170 



A JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



another Indian tent, ten miles to the southward, but we found only 

 the frame, or tent poles, standing, when we reached the spot. The 

 men, by digging where the fire-place had been, ascertained that the 

 Indians had quitted it the day before ; and as their marches are 

 short, when encumbered with the women and baggage, we sought 

 out their track, and followed it. At an abrupt angle of it, which 

 was obscured by trees, the men suddenly disappeared; and, hasten- 

 ing forward to discover the cause, I perceived them both still rolling 

 at the foot of a steep cliff, over which they had been dragged, while 

 endeavouring to stop the descent of their sledges. The dogs were 

 gazing silently, with the wreck of their harness about them, and the 

 sledges deeply buried in the snow. The effects of this accident 

 did not detain us long, and we proceeded afterwards with greater 

 caution. 



The air was warm at noon, and the solitary but sweet notes of 

 the jay, the earliest spring bird, were in every wood. Late in the 

 evening we descried the ravens wheeling in circles round a small 

 grove of poplars, and, according to our expectations, found the 

 Indians encamped there. The men were absent hunting, and re- 

 turned unsuccessful. They had been several days without provisions, 

 and thinking that I could depend upon the continuance of their 

 exertions, I gave them a little rum ; the next day they set out, and 

 at midnight they swept by us with their dogs in close pursuit. 



In the morning we found that a moose had eaten the bark of a 

 tree near our fire. The hunters, however, again failed ; and they 

 attributed the extreme difficulty of approaching the chase, to the 

 calmness of the weather, which enabled it to hear them at a great 

 distance. 



They concluded, as usual, when labouring under any affliction, 

 that they were tormented by the evil spirit; and assembled to 

 beat a large tambourine, and sing an address to the manito, or deity, 

 praying for relief, according to the explanation which I received : 



