1 5 4 ON SNOW-SHOES TO THE BARREN GROUNDS 



of the desolate waste which was to open for a successful 

 venture or close upon me forever. 



It was well I had not delayed my departure from Fort 

 Smith, nor gone with Munn for the second try at bison, 

 for Gaudet told me that my non-appearance so long after 

 the appointed day had convinced him I had yielded to per- 

 suasion, and given up my intention of making an attempt to 

 get into the Barren Grounds until the later and usual time. 

 He said that the runner he had sent after Beniah could 

 not find him ; that Beniah was somewhere in the woods 

 hunting, and the heavy snow-falls had made following his 

 tracks impossible; but the runner had seen some Indians 

 who were likely to meet Beniah and tell him he was 

 wanted at the fort. This was all satisfactory enough so 

 far as it went, but it left me in doubt as to when I might 

 expect to get off for musk-ox. The second day after my 

 arrival, however, an Indian came in with a note from Be- 

 niah, written in the hieroglyphics which the priests of the 

 Oblates Fathers invented when first they began their mis- 

 sionary work in this country. 



Beniah said, first of all, he heard I was a " great chief" 

 (these Indians are cute diplomats) ; that no one had ever 

 ventured into the Barren Grounds at that season ; but he 

 would come into the post to talk the matter over seriously 

 so soon as he shot enough meat to make the trip of six 

 days possible, which meant that we should see him in from 

 eight to ten days. 



Next day Mercrede and his dogs started back for Fort 

 Smith, carrying the only letter I was able to send out dur- 

 ing my six months' absence, and which Munn, who in- 

 tended making his way to Edmonton on his return from 

 the bison-hunt with Bushy, had promised me to carry. 



And so I settled to active preparation to be in readiness 

 on the arrival of Beniah, who I was determined to induce 



