INDIAN RELIGION. 317 



Great is the aid of snow-slioes ; the journey which 

 ill November occupied my party six days was 

 now accompKshed easily in three. I remained with 

 Mr. MacKenzie until the arrival of the return express 

 men from Fort Simpson, who brought letters from 

 Mr, Fallen and the gentleman of the station, by which 

 we learned all were well. My companion again 

 enlivened me with much interesting conversation 

 respecting the Indians, and I put much reliance in 

 his information as his acquahitance with them was 

 very extensive and familiar. They have an idea 

 of a supreme being but do not worship him, 

 and have an evil spirit, but it is doubtful Avhether 

 they maintained this view until the advent of the 

 whites. There are also numerous ideal personages 

 who are supposed either to have performed super- 

 human works (as Wiskaytchach and his reproduction 

 of the world after the flood), or who had or have 

 some influential power over them. But although 

 they put great faith in the legendary lore, the 

 heroes are regarded with little reverence or awe. 

 The medicine-men or conjurors have immense power 

 among these dwellers in moral darkness ; they are 

 considered almost infallible, and if their predictions 

 fail, the non-success is attributed to some defect in 

 the medicine, either that it was not strong enough. 



