169 



very thick in proportion to its body, armed with 

 long, sharp claws, well adapted to digging. 'The 

 size of the body somewhat exceeds the ground 

 hog; hair of a dark brown colour, and tail, bushy, 

 resembling that of the ground hog. It burrows 

 and lodges in the ground. 



In the latter part of winter we were much dis- 

 tressed for food. Hunting became bad, and game 

 scarce. We had often nothing more than one 

 poor dog boiled, to feed twenty for a day, and 

 sometimes for a much longer space of time. 

 The Indians are fond of dog's flesh, and at their 

 feasts use no other kind of meat. During the 

 winter, a few fish were taken in the river. These 

 were principally the cat fish. 

 ; To my great satisfaction, on the 20th of March, 

 1802, we left this camp of filth and misery, whjere 

 we had remained from the 8th of December, 

 and proceeded towards the Ricaras, or Rus, as 

 the traders call them. Some of the Indians had 

 prepared themselves sleighs to ride in, which 

 were, made in the following manner. A slender 

 frame was made of small sticks, woven together, 

 about three feet in length, and the sides about 

 'eight inches high. Over this frame, deer or ca- 

 bree skins were drawn tight, and came over the 

 upper part, forward, about eighteen inches. It 

 was then placed on two runners, made of bent 

 poles, to the end of which was fastened two slim 

 poles for shafts. The whole was secured together 

 by buffaloe cords. Two dogs were then yoked 

 15 



