by cutting away the willows at the edges of the river2 and the track over a few of the portages might also be made better2 some of the large stones likewise might be removed when the water is low1 which is expeditiously done by digging a large hole by the side and undermining them2 when they are rolled over and buried4 ,but to improve the passage materially1 appears to me to be impracticable1 from the shallowness of the water1 and the rapidity of the current in many of the rivers4 ,we saw that beautiful phenomenon called the ',aurora ,borealis1' or the northern lights1 on most clear evenings1 consisting of long columns of clear white light1 shooting across the heavens with a tremulous motion1 and altering slowly to a variety of shapes4 ,at times they were very brilliant1 and appeared suddenly in different parts of the sky1 where none had been seen before4 ,it has been observed1 that this phenomenon is not vivid in very high latitudes1 and that its seat appears to be about the latitude of #fj4 ,many of the ,indians have a pleasing and romantic idea of this meteor4 ,they believe the northern lights to be the spirits of their departed friends dancing in the clouds1 and when they are remarkably bright1 at which time they vary most in form and situation1 they say that their deceased friends are making merry4 ,the northern ,indians call the ,aurora ,borealis ,edthin1 i4e4 ,deer1 from having found that when a hairy deer-skin is briskly stroked with the hand in a dark night1 it will emit many sparks of electrical fire as the back of a cat will4 ,on the #eth of ,october we reached the encampment of ,pigewis1 the chief of the ,red ,river ,indians2 and on pitching our tents for the night a little way farther up on the banks of the river1 he came with his eldest son and another ,indian and drank tea with me in the evening4 ,it was the first time that ,i had met with him1 since ,i received the encouraging information from the ,church ,missionary ,society1 relative to the ,mission ,school at the ,colony1 and ,i was glad of the opportunity of assuring him1 through the aid of an interpreter1 who was of our party1 that many1 very many in my country wished the ,indians to be taught white man's knowledge of the ,great ,spirit1 and as a proof of their love to them1 my countrymen had told me to provide for the clothing1 maintenance1 and education of many of their children2 and had sent out the young person whom he then saw to teach the little girls who might be sent to the school for instruction4 ,though not easily persuaded that you act from benevolent motives2 he said it was good6 and promised to tell all his tribe what ,i said about the children1 and that ,i should have two of his boys to instruct in the ,spring1 but added1 that 'the ,indians like to have time to consider about these matters4' ,we smoked the calumet1 and after pausing a short time1 he shrewdly asked me what ,i would do with the children after they were taught what ,i wished them to know4 ,i told him they might return to their parents if they wished it1 but my hope was that they would see the advantage of making gardens1 and cultivating the soil1 so as not to be exposed to hunger and starvation1 as the ,indians generally were1 who had to wander and hunt for their provisions4 ,the little girls1 ,i observed1 would be taught to knit1 and make articles of clothing to wear1 like those which white people wore2 and all would be led to read the ,book that the ,great ,spirit had given to them1 which the ,indians had not yet known1 and which would teach them how to live well and to die happy4 ,i added1 that it was the will of the ,great ,spirit1 which he had declared in ,his ,book1 'that a man should have but one wife1 and a woman but one husband4' ,he smiled at this information1 and said that 'he thought that there was no more harm in ,indians having two wives than one of the settlers1' whom he named4 ,i grieved for the depravity of ,europeans as noticed by the heathen1 and as raising a stumbling block in the way of their receiving instruction1 and our conversation closed upon the subject by my observing1 that 'there were some very bad white people1 as there were some very bad ,indians1 but that the good book condemned the practice4' ,we had an unusually fine passage from the ,factory2 and in our approach to ,fort ,douglas1 we were cheered with the sight of several stacks of corn standing near to some of the settlers houses1 and were informed1 not only of a good harvest1 but also of more than a hundred and fifty head of cattle having arrived at the colony1 from the ,illinois territory4 ,these were encouraging circumstances1 and ,i saw with peculiar pleasure1 a stack of wheat near the ,mission ,school1 which had been raised1 with nearly two hundred bushels of potatoes1 from the ground that we had cultivated near it2 and having purchased two cows for the establishment1 our minds were relieved from anxiety as to provisions for the children during the winter1 as well as from the quantity of grain that might be collected1 till another harvest4 ,our fears were kept alive however1 as to the safety of the ,settlement1 by being informed of another horrid massacre of four hunters1 a woman1 and a little girl1 on the plains near ,pembina1 by the ,sioux ,indians4 ,their bodies were dreadfully mangled1 and the death of the little girl was attended with atrocious barbarity4 ,when the ,indians first approached and made their attack on the party1 she concealed herself under one of the carts2 but hearing the screams of her friends as the savages were butchering them1 she ran from the place of her concealment1 and was shot through with an arrow as she was running to escape4 ,the frequent massacre of the hunters by the ,sioux ,indians1 and the constant alarm excited at the ,settlement1 by reports that they would come down with the savage intention of scalping us call for some military protection4 ,a small party stationed at the ,colony1 would not only be the means of enforcing any civil process in the punishment of delinquents among the ,colonists1 but afford that security in their habitations1 which would stimulate them to make improvements1 and to a more active industry upon the soil1 while it would have the best effect upon the minds of the ,indians at large4 ,,nov4 #d4--;,a party of hunters have just returned1 bringing in some venison of the red deer1 or stag1 which is sometimes killed at the distance of about ten or twelve miles from the ,colony4 ,it is astonishing with what keenness of observation they pursue these animals3 their eye is so very acute1 that they will often discern a path1 and trace the deer over the rocks and the withered leaves1 which an ,european passes without noticing1 or being at all aware1 that any human being or game have directed their course before him4 ,they distinguish the cardinal points by the terms1 sun-rise1 sun-set1 cold country1 and warm country2 and reach any destined point over the most extensive plains with great accuracy1 or travel through the thickest woods with certainty1 when they have nothing to direct them but the moss that grows on the north side of the trunks of the trees1 and their tops bending towards the rising sun4 ,the #ahth4 ,the attendance on divine worship is much improved on the ,sabbath1 from the accommodation the building affords1 and ,i hope to complete it in the ensuing spring4 ,we have a considerable number of half-caste children1 and some adult ,indian women1 married to ,europeans1 who attend a ,sunday-school1 for gratuitous instruction2 and ,i have no doubt that their numbers will increase considerably in the spring4 ,these children have capacity1 and would rival ,europeans1 with the like instruction1 in the developement of their mental faculties4 ,extensive plans might be devised1 and carried into effect1 if patronized by an active co-operation1 which would ultimately result in producing great benefits to the half-caste population1 and the ,indians in general4 ,there is an opening for schools on the banks of the ,saskashawan1 where the soil is good for cultivation1 as well as on the banks of the ,athabasca river2 and frequent applications reached me to forward their establishment in those quarters1 under the prospect of their being supported through the produce that might be raised from the soil1 and the supplies to be obtained from the waters and the chase4 ,the winter has again set in1 and many of the settlers are threshing out their crops2 and from the best information ,i can obtain1 the return of wheat has been from twenty to twenty-five bushels per acre4 ,barley1 may be stated at the same produce3 but where sown in small quantities1 and under particular cultivation1 ,i have heard of thirty1 forty1 and fifty fold being reaped4 ,taking the average of the general crop1 however1 ,i think it may be fairly stated at the above increase1 without the trouble of manuring4 ,that useful article of food1 the potatoe thrives well1 and returns upon an average thirty bushels for one4 ,indian corn is grown2 and every kind of garden vegetable1 with water melons1 and pumpkins1 comes to great perfection1 when spared by the locusts4 ,some have raised the tobacco plant1 but it has not yet met with a fair trial1 any more than the sowing of hemp and flax4 ,i failed in the experiment of sowing some winter wheat1 which ,i brought with me from ,england2 but ,i attribute this failure1 to its being sown in an exposed situation1 and too early in the autumn1 the plant having been of too luxuriant a growth1 before the severe frosts came on4--,if sown in sheltered spots1 and later in the season1 there is every probability of its surviving the winter1 which would be of great advantage in agriculture1 from the short period we have for preparing the land and sowing it in spring4 ,we have no fruit trees1 but if introduced1 they would no doubt thrive at the ,colony4 ,we get a few raspberries in the woods1 and strawberries from the plains in summer2 and on the route to ,york ,factory1 we meet with black and red currants1 gooseberries1 and cranberries4 ,there is a root which is found in large quantities1 and generally called by the settlers1 the ,indian potatoe4 ,it strongly resembles the ,jerusalem artichoke1 and is eaten by the natives in a raw state2 but when boiled it is not badly flavoured4 ,the characteristic improvidence of the ,indians1 and their precarious means of subsistence1 will often reduce them to extreme want1 and ,i have seen them collecting small roots in the swamps1 and eating the inner rind of the poplar tree1 and having recourse to a variety of berries1 which are found in abundance in many parts of the country4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,climate ,,of ,,red ,,river4 ,,thermometer4 ,,pigewis',s ,,nephew4 ,,wolves4 ,,remarks ,,of ,,general ,,washington4 ,,indian ,,woman ,,shot ,,by ,,her ,,son4 ,,sufferings ,,of ,,indians4 ,,their ,,notions ,,of ,,the ,,deluge4 ,,no ,,visible ,,object ,,of ,,adoration4 ,,acknowledge ,a ,,future ,,life4 ,,left ,,the ,,colony ,,for ,,bas ,,la ,,rivir,e4 ,,lost ,,on ,,winipeg ,,lake4 ,,recover ,,the ,,track1 ,,and ,,meet ,,an ,,intoxicated ,,indian4 ,,apparent ,,facilities ,,for ,,establishing ,,schools ,,west ,,of ,,rocky ,,mountains4 ,,russians ,,affording ,,religious ,,instruction ,,on ,,the ,,north ,,west ,,coast ,,of ,,north ,,america4 ,,rumours ,,of ,,war ,,among ,,the ,,surrounding ,,tribes ,,with ,,the ,,sioux ,,indians4 ,,january #a1 #ahbc4--,once more ,i have to record the goodness of ,god in preserving my life1 and granting me the invaluable blessing of health throughout the past year4 ,god of my life6 to thee belong ,the thankful heart1 the grateful song4 ,may my days be spent with renewed ardour and watchfulness in my ,christian profession2 never yielding to supineness and discouragements in my ,ministerial labours1 and toils in the wilderness4 ,of all men1 the ,missionary most needs strong faith1 with a simple reliance upon the providence and promises of ,god in the trials that await him4 ,his path is indeed an arduous one4 ,many unexpected circumstances will oppose his conscientious endeavours to fulfil his calling2 and difficulties will surround him in every shape1 so as to put his patience1 his hopes of usefulness and steady perseverance severely to the test4 ,he will often exclaim in the deep conviction of his mind1 who is sufficient for the great undertaking8--,experience in the ,missionary field has convinced me1 that there are indeed but few among a thousand qualified for the difficult and exalted work4 ,if that eminent ,missionary1 ,st4 ,paul1 abounding in zeal1 and in all the graces of the ,spirit1 thought it needful to solicit the prayers of the ,churches that the word of the ,lord might run1 and have free course1 how earnest ought our entreaties to be of all friends of missions to pray for us1 who1 if we feel aright1 must feel our own insignificance1 in our labours among the heathen1 and in our services to the ,christian church1 when compared with the labours of the ,apostles1 or with those of a ,swartz1 a ,brainerd1 or a ,martyn4 ,the climate of ,red ,river is found to be remarkably healthy1 and the state of the weather may be pretty accurately ascertained from the following table for the last two years4 ,we know of no epidemic1 nor is a cough scarcely ever heard amongst us4 ,the only cry of affliction1 in breathing a sharp pure air1 that creates a keen appetite1 has been1 ',je n'ai rien pour manger1' and death has rarely taken place amongst the inhabitants1 except by accident and extreme old age4 ,it is far otherwise1 however with the natives of the country1 who from the hardships and incessant toil they undergo in seeking provisions1 look old at forty1 and the women at a much earlier age3 while numbers die1 at an early stage of their suffering existence1 of pulmonary consumptions4 ,these are so common1 that they may be considered as the unavoidable consequence of privations and immoderate fatigue1 which they endure in hunting and in war2 and of being continually exposed to the inclemency of the seasons4 ,,climate ,,of ,,red ,,river ,,thermometer4 ---------------------------------------- ---------------------- ,aver- ,aver- ,month ,a4,m4 ,a4,m4 ,m4 ,m4 ,p4,m4 ,p4,m4 age age and ,below ,above ,below ,above ,below ,above ,below ,above ,year ,date ---------------------------------------- ---------------------- #ahba4 ,january #bc #bd 44 #af 44 #bf 44 #bb 44 ,february #b #cj 44 #be 44 #bh 44 #bh 44 ,march #ag #e 44 44 #ac #e 44 44 #a ,april #i 44 #aj 44 #ah 44 #ag 44 #ae ,may #h 44 #ej 44 #gg 44 #gg 44 #fh ,june #c 44 #gb 44 #hd 44 #hh 44 #ha ,july #bh 44 #gf 44 #ia 44 #ij 44 #he ,august #c 44 #gj 44 #hd 44 #hh 44 #hd ,september #d 44 #eh 44 #fh 44 #gj 44 #fe ,october #be 44 #de 44 #fb 44 #fe 44 #bg ,november #bf #e 44 #af 44 #af 44 #ab 44 ,december #ag #ch 44 #ae 44 #af 44 #bc 44 ---------------------------------------- ---------------------- #ahbb4 ,january #bh #cd 44 #be 44 #be 44 #bh 44 ,february #c #cb 44 #ai 44 #bc 44 #be 44 ,march #ac 44 #g 44 #be 44 #aj 44 #ad ,april #h 44 #e 44 #ah 44 #ba 44 #ae ,may #bh 44 #fe 44 #gg 44 #gh 44 #gc ,june #i 44 #fh 44 #gf 44 #gf 44 #gc ,july #ba 44 #ge 44 #hg 44 #ha 44 #ha ,august #h 44 #gd 44 #hc 44 #hd 44 #hj ,september #ac 44 #ei 44 #gi 44 #gh 44 #gb ,october #d 44 #ed 44 #gb 44 #ga 44 #ff ,november #bi #bd 44 #b 44 #ae 44 #ad 44 ,december #ad #di 44 #be 44 #bh 44 #cd 44 ---------------------------------------- ---------------------- ,i have selected the day in each month of the year1 when the thermometer was at the lowest and highest degree of ,zero2 which will give a general idea of the change of the state of the air4 ,though ,i have been informed of the thermometer having been several degrees higher and lower at the ,colony1 than here stated1 the winter is nearly the same1 as to the time it sets in and breaks up1 as that of ,montreal2 but the frost is rather more intense1 with less snow1 and a clearer air4 ,during the winter months1 a north-westerly wind1 which is synonymous in this quarter of the globe1 with excessive cold1 generally prevails2 and even in sultry weather1 the moment that the wind veers from the south to that quarter1 its chilling influence is immediately felt in the sudden transition from heat to cold4 ,in summer1 a southerly wind blows commonly with considerable heat1 and often in heavy gales1 is accompanied with violent torrents of rain1 and much thunder4 ,the #dth4--,the ,indians around us generally divide into small parties for the better support of their families during the winter months2 and in their rambling existence in search of animals for provisions4 ,pigewis and a few others1 occupying two lodges1 called on me to-day1 saying that they were starving4 ,the woods which they generally hunted were burnt to a great extent during the last autumn1 and they had only killed a