w of the subject, and the more I thought the
matter over, the more devilish it appeared to me, even if we caught only
Indians. I actually felt as though I would be ashamed to meet the spirit
of even a savage enemy whom I had disposed of in such a cowardly manner,
should we finally be consigned to the same happy hunting grounds, so I
took an axe and knocked the head of the barrel in, and let the contents
into the street. While I deeply regretted the loss of so much good
whisky, I have never thought of the occurrence since without inwardly
rejoicing that my better nature and judgment prevented me from
committing such an offense against all the laws of honor, humanity and
civilization. It turned out that the first arrival was a squad sent by
General Sibley to our relief, and from what I know of some of the men
composing it, I am quite certain that the warning would have been
disregarded. The circumstance, however, proves how deeply the savage
instinct is imbedded in human nature, whatever the color of the skin.
"Give us strength to resist temptation," has been my prayer ever since.

[Illustration]

FUN IN A BLIZZARD.

The winter of 1856, in Minnesota, was characterized by the usual amount
of cold weather, snow and storms, and people operating on the frontier
were compelled to exercise great care and caution to prevent disasters.
All old timers who have had occasion to live beyond the settlements and
travel long distances in an open prairie country well know that the
danger of being overtaken by storms is one of the most terrible that one
can be exposed to. Most of the casualties, however, that result from
being caught in these storms may be attributed to want of experience,
and consequent lack of preparation to meet and contend with them. I have
employed many men of all nationalities in teaming long distances on the
prairie frontier in the winter season, and while the American is always
reliable and dexterous in emergencies, I have found the French Canadian
always the best equipped for winter prairie work, in his knowledge in
this line that can only be gained by experience. His ancestors served
the early fur companies from Montreal to McKenzie's river, from Hudson's
bay to the Pacific, and knew how to take care of themselves with the
unerring instinct of the cariboo and the moose, and the generation of
them that I came in contact with had inherited all these
characteristics.

I have known a brigade of teams, ma