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Level high treeless prairie was to be traversed thence to 

 the Red Lake River and far be3'ond it till the Wild Rice was 

 reached, and there the country changed, with heavy boulders 

 on the hills and uiultitudes of" small lakes fringed with small 

 oaks; this continued to Detroit Lake, a beautiful sheet of 

 water, now, I believe, a pleasure and health resort, some of 

 its gravel hills being then distinguishable for miles by the 

 high stages bearing the bodies of the dead, from which flut- 

 tered pieces of red and blue cloth ; and near them the remains 

 of food placed for the spirit's early journey to hunting- 

 grounds, which the Ojibways must have thought good indeed 

 if better than neai- this very spot, which afforded the best an 

 Indian could desire of all the deer and fowl of that beautiful 

 lake district ; where every stream teemed with fish, and 

 buffalo once were plentiful low down on the river which bears 

 their name only three days journey aM^ay. The trail followed 

 at the edge of the water this beautiful lake for nearly two 

 miles and the ponies chose to walk in the shallow water to 

 cool their unshod feet, sorely tired by our hasty crossing of 

 many leagues of burnt prairie to reach where grass could 

 again be had. We had reached this lake late at night, and 

 already Blackie and Bichon were eating, as if for a wager, of the 

 rushes and rich grass above the sand line on its shore ; when 

 a kettle of tea, a few biscuits and some dried meat being- 

 disposed of, weary limbs sought rest. Where should we 

 sleep ? Why, what could be better than a bed on this clean 

 white sand, which the last high wind has piled up as if for 

 that special purpose ? Hurriedly the cart was drawn over 

 the highest, finest and softest ridge, and then a blanket and 

 to sleep. How easily and softly the sand yielded till it made 

 a bed like a plaster cast; no downy couch equalled it ; and 

 yet when morning dawned it wa'^ another case of " experientia 

 docet." No, I have since that night slept on the axe-hewn 

 planks of a frontiers-man's floor, on the prairie, in a canoe, on 

 smooth Laurentian rocks, and I give each and all the prefer- 

 ence to soft white sand, no bed more unyielding when it has 

 you in its embrace : and no wonder ni}^ friend and I woke 