bear1 and a few martins1 with occasionally a rabbit1 as a subsistence for the last two months4 ,this was their report1 though they often deceive in their lounging habits of begging at your residence4 ,i assisted them with a little ,indian rice and some potatoes1 on their promise to strike their tents1 and proceed to some other hunting grounds on the following day4 ,when they visit under these destitute circumstances1 they are often exceedingly troublesome1 acknowledging no right of restraint in being shut out from your presence2 they enter your dwelling without ceremony1 and covet almost every thing that they see4 ,with a view1 therefore1 to keep them from my room in the evening1 ,i sent some tea and sugar with a little flour1 for the purpose of taking my tea with them in one of their tents4 ,i was accompanied by one of the ,indian boys from the school as an interpreter1 who now acted well in that capacity1 from the great progress he had made in speaking ,english1 and found them all encircling a small fire1 by the side of which they had placed a buffaloe robe for me to sit down upon4 ,the pipe was immediately lighted by an ,indian whom we generally call ',pigewis's ,aid-de-,camp2' and having pointed the stem to the heavens and then to the earth1 he gave the first whiff to the ,master of ,life1 and afterwards handed it to me4 ,pigewis then delivered what ,i understood to be an address to the ,great ,spirit1 and the party seated around him used an expression1 apparently of assent1 in the middle and conclusion of his speech4 ,though addressing an unknown ,god1 what a reflection does his conduct1 in returning thanks for his short and precarious supplies1 to the ,master of ,life1 cast upon multitudes who profess ,christianity and the knowledge of the true ,god1 and yet daily partake of the bounties of his providence1 without any expression of gratitude1 or whose only return1 is to live in the known violation of his laws1 and to blaspheme his holy name1 in the midst of his goodness towards them6 ,pigewis breakfasted with me on the following morning2 and his general remarks in conversation gave me1 as they had done before1 a favourable opinion of his penetration and mental ability4 ,the active efforts of his mind1 however1 are confined principally to those objects which immediately affect his present wants or enjoyments4 ,savages talk of the animals that they have killed1 and boast of the scalps that they have taken in their war excursions2 but they form no arrangement1 nor enter into calculation for futurity4 ,they have no settled place of abode1 or property1 or acquired wants and appetites1 like those which rouse men to activity in civilized life1 and stimulate them to persevering industry1 while they keep the mind in perpetual exercise and ingenious invention4 ,their simple wants are few1 and when satisfied they waste their time in listless indolence2 and are often seen lying on the ground for whole days together1 without raising their heads from under the blanket1 or uttering a single word4 ,the cravings of hunger rouse them2 and the scarcity of animals that now prevails in many parts of the country1 is a favourable circumstance towards leading them to the cultivation of the soil2 which would expand their minds1 and prove of vast advantage1 among other means1 in aiding their comprehension of ,christianity4 ,it must1 not be expected1 however1 that the ,indians will easily forsake a mode of life that is so congenial to man1 in his natural love of ease and indolence and licentious freedom4 ,necessity1 in a measure1 must compel them to do this2 but the children may be educated1 and trained to industry upon the soil1 in the hope that they may be recovered from their savage habits and customs1 to see and enjoy the blessings of civilization and ,christianity4 ,this object is highly important1 and no means should be spared in attempting its accomplishment1 where practicable4 ,where is our humanity and ,christian sympathy1 and how do we fulfil the obligations which ,christianity has enforced1 if we do not seek to raise these wandering heathen1 who1 with us1 are immortal in their destiny1 from a mere animal existence to the partaking of the privileges and hopes of the ,christian religion8 ,before ,pigewis left me1 his sister arrived1 who was then living with a very lazy bad ,indian1 and asked me to take her eldest boy1 whose father was dead1 into the school4 ,though much above the usual age of admission upon the establishment1 ,i consented to receive him2 and they both took an affectionate leave of him1 remarking that they were sure ,i should keep him well4 ,the whole party then set off towards some fresh hunting grounds1 and it was my hope and expectation that ,i should see nothing more of them till the spring4 ,the boy was comfortably clothed1 and he appeared to be well satisfied with the rest at the school1 and had begun to learn the ,english alphabet1 when1 to my surprise1 ,i found the mother1 with the ,indian1 in my room1 in about a week after they had left the ,settlement with ,pigewis1 saying that they had parted from him in consequence of their not being able to obtain any provision2 and that they thought it long since they had seen the boy4 ,he was permitted to go from the school-house to their tent1 which they had pitched near me in the woods1 almost daily without restraint1 till at length he refused to return4 ,i repeated my request for him without effect2 and having my suspicion excited1 that they would take him away for the sake of the clothing and blankets which ,i had given him1 ,i determined upon having them again1 as an example to deter others from practising the like imposition4 ,the parties were angry at my determination1 and looking upon the medicine bag that was suspended on the willows near the tent1 and which is carried by most of the ,indians1 as a sacred depository for a few pounded roots1 some choice bits of earth1 or a variety of articles which they only know how to appreciate with superstitious regard1 they told me that they had bad medicine for those who displeased them4 ,i insisted1 however1 on the return of the articles ,i had given to the boy1 and obtained them2 at the same time promising that if he would go back to the school-house1 he should have his clothes again2 but added1 that it would never be allowed for ,indians to bring their children to the school1 which was established to teach them what was for their happiness1 merely for the purpose of getting them clothed and provided with blankets1 and then to entice them to leave it4 ,,jan4 #bj4--,the severity of the winter has driven a number of wolves to hover about the ,settlement in search of provisions2 they are perfectly harmless however1 as they are met singly1 and skulk away like a dog conscious of having committed a theft4 ,but in packs1 they kill the horses1 and are formidable to encounter4 ,in the pursuit of buffaloes and the deer on the plains1 they are known to form a crescent1 and to hurry their prey over precipices1 or upon the steep muddy banks of a river1 where they devour them4 ,no instance has occurred of their having seized any of the children of the settlers1 though they sometimes kill and eat the carcases of the dogs close to their houses4 ,,february #c4--;,it appears that ,i have given great offence to one of the remaining ,swiss emigrants1 for refusing to baptize1 at his immediate request1 the child of his daughter1 born of fornication1 and cast away by her1 as living in adultery4 ,i deeply lamented the circumstance1 but felt the obligation to defer the administration of the sacrament1 from the conviction that the profligacy of the case called for an example which might deter others among the ,swiss from acting in the like manner2 and at the same time be a public expression of disapprobation1 on my part1 of such unblushing depravity1 in the eyes of a numerous young people growing up at the ,colony4 ,unless chastity be considered as a virtue1 what hope can be entertained of forming any organized society8 and if the ,colonists fearlessly commit crimes1 because they have stepped over a certain line of latitude2 and live in a wild profligacy1 without the curb of civil restraint1 the ,settlement can hold out but faint hopes of answering in any way the expectations of its patrons4 ,till morality and religion form its basis1 disappointment must follow4 ,nor can ,i imagine that the system taught by the ,canadian ,catholic priests will avail any thing materially in benefitting the morals of the people2 they are bigotted to opinions which are calculated to fetter the human mind1 to cramp human exertion1 and to keep their dependants in perpetual leading-strings4 ,their doctrine is-- ,extra ,ecclesiam ,romanam1 salus non esse potest4#g #g ,there is no salvation beyond the pale of the ,roman ,church4 ,they appear to me to teach ,christianity only as a dry system of ecclesiastical statutes1 without a shadow of spirituality4 ,while they multiply holidays1 to the interruption of human industry1 as generally complained of by those who employ ,canadians1 they lightly regard the ,sabbath2 and sanction the practice of spending the evenings of this sacred day at cards1 or in the dance4 ,in their tinkling service of worshipping the elevated host as the very ,god himself1 they fall down also in adoration to the ,virgin ,mary1 addressing her1 as-- ,reine des ,cieux6 ,intercedez pour nous1 ,mre de ,dieu6 and proudly arrogate to the ,church of ,rome1 the absolute interpretation of ,scripture2 forbidding the people to examine whether she does it rightly or not4 ,i thank ,god that ,i am a ,protestant against such idolatry and ecclesiastical tyranny6 ,the able and enlightened remarks of that renowned general and eminent statesman1 ,washington1 in his farewell address to the people of the ,united ,states1 relative to the well-being of a nation1 are equally applicable to the existence and prosperity of a ,colony3 ,of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity 7he observed71 religion and morality are indispensable supports4 ,in vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism1 who should labour to subvert these great pillars of human happiness1 these firmest props of men and citizens4 ,the mere politician1 equally with the pious man1 ought to respect and cherish them4 ,a volume would not trace all their connexions with private and public felicity4 ,let it be simply asked1 ,where is the security for property1 for reputation1 for life1 if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths which are the instruments of investigation in the courts of justice8 ,and let us with caution indulge the supposition1 that morality can be maintained without religion4 ,whatever be conceded to the influence of refined education1 or minds of a peculiar structure2 reason and experience forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle4 ,a daughter has driven her aged ,indian father1 lashed1 in his buffaloe robe1 on a sledge1 to the ,colony4 ,he appeared to be in a very weak and dying state1 and has suffered much from the want of provisions4 ,i was much pleased with this instance of filial affection and care4 ,sometimes the aged and infirm are abandoned or destroyed2 and however shocking it may be to those sentiments of tenderness and affection1 which in civilized life we regard as inherent in our common nature1 it is practised by savages in their hardships and extreme difficulty of procuring subsistence for the parties who suffer1 without being considered as an act of cruelty1 but as a deed of mercy4 ,this shocking custom1 however1 is seldom heard of among the ,indians of this neighbourhood2 but is said to prevail with the ,chipewyan or ,northern ,indians1 who are no sooner burdened with their relations1 broken with years and infirmities1 and incapable of following the camp1 than they leave them to their fate4 ,instead of repining they are reconciled to this dreadful termination of their existence1 from the known custom of their nation1 and being conscious that they can no longer endure the various distresses and fatigue of savage life1 or assist in hunting for provisions4 ,a little meat1 with an axe1 and a small portion of tobacco1 are generally left with them by their nearest relations1 who in taking leave of them1 say1 that it is time for them to go into the other world1 which they suppose lies just beyond the spot where the sun goes down1 where they will be better taken care of than with them1 and then they walk away weeping4 ,on the banks of the ,saskashawan1 an aged woman prevailed on her son to shoot her through the head1 instead of adopting this sad extremity4 ,she addressed him in a most pathetic manner1 reminding him of the care and toil with which she bore him on her back from camp to camp in his infancy2 with what incessant labour she brought him up till he could use the bow and the gun2 and having seen him a great warrior1 she requested that he would shew her kindness1 and give a proof of his courage1 in shooting her1 that she might go home to her relations4 ,i have seen many winters1 she added1 and am now become a burden1 in not being able to assist in getting provisions2 and dragging me through the country1 as ,i am unable to walk1 is a toil1 and brings much distress3--take your gun4 ,she then drew her blanket over her head1 and her son immediately deprived her of life3 in the apparent consciousness of having done an act of filial duty and of mercy4 ,the old man who was brought to the ,settlement1 by his daughter for relief soon recovered1 so as to become exceedingly troublesome by coming almost daily to my room4 ,i succeeded at length in starting them for some hunters' tents on the plains1 where they expressed a wish to go1 if supplied with provisions to carry them there1 by killing a small dog1 and giving it to them for food4 ,an ox would not have been more acceptable to a distressed ,european family than this animal was to these ,indians4 ,but on leaving me two more families came to my residence in a state of starvation4 ,necessity had compelled them to eat their dogs1 and they themselves were harnessed to their sledges1 dragging them in a most wretched and emaciated condition4 ,one of the men appeared to be reduced to the last stage of existence1 and upon giving him a fish and a few cooked potatoes1 such was his natural affection for his children1 that1 instead of voraciously devouring the small portion of food1 he divided it into morsels1 and gave it to them in the most affectionate manner4 ,his children from their appearance had partaken of by far the largest share of that scanty supply which he had lately been able to obtain in hunting4 ,they pitched their tents at a short distance below in the woods1 and the poor man came to me next morning with the request that ,i would bleed him for a violent pain which he complained of in his side4 ,this ,i refused to do1 and gave him a note to the medical gentleman of the ,colony1 promising to call on him the next day4 ,when ,i saw him ,i found that he had not delivered the note1 but had bled himself in the foot with the flint from his gun1 and spoke of having experienced considerable relief4 ,the party were dreadfully distressed for provisions1 and had actually collected at their tents the remains of a dog which had died1 with part of the head of a horse1 that had been starved to death in the severity of the winter1 and which was the only part of the animal that was left by the wolves4 ,the head of the dog was boiling in the kettle1 and that of the horse was suspended over it1 to receive the smoke of the fire in the preparation for cooking2 while the children were busily employed in breaking some bones which they had picked up1 with an axe1 and which they were sucking in their raw state for their moisture4 ,this was the suffering extremity not of lazy bad ,indians1 but of those who bore the character of good hunters1 and were particularly careful of their families2 and ,i fear it is the case of many more from the exhausted state of animals in the neighbourhood of ,red ,river3 and from the frequent fires that occur in the plains1 which extend also to the destruction of the woods4 ,towards the conclusion of the month we had another melancholy proof of the ,indians suffering extreme want from the few animals that were to be met with during the winter4 ,an ,indian with his wife on their arrival gave me to understand that they had been without food for twenty days1 and had lost their three children by starvation4 ,their appearance was that of a melancholy dejection1 and ,i had my suspicions excited at the time that they had eaten them4 ,this was confirmed afterwards by the bones and hands of one of the children being found near some ashes at a place where they said they had encamped1 and suffered their misery4 ,it appears that two of their children died