320 THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE BY LAND. 



we had no compassion on liim, and galloped on. 

 Whenever we looked behind us, we saw Mr. O'B. 

 still running at the top of his speed, afraid the blood- 

 thirsty Assiniboine might overtake him. We entered 

 on a sandy plain, on the further side of which were 

 hills running east and west. The Fort could not 

 be beyond them. On we went, hammering and 

 shouting at our flagging beasts, and ever and anon 

 lookinof behind, when Mr. O'B. could still be seen in 

 the dim twilight, tearing after us with undiminished 

 speed. At last, after it was quite dark, we caught 

 sight of a house, galloped up to it, jumped off, left 

 our horses to their own devices, and entered a sort 

 of yard, where were several half-breeds and Indians 

 just rising from their seats round a cloth spread on 

 the ground, with the remains of supper. An old 

 Indian came, introduced himself, in a mixed jar- 

 gon of French, English, and Chinook, as Captain St. 

 Paul, and inquired who we were. We told him w^e 

 had come across the mountains, and were starving, 

 begging him to give us some food as quickly as pos- 

 sible. He said we should have abundance immediately, 

 but that we must pay ''un piastre chaque." We 

 recklessly assured him that if it cost 100 dollars each 

 we must have it ; and before long we were devouring 

 a greasy mess of bacon and cabbage and some de- 

 licious cakes, and drinking copiously the long-desired 

 tea. Before we had eaten many mouthfuls, Mr. O'B. 

 arrived breathless, but not the least exhausted, and 

 attacked the good things as savagely as ourselves. 

 He was the only one of the company who had the 



