s
from the known character of the Stone Indians, they being great
thieves; and it having been represented to us, that they murdered
individuals, or small parties of white people, for plunder; or stripped
them, leaving them to travel to the posts without clothing, in the most
severe weather. We had little sleep, and started before break of day,
without having been observed by them. We stopped to breakfast at the
_Standing Stone_, where the Indians had deposited bits of tobacco,
small pieces of cloth, &c. as a sacrifice, in superstitious expectation
that it would influence their manitou to give them buffaloes and a good
hunt. Jan. 27th. soon after midnight, we were disturbed by the
buffaloes passing close to our encampment: we rose early, and arrived
at Qu'appelle about three o'clock. Nearly about the same time, a large
band of Indians came to the fort from the plains with provisions. Many
of them rode good horses, caparisoned with a saddle or pad of dressed
skin, stuffed with buffaloe wool, from which were suspended wooden
stirrups; and a leathern thong, tied at both ends to the under jaw of
the animal, formed the bridle. When they had delivered their loads,
they paraded the fort with an air of independence. It was not long
however before they became clamorous for spiritous liquors; and the
evening presented such a bacchanalia, including the women and the
children, as I never before witnessed. Drinking made them quarrelsome,
and one of the men became so infuriated, that he would have killed
another with his bow, had not the master of the post immediately rushed
in and taken it from him. The following day, being Sunday, the servants
were all assembled for divine worship, and again in the evening. Before
I left the fort, I married several of the Company's servants, who had
been living with, and had families by, Indian or half-caste women, and
baptized their children. I explained to them the nature and obligations
of marriage and baptism; and distributed among them some Bibles and
Testaments, and Religious Tracts.

With the Indians who were at the Fort, there was one of the Company's
servants who had been with the tribe nearly a year and a half, to learn
their language as an interpreter. They were very partial to him, and
treated him with great kindness and hospitality. He usually lived with
their chief, and upon informing him who I was, and the object for which
I came to the country, he welcomed me by a hearty shake of the