EXPLORATION OF THE PRAIRIES, 1879 149 



from which we took fuel to burn. We knew that to the south of 

 us was the Blackfeet encampment, and, before we reached it, we 

 expected to find a trail that would take us to Calgary. As we 

 approached the trail, we found that every small hill was occupied by 

 a man and a horse, the man standing at the horse's head. Mathe- 

 son said: "Why, those are Blackfeet pickets and we are surely 

 surrounded by the Blackfeet." I took in the situation at once 

 and said: "We will go into the Blackfeet encampment and not 

 risk ourselves and our horses on the exposed prairies after dark." 

 When we reached the trail, we crossed it and went on south 

 and came to the Blackfeet encampment a little before dark. 

 There were about one hundred and twenty-five beautiful tents, 

 most of them being made of tanned buffalo hide. We were unable 

 of course, to talk to the people, but a number of women came 

 around the camp while we were eating and I gave them pieces of 

 biscuits and, by signs, they asked us if they could wash the plates. 

 We said yes and, before they washed the plates, they actually 

 licked them clean. We were wondering why no men were to be 

 seen when an Irishman, Father Scallen, who was the missionary 

 attached to the tribe, came to see us and asked me what in the 

 world made us come there. I said at once: "I came here for 

 safety because out on the prairie we felt that we were surrounded 

 by the Indians." He said: "Do you know that the people here 

 are dying of starvation?" I said : "Certainly not, we have come 

 from the north and have had no word that anything was the 

 matter here." He said: "There are two lying dead in their tents 

 now who have died of starvation." When I heard this I said: 

 "You tell the Chief that I am going up to Calgary and that to- 

 morrow I will give him all the provisions I have except what we 

 will need to take with us up to the fort." We retired and left 

 all of our provisions in the cart and had our doubts as to whether 

 we would see any of them in the morning. We were agreeably 

 surprised, therefore, that not one particle of our food had been 

 touched. Father Scallen came to see me again in the morning 

 and I told him that I was going to remain for the day and to tell 

 the Chief, who was Crowfoot, since so celebrated, that I would 



have dinner for himself and all his Chiefs at noon. 

 11 



