Harmon's journal. 119 



turned from the fort ; and as I now had spir- 

 its for the Natives, they, of course, drank during 

 the whole night. Being so numerous, they made 

 a terrible noise. They stole a small keg of spir- 

 its from us, and one of them attempted to stab me. 

 The knife went through my clothesvand just graz- 

 ed the skin of my body. To day 1 spoke to the 

 Indian who made this attempt, and he cried like a 

 child, and said, he had nearly killed his father, 

 meaning me, and asked me why I did not tie him, 

 when he had lost the use of his reason. — My peo- 

 ple inform me that there is little or no snow, for 

 three days' march from this ; but that after that, 

 there is an abundance, all the way to the fort. 



Friday, 16. About twelve o'clock, we left the 

 Indians' camp ; but being heavily loaded, consider- 

 ing there is no snow and our property is drawn by 

 dogs on sledges, we made slow progress. After 

 we had encamped, we sent our dogs, which are 

 twenty two in number, after the buffaloe ; and 

 they soon stopped one of them, when one of our 

 party went and killed him with an axe, for we 

 have not a gun with us. It is, however, impru- 

 dent for us to venture thus far, without fire arms ; 

 for every white man, when in this savage country, 

 ought at all times to be well armed. Then he 

 need be under little apprehension of an attack $ 

 for Indians, when sober, are not inclined to hazard 



