CHIPPEWYAN TO BLACK LAKE. 



59 



its meaning. It was Mr. Reed with his party return- 

 ing from Fort Fond du Lac (now a small winter post 

 only) to Chippewyan with the last winter's trade. We 

 had been told we would likely meet him on the lake, 

 and here he came before the breeze in his big York 

 boat. As he approached and sighted us he made in to 

 where we were, and ran his boat on the sand beach. 

 Besides Mr. Reed, the young 

 trader, there were with him two 

 French priests returning from 

 their season's labor among the 

 Indians. One of them, now an 

 old man, had spent the greater 

 part of his life in mission work 

 in this district, and was about 

 laying down his commission, to 

 be succeeded by his younger 

 companion. As it was nearly 

 noon, our men were instructed, 

 though it was raining heavily, 

 to kindle a fire and prepare 

 lunch for the party. Beneath 

 some thick fir-trees a shelter 

 was found, and the tea being 

 made and lunch laid out on 



the ground, we all seated ourselves about, and spent 

 a delightful half -hour together. But to us every hour 

 was precious, and without further delay we wished each 

 other God-speed, and continued our courses. By night- 

 fall the log-reading showed our day's travel to be thirty- 

 two knots, equivalent to about thirty-seven miles. So 

 far we had been fortunate in finding comfortable camp- 



A TYPICAL NORTHLAND 

 FATHER. 