from want1 whom they cooked and eat1 and that they afterwards killed the other for a subsistence in their dire necessity4 ,i asked this ,indian1 as ,i did the other1 whether from having suffered so much1 it was not far better to do as the white people did and cultivate the ground2 he said1 ,yes2 and expressed a desire to do so if he could obtain tools1 seed wheat and potatoes to plant4 ,though it is the character of the savage to tell you what he will do in future at your suggestion1 to prevent the calamity which he may be suffering from want of food or the inclemency of the weather1 and as soon as the season becomes mild1 and the rivers yield him fish1 or the woods and plains provisions1 to forget all his sufferings1 and to be as thoughtless and improvident as ever as to futurity2 yet1 ,i think that a successful attempt might be made by a proper superintendance1 and a due encouragement to induce some of the ,indians of this quarter to settle in villages1 and to cultivate the soil4 ,the voice of humanity claims this attention to them1 under their almost incredible privations at times3 but prejudices may exist in the country which prevent this desirable object being carried into effect4 ,there was a time when the ,indians themselves had begun to collect into a kind of village towards the mouth of the ,red ,river1 had cultivated spots of ground1 and had even erected something of a lodge for the purpose of performing some of their unmeaning ceremonies of ignorance and heathenism1 and to which the ,indians of all the surrounding country were accustomed at certain seasons to repair2 but fears were entertained that the natives would be diverted from hunting furs to idle ceremonies1 and an effectual stop was put to all further improvement1 by the spirit of opposition that then existed in the country between the two rival ,fur ,companies4 ,,march #aj4--,the ringing of the ,sabbath bell now collects an encouraging congregation2 and some of us1 ,i trust1 could experimentally adopt the language of the ,psalmist1 in saying1 ,i was glad when they said unto us1 let us go into the house of the ,lord4--,my earnest prayer to ,god is1 that ,i may exercise a spiritual ministry2 and faithfully preach those truths which give no hope to fallen man1 but that which is founded on ,god's mercy in ,christ4 ,i often felt rejoiced in spirit in the prospect of doing good amidst the wild profligacy of manners that surrounded me1 and of making known the doctrines and precepts of ,christianity1 where ,christ had never before been named4 ,several adult married ,indian women attended the ,sunday ,school1 with many half-caste children to be taught to read1 and to receive religious instruction1 which gave me an opportunity of ascertaining what the notions of the ,indians were concerning the flood and the creation of the world4 ,they appeared either to be ignorant1 or unwilling to relate any traditionary stories that they might have as to the original formation of the world1 but spoke of an universal deluge1 which they said was commonly believed by all ,indians4 ,when the flood came and destroyed the world1 they say that a very great man1 called ,wsackoochack1 made a large raft1 and embarked with otters1 beavers1 deer1 and other kinds of animals4 ,after it had floated upon the waters for some time1 he put out an otter1 with a long piece of shagganappy or leathern cord tied to its leg1 and it dived very deep without finding any bottom1 and was drowned4 ,he then put out a beaver1 which was equally unsuccessful1 and shared the same fate4 ,at length he threw out a musk-rat1 that dived and brought up a little mud in its mouth1 which ,wsackoochack took1 and placing in the palm of his hand1 he blew upon it1 till it greatly enlarged itself1 and formed a good piece of the earth4 ,he then turned out a deer that soon returned1 which led him to suppose that the earth was not large enough1 and blowing upon it again its size was greatly increased1 so that a loom which he then sent out never returned4 ,the new earth being now of a sufficient size1 he turned adrift all the animals that he had preserved4 ,he is supposed still to have some intercourse with and power over them as well as over the ,indians1 who pray to him to protect them and keep them alive4 ,sir ,alexander ,mackenzie1 in speaking of the ,chipewyan or ,northern ,indians1 who traverse an immense track of country1 to the north of the ,athabasca lake1 says1 that the notions which these people entertain of the creation are of a singular nature4 ,they believe that the globe was at first one vast and entire ocean1 inhabited by no living creature except a mighty bird1 whose eyes were fire1 whose glances were lightning1 and the clapping of whose wings was thunder4 ,on his descending to the ocean1 and touching it1 the earth instantly arose1 and remained on the surface of the waters4 ,they have also a tradition amongst them1 that they originally came from another country1 inhabited by very wicked people1 and had traversed a great lake1 where they suffered much misery1 it being always winter1 with ice and deep snow4 ,at the ,copper-,mine ,river1 where they made the first land1 the ground was covered with copper4 ,they believe also that in ancient times their ancestors lived till their feet were worn out with walking1 and their throats with eating4 ,they describe a deluge1 when the waters spread over the whole earth1 except the highest mountains1 on the tops of which they preserved themselves4 ,there appears to be a general belief of a flood among all the tribes of this vast continent2 and the ,bible shews me from whence spring all those fables1 and wild notions which they entertain2 and which prevail in other parts of the heathen world upon these subjects4 ,they are founded upon those events which the sacred scriptures record1 and which have been corrupted by different nations1 scattered and wandering through the globe as the descendants of ,noah1 without a written language4 ,the ,hindoo therefore in his belief that the earth was actually drawn up at the flood1 by the tusks of a boar1 and that it rests at this hour on the back of a tortoise3 and the ,north ,american ,indian in his wild supposition that ,wsackoochack1 whose reputed father was a snake1 formed the present beautiful order of creation after the deluge1 by the help of a musk-rat1 afford no inconsiderable proof that the ,bible is of far greater antiquity than any other record extant in the world1 and that it is indeed of divine origin4 ,while its sacred page therefore informs and decides my judgment by the earliest historic information1 may its principles influence my life in all ,christian practice1 and joyful expectation of the world to come1 through faith in ,him1 whom it records as the ,redeemer of mankind2 and in whom believing there is neither barbarian1 ,scythian1 bond1 nor free4 ',one song employs all nations1 and all sing1 ,worthy the ,lamb6 for he was slain for us4 ,the dwellers in the vales and on the rocks ,shout to each other2 and the mountain-tops1 ,from distant mountains catch the flying joy2 ,till1 nation after nation taught the strain1 ,earth rolls the rapturous hosannah round4' ,i could never discover that the ,indians among whom ,i travelled had any thing like a visible object of adoration4 ,neither sun1 moon1 nor stars1 appear to catch their attention as objects of worship4 ,there is an impression upon their minds1 of a ,divine ,being1 whom they call the ,great ,spirit1 whom they ignorantly address1 and suppose to be too good even to punish them4 ,their general idea is1 that they are more immediately under the influence of a powerful ,evil ,spirit4 ,experience has taught them this melancholy fact1 in the trials1 sufferings1 afflictions1 and multiform death which they undergo2 and therefore their prayers are directed to him1 when any severe calamity befalls them4 ,to avert his displeasure1 they often have recourse to superstitious practices1 with the most childish credulity2 and will drum and dance throughout a whole night1 in the hope of bringing relief to the sick and dying4 ,they know not that the great enemy of man's happiness and salvation1 is a chained enemy1 and a captive to ,him who triumphed in his resurrection and ascension to glory1 and under the control and permissive will of ,him1 whom they denominate ,keetchee ,manitou1 or ,great ,spirit2 and1 consequently they are enslaved to all that is pitiable in ignorance and superstition4 ,acknowledging the being of a ,god1 the uncultivated minds of these savages have led them to shrink from the thoughts of annihilation1 and to look forward with hope to a future life4 ,they have no idea however of intellectual enjoyments2 but a notion prevails among them1 that at death they arrive at a large river1 on which they embark in a stone canoe2 and that a gentle current bears them on to an extensive lake1 in the centre of which is a most beautiful island1 in the sight of which they receive their judgment4 ,if they have died courageously in war1 they are particularly welcomed in landing upon the island1 where they1 with skilful hunters1 enjoy perpetual spring and plenty1 and live with all the good in an eternal enjoyment of sensual pleasures4 ,if they die with their hands imbrued with the blood of their countrymen1 and are lazy bad characters1 the stone canoe sinks with them1 leaving them up to their chins in water1 that they may for ever behold the happiness of the good1 and struggle in vain to reach the island of bliss4 ,the #agth4 ,i left the ,colony in a cariole1 to visit the ,company's ,post at ,bas la ,rivire2 we stopped the night1 near the mouth of the ,red ,river1 and crossed the point of ,lake ,winipeg1 on the ice1 the following day1 in time to reach the ,fort the same evening4 ,it is pleasantly situated by a fine sheet of water2 and is the way the canoes take their route to ,fort ,william1 ,lake ,superior1 and ,montreal4 ,during my stay1 the officer of the ,post gave me the much admired fish of the country1 called by the ,indians1 tittameg1 and by the ,americans1 white-fish4 ,its usual weight is about three or four pounds2 but it is caught in some of the lakes of a much larger size2 and1 with the sturgeon1 is a principal article of food1 and almost the only support of some of the establishments4 ,before ,i left1 the officer was married to one of the best informed and most improved half-caste women ,i had seen4 ,she was the daughter of one of the chief factors1 who was particularly fond of his family2 and afforded an instance of superiority of character among this class of people1 from the care and instruction which she had received4 ,the ,mtifs1 or1 as they are sometimes called1 ,bois bruls1 have displayed the most striking ability as steersmen of boats1 through the most difficult rapids1 and in the navigation of the rivers2 and if advantages were given them in education1 they have capacities of usefulness which might adorn the highest stations of civilized life4 ,of the moral degradation1 however1 of these people1 in common with that of the ,canadian voyageurs1 it is difficult to exhibit an accurate picture4 ,suffice it to say1 that it is a degradation which1 in some respects1 exceeds even that of the native ,indian himself4 ,in starting from the ,company's ,post1 on my return to the ,colony1 it was my hope that we should cross the point of ,winipeg ,lake to the mouth of the ,red ,river1 in one day1 as we had done in our way thither2 but about two o'clock in the afternoon1 ,i perceived1 as ,i was in the cariole1 that the driver had mistaken his way4 ,i told him of his error1 but he persisted in the opinion that he was right1 and drove on till the evening closed upon us1 without his finding the entrance to the ,red ,river4 ,night came on1 and the dogs were exhausted with fatigue1 which obliged us to stop1 though not before one of them contrived to slip his head out of the collar4 ,it happened that we were near some wood on the edge of the lake1 but in reaching it we sank in soft drift snow up to the middle2 and it was a considerable time before we could make our preparations for the night1 under the spreading branches of a pine tree4 ,we got but little rest from the small fire that we were able to make1 and from our bad encampment4 ,the next morning1 ,i found that the driver was greatly embarrassed in his idea of our exact situation1 and he led me throughout the day from one point of wood to another1 over the ice1 on the borders of the lake1 in a directly contrary way to that in which we ought to have gone4 ,we had no food for our dogs1 and on coming to our encampment for the night1 the animals were completely worn out with fatigue2 and what added to our trials1 was the loss of the flint1 which the man dropped in the snow1 the first time he attempted to strike the steel to kindle a fire4 ,after some difficulty we succeeded1 with a small gun-flint1 which ,i found in my pocket1 and we bivouacked upon the snow1 before an insufficient fire1 from the scanty wood we were able to collect4 ,it was my wish to have divided the little provision that remained with the dogs1 as they had eaten nothing for two days1 and ,i considered them scarcely able to move with the cariole the next morning1 at the same time intending to kill one of them the following evening1 to meet our wants1 should we not succeed in recovering our track4 ,the driver assured me1 however1 that they would go another day without giving up4 ,from the conversation ,i had with him1 before we started on the following morning1 ,i found that he had no knowledge of our situation on the extensive lake before us1 and supposed that the ,red ,river lay to the north1 while ,i thought1 from the course of the sun1 that it was to the south1 and insisted upon his taking that direction1 which we did accordingly2 and after a laborious and rather anxious day's toil1 we saw some points of small and scattered willow bushes1 like those which ,i knew to be near the entrance of the river4 ,this providentially proved to be the case1 otherwise our trials must have been great2 the driver having become nearly snow-blind1 and incapable of driving the dogs1 and the weather becoming more intensely cold and stormy4 ,it may easily be conceived what our feelings were1 in recovering a right track1 after wandering for several days upon an icy lake1 among the intricate and similar appearances of numerous and small islands of pine4 ,they were those1 ,i trust1 of sincere gratitude to ,god2 and ,i often thought what a wretched wanderer was man in a guilty world1 without the light of ,christianity to guide1 and its principle to direct his steps4 ,infidelity draws a veil around him1 and shrouds all in darkness as to a future life4 ,all1 all is uncertainty before him1 as the tempest-tossed mariner without a compass1 and the wearied wandering traveller without a chart or guide4 ,let me then prize the scriptures more1 which have ,god for their author1 truth unmingled with error for their subject1 and salvation for their end4 ,they are the fountains of interminable happiness1 where he who hungers and thirsts after righteousness1 may be satisfied2 and when received in principle and in love1 are a sure and unerring guide1 through a wilderness of toil and suffering1 to the habitations of the blessed1 not made with hands1 eternal in the heavens4 ,as we passed along the river towards the ,settlement1 we met an intoxicated ,indian1 who had been drinking at the grave of his child1 whom he had buried in the fall of the year4 ,in going to the spot1 ,i found that all the snow and the grass had been removed1 and that a number of ,indians1 with ,pigewis1 had encircled the place where the body had been deposited2 and1 as is their custom1 they smoked the calumet1 wept1 and sacrificed a little of what they possessed to the departed spirit of the child4 ,they do this1 under the idea that the deceased may want these articles in the world whither they are gone2 and it is very affecting occasionally to hear the plaintive and mournful lamentations of the mother at the grave of her child1 uttering in pitiful accents1 ,ah6 my child1 why did you leave me6 ,why go out of my sight so early6 ,who will nurse you and feed you in the long journey you have undertaken6 ,the strength of natural affection will sometimes lead them to commit suicide1 under the idea that they shall accompany the spirit1 and nurse their departed child in the other world4 ,this persuasion1 that the spirits of the deceased want the same attendance in their new station as in the present life1 is so deeply rooted in the minds of the ,indians1 that the ,carriers1 west of the ,rocky ,mountains1 sometimes burn the widow2 and a chief1 on the ,north-,west coast of ,america1 sacrificed a human victim1 who was a slave1 on the death of his son4 ,in some provinces of ,america1 historians have mentioned that1 upon