BOURGEOIS - Toronto Public Library

334 CHARLES MACKENZm
" my family, and you shall have all their furs. Take courage,
" my son, quiet your mind and go to rest ".
We followed this good man's advice. Next morning the old
man was as good as is word; we paid a family visit to the In·
dians upon their arrival; his son presented them with the pipe,
he himself went upon the lop of a honse and harangued in our
favor, while his kind females were busily employed from place
to place, collecting the skins nntil the whole was thus secured.
Two bands of Assiniboines of a hundred lodges each, who
passed the winter at the Forks of the Little Mississouri, sent daily
to the villages to barter fol' corn, beans, &c. They were trou·
blesome to us, but they advised Mr. La Rocque to send for an
assortment in order to trade their hunt, but this measure reo
quired consideration.
The snow was too deep for horses, and, for the same reason,
men would require snow shoes, the frames of which could
easily be provided, but no one knew how to knit them. We
were informed of an olu man who used to talk of snow shoes,
but this man was blind with age and therefore could not afford
us any assistance. The old man remarked that ill the days of
his youth, he, in common with many others, made use of the
like for walking, and could run with them, in those days, as fast
as the horses run at present.
Having been disappointed in our expectations, we went to
work ourselves, and made raquettes Dy passing thongs at right
angles one accross another, some thing like a riddle. In the
evening, Mr. La Rocque with the only man we then had
remaining took their departure, accompanied by a dog to carry
their provisions. The journey to the Fort and back again, we
supposed might require at least twenty days to perform; 1 was
in charge of all. The horses caused me much uneasiness, I was
afraid the Indians might take a fancy to them, and carry them
off.