124 CHANGE OF ROUTE. 



who, report said, had collected a large pack of pel- 

 tries. They intended, however, to send one of their 

 party to see these people, if a volunteer could be 

 procured, to give them information of their where- 

 abouts, in case they desired to trade away their 

 furs. 



To return south-west, almost the direction in which 

 I had come, did not suit my purpose, as I wished 

 to gain the Missouri, and, if possible, the Saskatche- 

 wan, a country of which as yet very little is known, 

 and from which, through Lake Winnipeg and the 

 Lake of the Woods, I hoped to reach Lake Superior 

 before winter. I determined, therefore, if a volun- 

 teer was found, that I would join him ; if not, to 

 proceed alone. 



The Indians who were in our neighbourhood had 

 been civil enough, though their good conduct might 

 be accounted for by the fact that they were in the 

 presence of a numerically greater force, all of whom 

 were well armed and experienced in Indian trea- 

 chery. If I went, therefore, it would be advisable 

 for me to start during the night, so that when day 

 broke I should be far beyond the range of their 

 vision. 



When I communicated my intention to Mr. 

 Morris, he would have dissuaded me if possible ; but 

 when he found I was resolved on my course he 

 desisted. A volunteer was soon found for their 

 service no other than ' the old man ' and in a 

 moment he and I had agreed to travel together. 



