little boat; and here Mrs Young, who for a time had enjoyed the
exciting voyage, was now fast asleep. I remained up with "Big Tom"
until after midnight; and then, having exhausted my stock of Indian
words in conversation with him, and becoming weary, I wrapped a blanket
around myself and lay down to rest. Hardly had I reached the land of
dreams, when I was suddenly awakened by being most unceremoniously
thrown, with wife, bedding, bales, boxes, and some drowsy Indians, on
one side of the boat. We scrambled up as well as we could, and
endeavoured to take in our situation. The darkness was intense, but we
could easily make out the fact that our boat was stuck fast. The wind
whistled around us, and bore with such power upon our big sail that the
wonder was that it did not snap the mast or ropes. The sail was quickly
lowered, a lantern was lit, but its flickering light showed no land in
view.

We had run upon a submerged rock, and there we were held fast. In vain
the Indians, using their big oars as poles, endeavoured to push the boat
back into deep water. Finding this impossible, some of them sprang out
into the water which threatened to engulf them; but, with the precarious
footing the submerged rock gave them, they pushed and shouted, when,
being aided by a giant wave, the boat at last was pushed over into the
deep water beyond. At considerable risk and thoroughly drenched, the
brave fellows scrambled on board; the sail was again hoisted, and away
we sped through the gloom and darkness.

CHAPTER THREE.

ARRIVAL AT NORWAY HOUSE--OUR NEW HOME--REVEREND CHARLES STRINGFELLOW--
THUNDERSTORM--REVEREND JAMES EVANS--SYLLABIC CHARACTERS INVENTED--
DIFFICULTIES OVERCOME--HELP FROM ENGLISH WESLEYAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY--
EXTENSIVE USE OF THE SYLLABIC CHARACTERS--OUR PEOPLE, CHRISTIAN AND
PAGAN--LEARNING LESSONS BY DEAR EXPERIENCE--THE HUNGRY WOMAN--THE MAN
WITH THE TWO DUCKS--THE FIRST SABBATH IN OUR NEW FIELD--SUNDAY SCHOOL
AND SABBATH SERVICES--FAMILY ALTARS.

We reached Norway House on the afternoon of the 29th of July, 1868, and
received a very cordial welcome from James Stewart, Esquire, the
gentleman in charge of this Hudson's Bay post. This is one of the most
important establishments of this wealthy fur-trading Company. For many
years it was the capital, at which the different officers and other
officials from the different districts of this vast country were in the
habit of meeting annually for the purpose