t 



INDIANS. 13 



lee ted race, had induced them to send several 

 schoolmasters to the country, fifteen or sixteen 

 years ago ; but who were unhappily diverted 

 from their original purpose, and became en- 

 gaged as fur traders. 



During my stay at this post, I visited several 

 Indian families, and no sooner saw them 

 crowded together in their miserable-looking 

 tents, than I felt a lively interest (as I antici- 

 pated) in their behalf. Unlike the Esquimaux 

 I had seen in Hudson's Straits, with their flat, 

 fat, greasy faces, these 'Swampy Crees* pre- 

 sented a way-worn countenance, which de- 

 picted " Suffering without comfort, while they 

 sunk without hope." The contrast was strik- 

 ing, and forcibly impressed my mind with the 

 idea, that Indians who knew not the corrupt 

 influence and barter of spirituous liquors at a 

 Trading Post, were far happier, than the 

 wretched-looking group around me. The 

 duty devolved upon me, to seek to meliorate 

 their sad condition, as degraded and emaci- 

 ated, wandering in ignorance, and wearing 

 away a short existence in one continued suc- 

 cession of hardships in procuring food. I was 

 told of difficulties, and some spoke of impossi- 

 bilities in the way of teaching them Christi- 

 anity or the first rudiments of settled and 



