298 THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE BY LAND. 



kill a horse. The Indian had started with one 

 advantage over us ; he was in his own country — we 

 were wanderers in a strange land. We were in the last 

 act of the play. Would the final scene be the same ? 



Every one took a rather gloomy view when we 

 discussed our prospects that evening, and "Blackie" 

 was unanimously condemned to die at daybreak. 

 The marten, made into a "rubaboo," with some bil- 

 berries, formed our only supper that evening, the 

 stinking and nauseous mess being distasteful even to 

 our ravenous appetites, and poor Mr. O'B. had not 

 the satisfaction of retaining what it had cost him so 

 great an effort to swallow. 



Early on the 9th of August *'Blackie" w^as led 

 out to execution, but although all were agreed as to 

 the necessity of the deed, every one felt compunction 

 at putting to death an animal which had been our 

 companion through so many difficulties. The Assini- 

 boine, however, at last seized his gun and dispatched 

 him wdth a ball behind the ear. In a few minutes 

 steaks were roasting at the fire, and all hands were at 

 work cutting up the meat into thin flakes for jerking. 

 All day long we feasted to repletion on the portions 

 we could not carry with us, whilst the rest was drying 

 over a large fire ; for although doubts had been 

 expressed beforehand as to w^hether it would prove 

 palatable, and Milton declared it tasted of the 

 stable, none showed any deficiency of appetite. 

 The short intervals between eating we filled up by 

 mending our ragged clothes and moccasins, by this 

 time barely hanging together. Before turning into 

 our blankets we crowned the enjoyment of the feast 



