Even much later in 1812 when the first Scotch settlers 

 arrived in Red River they were obliged to go there during 

 three or four winters to procure the necessaries of life as 

 there were no other means of subsistence in the country. 



M. and Madame Lajimoniere did not remain at Grand 

 Camp till the spring, but near the beginning of January they 

 returned to the post at Pembina. The King's birthday found 

 them lodged in a house at the Fort and it was there, on the 

 6th of January, that her first child was born. This day usually 

 so happy and consoling to a mother was a sad and sorrow- 

 ful one for Madame Lajimoniere. She had to christen her 

 infant herself, being the only person capable of doing it. 



As it was a girl she called it Reine because it was born 

 on the King's birthday. 



Madame Lajimoniere remained at the Company's Fort till 

 the month of May. Her husband spent nearly all his time in 

 hunting. This was the only way in which the trappers could 

 procure nourishment, though it is true that at that epoch 

 game was very abundant and a hunter who was at all-, active 

 was never obliged to fast. 



When the beautiful spring days had come to set the rivers 

 and lakes free from their icy beds M. Lajimoniere announced 

 to his wife that he intended leaving Pembina to go up the 

 Saskatchewan in company with three Canadians who had 

 spent the winter at Pembina. The names of these men were 

 Chalifou, Belgrade and Paquin, and all three were married 

 to Indian women of the Cree tribe. 



Having procured two canoes large enough to carry their 

 wives and some provisions for the voyage they commenced 

 their journey towards the end of May, 1807. 



The canoes quietly descended the Red River to the en- 

 trance of Lake Winnipeg then they skirted the lake shore till 

 they reached the mouth of the great Saskatchewan River. 

 Madame Lajimoniere's baggage was reduced to the smallest 

 possible amount, her child and provisions for three or four 

 days in advance being all she could take with her. She car- 

 ried the infant in a moss bag, after the manner of the Indian 

 women — it was more convenient to adopt the usage of the 

 country on this point — nevertheless we might remark that 

 although Madame Lajimoniere lived for seventy years in this 

 country she never herself adopted any of the Indian habits 

 and kept as much as possible to the dress of her native land. 



After some weeks the canoes arrived at Cumberland 



