and although it might be many
miles away, a surveyor's line could not be much straighter than the
trail our sleds would make under his unerring guidance.

I have gone into these details about this mode of travelling, because
there is so little known about it in the outside world. Doubtless it
will soon become a thing of the past, as the Indians are settling down
in their Reservations, and, each tribe or band having a resident
Missionary, these long, toilsome journeys will not be essential.

The companions of my long trips were the far-famed Indian runners of the
north. The principal one of our party was called "the guide." To him
was committed the responsibility of leading us by the quickest and
safest route to the band of Indians we wished to visit with the good
news of a Saviour's love. His place was in front of the dogs, unless
the way happened to lead us for a time over frozen lakes or well-beaten
trails, where the dogs were able to go on alone, cheered by the voice of
their drivers behind. When the trail was of this description, the guide
generally strode along in company with one of the drivers.

As the greater part of my work was in the wild forest regions, there
were many trips when the guide was always at the front. Marvellously
gifted were some of these men. The reader must bear in mind the fact
that there were no roads or vestiges of a path. Often the whole
distance we wished to go was through the dense unbroken forest. The
snow, some winters, was from two to four feet deep. Often the trees
were clustered so closely together that it was at times difficult to
find them standing far enough apart to get our sleds, narrow as they
were, between them. In many places the under-brush was so dense that it
was laborious work to force our way through it. Yet the guide on his
large snowshoes was expected to push on through all obstructions, and
open the way where it was possible for the dog-sleds to follow. His
chief work was to mark out the trail, along which the rest of us
travelled as rapidly as our loaded sleds, or wearied limbs, and often
bleeding feet, would allow.

Wonderfully clever and active were these guides in this difficult and
trying work. To them it made but little difference whether the sun
shone brightly, or clouds obscured the sky. On and on they pushed
without hesitancy or delay. There were times when the sun's rays were
reflected with such splendour from the snowy wastes, that our e