in and met with a crash under us, we found
ourselves seated in it on the top of the ice. The craft, although only
a frail birch-bark canoe, was not in the least injured.

As we quickly sprang out of our canoe, and carried it away from where
the ice had met and was being ground into pieces by the momentum with
which it met, I could not but express my admiration to my men at the
clever feat.

After some exciting work we reached the shore, and there patiently
waited until the wind and sun cleared away the ice, and we could venture
on. My plan was to spend at least a week in each Indian village or
encampment, preaching three times a day, and either holding school with
the children, or by personal entreaty beseeching men and women to be
reconciled to God. When returning from the visit, which was a very
successful one, we had to experience some of the inconveniences of
travelling in such a frail bark as a birch canoe on such a stormy lake
as Winnipeg.

The weather had been very unsettled, and so we had cautiously paddled
from point to point. We had dinner at what the Indians call Montreal
Point, and then started for the long crossing to Old Norway House Point,
as it was then called. It is a very long open traverse, and as lowering
clouds threatened us we pulled on as rapidly as our three paddles could
propel us. When out a few miles from land the storm broke upon us, the
wind rose rapidly, and soon we were riding over great white-crested
billows. My men were very skilful, and we had no fear; but the most
skilful management was necessary to safely ride the waves, which soon in
size were rivalling those of the ocean. A canoe is a peculiar craft,
and requires an experienced hand in these great storms.

We were getting on all right, and were successfully climbing the big
waves in quick succession, alert and watchful that no sudden erratic
move should catch us off our guard and overturn us. At length we met a
wave of unusual height, and succeeded in climbing up into its foaming
crest all right. Then down its side our little craft shot with the
apparent velocity of a sled down a toboggan slide. When we reached the
bottom of this trough of the sea, our canoe slapped so violently upon
the water that the birch bark on the bottom split from side to side. Of
course the water rushed in upon us with uncomfortable rapidity. The
more we paddled the worse the water entered, as the exertion strained
the boat and opened the r