110 



Harmon's journal. 



pass the winter, by the side of the X. Y. people. 

 For some time after our arrival, we subsisted on 

 rose buds, a kind of food neither very palatable 

 nor nourishing, which we gathered in the fields. 

 They were better than nothing, since they would 

 just support life. When we should procure any 

 thing better, I knew not, as the buffaloes at that 

 time, in consequence of the mild weather, were a 

 great distance, out in the large plains, and my 

 hunters could find neither moose nor deer. We 

 hoped, however, that a merciful God would not 

 suffer us to starve ; and that hope has not been 

 disappointed, for we have now provisions in 

 abundance, for which we endeavour to be thank- 

 ful. 



On the llth instant, I took one of my interpre- 

 ters and ten labouring men with me, and proceed- 

 ed several days' march into the wilderness, where 

 we found a camp of upwards of thirty lodges of 

 Crees and Assiniboins, of whom we made a good 

 purchase of furs and provisions. They were en- 

 camped on the summit of a hill, whence we had an 

 extensive view of the surrounding country, which 

 was low and level. Not a tree could be seen, as far 

 as the eye could extend ; and thousands of buffa- 

 loes were to be seen grazing, in different parts of 

 the plain. In order to kill them, the Natives in 

 large bands, mount their horses, run them down 



