226 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



relatives, imagining we were the persons, 

 might vent their revenge on us. We re- 

 gretted to learn that these diseases had 

 been so very destructive among the tribes 

 along the Saskatchawan, as to have carried 

 off about three hundred persons, Crees and 

 Asseenaboines, within the trading circle of 

 these establishments. The interpreter also 

 informed us of another bad trait peculiar to 

 the Stone Indians. Though they receive a 

 visitor kindly at their tents, and treat him 

 very hospitably during his stay, yet it is 

 very probable they will despatch some 

 young men to way-lay and rob him in going 

 towards the post : indeed, all the traders 

 assured us it was more necessary to be 

 vigilantly on our guard on the occasion of a 

 visit to them, than at any other time. 



Carlton House, (which our observations 

 place in latitude 52° 50' 47" N., longitude, 

 106° 12' 42" W., variation 20° 44' 47" E.) 

 is pleasantly situated about a quarter of a 

 mile from the river's side on the flat ground 

 under the shelter of the high banks that 

 bound the plains. The land is fertile, and 