the death of a ,chief1 a certain number of his wives1 and of his slaves who had been taken in war1 were put to death1 and interred together with him1 that he might appear with the same dignity in the world of spirits1 and be waited upon by the same attendants4 ,some have solicited the honour to die1 while others have fled1 as marked for victims1 under this cruel and superstitious practice4 ,,april #d4--,on my arrival at the ,church ,mission ,house for divine worship1 a poor ,indian widow with five children1 asked me to admit two of the boys into the schools1 which ,i immediately did1 and particularly wished her to leave the two girls also1 one about six1 and the other eight years of age2 but she would not comply with my request4 ,the boys were very wild and troublesome1 and often ran away from the school to their mother1 who was generally living about the ,settlement4 ,they were getting at length however better reconciled1 and had begun to be attached to the schoolmaster1 when ,i was informed the ,catholics were prejudicing her mind against the school2 and that some of the women of that persuasion had told her1 that ,i was collecting children from the ,indians with the intention of taking them away to my country4 ,this idea was spread amongst them1 and an ,indian calling at my residence told me that he would give his boy to the school1 if ,i would not leave them1 as he understood ,i intended to do4 ,in vain did ,i tell him1 that in going home to see my wife and children ,i should be glad to return and bring them with me1 to assist me in teaching those of his country2 and that on my going away1 my brother ,minister would come1 and love1 and take care of the ,indian children as ,i did4 ,he was not satisfied1 and took his boy away with him1 saying he must wait1 and see what was to be done4 ,the ,saulteaux woman took her two boys away clandestinely1 saying1 as ,i was afterwards informed1 that they would be all the same as dead to her1 if what she had heard was true1 and though ,i had not an opportunity of seeing her afterwards1 she had the honesty to return the children's clothes which ,i had given to them4 ,these circumstances with others that had occurred1 convinced me that it would be far better to obtain children for the school1 from a distance than from the ,indians in the immediate neighbourhood of the ,colony1 as all those children who were under our charge1 and whose parents were more remote1 soon became reconciled to restraint1 and were happy on the establishment4 ,this desirable object might soon be obtained by visiting the different tribes of ,indians1 more especially were there a powerful interest excited in favour of the ,native ,school ,establishment at ,red ,river1 by the officers at the different ,trading ,posts4 ,in the attempt however to spread the knowledge of ,christianity among the natives1 it appears that the least expensive mode of proceeding and of ensuring the most extensive success for the ,missionary is1 to visit those parts of the country where they are stationary1 and live in villages during the greater part of the year4 ,he should direct his way and persevering attention towards the rocky mountains1 and the ,columbia4 ,he may meet with difficulties and obstacles such as have tried the faith and patience of ,missionaries in other parts of the heathen world1 but let him persevere through the aid of the ,company's officers1 who may introduce him to the ,indians trading at their respective ,posts4 ,near to the foot of the rocky mountains the ,indians are known to dwell in their villages nearly nine months of the year4 ,during these months they live on salmon1 either dried or taken fresh from the rivers4 ,they are not ferocious1 but very indolent1 and where this is the case1 are generally very licentious2 but as they are stationary for so long a period1 an attempt might be made through the co-operation of the ,company's ,officer1 to lead them to cultivate the soil1 which at certain points will grow turnips1 cabbages1 and barley3 this produce1 with the natural resources of the country would greatly encourage an establishment for the education of their children throughout the year3 to the support of which the ,indians themselves might greatly contribute1 and which would be attended with the most beneficial results4 ,in following the track towards the ,north ,pacific ,ocean1 the climate is much milder than to the ,east of the mountains1 and a vast encouragement would be found in seeking to benefit the natives1 from their being strangers to the intoxicating draught of spirituous liquors1 in barter for their articles of trade4 ,so little acquainted with the effects of intoxication are some of the ,indians in this quarter1 that the following circumstance was related to me by an ,officer from the mouth of the ,columbia4 ,a ,chief who had traded but little with ,europeans came to the ,fort with two of his sons1 and two young men of his tribe4 ,during their stay the servants made one of his sons drunk4 ,when the old man saw him foaming at the mouth1 uttering the most incoherent expressions1 and staggering under the power of the intoxicating draught1 he immediately concluded that he was mad1 and exclaimed1 ',let him be shot4' ,it was some time before he could be pacified1 which was only effected in a measure by his being assured1 that he would see his son recovered from the disorder of his faculties4 ,and when the aged ,chief saw him again restored to his right mind1 and found him capable of conversing1 he manifested the greatest joy4 ,the ,columbia presents every advantage in forming a settlement for the natives or others1 particularly so to the south of its entrance to the sea1 on the banks of the ,willammette ,river4 ,the soil is excellent2 fish and wild fowl are found in abundance1 and a good supply of indigenous animals is met with from the praries1 or natural meadows4 ,the summer months are very pleasant1 but those of winter are frequently rainy1 and subject to heavy fogs1 which may occasionally render it unhealthy4 ,the ,chinnook ,indians are six months in villages in the neighbourhood of the ,company's ,post1 ,fort ,george1 at the mouth of the ,columbia1 and afford facilities1 with other surrounding tribes for the benevolent attempt of introducing the knowledge of ,christianity among them4 ,in their war excursions they adopt a different mode of warfare to that of the ,red ,river ,indians1 and those towards the ,atlantic coast1 by openly taking the field against their enemies2 and keeping their prisoners alive for slaves4 ,these are numerous among some of the tribes2 and many might be obtained1 without purchasing them1 for religious instruction4 ,in fact there appear to be many points in this vast territory where there is a prospect of establishing well-conducted missions to the great and lasting benefit of the natives4 ,but the object should be pursued upon a regular and persevering system1 and while the ,missionary needs the active co-operation of the resident ,officer in his arduous engagement with the ,indians2 no idle prejudice should ever prevent his endeavours to civilize and fix them in the cultivation of the soil where it may be effected4 ,the ,russians it appears are affording religious instruction in the establishment of schools for the education of half-caste children1 with those of the natives in their ,factories on the ,north-west coast of ,north ,america4 ,a gentleman informed me that he saw1 at their ,establishment at ,norfolk ,sound1 a priest and a schoolmaster1 who were teaching the children1 and instructing the natives1 not as the ,spanish priests do1 at ,fort ,st4 ,francisco1 in ,south ,america1 by taking them by force1 and compelling them to go through the forms and ceremonies of their religion1 but by mild persuasion and conviction2 and the report of their success in general is1 that a considerable number of savages of the ,polar ,regions have been converted to ,christianity4#h #h ,since my return to ,england ,i have been favoured with the following communication from a gentleman1 who travelled in ,siberia1 to promote the object of the ,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society1 in the general circulation of the ,scriptures2 and which-corroborates the above report4 ,the ,russians have made many proselytes to the ,greek ,church1 7he observes17 from among the natives of the ,north-,west coast of ,north ,america1 and two different supplies of copies of the ,scriptures in the ,slavonian and modern ,russ languages have been forwarded to that quarter1 for the use of their settlements there1 by the ,russian ,bible ,society4 ,,may #bc4--,the ,settlers have been very industrious in getting in their seed corn2 but the weather has been1 and continues to be very cold1 with a strong north and north-easterly wind1 which has cheeked vegetation2 and the woods around us still wear the dark hue of winter4 ,we now take a plentiful supply of sturgeon1 and with the return of the feathered tribe we are much annoyed by myriads of blackbirds that destroy a good deal of the new sown grain1 as well as when it is ripe for harvest4 ,multitudes of pigeons also now appear1 and unless they are continually shot at1 they devour the fruits of husbandry4 ,they fly by millions1 and are often seen extending to a vast distance like a cloud2 when one flock has passed another succeeds1 and we often profit by this kind gift of ,providence1 by shooting them in their migrations1 as excellent food4 ,there is a general talk among the surrounding tribes of ,indians1 of going to war against the ,sioux nation4 ,a strong band of the ,assiniboines are directing their course towards ,pembina2 and ,pigewis1 who is by no means a war ,chief1 is setting off in that direction to join them4 ,their rage of vengeance towards the ,sioux ,indians appears to know no bounds2 but the scalp of some poor solitary individuals among them will probably terminate the campaign4 ,they cannot keep long together in numerous parties from the want of foresight to provide for their subsistence2 and accordingly a little more than a week's absence brought ,pigewis back again1 with his party1 without their having seen an enemy1 and in the destitute condition of being without food and moccassins4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,progress ,,of ,,indian ,,children ,,in ,,reading4 ,,building ,,for ,,divine ,,worship4 ,,left ,,the ,,colony4 ,,arrival ,,at ,,york ,,fort4 ,,departure ,,tor ,,churchill ,,factory4 ,,bears4 ,,indian ,,hieroglyphics4 ,,arrival ,,at ,,churchill4 ,,interview ,,with ,,esquimaux4 ,,return ,,to ,,york ,,factory4 ,,embark ,,for ,,england4 ,,moravian ,,missionaries4 ,,greenland4 ,,arrival ,,in ,,the ,,thames4 ,,june #b4--;,i have been adding two small houses to the ,church ,mission ,school1 as separate sleeping apartments for the ,indian children1 who have already made most encouraging progress in reading1 and a few of them in writing4 ,in forming this ,establishment for their religious education1 it is of the greatest importance that they should be gradually inured to the cultivation of the soil1 and instructed in the knowledge of agriculture4 ,for this purpose ,i have allotted a small piece of ground for each child1 and divided the different compartments with a wicker frame4 ,we often dig and hoe with our little charge in the sweat of our brow as an example and encouragement for them to labour2 and promising them the produce of their own industry1 we find that they take great delight in their gardens4 ,necessity may compel the adult ,indian to take up the spade and submit to manual labour1 but a child brought up in the love of cultivating a garden will be naturally led to the culture of the field as a means of subsistence3 and educated in the principles of ,christianity1 he will become stationary to partake of the advantages and privileges of civilization4 ,it is through these means of instruction that a change will be gradually effected in the character of the ,north ,american ,indian1 who in his present savage state thinks it beneath the dignity of his independence to till the ground4 ,what we value in property1 and all those customs which separate us from them in a state of nature1 they think lightly of1 while they conclude that our crossing the seas to see their country is more the effect of poverty than of industry4 ,to be a man1 or what is synonymous with them1 to be a great and distinguished character1 is to be expert in surprising1 torturing1 and scalping an enemy2 to be capable of enduring severe privations2 to make a good hunter1 and traverse the woods with geographical accuracy1 without any other guide than the tops of the trees1 and the course of the sun4 ,these are exploits which1 in their estimation1 form the hero1 and to which the expansion of their mind is confined4 ,their intellectual powers are very limited1 as they enter into no abstruse meditations1 or abstract ideas2 but what they know in the narrow range of supplying their wants1 and combating with their fellow men1 they know thoroughly1 and are thereby led to consider themselves the standard of excellence4 ,in their fancied superior knowledge they are often heard to remark1 when conversing with the ,european1 ,you are almost as clever as an ,indian4 ,they must be educated before they can be led to comprehend the benefits to be received from civilization1 or ere a hope can be cherished that their characters will be changed under the mild influence of the ,christian religion4 ,man is as his principles are1 and wandering under the influence of those savage-taught habits1 in which he has been nurtured1 which tend to harden the heart1 and narrow all the sources of sympathy1 the character of the ,north ,american ,indian is bold1 fierce1 unrelenting1 sanguinary1 and cruel2 in fact1 a man-devil in war1 rejoicing in blood1 exulting in the torments he is inflicting on his victim1 and then most pleased when his inflictions are most exquisite4 ,we should not be astonished at this character1 so repugnant to the sympathies of our nature1 nor should we conclude too hastily against him1--he also has his sympathies1 and those of no common order4 ,he also loves his parent that begat him1 and his child whom he has begotten1 with intense affection2 he is not without affection from nature2 but perverted principle has perverted nature2 and as his principle is1 so is his practice4 ,our surprise ceases when we learn that he is trained up in blood1 that he is catechized in cruelty1 and that he is instructed not in slaughter only1 but in torment4 ,nothing that has life without the pale of his own immediate circle not only does not escape destruction1 but is visited with torment also inflicted by his infant hand4 ,if his eye in passing by the lake observes the frog moving in the rushes he instantly seizes his victim1 and does not merely destroy it1 but often ingeniously torments it by pulling limb from limb4 ,if the duck be but wounded with the gun1 his prey is not instantly despatched to spare all future pain1 but feather is plucked out after feather1 and the hapless creature is tormented on principle4 ,i have frequently witnessed the cruelty with which parents will sometimes amuse their children1 by catching young birds or animals1 that they may disjoint their limbs to make them struggle in a lingering death4 ,and a child is often seen twisting the neck of a young duck or goose1 under the laughing encouragements of the mother for hours together1 before it is strangled4 ,at one moment he satisfies the cravings of nature from the breast of his mother1 and instantly rewards the boon with a violent blow perhaps on the very breast on which he has been hanging4 ,nor does the mother dare resent the injury by an appeal to the father4 ,he would at once say that punishment would daunt the spirit of the boy4 ,hence the ,indian never suffers his child to be corrected4 ,we see then the secret spring of his character4 ,he is a murderer by habit1 engendered from his earliest age2 and the scalping knife and the tomahawk1 and the unforgiving pursuit of his own enemy1 or his father's enemy1 till he has drenched his hands in1 and satiated his revenge with his blood1 is but the necessary issue of a principle on which his education has been formed4 ,the training of the child forms the maturity of the man4 ,our ,sunday school is generally attended by nearly fifty scholars1 including adults1 independent of the ,indian children2 and the congregation consists upon an average of from one hundred to one hundred and thirty persons4 ,it is a most gratifying sight to see the ,colonists1 in groups1 direct their steps on the ,sabbath morning towards the ,mission house1 at the ringing of the bell1 which is now elevated in a spire that is attached to the building4 ,and it is no small satisfaction to have accomplished the wish so feelingly expressed by a