was very proud of such a
load, in addition to the supply of flour which was on the other sleds.
Sending my heavily loaded dog-sleds on a couple of days in advance, I
followed--in company with Martin Papanekis, a favourite Indian driver--
with such dogs as. Voyageur, as leader, and Jack and Cuffy and Caesar
behind him, knowing we would have no difficulty in overtaking the rest
of our party. We so arranged our return journey, that each night we
reached the camp we had used on the outgoing trip. In two places, much
to our disgust, we found that the wolves or wolverines, had been too
clever for us, and had discovered our cache and devoured our fish. So
those nights, we had to feed our dogs from the supplies of meat bought
in Red River.

In due time we reached our mission home where there was great
satisfaction over the abundance and variety of the supplies secured at
such a cost of toil and danger. The bill of fare was much improved, and
twice a week we had a little roast of beef or mutton, with vegetables,
and a dessert of rice pudding.

For two or three weeks this continued, when our hearts were saddened,
and our duties and cares greatly increased, by the breaking out of the
measles among our Indians. This epidemic was caused, by the coming in
to our country of some free-traders who had lately had the disease.
They had been discharged from the hospital as cured; but in some way or
other they had carried the germs of the disease so that going in and out
of the wigwams they spread the contagion among the natives, and an
epidemic broke out. This strange new disease terrified the people.

At that time I had parties of Indians at Oomeme River, and also at
Berens River, where we were then living. About this same time the
measles also broke out among a number of pagan Indians under the rule of
Thickfoot, a stubborn yet friendly old chief who refused to become a
Christian. At this place we had but lately completed a mission house,
some outbuildings, and a comfortable school-house, which we were using
as a church until the latter should be completed. All the timber for
these buildings we had drawn with our dogs from a large island several
miles out from, the mainland. When the measles broke out, and we saw
the fear of the Indians, at once, as far as possible, we turned our
mission premises into a hospital. In addition to the buildings already
mentioned, we also put up for the sick our large buffalo leather tent.
Her