164 THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE BY LAND. 



bowie-knives ; horses, and even buggies were 

 amongst their trophies. 



La Ronde also brought the provoking intelligence 

 that all the valuable horses we sent back to Fort 

 Garry, in charge of Youdrie and Zear, had perished 

 on the road through the carelessness of these worth- 

 less fellows. 



Shortly after we were all comfortably asleep, we 

 were aroused by the yelping of dogs, and presently 

 heard some one stealthily entering the hut. It was 

 pitch dark, and Milton hastily jumped out of bed 

 and struck a light, which disclosed the Hunter, his 

 father-in-law, and the whole family. They had heard 

 of La Eonde's return from the two young Indians 

 who had visited us that day, and lost no time in 

 coming to welcome him, and share in the good things 

 which he had brought. We were very sulky at the 

 disturbance, and they slunk quietly to sleep on the 

 floor, dreadfully ashamed of themselves. 



La Ronde continued seriously ill for several days, 

 but when he became convalescent, we resumed the 

 trapper's life, varying it at times by spearing musk- 

 rats, now in full season, and although somewhat 

 strong flavoured, by no means despicable food. These 

 animals are very numerous on all the lakes, and their 

 houses of reeds dot the surface of the ice in winter like 

 so many haycocks. They build these as soon as the 

 water is frozen over, lining them with soft moss and 

 grasses, and storing them with the aquatic plants on 

 which they feed. A hole through the ice communi- 



