Volume 1

RUSH MATS—MAD WOLVES. 1 33
wished to hunt, they had better agree amongst themselves.
This evening the Indians were drinking very quietly.
Saturday, Nov. ist. At twelve o'clock two young men
came in from the Bois Perce. I inquired what the Indians
were doing. They told me the principal men were preparing
for war, whilst the women were making mats for the
winter. These mats are made with long rushes, which are
laid parallel on smooth, level ground ;
threads of the inside
bark of bois blanc, of the thickness of sturgeon twine,
are then passed through each rush, and all are drawn
so close together as to shed rain. They are made from 12
to 18 feet long, and 5 or 6 wide. With these mats the
Saulteurs construct their winter tents and cabins. They
are warm, yet airy, and far more comfortable than the birch
bark covering or the leather tents of
the Meadow Indians.
The Saulteurs use bark for the summer only, as it makes a
cooler cabin than the rush mats, and is much lighter and
less bulky. I gave my people each a dram, this day being
considered amongst them as a great fete. The Indians
went back to their camp.
Sunday, Nov. 2d. Last night the wolves were very
troublesome ; they kept up a terrible howling about the
fort, and even attempted to enter Maymiutch's tent. A
large white one came boldly into the door and was advancing
toward a young child, when he was shot dead. Some
of them are very audacious.
I have known them to follow
people for several days, attempt to seize a person or a dog,
and to be kept off only by fire-arms. It does not appear
that hunger makes them so ferocious, as they have been
known to pass carcasses of animals, which they might have
eaten to their fill, but they would not touch flesh ;
their
object seeming to be that of biting. The Canadians swear
that these are mad wolves, and are much afraid of them.
Nov. jd. Early this morning I sent two men to the salt
lake with two large kettles, to make salt ; but they never
having been there, I was obliged to go with them. Therefore,
about an hour after they were off, I mounted and rode