La Ronde’s Return--Letters from Home--A Feast--The Journey to Red River and back--Hardships--The Frozen Train-- Three Extra Days--The Sioux at Fort Garry--Their Spoils of War--Late Visitors--Musk-Rats and their Houses-- Rat-catching--Our Weather-glass--Moose Hunting in the Spring--Extreme Wariness of the Moose--His Stratagem to Guard against Surprise--Marching during the Thaw--Prepare to leave Winter Quarters--Search for the Horses--Their Fine Condition--Nutritious Pasturage--Leave La Belle Prairie--Carlton again--Good-bye to Treemiss and La Ronde--Baptiste Supernat--Start for Fort Pitt--Passage of Wild-Fowl--Baptiste’s Stories--Crossing Swollen Rivers--Addition to our Party--Shooting for a Living-- The Prairie Bird’s Ball--Fort Pitt--Peace between the Crees and Blackfeet--Cree Full Dress--The Blackfeet--The Dress of their Women--Indian Solution of a Difficulty-- Rumours of War--Hasty Retreat of the Blackfeet--Louis Battenotte, “The Assiniboine”--His Seductive Manners-- Departure for Edmonton--A Night Watch--A Fertile Land-- The Works of Beaver--Their Effect on the Country--Their Decline in Power--How we crossed the Saskatchewan--Up the Hill--Eggs and Chickens--Arrive at Edmonton 161 CHAPTER XI. Edmonton--Grisly Bears--The Roman Catholic Mission at St. Alban’s--The Priest preaches a Crusade against the Grislies--Mr. Pembrun’s Story--The Gold Seekers--Perry, the Miner--Mr. Hardisty’s Story--The Cree in Training-- Running for Life--Hunt for the Bears--Life at a Hudson’s Bay Fort--Indian Fortitude--Mr. O’B. introduces Himself-- His Extensive Acquaintance--The Story of his Life--Wishes to Accompany us--His Dread of Wolves and Bears--He comes into the Doctor’s hands--He congratulates us upon his Accession to our Party--The Hudson’s Bay People attempt to dissuade us from trying the Leather Pass--Unknown Country on the West of the Mountains--The Emigrants--The other Passes--Explorations of Mr. Ross and Dr. Hector-- Our Plans--Mr. O’B. objects to “The Assiniboine”--“The Assiniboine” protests against Mr. O’B.--Our Party and Preparations 183 CHAPTER XII.