52 THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE BY LAND. 



of the dark blue gentianella, which grew in great 

 profusion. 



Each day was like the one before, yet without a 

 wearisome monotony. Sometimes we jogged dreamily 

 along beside the carts, or lay basking in the bright 

 sunshine. When tired of idleness, we cantered ahead, 

 with Rover in attendance, and shot geese and ducks 

 at the lakes, or prairie grouse in the copses. Feathered 

 game was so plentiful that we easily killed enough to 

 feed the whole party, and rarely had occasion to trench 

 on our stock of pemmican. A little before sundown 

 we camped by wood and water, hobbled the horses, 

 and then ate our suppers with appetites such as we 

 had never known before. At night, while smoking 

 our pipes round the camp fire, La Bonde amused us 

 with stories of his hunting adventures, of encounters 

 with the Sioux, or of his journey with Dr. Eae, after 

 which we turned into our blankets and slept soundly 

 till daybreak. 



About midnight, however, on one occasion, when 

 all were sound asleep, the men under the carts, and our- 

 selves in the tent, Treemiss suddenly jumped up with a 

 great shout, and rushed, sans culottes, out of the tent, 

 crying, " Indians ! Indians ! Indians !" Awakened 

 thus rudely, we ran out after him, frightened and 

 half asleep, and Milton, obseiwing a figm-e stealthily 

 moving near one of the carts, dashed at it, seized it by 

 the throat, and half strangled — Voudrie, who, hearing 

 the noise, had jumped up also to see what was 

 the matter. When we found there was no real cause 

 for alarm, we searched for Treemiss, and found him on 



