324 Oapt. Blakiston’s Explorations in the Rocky Mountains. 
_of the Crees. In order to lighten the burthen of the horses and 
preserve the meat, the bones were taken out, and it was cut into 
thin flakes and half-dried over the night camp fire. 
e same afternoon, as we arrived at Trap Creek, just above 
its junction with High Woods River, we found six tents of 
Thickwood Stone Indians who were just preparing their encamp- 
ment. We camped along with them, and as usual, when with 
or near any Indians, my flag, a St. George’s Jack, was hoisted 
on a pole in front of the tent. I gave them a present of some 
tobacco and fresh meat. These Stone Indians, with whom are 
associated also a few Crees, and whose hunting ground is the 
ooded and semi-wooded country along the base of the moun- 
tains, like the head-natives of the Saskatchawan, are a harmless 
and well disposed people towards the whites. Education has, 
thanks to the former Wesleyan missionary, the Rev. Mr. Ren- 
all, and his successor the Rev. Thomas Wolsey, made some 
little progress amongst them; a few being able to read and write 
the Cree syllabic characters, now in general use among the 
missions of the northwest. 
uring the afternoon I held a talk with these Indians. I told 
them plainly for what reason we had been sent to the country ; 
that Her Majesty was always glad to hear of their welfare, and 
that any message which they might have for her, I would take 
down in writing. 
“We are glad,” said an old man, “that the great woman 
chief of the whites takes compassion upon us, we think she is 
ignorant of the way in which the traders treat us; they give us 
very little goods and ammunition for our furs and skins, and if 
this continues our children cannot live. We are poor, but we 
work well for the whites. The Indians of the plains treat us 
badly and steal our horses, but we do nothing to them, for the 
minister tells us so.” In answer to questions from myself, they 
said that they would wish white people to come and live among — 
them, and teach them to farm, make clothes, &c., so that “ their 
children might live,” for the animals are getting every year more 
scarce. I may here state, that | have been fortunate enough 
this year to fall in with many camps of the different tribes of 
Indians inhabiting this country, from whom I always obtained — 
- as much information as possible on their present state, and their — 
wishes as to the future; and I hope to draw up a report on the 
same for the information of H. M. Government; for without — 
doubt, when deciding on the future of this country, some prov — 
sion should be made for the poor uncivilized beings, to whom by — 
bacco, I changed a lame horse which I had brought with me — 
or that purpose, for a good strong Indian pony. 4 
