THICKWOOD HILLS. 29 



CHAPTER III. 



Scenery in the Thickwood Hills. Building huts. Tom Boot. His size and 

 strength. Our nearest neighbour. Visit the South Saskatchawan. 

 Large Camp of Crees. A Sioux Indian prisoner. His trial and fate. 

 Attempts to save him. We leave the Camp. Return journey. Dread- 

 ful spectacle. Setting in of winter. Severe cold. Description of 

 trapping in winter. Unpleasant adventure with Indians. Tom Boot to 

 the rescue. His prowess. A-ta-ka-koup makes friends. Snow-shoe 

 travelling. A visit from Driver. 



WE had sent all our carts but one back to Fort Garry, as they 

 were useless to us in the winter, and on this one we piled our 

 winter supplies tent, clothing, bedding, &c., with the two 

 sleighs on the top, and I had hired an ox at the Post to draw 

 it, as no pony could have done so. It was ninety miles to 

 where we intended wintering, and this took us four days to 

 do, as our load was so heavy and the country very wet and 

 muddy ; my man's wife, too, who had intended to walk, gave 

 in, and had to be put on the top of the cart with her child, 

 which did not improve matters much. 



As we got nearer the Thickwood Hills, the country improved 

 in appearance. The first fifty miles was along the river, through 