deceased officer of the ,company4 ,i must confess1 7he observed7 that ,i am anxious to see the first little ,christian church and steeple of wood1 slowly rising among the wilds1 to hear the sound of the first sabbath bell that has tolled here since the creation4 ,i never witnessed the ,establishment but with peculiar feelings of delight1 and contemplated it as the dawn of a brighter day in the dark interior of a moral wilderness4 ,the lengthened shadows of the setting sun cast upon the buildings1 as ,i returned from calling upon some of the ,settlers a few evenings ago2 and the consideration that there was now a landmark of ,christianity in this wild waste of heathenism1 raised in my mind a pleasing train of thought1 with the sanguine hope that this ,protestant ,establishment might be the means of raising a spiritual temple to the ,lord1 to whom the heathen are given as an inheritance1 and the utmost parts of the earth as a possession4 ,i considered it as a small point gained1 to have a public building dedicated to religious purposes1 whose spire should catch the eye1 both of the wandering natives1 and the stationary ,colonists4 ,it would have its effect on the population generally4 ,the people of ,england look with a degree of veneration to the ancient tower and lofty spire of the ,establishment2 and they are bound in habitual attachment to her constitution1 which protects the monument and turf graves of their ancestors4 ,and where the lamp of spiritual ,christianity burns but dimly around her altar1 it cannot be denied1 that even her established rites and outward form have some moral effect on the population at large4 ,on the #ajth1 ,i addressed a crowded congregation1 in a farewell discourse1 from the pulpit1 previous to my leaving the ,colony for the ,factory3 and having administered the sacrament to those who joined cordially with me in prayer1 that the ,missionary who was on his way to officiate in my absence1 might be tenfold1 yea a hundred fold1 more blessed in his ministry than ,i had been1 ,i parted with those upon the ,church ,mission ,establishment with tears4 ,it had been a long1 and anxious1 and arduous scene of labour to me2 and my hope was1 as about to embark for ,england1 that ,i might return to the ,settlement1 and be the means of effecting a better order of things4 ,the weather was favourable on the morning of our departure2 and stepping into the boat the current soon bore us down the river towards ,lake ,winipeg4 ,as the spire of the church receded from my view1 and we passed several of the houses of the ,settlers1 they hailed me with their cordial wishes for a safe voyage1 and expressed a hope of better times for the ,colony4 ,then it was that my heart renewed its supplications to that ,god1 --'who is ever present1 ever felt1 ,in the void waste1 as in the city full1' for the welfare of the ,settlement1 as affording a resting place for numbers1 after the toils of the wilderness in the ,company's service1 where they might dwell1 through the divine blessing1 in the broad day-light of ,christianity2 and being bound to the country from having families by native women1 might find the protection and advantages of civilized life4 ,with light favourable winds we soon crossed the ,lake and arrived at ,norway ,house1 and such is generally the quickness of the passage from this point to ,york ,factory1 that in the rapid stream of the rivers1 a loaded boat will reach the depot in a few days1 which will take three or four weeks to return with excessive toil1 from the strength of the opposing current4 ,it appears dangerous to the inexperienced traveller to run the rapids in the passage to the ,factory1 but it is seldom attended with any serious accident4 ,the men who have charge of the boats are generally experienced steersmen1 and it is an interesting sight to see them take the rush of water with their boats1 and with cool intrepidity and skill direct the sweep1 or steer-oar to their arrival in safety at the bottom of a rapid of almost a perpendicular fall of many feet1 or through a torrent of water of a quarter of a mile or more in length4 ,sometimes1 however the boats strike in the violence of their descent1 so as to cause a fracture1 and hurry the crew to pull ashore to save the cargo from damage4 ,this accident befel us several times in our passage down1 but a kind ,providence protected us1 and we arrived in safety at ,york ,factory4 ,immediately on my arrival1 ,i made arrangements for fulfilling my ,missionary engagement to visit the ,esquimaux at ,churchill1 the ,company's most northern ,post on the ,bay4 ,it was the advice of ,captain ,franklin1 that ,i should walk the distance of about one hundred and eighty miles1 from ,york ,fort to that ,factory1 as ,i might be delayed in a canoe1 by the vast quantities of floating ice in the ,bay1 so as not to meet these ,indians in time4 ,i followed this advice1 and having engaged one of the ,company's servants1 with an ,indian who was an excellent hunter1 we set off on our expedition1 on the morning of the #aath of ,july1 accompanied by two ,indians1 who had come express from ,churchill1 and were returning thither4 ,it was necessary that we should embark in a boat1 to cross the ,north ,river2 and in rowing round the ,point of ,marsh1 we perceived a brightness in the northern horizon1 like that reflected from ice1 usually called the blink1 and which led us to suppose that vast fields of it were floating along the coast in the direction that we were going4 ,it happened to be low water when we crossed the mouth of the river1 so that the boat could not approach nearer than about a mile from the shore1 which obliged us to walk this distance through the mud and water1 to the place where we made our encampment for the night1 and where the mosquitoes inflicted their torments upon us4 ,we were dreadfully annoyed by them1 from the swampy country we had to traverse1 and ,i was glad to start with the dawn of the following morning1 from a spot where they literally blackened a small canvass tent that was pitched1 and hovered around us in clouds so as to render life itself burdensome4 ,the day1 however1 afforded us very little relief1 while walking1 nearly ancle deep in water1 through the marshes2 and such was their torture upon the poor animals1 that we frequently saw the deer coming out of the woods1 apparently almost blinded and distracted with their numbers1 to rush into the water on the shore for relief4 ,this gave an opportunity to the hunter to kill two of them in the course of the afternoon1 so that we had plenty of venison1 and a good supply of wild fowl1 which he had shot for our evening repast4 ,we started at sunrise the next morning1 after having had but little sleep1 as ,i had been wrapped in my blanket almost to suffocation1 to escape in a degree the misery of our unceasing torment4 ,towards noon1 we had much better walking than we had before met with1 and were relieved from the mosquitoes by a change of wind blowing cold from off the ice1 which was now seen from the horizon to the shores of the bay4 ,the relief to us was like a cessation from an agony of pain2 and as the hunter had just killed another deer1 and the wild fowl flew around us in abundance1 we pitched the tent1 and halted for several hours1 and refreshed ourselves with sleep1 after the irritation and almost sleepless nights that we had endured4 ,we were on the march again at five o'clock2 and after we had forded ,stoney ,river1 we came upon the track of a polar bear4 ,the ,indian hunter was very keen in his desire to fall in with it1 and ,i lamented that ,i had not an opportunity of seeing him engage the ferocious animal1 which seemed to have taken a survey of the party1 and to have gone into the wood a short distance from us4 ,the bears are now coming off the ice in the ,bay1 on which they have been for several months past1 to live upon seals1 which they catch as they lie sleeping by the sides of the holes in the drift ice1 when it dissolves or is driven far from shore4 ,they seek their food among the sea-weed and every trash that is washed up along the coast1 or go upon the rocks1 or to the woods1 for berries1 during the summer months4 ,savage1 however1 as this animal is1 it is not so much dreaded by the ,indians as the grizzly bear1 which is more ferocious and forward in his attack4 ,these are found towards the ,rocky ,mountains1 and none but very expert hunters like to attack them4 ,a gentleman who was travelling to a distance on the plains to the ,west of the ,red ,river ,colony1 told me of a narrow escape he once had1 with his servant boy1 in meeting a grizzly bear4 ,they were riding slowly along1 near the close of the day1 when they espied the animal coming from the verge of a wood in the direction towards them4 ,they immediately quickened the pace of their horses1 but being jaded with the day's journey1 the bear was soon seen to gain upon them4 ,in this emergency1 he hit upon an expedient1 which was probably the means of saving their lives4 ,he took the boy1 who was screaming with terror1 behind him1 and abandoned the horse that he rode4 ,when the ferocious animal came up to it1 the gentleman1 who stopped at some distance1 expected to see the bear rend it immediately with his paws2 but to his surprise1 after having walked round and smelt at the horse1 as it stood motionless with fear1 the bear returned to the wood1 and the horse was afterwards recovered without injury4 ,the morning of the #adth was very cold1 from the wind blowing off the ice in the ,bay2 and when we stopped to breakfast1 ,i was obliged to put a blanket over my shoulders1 as ,i stood by the fire1 for warmth4 ,the comfortable sensation however was1 that we were free from the annoyance and misery of the mosquitoes2 cold1 hunger1 and thirst1 are not to be compared with the incessant suffering which they inflict4 ,we waded knee-deep through ,owl ,river1 in the afternoon of the #aeth4 ,the weather was cold1 and nothing was to be seen in the ,bay but floating ice4 ,it was rather late before we pitched the tent1 and we met with some difficulty in collecting a sufficient quantity of drift wood on the shore1 to kindle a fire large enough to boil the kettle1 and cook the wild fowl that we had shot4 ,the next day we forded ,broad ,river1 on the banks of which we saw several dens1 which the bears had scratched for shelter3 and seeing the smoke of an ,indian tent at some distance before us1 in the direction we were going1 we quickened our step1 and reached it before we stopped to breakfast4 ,we found the whole family clothed in deer-skins1 and upon a hunting excursion from ,churchill4 ,the ,indian1 or rather a half-breed1 was very communicative1 and told me that though he was leading an ,indian life1 his father was formerly a master at one of the ,company's ,posts1 and proposed accompanying our party to the ,factory4 ,he had two sons1 he said1 who were gone in the pursuit of a deer2 and1 on quitting the encampment to travel with us1 he would leave some signs for them to follow us on their return4 ,they were the following1 and drawn upon a broad piece of wood1 which he prepared with an axe4 ,illustration3 #f #e #d #c #b #a #a4 ,to intimate that the family was gone forward4 #b4 ,that there was a ,chief of the party4 #c4 ,that he was accompanied by a ,european servant4 #d4 ,and also by an ,indian4 #e4 ,that there were two ,indians in company4 #f4 ,that they should follow4 ,it is a common custom with the ,indians to paint hieroglyphic characters on dressed buffaloe skins or robes2 and a variety of figures are drawn on many of those which they barter at the ,company's ,posts4 ,in the representation of a victory achieved over an enemy1 the picture of the ,chief is given1 with the mark of his nation1 and those of the warriors who accompanied him4 ,a number of little images point out how many prisoners were taken2 while so many human figures without heads shew the number who were slain4 ,such are the expressive signs of a barbarous people1 in recording their war exploits1 and communicating information without the knowledge of letters and the art of printing4 ,we proceeded1 after the wife had put some kettles upon the back of a miserable looking dog1 and had taken her accustomed burden1 the tent with other articles1 on her own4 ,the little ones were also severally laden with a knapsack1 and the whole had the appearance of a camp of gypsies moving through the country4 ,the #agth4 ,before we struck our tents this morning1 the signs which the old man left upon the piece of wood yesterday1 brought his two sons1 whom he had left hunting1 and who had walked nearly the whole of the night to overtake us4 ,we had now no provisions but what we shot on our journey1 and the addition to our party made every one active in the pursuit of game as it appeared4 ,the next day we passed ,cape ,churchill1 and came to a tent of ,chipewyan or ,northern ,indians4 ,the question was not asked if we were hungry1 but immediately on our arrival the women were busily employed in cooking venison for us2 and the men proposed to go with us to ,churchill4 ,as soon as we had finished eating1 the tent was struck1 and the whole party proceeded1 with the old man a-head1 with a long staff in his hand1 followed by his five sons and two daughters1 and the rest of us in the train1 which suggested to my mind the patriarchal mode of travelling4 ,the #aith1 our progress was slow1 from being again annoyed with mosquitoes1 in a bad track1 through a wet swampy ground4 ,as soon as we had passed the beacon1 which was erected as a landmark to the shipping that formerly sailed to ,churchill1 as the ,company's principal dept1 before its destruction by ,prouse1 two of the ,indians left us1 to take a circuit through some islands by the sea1 to hunt for provision4 ,we pitched our tents early1 in expectation that they would join us1 but we saw nothing of them that evening4 ,it is customary1 as we were then travelling1 to take only one blanket1 in which you roll yourself for the night1 without undressing4 ,on laying down1 upon a few willow twigs1 ,i soon afterwards felt so extremely cold1 from the wind blowing strong off a large field of ice drifted on the shore1 that ,i was obliged to call the servant to take down the tent1 and wrap it round me1 before ,i could get any sleep4 ,the sudden variation of the weather1 however1 gave me no cold1 nor did it interrupt a good appetite1 which the traveller in these regions usually enjoys4 ,had we not been delayed by the absence of the ,indians a hunting we might have reached the ,factory to-day1 the #bjth4 ,they came in from their excursion at the time we were taking our breakfast1 but without much success4 ,they had killed an ,arctic fox that supplied them with a meal1 and a few ducks which they brought to our encampment1 among which was the ,eider duck1 so remarkable for the beautiful softness of its down4 ,in the evening one of the ,chipewyan ,indians1 sent me some dried venison2 and the next morning early we arrived at ,churchill4 ,the ,esquimaux1 ,augustus1 who accompanied ,captain ,franklin to the shores of the ,polar ,sea1 came out to meet us1 and expressed much delight at my coming to see his tribe1 who were expected to arrive at the ,factory every day4 ,he had not seen his countrymen since he acted as one of the guides in that arduous expedition1 and intended to return with them to his wife and children1 laden with presents and rewards for his tried and faithful services4 ,,july #be4--,the servants1 with the ,officers1 assembled for divine service1 and laborious as is the office of a ,missionary1 ,i felt delighted with its engagements2 and thought it a high privilege to visit even the wild inhabitants of the rocks with the simple design of extending the ,redeemer's kingdom among them2 and that in a remote quarter of the globe1 where probably no ,protestant ,minister had ever placed his foot before4 ,the next day a northern ,indian leader1 came to the ,fort with his family2 and upon making known to him the object of my journey to meet the ,esquimaux1 he cheerfully promised to give up one of his boys1 a lively active little fellow1 to be educated at the ,native ,school ,establishment at the ,red ,river4 ,he appeared very desirous of having his boy taught more than the ,indians knew2 and assisted me in obtaining an orphan boy from a widow woman1 who was in a tent at a short distance1 to accompany his son4 ,i told him that they must go a long way1 7,churchill being about a thousand miles distant from the ,colony7 but that they would be taken great care of4 ,he made no objection1 but said that they should go1 and might return when they had learnt enough4 ,this was a striking instance of the confidence of an ,indian1 and confirmed the opinion that they would part with their children to those in whom they thought they could justly confide1 