40 Thirty Years 



that he would soon rise and hasten to follow his track. 

 He however returned safe in the morning, and report- 

 ed that, foreseeing night would set in before he could 

 get across the lake, he prudently retired into the 

 woods before dark, where he remained until daylight ; 

 when the men, who had been despatched to look for 

 him, met him returning to the house, shivering with 

 cold, he having been unprovided with the materials 

 for lighting a fire ; which an experienced voyager never 

 neglects to carry. 



AVe had mild weather until the 20th of December. 

 On the 13th there had been a decided thaw, which 

 caused the Saskatchawan, which had again frozen, to 

 re-open, and the passage across it was interrupted for 

 two days. We now received more agreeable accounts 

 from the Indians, who are recovering strength, and 

 beginning to hunt a little ; but it is generally feared 

 that their spirits have been so much depressed by the 

 loss of their children and relatives, that the season will 

 be far advanced before they can be roused to any ex- 

 ertion in searching for animals beyond what maybe 

 ary for their own support. It is much to be re- 

 gretted thai these poor men, during their long inter- 

 course with Europeans, have not been taught how 

 pernicious is the grief whioh produces total inactivity, 

 and that they have do1 been furnished with any of the 

 consolations which the Christian religion never fails to 



