Oowikapun, How the Gospel Reached the Nelson River Indians, By ReverendEgerton Ryerson Young. 

________________________________________________________________________An interesting book, written largely from the point of view of anIndian, Oowikapun, who, when out hunting, receives a severe wound from abear, and is looked after by a converted Christian Indian, who has sucha different outlook on life from that of Oowikapun, for instance in thetreatment of his womenfolk. 

The book goes on from there, and eventually a missionary is sent for tothe Nelson River, who delivers himself of an enormously long sermon, of several hours duration, which apparently the occasion demanded. 

There are many very interesting commentaries on the way of life of theIndians and of the missionaries. The point is made that the size ofthe area covered by each missionary may be as large as the whole ofFrance, or the whole of Germany, which makes strongly the point thatmuch of a missionary's life is spent travelling by canoe or dog-train. 

________________________________________________________________________OOWIKAPUN, HOW THE GOSPEL REACHED THE NELSON RIVER INDIANS, BY REVERENDEGERTON RYERSON YOUNG. 

Or, How the Gospel Reached the Nelson River Indians. 

CHAPTER ONE. 

THE WOLF TRAP. 

That Oowikapun was unhappy, strangely so, was evident to all in theIndian village. New thoughts deeply affecting him had in some way orother entered into his mind, and he could not but show that they wereproducing a great change in him. 

The simple, quiet, monotonous life of the young Indian hunter wascuriously broken in upon, and he could never be the same again. Therehad come a decided awakening; the circle of his vision had suddenlyenlarged, and he had become aware of the fact that he was something morethan he imagined. While, in his simple faith, he had paddled along thebeautiful rivers, or wandered through the wild forests of his country, catching the fish or hunting the game, where at times he had heard thethunder's crash and seen the majestic tree riven by the lightning'spower, and perhaps in these seasons of nature's wild commotion had "seenGod in cloud and heard him in the wind, " yet until very lately he hadnever heard of anything which had caused him to imagine that he was inany way allied to that Great Spirit, or was in any way responsible tohim. 

What was the cause of this mental disquietude, of these long hours ofabsorbing thought?

To answer these inquiries we must go back a little, and accompany him ona hunting trip which he made in the forest months ago. 

Hearing from some other hunters of a place where grey wolves werenumerous, and being ambitious to kill some of these fierce brutes, thathe might adorn his wigwam with their warm skins, he took his traps andcamping outfit and set out for that region of country, although it wasmore than two hundred miles away. Here he found tracks in abundance, and so before he made his little hunting lodge in the midst of a sprucegrove, he set his traps for the fierce wolves in a spot which seemed tobe a rallying place of theirs. As they are very suspicious and clever, he carefully placed two traps close together and sprinkled them overwith snow, leaving visible only the dead rabbits which served as bait. Then scattering more snow over his own tracks as he moved away, in orderto leave as little evidence of his having been there as possible, hereturned to his little tentlike lodge and prepared and ate his supper, smoked his pipe, and then wrapping himself up in his blanket was soonfast asleep. Very early next morning he was up and off to visit histraps. His axe was slipped in his belt, and his gun, well loaded, wascarried ready for use if necessary. When he had got within a fewhundred yards of the place where he had set his heavy traps, he heardthe rattling of the chains which were attached to them, each fastened toa heavy log. This sound, while it made his heart jump, was verywelcome, for it meant that he had been successful. When he drew nearthe spot where he had set the traps, he found that a fierce old wolf, intrying to get the rabbit from one of them without springing it, had gotcaught in the other, and although both of his hind legs were held by thesharp teeth of the trap, he had managed to drag it and the heavy logfastened to it to quite a distance. 

When Oowikapun drew near, the wolf made the most desperate efforts toescape; but the strong trap held him securely, and the heavy log on thechain made it impossible for him to get far away. 

Oowikapun could easily have shot him, but ammunition was dear and thebullet hole in the skin would be a blemish, and the sound of the gunmight scare away the game that might be near; so he resolved to kill thewolf with the back of his axe. Better would it have been for him if hehad shot him at once. So putting down his gun he took his axe out ofhis belt and cautiously approached the treacherous brute. The sight ofthe man so near seemed to fill him with fury, and, unable to escape, hemade the most desperate efforts to reach him. His appearance, wasdemoniacal, and his howls and snarls would have terrified almost anybodyelse than an experienced, cool-headed hunter. 

Oowikapun, seeing what an ugly customer he had to deal with, verycautiously kept just beyond the limits of the fearful plunges which thechain would allow the wolf to make, and keenly watched for anopportunity to strike him on the head. So wary and quick was the wolfthat some blows received only maddened without disabling him. 

Oowikapun at length, becoming annoyed that he should have any difficultyin killing an entrapped wolf, resolved to end the conflict at once witha decisive blow; and so with upraised axe he placed himself as near ashe thought safe, and waited for the infuriated brute to spring at him. But so much force did the entrapped brute put into that spring that itcarried the log attached to the chain along with him, and his sharp, glittering fang-like teeth snapped together within a few inches ofOowikapun's throat, and such was the force of the concussion that he washurled backward, and ere he could assume the aggressive, the sharp teethof the wolf had seized his left arm, which he threw up for defence, andseemed to cut down to the very bone, causing intense pain. ButOowikapun was a brave man and cool-headed, so a few blows from the keenedge of the axe in his right hand finished his foe, whose only weaponswere his sharp teeth, and he was soon lying dead in the snow; but hisbeautiful skin was about worthless as a robe on account of the manygashes it had received, much to the annoyance of Oowikapun, who had notdreamed of having so severe a battle. 

