es stampeded. Only a few
of them were recovered, and our journeys after this misfortune were
effected mostly by means of the dog-travaux.

The second winter after the massacre, my father and my two older
brothers, with several others, were betrayed by a half-breed at
Winnipeg to the United States authorities. As I was then living with my
uncle in another part of the country, I became separated from them for
ten years. During all this time we believed that they had been killed
by the whites, and I was taught that I must avenge their deaths as soon
as I was able to go upon the war-path.

III

AN INDIAN SUGAR CAMP

With the first March thaw the thoughts of the Indian women of my
childhood days turned promptly to the annual sugar-making. This
industry was chiefly followed by the old men and women and the
children. The rest of the tribe went out upon the spring fur-hunt at
this season, leaving us at home to make the sugar.

The first and most important of the necessary utensils were the huge
iron and brass kettles for boiling. Everything else could be made, but
these must be bought, begged or borrowed. A maple tree was felled and a
log canoe hollowed out, into which the sap was to be gathered. Little
troughs of basswood and birchen basins were also made to receive the
sweet drops as they trickled from the tree.

As soon as these labors were accomplished, we all proceeded to the bark
sugar house, which stood in the midst of a fine grove of maples on the
bank of the Minnesota river. We found this hut partially filled with
the snows of winter and the withered leaves of the preceding autumn,
and it must be cleared for our use. In the meantime a tent was pitched
outside for a few days' occupancy. The snow was still deep in the
woods, with a solid crust upon which we could easily walk; for we
usually moved to the sugar house before the sap had actually started,
the better to complete our preparations.

My grandmother did not confine herself to canoe-making. She also
collected a good supply of fuel for the fires, for she would not have
much time to gather wood when the sap began to flow. Presently the
weather moderated and the snow began to melt. The month of April
brought showers which carried most of it off into the Minnesota river.
Now the women began to test the trees--moving leisurely among them, axe
in hand, and striking a single quick blow, to see if the sap would
appear. Trees, like people, have their indiv