erness, although
for days we were in the vicinity of frontier villages and settlements,
which, however, as we journeyed on, were rapidly diminishing in number.

After several days' travelling we encamped on the western side of the
Mississippi, near where the thriving town of Clear Water now stands. As
some of our carts and travelling equipage had begun to show signs of
weakness, it was thought prudent to give everything a thorough
overhauling ere we pushed out from this point, as beyond this there was
no place where assistance could be obtained. We had in our encampment
eight tents, fourteen horses, and from fifteen to twenty persons,
counting big and little, whites and Indians. Whenever we camped our
horses were turned loose in the luxuriant prairie grass, the only
precaution taken being to "hobble" them, as the work of tying their
forefeet together is called. It seemed a little cruel at first, and
some of our spirited horses resented it, and struggled a good deal
against it as an infringement on their liberties. But they soon became
used to it, and it served the good purpose we had in view--namely, that
of keeping them from straying far away from the camp during the night.

At one place, where we were obliged to stop for a few days to repair
broken axle-trees, I passed through an adventure that will not soon be
forgotten. Some friendly settlers came to our camp, and gave us the
unpleasant information, that a number of notorious horse-thieves were
prowling around, and it would be advisable for us to keep a sharp look-
out on our splendid Canadian horses. As there was an isolated barn
about half a mile or so from the camp, that had been put up by a settler
who would not require it until harvest, we obtained permission to use it
as a place in which to keep our horses during the nights while we were
detained in the settlement. Two of our party were detailed each night
to act as a guard. One evening, as Dr Young's son George and I, who
had been selected for this duty, were about starting from the camp for
our post, I overheard our old veteran guide, the Reverend George
McDougall, say, in a bantering sort of way, "Pretty guards they are!
Why, some of my Indian boys could go and steal every horse from them
without the slightest trouble."

Stung to the quick by the remark, I replied, "Mr McDougall, I think I
have the best horse in the company; but if you or any of your Indians
can steal him out of that barn between