" BUNG AYS.' 



333 



Since we have been on the Qu'appelle we have fre- 

 quently noticed thunderstorms towards the north-west 

 and north, in the neighbourhood of the Touchwood Hill 

 range, which did not reach us ; the day before yesterday 

 (21st July) a very violent thunderstorm in, the Qu'appelle 

 valley, which delayed -us for several hours, did not wet 

 the carts ten miles to the south. Eain clouds appear to 

 follow the Touchwood Hill range ; the frequency of 

 storms in that region is proverbial, and the richness of 

 the vegetation there proves that an abundant supply of 

 rain falls during the hot summer months. 



Soon after sunset our camp received an unexpected 

 addition of six " Bungays," * who were on their way to 

 Fort Ellice with dried buffalo meat and pemmican. 



They had been hunting between the two branches of 

 the Saskatchewan, and represented the season as very dry 

 and the buffalo scarce. We passed a quiet and friendly 

 night with them, and on the following morning made 

 them a small present and pursued our way to the Grand 

 Forks. 



I happened to be about 100 yards in advance of the 

 carts, after we had traveled for about a quarter of an 

 hour, when hearing a loud clatter of horses' feet behind 

 me, I looked round and saw the six Indians approaching 

 at a gallop. One of them, who had represented himself as 

 a chief, seized my bridle, drew the horse's head round, 

 and motioned me to dismount. I replied by jerking my 

 bridle out of the Indian's hand. My people came up at 

 this moment and asked in Cree what this interference 

 meant. " We wanted to have a little more talk," said the 

 chief ; " we are anxious to know the reason why you are 

 traveling through our country." It turned out after a 



Crees and Ojibways of mixed origin. 



