130 ASSINNIBOINE AND SASKATCHEWAN EXPEDITION. 



Indians sat on the banks of the river gazing at its waters, 

 and on the gloomy shore which lay wrapped in mist on 

 the other side. Time after time the mist before us would 

 roll away and reveal the mouth of another great river 

 pouring its flood into the one on whose banks I was 

 sitting. The country to the south of this river was 

 bright and glorious, to the north, dark and gloomy. On 

 the one side were the happy hunting-grounds, on the 

 other the hunting-grounds of bad Indians. Time after 

 time my companions tried to cross the swift stream before 

 us, in order to reach the happy hunting-grounds ; some 

 arrived in safety, others readied the north bank, and 

 disappeared in the mist which overhung the bad country. 

 I tried at last, but the current was too strong for me, the 

 recollection of bad deeds prevented me from stemming 

 the current, and I was swept on to the north shore of the 

 opposite river. I scrambled up the bank, and spent 

 many moons in hunting in that dreary land ; always on 

 the point of starving, or being hurt by enemies, or wet 

 and cold and miserable. At length I came upon a river 

 like the one I had crossed, with mists and the mouth of a 

 great stream opposite to me ; breaking clouds soon re- 

 vealed happy hunting-grounds on one side, and a more 

 gloomy and terrible country on the other. Many Indians 

 were there before me, looking at the river and trying to 

 cross ; some succeeded, but a few were swept to the bad 

 country, these were very wicked Indians. I tried to 

 cross. I knew I had been a good Indian in this dreary 

 hunting-ground. I took courage, and swam strong against 

 the stream. I reached the happy hunting-grounds ; all 

 my sorrow disappeared as I climbed to the top of the 

 bank and saw before me Indians numerous as grass leaves, 

 buffalo on the distant plains thick as raindrops in sum- 

 mer, a cloudless sky above, and a warm, fresh, scented, 



