ed to work at the heavy oars. Often
during whole nights we sailed on, although at considerable risks in that
treacherous lake, rather than lose the fair wind. For, if there ever
was, in this world of uncertainties, one route of more uncertainty than
another, the palm must be conceded to the voyages on Lake Winnipeg in
those Hudson's Bay Company's inland boats. You might make the trip in
four days, or even a few hours less; and you might be thirty days, and a
few hours over.

Once, in after years, I was detained for six days on a little rocky
islet by a fierce northern gale, which at times blew with such force
that we could not keep up a tent or even stand upright against its fury;
and as there was not sufficient soil in which to drive a tent pin, we,
with all our bedding and supplies, were drenched by the pitiless sleet
and rain. Often in these later years, when I have heard people, sitting
in the comfortable waiting-room of a railway station, bitterly
complaining because a train was an hour or two late, memory has carried
me back to some of those long detentions amidst the most disagreeable
surroundings, and I have wondered at the trifles which can upset the
equanimity of some or cause them to show such fretfulness.

When the weather was fine, the camping on the shore was very enjoyable.
Our tent was quickly erected by willing hands; the camp fire was
kindled, and glowed with increasing brightness as the shadows of night
fell around us. The evening meal was soon prepared, and an hour or two
would sometimes be spent in pleasant converse with our dusky friends,
who were most delightful travelling companions. Our days always began
and closed with a religious service. All of our Indian companions in
the two boats on this first trip were Christians, in the best and truest
sense of the word. They were the converts of the earlier missionaries
of our Church. At first they were a little reserved, and acted as
though they imagined we expected them to be very sedate and dignified.
For, like some white folks, they imagined the "black-coat" and his wife
did not believe in laughter or pleasantry. However, we soon disabused
their minds of those erroneous ideas, and before we reached Norway House
we were on the best of terms with each other. We knew but little of
their language, but some of them had a good idea of English, and, using
these as our interpreters, we got along finely.

They were well furnished with Testaments