would whirl round on the ice and we come
very near falling off into the dark cold waters. This was much more
dangerous from the fact, that much of the travelling had to be done by
night for the dazzling rays of the sun during the daytime rendered us so
liable to the terrible snow-blindness, which is such a painful disease.
However, we persevered, and by daylight when possible, and by night when
we could do no better, pushed on, and at last reached our destination.

The last six miles of the journey lay across a frozen lake on the
farther shore of which was the village of the chieftainess. When not
more than half way across the lake, the sharp eyes of those on the
lookout, detected our coming, whereupon great excitement prevailed in
the village. Never, it seemed, was there a happier woman than
Ookemasis. She received us with a wondrous welcome, and in emphatic
ways expressed her gratitude and joy. Already when we arrived, the
feast of welcome was being prepared. When she was certain that it was
the missionary, she had taken down from a staging some heads of
reindeer, and, after singeing off the hair and chopping them into great
chunks, had put them into a big pot to boil.

After the warm welcome, we were escorted to a large tent to wait until
dinner was ready. As she had no tea, I gave her a quantity much to her
delight. So excited was she, that she kept running into the tent to
tell me how great was her joy, that at length the man and the Book had
come to her people. When dinner was ready, she escorted me and my
attendants out to it. A spot had been cleaned away, in the centre of
which, on a big dish, was a large pile of pieces of reindeer heads.
Around were a number of tin cups filled with hot strong tea. Her
invitations had been limited to the number of tin cups she could muster.
She placed me at her left, and her chief next in authority to herself,
on her right. My guide and dog-drivers were next to me on my left, and
the circle was completed with other Indian men. She was the only woman
in the circle as soon as we were seated on the ground, some of the men
at once seized hold of a piece of meat, and drawing their hunting
knives, were about to begin their dinners:

"Stop," said I. "Wait a minute. You are all going to be Christians,
and one thing Christians do, is to ask a blessing upon their food. The
Great Spirit gives us all the good things, and we must thank Him for
them. So now shut your eyes,