Volume 1

238 RETURN TO PEMBINA—STABBING AFFRAY.
in waiting for him every day he was with us ;
but this dark
night was still worse, and we were often near losing him
entirely. At sunrise we reached the N. end of the portage.
The grass has been burned here the same as all over the
what little snow falls is instantly drifted
plains of Red river;
off, and the bare ground is so much exposed to the frosts
that the earth has cracked in a surprising manner. We met
with crevices in the portage half a foot wide, and sorrie few
near a foot. These rents run in serpentine directions and
make traveling in the dark dangerous, as they are of a great
depth, and a person getting his foot or legs into one would
be in danger. The ground was so dry that our dogs and
cariole raised a thick dust, blackening our faces, so that
when we arrived at Portage la Prairie we looked as if we
had been working in a coal pit. Riding is out of question in
the burned plains. This made it disagreeable business for
my friend Harrison, who, after sweating, puffing, blowing,
and lamenting, was heartily glad to find himself at his
house. gth. Two men from Fisher river '^ came for high
wine. nth. Set off, almost distracted with toothache.
Not a mouthful of provisions at this place. 12th. A terrible
snowstorm, and a gale in our teeth ;
however, we got to
the Forks. All hands starving here also. On the 15th I
found Indians at
set off with my two men and Mr. Dorion ;
We camped at the
entrance of Riviere la Sale [St. Norbert].
Riviere aux Gratias ;
a snowstorm prevented our marching.
lytk. At dusk we arrived at Panbian river ;
Mr. Cotton
was awaiting my arrival, ipt/i. Mr. Cotton and two men
started for the upper part of Rat river to make gum. Mr.
Desjarlaix also off.
Felf. 22d. I started Mr. Hesse and his wife for Red lake to
bring down sugar and bark ; with him go two men. Grande
Gueule stabbed Perdrix Blanche with a knife in six places ;
the latter, in fighting with his wife, fell in the fire and was
" Present name of the stream which falls into the head of Fisher bay, at the
S. end of the N. division of Lake Winnipeg, nearly or exactly on the boundary
of Rs. i and ii E. of the princ. merid., Tp. 28 ;
Indian res. there now.