ul, and a capacious church was there built. Every Sunday a
large portion of the family went from Sagasta-weekee at least once a
day, and there worshipped. The morning service was conducted in the
English language.

This was done for two reasons: one was for the instruction and profit of
all who spoke that tongue; the other was that the Indians who were
learning the language might become the more speedily familiarised with
it. The afternoon and evening services were conducted in the Indian
language. However, if a number understanding the English language only
happened to be present, both languages were used with the help of an
interpreter. The church was on the shore of a pretty lake, and it was a
very pleasant sight to see the gathering of the congregation. It was
one quite different from what is generally seen as crowds usually gather
for worship at the sound of the church bell. Here were no long streets,
or even common roads or sidewalks. The homes of these Indians, both
houses and wigwams, had been built around the lake shore on the various
picturesque points, not far from the water's edge. Every family wanted
easy access to the lake for water, and none of them wished to be far
away from the landing places where they kept their canoes. The result
was that it looked on Sundays, when they came to the church in groups,
as if there were a pathway from every dwelling place. Then, as large
numbers of the Indians lived out on points and islands, away from the
one on which the mission premises stood, the people, in the pleasant
summer time, came from their various homes in their canoes to the house
of God. Very picturesque indeed was the sight, as for an hour or so
before the time of service the lake seemed dotted with the well-filled
canoes of the well-dressed crowds of Indian men, women, and children.
In winter the scene was completely changed. The frost had hid the
sunlit, rippling waves under an icy pavement, as hard as granite. Frost
and snow and ice were everywhere.

For the summer Sunday trips to the church Mr Ross had several large
sailing boats and safe skiffs that would hold all who wished to go to
the morning service. In one, manned by four sturdy oarsmen, Mr Ross
and his family generally went when the weather was at all favourable.
In winter the dogs were all called into requisition, and the sight at
the church, when on a bright day the crowds were assembling, was as
pleasant and interesting as in