J 3 



At first he feared that the women had been murdered 

 and the same fate awaited him. As he could not see her about 

 the tent he went near enough to make her hear him and called : 

 " Marie Ann, are you alive ? " " Yes," said she, "lam alive 

 but I am dying of fright." Mr. Lajimoniere was acquainted 

 with the tribe and could speak their language fluently, ad- 

 vancing boldly, therefore, after making and receiving a sign 

 of the hand which signified friendship, he begged them to 

 camp at a little distance as the women were tired and ill. 

 The Indians after assuring him that they were friendly and 

 wished him no ill, consented to spend the night a little further 

 away. 



When they had gone Mrs. Belgrade returned with the 

 child from the woods, where she had spent the day in hiding 

 and the three were very happy to be relieved from their fears. 



The day following J. B. Lajimoniere and his companions 

 struck thir camp and started on the return trip to the Fort. 

 It was then the month of August. Madame Lajimoniere fol- 

 lowed her husband on horseback, carrying her child with her 

 in a moss bag which hung from one side of the saddle, while 

 on the other side she carried a bag of provisions which by 

 its weight counterbalanced the child and kept it from falling. 



Madame Lajimoniere was a good horsewoman and could 

 ride nearly all day without resting when she was returning 

 to take up winter quarters at the Fort. They often spent the 

 summers at long distances from the Fort, and this year they 

 had camped for some time in the neighborhood of Battle 

 River. Two or three days after their adventure with the In- 

 dians they found themselves on a large prairie frequented by 

 innumerable herds of buffalo and suddenly a band of these 

 animals crossed their path. The presence of a herd of buffalo 

 produces an astonishing effect on the horses. Without being 

 urged by his rider a horse will often start off in pursuit of 

 them with a fervor that it is impossible to check. A hunter 

 thus carried into the midst of these animals, rushing in a mad 

 race, runs the very greatest danger. 



Unfortunately on this occasion Madame Lajimoniere was 

 mounted on a horse accustomed to this mode of procedure 

 and as soon as he caught sight of the animals, without a 

 thought of his burden, he took the bit in his teeth and gal- 

 loped after the herd. Embarrassed by the two bags which 

 hung on either side of the horse, in one of which was her child, 

 the poor woman every instant expected that she would be 



