168 CANADIAN WILDS. 



we must and did. I have often seen the blood 

 appear on my moccasins, working its way 

 through three or four pairs of socks and become 

 so dried and caked that before the shoes could 

 be removed at the night's camp-fire, warm wa- 

 ter had to be poured freely upon the moccasin 

 to release the foot. 



The agony at such times was past explain- 

 ing. It was quite a work to patch up each sep- 

 arate toe with balsam gum and rag before turn- 

 ing in for the night, and 3 r et stiff, swollen and 

 sore, these poor feet had to have the large heavy 

 snowshoes suspended to them next morning and 

 the weary tramp continued as on the previous 

 day. 



Our guides, the Indians, did not suffer, as 

 their feet were hardened from childhood, and as 

 an Indian never gives advice nor offers to re- 

 lieve his companion's load without being asked, 

 we, the unfortunate greenhorns, were compelled 

 to trudge on in the wake of our pace-maker as 

 well as we could. 



Of course I tried by all manner of changes 

 in footwear to alleviate the trouble by taking 

 off some thickness of socks and by putting on 

 extra ones, all to no avail. Trip after trip, and 

 year after year, I suffered with cut toes and 

 blistered feet. By good fortune, I think it was 

 my fifth year in the country, I was ordered from 



