122 Bird-Nesting 



watching the various movements of the ducks, coots and other 

 waterfowl. There is always a great noise about the sloughs, 

 which swarm with bird life ; what with the quacking of the 

 ducks, and the screams of coots and rails, the cries of the 

 killdeer, godwits and curlews ; the whistle of the field plover, 

 and chatter of the blackbirds, there is always plenty to inter- 

 est the ornithologist. After watching the birds for some 

 time, I got up and turned homewards. I went a different 

 way back to Moosejaw, and came across a deep gorge, down 

 the bottom of which a clear stream trickled, where I quenched 

 my thirst. I passed a camp of Indians, who eyed me, and 

 called out, but I could not understand them. Three bucks 

 came towards me, and I began to think they meant mischief, 

 so I cautiously took my revolver out of my hip pocket, so 

 that they would not notice my action, and put it in my side 

 pocket, with my hand resting on it, in readiness, should they 

 lay hands on me, when I intended to do the best for myself. 

 The Indians, however, contented themselves with passing re- 

 marks about me, and as I could not understand them, their 

 remarks, if uncomplimentary, did not hurt my feelings, and 

 so I passed on. 



As a rule, the Indians are friendly and do not molest travel- 

 lers. The North-West mounted police have them under their 

 control. The Indians have been made to feel the majesty and 

 blessings of law since the North-West rebellion was settled. 

 Three or four of the mounted police have been known to ride 

 into a camp of hundreds of armed savages and arrest on the 

 spot, and carry off for trial, an armed swaggerer accused of 

 murder a signal proof of the supremacy of law as Indians 

 regard a member of their band as a brother, whose case they 

 are bound, by ties of blood and sentiment, to make their own. 

 Whiskey traders, who formerly built forts and lived at license 

 where they listed, have had their stores confiscated and them- 

 selves driven across the boundary line, in a state of intense 

 disgust at the police force and British institutions generally. 

 No exercise of authority has been more appreciated by the 

 Indians, for they hate whiskey traders as much as they love 