and to whose kind tuition they were persuaded they could safely entrust them4 ,the ,company's boats were going to ,york ,factory1 and would take them there2 where1 on my return1 ,i expected to meet my successor as a ,minister to the ,settlement1 on his arrival from ,england by the ship2 and who would take them under his care in continuing the voyage to the school4 ,religion1 7says ,hearne7 has not as yet began to dawn among the ,northern ,indians2 for1 though their conjurors do indeed sing songs and make long speeches to some beasts and birds of prey1 as also to imaginary beings1 which they say assist them in performing cures on the sick1 yet they1 as well as their credulous neighbours1 are utterly destitute of every idea of practical religion4 ,the ,company's present ,establishment is about five miles up the river1 from the point of rock at its entrance where the ruins of the old ,factory are seen2 which was the point ,hearne started from on his journey to the ,coppermine ,river1 in the year #aggj2 and which was blown up by ,prouse about the year #aghd4 ,it appears to have been strongly fortified1 and from its situation must have been capable of making a formidable resistance to an enemy2 and it can never cease to be a matter of surprise that it should have been surrendered without firing a shot4 ,the walls and bastions are still remaining1 which are strewed with a considerable number of cannon1 spiked1 and of a large calibre4 ,augustus used to visit this point every morning1 in anxious expectation that his countrymen would arrive by the way of the coast1 in their seal skin canoes4 ,one day he returned to the ,factory evidently much agitated2 and upon inquiry ,i found that there was an ,esquimaux family in a tent by the shore1 under one of the rocks1 one of whom had greatly alarmed him with the information1 that soon after he left his tribe with ,junius1 7who is supposed to have perished as a guide in the ,arctic ,expedition17 one of ,junius's brothers took his wife1 and thinking that ,augustus was displeased with him1 and that he possessed the art of conjuring1 had determined upon his death1 and that this superstitious notion had so preyed upon his spirits as to terminate his existence4 ,this circumstance1 he added1 had led a surviving brother to threaten revenge1 and supposing that he might come to the ,factory with the ,esquimaux who were expected1 he advised him to be on his guard4 ,the next day1 ,july the #bith1 ,augustus returned to the point of rock on the look out1 but not without having first requested a brace of pistols1 loaded his musket1 and fixed his bayonet1 yet nothing was seen of his countrymen4 ,the next morning ,i accompanied him to the ,esquimaux tent1 with an interpreter1 under the idea that ,i might obtain some interesting information2 and was much pleased to find the family living in the apparent exercise of social affection4 ,the ,esquimaux treated his wife with kindness2 she was seated in the circle who were smoking the pipe1 and there was a constant smile upon her countenance1 so opposite to that oppressed dejected look of the ,indian women in general4 ,i asked the ,esquimaux of his country3 he said it was good1 though there was plenty of cold and snow2 but that there was plenty of musk oxen and deer2 and the corpulency of the party suggested the idea that there was seldom a want of food amongst them4 ,i told him that mine was better1 as growing what made the biscuit1 of which they were very fond1 and that there was much less cold1 and that we saw the water much longer than they did4 ,observing that the woman was tattooed1 ,i asked him when these marks were made1 on the chin1 particularly1 and on the hands4 ,his reply was1 when the girls were marriageable1 and espoused to their husbands2 who had generally but one wife1 though good hunters had sometimes two4 ,wishing to know whether they ever abandoned the aged and the infirm to perish like the ,northern ,indians1 he said1 never2 assuring me that they always dragged them on sledges with them in winter to the different points where they had laid up provisions in the autumn1 'en cache2' and that they took them in their canoes in summer till they died4 ,knowing that some ,indians west of the rocky mountains burn their dead1 ,i asked him if this custom prevailed with the ,esquimaux1 he said1 no2 and that they always buried theirs4 ,the name of this ,esquimaux was ,achshannook1 and as ,augustus could write a little1 which he had been taught during the time he was with the expedition1 ,i gave him my pencil1 that the other might see what ,i wished to teach the ,esquimaux children1 as well as to read white man's book1 which told us true of the ,great ,spirit1 whom the ,esquimaux did not know1 and how they were to live and die happy4 ,the woman immediately caught up her little girl about five years of age1 and holding her towards me manifested the greatest delight1 with ,achshannook1 at the wish ,i had expressed of having the ,esquimaux children taught to write and read the book4 ,they often pointed in the direction the others were coming1 and gave me to understand that they would soon arrive4 ,we returned to the ,fort1 and walking by the side of the river we saw numbers of white whales which frequent it at this season of the year1 and many of which are harpooned from a boat that is employed1 and usually carries three or four of the ,company's servants4 ,the harpooner killed one to-day1 which measured fourteen feet long1 and eight in girth1 and weighed it was supposed a ton weight4 ,the blubber is boiled at the ,fort1 and the oil sent to ,england as an article of the ,company's trade4 ,when the ,esquimaux visit us from the tent1 they generally go to the spot where the carcases of the whales are left to rot after the blubber is taken1 and carry away a part1 but generally from the fin or the tail2 they have been known1 however1 to take the maggots from the putrid carcase1 and to boil them with train oil as a rich repast4 ,they are extremely filthy in their mode of living4 ,the ,esquimaux who was engaged at the ,fort as an interpreter1 used to eat the fish raw as he took them out of the net1 and devour the head and entrails of those that were cooked by the ,company's servants4 ,and it is their constant custom1 when their noses bleed by any accident to lick their blood into their mouths and swallow it4 ,though the beaver1 which furnishes the staple fur of the country1 is not common in this immediate neighbourhood1 an ,indian was successful enough to kill one at a short distance down the river1 which he brought to the ,fort4 ,it was roasted for dinner1 and proved of excellent flavour1 though ,i could not agree that the tail1 which was served up in a separate dish1 was of that superior taste it is generally considered to be4 ,the sagacity of this animal has often been described2 and ,i have frequently been surprised at the singular construction of their houses1 the care with which they lay up their provision of wood1 and the mode in which they dam up the water near their habitations4 ,they cut with their teeth sticks of a considerable size1 and when larger than they are able to drag1 they contrive to fell them on the bank1 so that they may fall and float down the stream to the place where they design to make the dam2 and then entwine them with willow twigs1 which they plaster with mud1 so as effectually to obtain a head of water4 ,we met again on the ,sabbath for divine worship on both parts of the day1 as we had done on the previous ,sunday4 ,as the ,esquimaux did not make their appearance1 we began to think that the ice in the ,bay might have prevented their coming to the ,factory4 ,we were relieved from our doubts however1 on the #bnd of ,august1 by ,augustus running to the ,fort with the information that his countrymen were seen coming along in their canoes4 ,he waited till he ascertained that ,junius's brother1 who was said to have threatened his life1 was not of the party1 and then went to meet them4 ,some of them came over the rocks with the canoes upon their heads1 as being a much nearer way to the ,company's ,post from the spot where they left the ,bay1 than following the course of the river4 ,their number1 with a small party that came soon afterwards1 was forty-two men1 who brought with them a considerable quantity of the ,arctic fox skins1 musk-ox1 and deer skins1 with those of the wolf and wolverine1 together with sea-horse teeth1 and the horn of a sea-unicorn about six feet long for barter at the ,company's ,post4 ,in appearance they strongly resembled each other1 and were all clothed with deer-skin jackets and lower garments of far larger than usually ,dutch size1 made of the same material4 ,their stature was low1 like that of the wife of the ,esquimaux at the tent who was not five feet in height4 ,they were all very broad set1 with remarkably small eyes1 low foreheads1 and of a very fine bronze complexion4 ,a few of the men however were nearly six feet in stature1 and of a strong robust make4 ,as soon as they had bartered the articles which they brought with them for those they requested in return1 which were guns1 ammunition1 beads1 and blankets principally1 they were informed that ,i had travelled a long way to see them1 and to have some talk with them4 ,the next day1 they gathered round me1 and with ,augustus and an interpreter1 ,i was enabled to make the object of my visit to them well understood4 ,i told them that ,i came very far across the great lake1 because ,i loved the ,esquimaux2 that there were very many in my country who loved them also1 and would be pleased to hear that ,i had seen them4 ,i spoke true4 ,i did not come to their country1 thinking it was better than mine1 nor to make house and trade with them1 but to enquire1 and they must speak true1 if they would like white man to make house and live amongst them1 to teach their children white man's knowledge1 and of the ,great and ,good ,spirit who made the world4 ,the sun was then shining in his glory1 and the scenery in the full tide of the water before us was striking and beautiful2 when ,i asked them1 if they knew who made the heavens1 the waters1 and the earth1 and all things that surrounded us1 so pleasing to our sight8 their reply was1 ',we do not know whether the ,person who made these things is dead or alive4' ,on assuring them that ,i knew1 and that it was my real wish that they and their children should know also the ,divine ,being1 who was the ,creator of all things2 and on repeating the question1 whether they wished that white man should come and give them this knowledge1 they all simultaneously expressed a great desire that he should1 laughing and shouting1 heigh6 heigh6 augh6 augh6 ,one of them afterwards gave me a map of the coast which they traversed1 including ,chesterfield ,inlet1 and which he drew with a pencil that ,i lent him1 with great accuracy1 pointing out to me the particular rivers where the women speared salmon in the rapids in summer1 while the men were employed in killing the deer1 as they crossed in the water some points of the ,inlet2 or were hunting on the coast1 catching seals4 ,being provident1 and not so regardless of the morrow as the ,indians in general1 they lay up provisions at these different places for the winter1 and probably seldom suffer from want of food2 nor are they long in summer without their favourite dish of the flesh and fat of the seal1 mixed with train oil as a sauce1 which they prefer to salmon2 and when not mixed with their food1 they drink the oil as a cordial4 ,the ,esquimaux often surrounded me in groups1 during their stay at the ,factory1 and cordially shaking hands1 were fond of saying1 that the ,northern ,indians1 or ,chipewyans1 sprang from dogs1 but that they were formerly as white men4 ,i encouraged them in the idea that we were originally of the same parents1 but that they being scattered1 we knew now a great deal more than they did1 and therefore came to see if it were possible to teach their children our knowledge1 for their happiness1 and also themselves1 if it were their desire4 ,they appeared to be quite overjoyed at this conversation1 and laughed heartily1 shouting1 ,heigh6 heigh6 saying1 7as the interpreter expressed it17 ,we want to know the ,grand ,god4 ,i told them that there were stones on the edge of the water1 in their country1 and that with a little wood1 a house might be made like what they saw at the ,fort4 ,should ,i1 or any other person1 ever come from across the great lake1 to build this house1 where their children might live1 and be taught what ,i had told them2 ,i asked if they would assist to bring the stones1 and help to raise the building4 ,they signified their willingness by shouting again in their usual manner4 ,i mentioned the above circumstance1 as conceiving it to be practicable and advisable1 from the best information ,i could obtain1 that the first attempt to form an establishment on the shores of the ,bay1 to educate the children of the ,esquimaux1 should be made at ,knapp's ,bay1 or1 as called by the ,esquimaux1 ,aughlinatook4 ,augustus's tribe traverse this part of the coast1 which is about two hundred miles north of ,churchill2 from whence the frame of the building and some dry provisions in casks might be taken in boats1 to maintain the party1 at first making the settlement1 independent of the common resources of the country1 and of the ,esquimaux2 and a communication kept up with the ,company's ,post1 which might easily be done1 both in summer and winter4 ,it is said that the word1 difficulty1 is not known in the ,english ,military dictionary1 and surely ought not to be found in that of the ,missionary2 and a mission undertaken to the ,esquimaux1 upon the plan suggested1 conducted with prudence1 intrepedity1 and perseverance1 can leave little doubt as to its ultimate success4 ,they tied knots upon a sinew thread1 tieing a knot for each child as it was named1 to inform me1 at my request1 of the number of children they had belonging to their tribe1 and which they would bring to the school for instruction4 ,the number on the sinew thread was sixty-two boys and sixty-four girls4 ,whenever ,i spoke to them about provisions1 they uniformly said that they would bring plenty2 but should the establishment be made1 a small number of children would at first of course be taken1 and increased in proportion as the resources of the country1 and the supplies afforded by the ,esquimaux towards the support of their children1 were pretty accurately ascertained4 ,it is true that they live in a country1 as those do on the ,labrador coast1 of hopeless barrenness1 and endure almost a perpetual winter's blast2 but the success of the faithful devoted ,moravian ,missionaries1 on the coast of ,labrador1 and on that of ,greenland1 in their labours1 privations1 and perseverance1 to impart the knowledge of ,christianity1 which has been blessed of ,god to the salvation of the ,esquimaux1 holds out every encouragement to the intrepid ,missionary1 in his attempts to benefit1 with ,christian instruction1 those on the shores of ,hudson's ,bay4 ',cold is the clime1 the winds are bleak1 ,and wastes of trackless snow1 ,ye friends of our incarnate ,god6 ,obscure the paths ye go4 ',but hearts more cold1 and lusts more fierce1 ,and wider wastes of sin1 ,ye ,preachers of redeeming love6 ,obscure the soul within4 ',yet go3 and though both poles combine1 ,to freeze the sinner's soul1 ,the sinner's soul shall yield to grace1 ,for grace can melt the pole4 ',then blow ye winds1 and roll ye waves1 ,your task assigned perform3 ,the ,god of grace is nature's ,god1 ,and rides upon the storm4 ',nature and ,providence obey ,the dictates of his grace2 ,go6 for each drop subserves his cause ,each atom has its place4' ,a few of the ,esquimaux who came to the ,fort1 were from ,chesterfield ,inlet1 and proposed to return1 before the other party left us for ,knapp's ,bay4 ,before they started1 ,augustus was very desirous that ,i should see his countrymen conjure2 and bringing a blanket and a large knife1 he assured me that one of them would swallow the knife1 and not die2 or fire a ball through his body1 leaning upon a gun1 without being injured4 ,i understood that he was to perform this jugglery with the blanket round him1 which ,i objected to1 if ,i saw it2 but told him that ,i had great objections to such deceptions and art1 by which they imposed on each other2 and observed1 that if his countrymen could really conjure1 they should conjure the whales to the shore1 which were then sporting in the river before us4 ,he was not pleased1 however1 with my refusal1 and it was with difficulty that ,i prevented the exhibition4 ,when the party left us1 they encircled me1 and said that they would tell all of their tribe what had been mentioned about teaching the ,esquimaux children white man's knowledge of the ,great ,spirit4 ,they informed me that a great many of the ,esquimaux meet in summer about ,chesterfield ,inlet2 that some come down from the great lake to the north1 and that they had met some1 who had seen two very large canoes when there was no ice2 and when one of these canoes stood in towards the shore where they were1 they were so alarmed as to run off over the rocks1 and that they did not return till the big canoes were out of sight towards where the sun rises4 ,this information led me to suppose that they were the ,discovery ,ships1 under the command of ,captain ,parry2 and to conjecture that the ice had been a barrier to his progress in search of a ,north-,west ,passage1 and that he was returning down the ,bay to ,england4 ,the object of the ,esquimaux in meeting from different tribes at ,chesterfield ,inlet every year1 is to barter with those principally who trade at ,churchill ,factory1 and also with some ,northern ,indians1 who exchange what ,european articles they may have for fish-hooks made of bone1 and sinew lines1 and skins4 ,i then shook hands with them1 and gave to each individual a clasp-knife1 some tobacco1 and a few beads1 to take with them to their wives1 with which they were much pleased1 telling me1 not to be afraid to come to their country1 as ,esquimaux would treat me well4 ,,august #g4--,when the remaining party returned to ,knapp's ,bay1 it was proposed by the ,master of the ,company's ,posts1 that they should stop for a few days at ,seal ,river1 about fifty miles north of ,churchill1 and spear white whales for the blubber4 ,this they readily assented to1 and the day after they started1 ,i accompanied the officer in a boat to the point where they were to be employed4 ,we pitched our tents near the place where they rested at night1 and were much amused at their dexterity in spearing a number of whales on the following day4 ,in the course of two days they harpooned about forty1 so numerous were these animals in the ,bay at the mouth of the river4 ,these ,esquimaux were not unacquainted with habits of cleanliness1 for they were no sooner ashore from spearing whales1 than they changed their dirty skin dress for one of a newer and cleaner character2 and in seating themselves in a circle1 around a small fire they had made1 ,i observed that while they boiled the skin of the whale1 and some partook of it1 others were eating the tail and the fin in a raw state4 ,i never knew natives more orderly and less troublesome2 we were in their power1 but so far from annoying us1 they never even came to our tents1 importuning for tobacco and other articles1 as is generally the case with ,indians when near their own encampment4 ,wishing to talk with them again on the subject of teaching their children1 ,i invited to my tent seven of the oldest men among them2 and repeated to them the questions which ,i had put to the whole of them before4 ,they expressed the same feelings in favour of instruction1 and a hope that ,i was not afraid to come to their country1 promising1 when white man came1 not to steal from him1 a vice which they are sometimes guilty of at the ,factory4 ,i found that they believed in a future state2 and acknowledged that there was a bad ,spirit1 who made them suffer1 and to whom they prayed that he would not hurt them4 ,they thought that when a bad man died1 the bad ,spirit took him1 and put him in a hole under ground1 where there was always fire1 but this idea they might have got from their intercourse with ,europeans at the ,fort3 and when a good man died1 they believed that the moon took him up1 where he lived as he had done below1 only that he had always plenty to enjoy1 and less paddling to do4 ,in parting with these ,indians1 as with the others who returned to ,chesterfield ,inlet1 ,i gave to each individual a clasp knife1 some tobacco1 and a few beads to take to their wives2 and my prayer to ,god was1 that some effectual step might be taken to communicate to these heathen1 that knowledge which they appeared desirous of receiving1 and which would ameliorate their condition through a scriptural hope of a future life4 ,we returned to the ,factory1 along a coast the most dangerous to navigate that can possibly be conceived1 from fragments of rocks being studded in the water for miles from the shore1 and which are only visible at the reflux of the tide4 ,the safest course to take is to run out to sea1 and sail along out of sight of land2 but this is hazardous in an open boat1 if the weather be stormy1 or the water is much ruffled by the wind4 ,the ,company lost a boat's crew last fall1 as they were returning to ,churchill1 from one of the points of rock where they had been to collect geese1 which the ,indians had shot1 and which are salted as part of the winter supply of provisions at the ,establishment4 ,at first it was supposed that the boat had been driven out to sea1 and all had perished in a most painful manner2 but during our stay1 an ,indian came to the ,fort1 to inform the officer that the empty boat was lying on the beach1 about six or seven miles to the south of ,churchill ,river4 ,he immediately sent men to the spot1 and to search along the coast for some remains at least of the bodies of the crew1 but not the least appearance of them could be found4 ,the boat filled and went down1 with the sail set and fastened to the mast1 which was the state in which it was found2 but whether she struck upon the point of a sunken rock1 or swamped at the conflux of the waters off the mouth of the river at the return of the tide1 not a man survived to tell the melancholy tale4 ,the #ajth4--,i began to make preparations for my return to ,york ,factory1 in the supply of ammunition and a couple of days' provisions for our journey4 ,as every thing we took was borne on the back of the men1 we deemed this sufficient1 with the supply we were likely to obtain in our walk through a country which at this season of the year generally abounds with wildfowl4 ,it was painful to see several ,indian women in an infirm state of health and lame1 continually begging for a little oatmeal1 or picking tripe de roche for a subsistence1 being unable to follow the tribe they belonged to2 and1 upon inquiry1 ,i found that it was a common custom among the ,chipewyans1 to leave the aged1 the infirm1 and the sick1 when supposed incapable of recovery1 to perish for want6 and that one-half of the aged probably die in this miserable condition6 ,the common feelings of humanity suggest the question1--,could not some establishment be formed1 as a hospital for the reception of a certain number at least of the aged and infirm2 towards the maintenance of which1 the ,indians themselves1 in bringing their relations1 might be induced to contribute1 were it only the tenth skin from the produce of their hunting8 ,if this establishment could not be formed near the coast1 might not one be made as an experiment on the borders of their country in the ,athabasca8 where grain and ,indian corn might be raised towards its support4 ,the subject at least challenges inquiry1 and is fraught with deep interest1 as calling forth the best feelings of benevolence2 for a more deplorable situation in existence cannot be conceived1 than for persons to be deserted in afflictive old age1 suffering infirmity1 and left at the last stage of life to expire in want1 when1 of all other periods in our mortal career1 we most need attention1 and sympathy1 and kindness4 ,these ,indians have a singular custom of wrestling for any woman to whom they are attached2 and she has to witness the contest1 which consists in hauling each other about by the hair of the head1 without kicking or striking1 till the strongest party carries her off as his prize4 ,and instead of stabbing one another in their quarrels1 as is frequently the case with the ,southern ,indians1 these generally decide them by wrestling4 ,they may permit a weak man1 if he be a good hunter1 to keep the object of his choice2 but otherwise he is obliged to yield his wife to a stronger man1 who may think her worth his notice4 ,this barbarous custom ,i should suppose prevails among the ,esquimaux who visit ,churchill ,factory1 as they pointed out to me1 at the time ,i saw them1 a weakly looking man1 who they said had his wife taken from him by another of superior strength4 ,they shewed me also how they decided their quarrels1 by each party alternately bending the body in a horizontal position1 and receiving from each other a blow of the fist on the temple or side of the face4 ,on the #abth1 we left ,churchill ,factory1 and in our track killed plenty of wild-fowl1 and were again tortured with the mosquitoes1 till after the second day's march1 when we waded through a low swampy ground1 frequently half-leg deep in water1 to some dry ridges of land4 ,the wind blew again off the ice in the bay1 which enabled us to walk without much annoyance2 and in our progress1 we often passed large holes1 which the bears had scratched in these ridges to lie in1 and which1 from the impression of their paws on the sand1 several had recently left4 ,on the #agth1 we came to a tent of ,indians1 who were encamped on the shore1 for the purpose of killing them1 in the front of which was the head of one that they had lately shot1 stuck upon some painted sticks1 in expression of some superstitious notions respecting the animal4 ,they have a great dread of bears1 and are very fond of wearing their claws round their necks1 ornamented as a necklace1 under the idea that they shall be preserved from their ferocious attacks4 ,a short time before ,i left the ,red ,river ,colony1 a ,saulteaux ,indian came to my residence with a necklace strung with some large claws2 and prevailing upon him to part with it for some tobacco1 he addressed it in a very grave speech1 when he took it from his neck1 and laid it for me on the table1 in language to the following effect3--,my grandfather6 you and ,i have been together some time--we must now part4 ,go to that ,chief2 and in leaving me1 be not angry1 but let me kill buffaloe when ,i am hungry1 and another bear when ,i meet with it1 and then ,i will make another necklace of the claws4 ,i smiled at this address1 when1 looking at me very seriously1 he said1 ,if you offend the bear1 7,i supposed he meant the spirit of the bear1 whose claws he had given me17 the bears will be sure to eat you4 ,on the #ahth1 some ,indians whom we met1 told us that they had heard the great guns of the ship1 on her arrival from ,england1 though they had not seen her at anchor4 ,the next day convinced us of the fact2 and we reached ,york ,factory early the following morning1 after having walked on our return from ,churchill1 the supposed distance of one hundred and eighty miles1 through a trackless path in swamps and long grass1 in less than seven days4 ,here ,i had the happiness of meeting the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,jones1 arrived by the ship1 on his way to the ,red ,river ,settlement1 my fellow-labourer in that situation2 to whom ,i committed the two ,chipewyan ,indian boys4 ,after a few days1 he proceeded with his little charge to his destination4 ,and may ,god1 whom we serve in the gospel of his ,son1 abundantly bless his exertions1 on entering upon a field of anxious and laborious toil1 which ,i have just left1 to visit the land of my nativity and affection1 after an absence of more than three years4 ,york ,factory1 as the principal dept1 is rapidly improving in appearance1 and in the extent of its buildings4 ,a number of the chief ,factors and ,traders meet here every summer1 and a council is held for the management of the ,northern ,factory2 while another is also annually held at ,moose1 in ,st4 ,james's ,bay1 for the direction of the ,southern ,factory4 ,this division of the ,company's territory1 comprises the whole of the country1 from the furthest known point to the north to the boundary line of the ,united ,states1 and from the waters of the ,pacific to those of the ,atlantic4 ,in carrying into effect the moral improvement of the country1 which has long been contemplated1 it would be very desirable that schools should be established at the ,company's chief depts2 where it is presumed provisions might be obtained1 for the support at least of a limited number of the half-caste children4 ,and the most beneficial results might follow the regular performance of divine worship on the ,sabbath1 by a ,clergyman1 throughout the summer months at least1 in a building erected and appropriated as a chapel4 ,these are arrangements1 which every benevolent mind1 truly desirous of promoting the best interests of the country1 where the progress of moral and religious instruction would be but slow1 would rejoice to see practically entered upon4 ,it may be stated with pleasure that directions have been given to lessen the quantity of spirituous liquors in barter with the natives4 ,the baneful effects of such a medium of trade have long been deplored by all who have regarded the amelioration of their state1 and sought to improve their wandering condition4 ,cruelty1 disease1 and premature decay have for centuries past been generated wherever ,europeans have introduced the exchange of ardent spirits with the ,indians4 ,no act therefore can be more beneficial and humane than that of gradually altering a system which is at once so prejudicial to the native1 and injurious to the morals of the trader4 ,it is to be hoped that the benevolent intentions of the ,honourable ,committee will be carried into full effect1 together with the resolutions passed in council at ,york ,factory1 ,july #ahbc1 for the purpose of improving the moral state1 both of the ,indians and of the ,european inhabitants of the ,company's territory2 an event highly interesting to every friend of humanity and religion4 ,,sept4 #aj4--,we embarked on board the ship ,prince of ,wales on her return to ,england1 and left the anchorage next day with a favourable wind4 ,the weather being moderate1 on ,sunday the #adth we enjoyed the privilege of having two full services4 ,the #afth4--,the wind continues light and favourable1 and ,i have been much interested in reading ,mr4 ,wilberforce's pamphlet1 entitled1 ,an ,appeal in behalf of the ,negro ,slaves4 ,when will men regard each other as brethren1 connected by the common ties of humanity1 and as generally responsible to ,god1 the ,judge of all4 ,sunday1 #bast4--,when off ,cape ,charles at the entrance of ,hudson's straits1 the ,thermometer ,i observed was as low as #bd2 and the land as we passed along was covered with snow4 ,the prospect was most chilling and dreary4 ,though it blew fresh1 there was not however a heavy swell of the sea1 which gave us the opportunity of having divine service both morning and afternoon4 ,i felt humbled in going through the ,ministerial duties of the day2 and the experience of my heart imposes on me the obligation of labouring more and more after humiliation4 ,what a consolation is it to know that we are saved by hope1 even in ,him1 who sitteth upon the circle of the heavens1 directing the course of the elements--who commandeth the waters and they obey ,him4 ,on the #bc;d we encountered a heavy gale of wind1 with a short and angry sea1 insomuch that the ship was covered with waves1 and all on board were reeling to and fro1 and staggering like a drunken man4 ,towards evening it blew a hurricane2 the heavens were black with tempest1 and all around us appeared awfully dangerous4 ,self-examination is at all times profitable and incumbent on the ,christian1 but when dangers press around him in a tumultuous scene of waters1 it is peculiarly consolatory for him to find upon examination1 that the sheet anchor of his hope is well grounded2 and that he has laboured in the cause of his divine ,lord with a conscious integrity1 though with a conscious imperfection of character4 ,it was well said by the wife of a ,missionary1 in her last moments1 when it was observed to her that she was dying a sacrifice in the cause of missions1 ,i would rather 7said she7 die a penitent sinner at the cross of ,christ4 ,every day1 in the smooth unruffled calm of life1 or on the tempestuous ocean of its existence1 would ,i feel the sentiment so expressive of the ,christian's security1 and simple reliance upon the omnipotent arm of the ,saviour1 as uttered by ,st4 ,peter1 when ready to sink amidst the threatening waves1 ,lord save us1 we perish4 ,during the #beth we were becalmed off the ,upper ,savage ,islands1 amidst several large icebergs1 some of which were stranded on the shore1 and would receive the accumulation of another winter's fall of snow1 from not being driven out of the ,straits into the ,atlantic ,ocean1 where they are dissolved4 ,the winter was again setting in with a cold frosty air1 and frequent snow storms4 ,the next morning the wind freshened1 and on the #bgth1 when we