316 THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE BY LAND. 



liacl descended before him. All was soon quiet, and 

 bj the time he got down every one had disappeared. 

 Darkness came on rapidly, the road lay through 

 thick wood, and Oheadle, hastening on, found The 

 Assiniboine and his boy at a standstill, unable to 

 distinguish the trail any longer. Although they 

 had no provisions, there was nothing for it but 

 to give up the idea of meeting the canoe-party, 

 as had been agreed, and camp on the spot. Before 

 very long it dawned upon Cheadle that Mr. O'B. 

 was wanting, and he inquired of the Assiniboine 

 what had become of him. The latter was evidently 

 rather disconcerted by the question, and answered 

 in some confusion, '' II est bete ! il m'avait querelle, 

 et puis s'est sauve.'* On cross-examination The 

 Assiniboine confessed that he had lost his temper 

 with "Le Yieux" about his management of the 

 horses, and in his anger had struck him with his 

 fist, whereupon Mr. O'B. fled in terror, and disap- 

 peared in the woods. 



The night was pitch dark, the woods thick, and 

 the trail very indistinct. Mr. O'B. had the habit 

 of always losing a good track in broad daylight, 

 and Cheadle felt serious apprehensions for his fate 

 now. But it was useless to look for him until 

 morning, and the party turned in supperless — the 

 horses being in the same predicament. In the 

 meantime Milton had arrived in the canoe at a 

 little prairie, where were several Indian potato- 

 gardens, from which Caliban and his part^r pro- 

 vided a plentiful supper, and after w^aiting in vain 

 for the arrival of Cheadle and The Assiniboine, 



