OJIBWAY HUNTER. 



313 



protruding from the bank of Shell Creek, 20 feet below 

 the prairie's level. Mr. McKay instructed some of the 

 hunters attached to the post to bring them to him, but no 

 Indians would touch them, and the half-breeds only 

 brought a tooth and collar bone, which were stated by a 

 medical gentleman to whom they were shown to have 

 formerly belonged to a mammoth. Mr. Christie, of Port 

 Pelly, we were told, went to Shell Creek, with a view to 

 collect more specimens ; he obtained some ribs, but in a 

 state of crumbling decay ; they were sent to Eed Eiver 

 Settlement. The Indians had long regarded these ancient 

 relics as the bones of a Manitou and worthy objects of 

 veneration. An old Indian on Dauphin Lake, to whom 

 reference will be made hereafter, described similar bones 

 in the banks of Valley Eiver leading to Dauphin Lake ; 

 but the season was too late when exploring that part of 

 the country to permit of an examination. 



On Monday, the 12th, preparations for continuing our 

 journey westward were completed, by engaging an Indian 

 to assist in paddling Mr. Dickinson down the Qu'appelle 

 or Calling Eiver from the Mission to its junction with the 

 Assinniboine. The half of his wages he stipulated to 

 have in advance. Mr. McKay told me he was a bad 

 Indian and not to be trusted, but we could not succeed 

 in getting another. When on the point of starting, a 

 young Ojibway, painted and adorned with feathers, gal- 

 loped up to the post, entered the room, drew from beneath 

 his moose skin robe two moose tongues and a mouffle, 

 which he quietly handed to Mr. McKay, and, squatting 

 on the floor without speaking a word, lit his pipe. After 

 a few minutes, he informed us that he and his father had 

 killed two moose, thirty miles off, and desired McKay to 

 send for them. Two half-breed hunters also arrived at 

 this moment, in sad plight, hungry and tired, with worn 



