36 ARRIVAL AT QU'APPELLE. 



it having been represented to us, that they 

 murdered individuals, or small parties of white 

 people, for plunder ; or stripped them, leaving 

 them to travel to the posts without clothing, in 

 the most severe weather. We had little sleep, 

 and started before break of day, without having 

 been observed by them. We stopped to break- 

 fast at the Standing Stone, where the Indians 

 had deposited bits of tobacco, small pieces of 

 cloth, &c. as a sacrifice, in superstitious ex- 

 pectation that it would influence their manitou 

 to give them buffaloes and a good hunt. Jan. 

 27th. soon after midnight, we were disturbed by 

 the buffaloes passing close to our encampment : 

 we rose early, and arrived at Qu'appelle about 

 three o'clock. Nearly about the same time, 

 a large band of Indians came to the fort from 

 the plains with provisions. Many of them rode 

 good horses, caparisoned with a saddle or pad 

 of dressed skin, stuffed with buffaloe wool, from 

 which were suspended wooden stirrups ; and a 

 leathern thong, tied at both ends to the under 

 jaw of the animal, formed the bridle. When 

 they had delivered their loads, they paraded 

 the fort with an air of independence. It was 

 not long however before they became clamor- 

 ous for spiritous liquors ; and the evening 

 presented such a bacchanalia, including the 