were off ,saddle ,back1 we experienced another heavy gale of wind1 which was so violent about eight o'clock in the evening1 that it broke the mizen top sail yard1 while nine of the sailors were furling the sail4 ,providentially the broken part of the yard slung with the ropes1 or every soul must inevitably have perished1 from the violent rolling of the ship4 ,a more rough and stormy night could not well be experienced1 with the aggravated danger of sailing among a number of large isles of floating ice2 the running foul of one of which would be immediate destruction1 as upon a rock4 ,the next day the wind moderated1 and was favourable1 but from the rolling of the ship ,i could only read the morning and evening prayers1 and that with some difficulty1 when we met for divine worship4 ,in the evening we approached ,resolution ,island1 and the waters of the ,atlantic opened to us with the encouraging prospect of having more sea room to encounter any storms that we might afterwards meet with4 ,as we left the barren rugged shores of the ,straits1 and the chain of rocks terminating in ragged points on the coast of ,labrador1 there was a general spirit of congratulation2 and the prospect of crossing the great ,western ,ocean in safety raised in my mind the ascription of praise uttered by the ,psalmist1 ,praise the ,lord1 ,o my soul1 and forget not all his benefits4 ,,oct4 #d4--,we were off ,cape ,farewell1 ,south ,greenland1 with strong gales of wind4 ,this point called to my mind the labours of the ,moravian ,missionaries who had formed several settlements1 the most southern of which ,i believe is ,lichterau1 among the ,greenlanders1 under far greater difficulties1 than are likely to assail the ,missionary1 in his attempt to form an establishment for the instruction of the same race of people in the principles of divine truth on the shores of ,hudson's ,bay1 with the aid and co-operation of the ,hudson's ,bay ,company4 ,these pious1 simple1 devoted ,missionaries1 have proved that missions to the heathen on the most inhospitable and barren shores are not visionary schemes1 but succeed effectually under the blessing of heaven to the conversion of the natives2 and they have established the principle1 that wherever the waters roll1 and however barren the rock on which man is to be found1 there man may be benefitted with the saving knowledge and blessings of ,christianity4 ,the account given of the first ,missionaries of the ,united ,brethren1 whose entrance upon the inhospitable and icy coasts of ,greenland was in #agcc1 among whom was that eminent servant of the mission1 ,matthew ,stach1 is truly interesting4 ,leaving ,hernnhutt1 they first proceeded to the ,danish capital1 as ,greenland was under that government1 to obtain the sanction of the ,king1 in their intended mission4 ,their first audience with the ,chamberlain was not a little discouraging1 but being convinced1 by a closer acquaintance of the solidity of their faith1 and the rectitude of their intentions1 this ,minister became their firm friend1 and willingly presented their memorial to the ,king1 who was pleased to approve of their design1 and wrote a letter with his own hand1 recommending them to the notice of the ,danish ,missionary1 ,egede1 who had undertaken a mission to ,greenland in #agba1 but had hitherto accomplished very little in the way of success1 notwithstanding his indefatigable exertions4 ,the ,chamberlain also introduced them to several persons distinguished by rank and piety1 who liberally contributed toward the expense of their voyage and intended settlement4 ,being asked one day by his ,excellency1 how they proposed to maintain themselves in ,greenland1 they answered1 that they depended on the labour of their own hands and ,god's blessing2 and that not to be burdensome to any one1 they would build themselves a house and cultivate the ground4 ,it being objected that they would find no wood to build with1 as the country presented little but a face of barren rock4 ,then1 replied they in a true ,missionary spirit1 we will dig into the earth and lodge there4 ,no1 said the ,minister1 to that necessity you shall not be reduced2 you shall take timber with you for building a house2 accept of these fifty dollars for that purpose4 ,with this and other donations1 they purchased poles1 planks and laths2 instruments for agriculture1 and carpenter's work1 together with several sorts of seeds and roots1 with provisions4 ,thus equipped1 says ,crantz1 they took an affectionate leave of the ,court where they had been so hospitably entertained1 and embarked on the #ajth of ,april1 on board the ,king's ship1 ,caritas1 ,capt4 ,hildebrand4 ,the congregation at ,hernhutt had already adopted the custom of annually compiling a collection of scripture texts for every day in the year1 each illustrated or applied by a short verse from some hymn4 ,this text was called the daily word1 it supplied a profitable subject for private meditation1 and a theme for the public discourses4 ,the daily word on the morning of their embarkation on a mission which so often appeared to baffle all hope1 was1 ',faith is the substance of things hoped for1 the evidence of things not seen4' ,we view ,him1 whom no eye can see1 ,with faith's keen vision stedfastly4 ,in this confidence they set sail2 nor did they suffer themselves to be confounded by any of the unspeakable difficulties of the following years1 till they and we at last beheld the completion of what they hoped for in faith4 ,they sailed by ,shetland1 ,april #bbnd2 and1 after an expeditious and agreeable voyage1 entered ,davis's ,straits in the beginning of ,may4 ,here they encountered a field of floating ice1 while enveloped in a thick fog2 but the next day a terrible storm arose1 which dispersed the ice and freed them at the same time from their fears4 ,on the #acth they came in sight of the coast of ,greenland1 when a violent tempest of four days' continuance1 preceded by a total eclipse of the sun1 drove them back more than sixty leagues4 ,may #bjth1 they cast anchor in ,ball's ,river1 after a voyage of six weeks2 and joyfully welcomed the snowy cliffs and savage inhabitants of a country which had so long been the chief object of their wishes4 ,the word of the day was1 ,the peace of ,god1 which passeth all understanding1 shall keep your hearts and minds through ,jesus ,christ4 ,by this they were frequently encouraged to a peaceful and believing perseverance1 during the first ensuing years1 amidst all the oppositions which they met with1 and the slender prospect they entertained of the conversion of the heathen4 ,the sight of the first ,greenlanders1 though they could not speak a word to them1 was accompanied with sensations of lively pleasure2 their pitiable condition pierced them to the heart1 and they prayed the ,lord1 the ,light to enlighten the gentiles1 that he would grant them grace1 wisdom1 and power1 to bring some of them at least out of darkness into ,his marvellous light4 ,immediately on their landing they repaired to ,mr4 ,egede4 ,he gave them a cordial reception1 congratulated them on their undertaking1 and promised them his assistance in learning the language4 ,they next fixed on a spot for their building1 on the nearest habitable part of the coast1 to which they afterward gave the name of ,new ,hernnhutt2 and having consecrated it with prayer began to run up a ,greenland hut of stones and sods1 in which they might find shelter1 until they had erected a wooden house4 ,at first the natives regarded them with contempt1 concluding from the readiness with which they engaged in every kind of manual labour1 that they were the ,factor's servants2 and being scattered among the islands and hills to fish1 catch seals1 and hunt deer1 while in winter they made journies on sledges to their acquaintance upwards of a hundred leagues ,north or ,south2 the ,brethren had little access to them1 and but faint hopes of making any permanent impression on their minds in their wandering mode of existence4 ,some of the natives1 however1 paid a visit to them1 but it was only from curiosity to see their buildings1 or to beg needles1 fish hooks1 knives1 and other such articles1 if not to steal2 and no proffered advantages could tempt them to remain for a short time at the ,settlement4 ,till at length when they understood that the object of these faithful1 tried1 and persevering ,missionaries was not to trade with them1 but to make them acquainted with their ,creator2 and when they observed their modest and gentle carriage1 so different from that of other ,europeans1 they paid them more attention1 pressed them to come to their huts1 and promised to return the visit themselves4 ,a more frequent intercourse gradually commenced1 and the ,greenlanders would sometimes spend a night with the ,brethren4 ,the motives of their visits were1 indeed1 glaringly selfish4 ,they wanted either food and shelter1 or presents of needles and other things4 ,they even bluntly declared1 that if the ,missionaries would give them no stock-fish1 they would no longer listen to what they had to say3 and during the winter1 which was intensely cold1 the ,brethren could not refuse their request for provisions4 ,they did not altogether discontinue their visits in summer1 but they generally came after spending the night in feasting and revelling1 too drowsy to support a conversation1 or intent only upon hearing some news1 or on begging or purloining whatever might strike their fancy4 ,their pilfering habits made their visits not a little troublesome to the ,brethren1 but the latter did not wish to frighten them away2 and were content for the present1 that they came at all1 especially as a few of them discovered a satisfaction in being present at the evening meetings1 though held in ,german1 and made inquiries into the design of them4 ,after a series of trying hardships2 and after enduring privations for years1 they were encouraged in their mission1 established in much long-suffering and patience1 by one of the natives visiting them1 and desiring to see their things4 ,they showed him what they had1 supposing that he wished to barter some ,greenland food for their iron ware4 ,but after remaining quite silent for some time1 he at last said that he had been with the ,minister1 7,mr4 ,egede7 who had told him wonderful things of ,one1 who was said to have created heaven and earth1 and was called ,god4 ,did they know any thing about it8 ,if they did1 they should tell him something more1 as he had forgotten a good deal4 ,this discourse made a deep impression on their minds4 ,they told him of the creation of man1 and the intention it2 of the fall and consequent corruption of the human race2 of the redemption through ,christ2 of the resurrection2 and of eternal happiness and damnation4 ,the poor ,greenlander listened very attentively1 was present at their evening meeting1 and slept all night in their tent4 ,further inquiries were afterwards made among the natives1 till the ,brethren had their two ,greenland houses completely filled1 and a native congregation collected4 ,the word of the gospel was eventually propagated by the ,missionaries through a vast extent of country1 and its glad tidings spread still farther by the savages themselves1 so that a numerous company of ,greenlanders have been gathered to ,jesus ,christ by the preaching of his word--moulded into a spiritual congregation by the operation of the ,holy ,ghost 7says the above historian17 and furnished with such provisions for its good discipline1 both within and without1 that amidst all defects1 it might in truth be called a living1 flourishing1 fruit-bearing plant of the heavenly ,father's planting4 ,such an example of success in ,missionary exertions1 in the frozen and uncultivated regions of ,greenland and of ,labrador1 as the ,united ,brethren have set1 holds out every encouragement to hope that a mission would succeed among the ,esquimaux at ,hudson's ,bay4 ,they resemble the ,greenlanders in their aspect1 dress1 and mode of living2 and speaking the same language1 it would greatly aid the mission to them1 if one or two ,christian natives could be obtained and prevailed upon to join it from the coast of ,greenland4 ,they are shouting from their native rocks for instruction1 and have appealed to the ,christian sympathy and benevolence of every friend of missions1 in language of the same import as the call of ,macedonia1--,we want to know the grand ,god4 ,shall we1 whose souls are lighted ,with wisdom from on high1 ,shall we to men benighted ,the lamp of life deny8 ,salvation6 oh1 salvation6 ,the joyful sound proclaim1 ,till each remotest nation ,has learn'd ,messiah's name4 ,waft1 waft1 ye winds1 his story1 ,and you1 ye waters1 roll1 ,till1 like a sea of glory1 ,it spreads from pole to pole2 ,till o'er our ransomed nature1 ,the ,lamb for sinners slain1 ,redeemer1 ,king1 ,creator6 ,in bliss returns to reign4 ,,bishop ,,of ,,calcutta4 ,the #eth4--,sunday4 ,the wind has blown hard all day1 so as to permit1 from the rolling of the ship1 of my only reading the ,morning and ,evening ,prayers1 for divine worship4 ,i know that ,god1 who made heaven1 earth1 and seas1 is not confined to forms of prayer1 how ever excellent1 any more than to temples made with hands4 ,but as a formulary1 how full and comprehensive is that of the ,church of ,england6 and how well adapted to express the feelings of the mind1 humbled1 and penitentially exercised1 yet exalted in hope at the throne of a covenant ,god in ,christ ,jesus4 ,when the prayers are prayed1 and not merely read in the cold formality of office1 instead of wearying the mind by repetition1 how often are they the means of arresting our wandering thoughts1 and awakening a devotional feeling6 ,this effect1 ,i trust1 was produced in our minds1 as we met together1 for the public services of the day1 in the cabin of the ship4 ,from the #eth to the #ith1 we had stiff gales of wind from the same quarter1 which caused the sea to roll with a majesty and grandeur that ,i never before witnessed4 ,i stood on the quarterdeck1 in admiration of the scene1 and of the wonders of ,god in the deep1 as wave rolled after wave1 occasionally breaking on its mountainous top into a roaring and foaming surge4 ,but while the waves roar and the winds howl around me1 ,i am borne in safety through the mighty waters towards the desired haven4 ,what a fit emblem is this experience of the spiritual and eternal safety of the ,christian1 in the ark of the covenant1 amidst the foaming billows of affliction1 the wind of temptation1 and every storm of trial raised by man in a fallen and disordered world1 branded with so many marks of its ,creator's displeasure4 ,we were prevented from meeting in the cabin1 for divine service1 on ,sunday the #abth1 from its blowing a hard gale1 and the violent tossing of the ship4 ,we now experienced a sensible alteration in the weather1 as being much milder2 and a couple of black wolves and a bear1 which we had on board1 were evidently affected by the change of the atmosphere1 as we were bearing up for the ,orkney ,isles4 ,on the #aeth1 we anchored in ,stromness harbour1 and1 leaving this anchorage on the #agth1 we reached ,yarmouth ,roads1 ,october the #bc;d2 and through a kind protecting ,providence1 ,i landed1 on the following day1 from the ship1 in the ,thames4 ,since my departure from ,england1 in ,may #ahbj1 to this period of my return1 not one accident have ,i met with1 nor have ,i been called to experience a single day's illness4 ,though in perils oft by land and by sea1 and exposed to threatened dangers of the ice1 and of the desert1 still my life has been preserved4 99 99 99 99 99 ,praised be the ,lord ,god of my salvation6 ,in sending this volume to the press1 ,i feel that ,i am discharging a duty which ,i owe to the natives of the rocks and of the wilderness1 whom ,i have seen in the darkness and misery of heathenism2 and ,i ardently desire that the ,mission already entered upon1 may become the means of widely extending the knowledge of ,christianity among them4 ,i have no higher wish in life1 than to spend and be spent in the service of ,christ1 for the salvation of the ,north ,american ,indians4 ,not my will1 however1 but ,his be done1 who alone can direct and control all ,missions successfully1 to the fulfilment of ,his prophetic word1 when ,the wilderness shall become a fruitful field1 and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose4 99 99 99 99 99 ,since the foregoing sheets were sent to the ,printer1 very gratifying intelligence has been received of the improved state of the ,colony2 and a sanguine hope is entertained that several native ,indian children from different nations will be added to the number of those already upon the ,church ,mission ,school establishment at the ,red ,river4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,end4