Volume 1

5
PEMBINA PASSED—PORCUPINE-GRASS.
II
they could without an awl. I thought to make sure that
my horse should not play me any more tricks, and make me
journey afoot, as I had no shoes but my old ones, with
scarcely any soles. I hoppled his fore legs with a strong
piece of leather, fastened one of his hind legs to them, and
then tied him to a stump with a strong double of new
codline. The night was cold and dreary, with light rain
and strong N. E. wind. I kept an eye on my horse, which
appeared very quiet till two hours before day, when I
supposed there was no more danger. Having examined
his fetters, which were in good order, I went sound asleep.
Oct. nth. The first thing missing was my horse. I
awoke the men and sent them in pursuit of him. They
were gone about an hour, when they returned to tell me
they had seen him running full speed southward. They
brought the twisted and broken cords with which he had
been tied. This was a sad disappointment. I resolved to
wait no longer ; so I cut up the leather of my saddle,
wrapped it upon my feet as best I could, and cut off the
skirt of my capot to serve me as mitts. Wrapping our
blankets around us we set off at ten o'clock. The weather
cruelly cold, with a strong wind. I killed a fat swan flying,
and one of my men, being determined to eat it, took it up
on his back. At two o'clock we crossed Panbian river;
saw many red deer tracks ; wild fowl passed in abundance.
One of my men complained of being knocked up and
wished me to stop for the night, but we were then some
distance from Red river and choking with thirst. I encouraged
him to push on and throw away the swan, but he
would not consent to part with it. Our shoes were entirely
worn out, and we had no more leather to put under the
soles. The short, pointed grass [porcupine-grass, Stipa
sparted] annoyed us very much as we crawled along in
great misery and pain, almost every third step being upon
a blade of this grass, which grows all over these level
meadows. It is not more than two inches high, about the
thickness of an awl, and fully as sharp ; it even penetrates