CHAP. xii. 1'HRE ABNAUDS DIFFICULTIES. 199 



X 



have recourse to their supply of winter provisions until 

 the snow became deep and hard enough for snow-shoes, 

 and the caribou to descend from the mountains to the 

 valleys. As soon as the caribou season at the beginning of 

 December arrived, the camp was raised, and the whole 

 band proceeded to fresh hunting-grounds. They soon found 

 tracks in the snow ; but, to their despair, they ascertained 

 that wolves had been in pursuit. The hunters followed the 

 tracks, and after three days returned with the announce- 

 ment that they had come upon the bones of a freshly-killed 

 deer, and that wolves were numerous in the neighbour- 

 hood. ' Wolves are around us ; they will block and dis- 

 perse the caribou : we cannot escape death if this con- 

 tinues," exclaimed the distressed Indians. A party of 

 hunters arrived from a different direction two days after- 

 wards, and brought with them, the flesh of six caribou and 

 two porcupines ; but they confirmed the impression which 

 began to prevail that the wolves had driven the caribou 

 away, and it would be necessary to seek other and distant 

 hunting-grounds. Their only hope was the tripe de roche 

 when the caribou failed, and they could not support 

 strength for any length of time on such meagre diet. 

 At this period a runner came from the Nasquapees, who 

 had left them at Lake Mushualagan, bringing the intelli- 

 gence that this people were starving, and begging for some 

 provisions. He was soon followed by a poor Indian with 

 his family, who had become blind during the previous 

 week. The Indian imputed his misfortune, unparalleled 

 in the forests, which cover the country like a sea, to having 

 slept on the snow, with spruce branches for his pillow, 

 without fire or any covering beyond the clothes he 



