PREPARING TO LEAVE FORT GARRY. 99 



should have liked to have taken on the three horses which I had 

 brought from the Saskatchawan, they were so utterly worn 

 out that it was doubtful whether they would ever be worth any- 

 thing again, and in any case it would be months before they 

 could be ridden on such a journey as that which I was about to 

 undertake. I let it be known therefore that I wanted three fast 

 horses, strong enough to carry heavy loads for six hundred 

 miles in fourteen or fifteen days, and I very soon had several 

 hundreds brought to me. 



In those days the half-breeds lived almost entirely on buffalo 

 meat, going twice a year for a big hunt on the prairie to get it, 

 and bringing home dried meat and pemmican in the spring and 

 fresh meat in the early winter. These hunts necessitated their 

 owning a great many horses, and these from the hard life they 

 led, and the amount of galloping they got after buffalo, could 

 go almost any distance on nothing but grass, and over all kinds 

 of ground without falling. We selected three of the best of 

 these, and had them well fed and exercised for several days ; 

 we also bought a new outfit, provisions, &c., taking nothing 

 but what was absolutely necessary, and our weapons consisted 

 of a shot gun and two revolvers. It was of no use our taking 

 rifles with any idea of making a fight of it, in case we should 

 meet Indians, but a shot gun might be of use in procuring us 

 food, as grouse and ducks abounded. Nothing could exceed 

 the kindness of the inhabitants of Fort Garry, the Bishop, 

 Dr. Anderson, kindly offering me a carriage and pair to take 

 me down to St. Paul's, saying that he did not care if he never 

 saw it again ; but this would have been a novel way of travelling 

 through a dangerous Indian country, especially as we were 

 going where there were no roads. 



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