The traps were soon reset and Oowikapun, with the heavy wolf on hisback, set out for his camp. As he had set some smaller traps for minksand martens in a different direction, he turned aside to visit them. This would cause him to return to his camp by another trail. Whilemoving along under his heavy load he was surprised to come across thesnowshoe tracks of another hunter. He examined them carefully, anddecided that they were made by some person who must have passed alongthere that very morning, early as it was. 

As the trail of this stranger, whoever it could be, was in the directionof the traps which Oowikapun wished to visit, he followed them up. Whenhe reached his traps he found that a mink had been caught in one ofthem, but the stranger had taken it out and hung it up in plain sightabove the trap on the branch of a tree. Then the stranger, putting onfresh bait, had reset the trap. Of course Oowikapun was pleased withthis, and delighted that the stranger, whoever he was, had acted sohonestly and kindly toward him. 

Fastening the mink in his belt he hurried on to his camp as fast as hecould under his heavy load, for his wounded arm had begun to swell andwas causing him intense pain. His stoical Indian nature would havecaused him to withstand the pain with indifference, but when heremembered how the wolf, maddened by his capture, had wrought himself upinto such a frenzy that his mouth was all foaming with madness when hemade that last desperate spring and succeeded in fastening his fangs inhis arm, he feared that perhaps some of the froth might have got intohis arm, and unless some remedies were quickly obtained, madness mightcome to him, to be followed by a most dreadful death. 

But what could he do? He was several days' journey from his ownvillage, and many miles from any hunter of his acquaintance. He had, inhis vanity, come alone on this hunting expedition, and now alone in thewoods, far away from his friends, here he is in his little huntinglodge, a dangerously wounded man. 

Fortunately he had taken the precaution of sucking as many of the woundsas he could reach with his mouth, and then had bound a deerskin thong onhis arm above the wound as tightly as he could draw it. 

Very few, comparatively, were the diseases among the aboriginal tribesof America before the advent of the white man. Their vocation ashunters, however, rendered them liable to many accidents. 

Possessing no firearms, and thus necessarily obliged to come in closecontact with the savage beasts in their conflict with them, they wereoften severely wounded. 

Fortunate was it for the injured one if he had companions near when thebone was fractured or the flesh torn. If, when accidents occur, theinjuries are not considered very desperate, a little camp is improvisedand with a day or two of rest, with some simple remedies from nature'sgreat storehouse--the forest--a cure is quickly effected. If a leg orarm is broken, a stretcher of young saplings is skillfully prepared, interwoven with broad bands of soft bark, and on this elastic, easycouch the wounded man is rapidly carried to his distant wigwam by hiscompanions. 

When there are but two persons, and an accident happens to one of them, two young trees that are tough and elastic are used. Then tops of smallbranches are allowed to remain, and very much diminish the joltingcaused by the inequalities of the ground. No carriage spring ever moresuccessfully accomplished its purpose. A couple of cross bars preservethe saplings in position, and the bark of some varieties of shrubs ortrees cut into bands and joined to either side forms a comfortablecouch. In this way an injured man has often been dragged many miles byhis companion, and in some instances it has been found on his arrival athis forest home that the fractured bones were uniting, and soon the limbwas whole again. 

With these healthy, simple children of the forest wounds heal with greatrapidity and fractured bones soon unite. This reparative power of theIndians when injured is only paralleled by the wonderful stoicism withwhich they bear injuries, and at times inflict upon themselves theseverest torture. With flints as substitutes for lances, they will cutopen the largest abscesses to the very bone. They will amputate limbswith their hunting knives, checking the haemorrhage with red-hot stonesas was done long years ago by the surgeons of Europe. 

With marvellous nerve many a wounded hunter or warrior has been known toamputate his own limb, or sew up with sinew the gaping wounds receivedin conflict with the hostile foe or savage beast. They were cognisantof the value, and extensively used warm fomentations. If rheumatism orother kindred diseases assailed them, the Turkish bath in a very simpleform was often used. Sometimes a close tent of deerskins served thepurpose. The patient was put in a little tent where, in a hollow underhim, heated stones were placed, over which water was thrown until theconfined air was heated to the required temperature and saturated withthe steam. 

Oowikapun had fortunately broken no bones in his battle with the savagewolf, but he knew that his wounds were dangerous. Some of them were sosituated in his arm that he could not reach them with his mouth in orderthat he might suck out the poisonous saliva of the wolf that he fearedmight be in them, and it now being in the depth of winter, he could notobtain the medicinal herbs which the Indians use as poultices fordangerous wounds of this description. 

While brooding over his misfortune he suddenly remembered the snowshoetracks of the stranger, and at once resolved to try and find his lodge, and secure help. To decide was to act. The few preparations necessarywere soon made, and taking the most direct route to the spot where hehad last seen the trail of the stranger he was soon in it. He wasuncertain at first whether to go backward or forward on it in order toreach the wigwam, for he had not the remotest idea whether these tracksled to it or from it. But his native shrewdness came into play to solvethe question. First he noticed from the way the shoes sunk in the snowthat the man was carrying a heavy load; next he observed that the trackswere not like those of a hunter going out from his home, moving aboutcautiously locking for game, but were rather those of a man well loadedfrom a successful hunt, and pushing on straight for home with hisburden. Quickly had he read these things and arrived at hisconclusions; so he resolved to go on with the trail, and he was notdisappointed. He had travelled only a few miles, ere in a pleasantgrove of balsam trees, on the borders of a little ice-covered lake, hediscovered, by the ascending smoke from the top, the wigwam of hisunknown friend. 

Without hesitancy he marched up to it, and lifting the large moose skinwhich served as its only door, he stooped down and entered in. Apleasant fire was burning on the ground in the centre, and partlycircled around it was the Indian family. As though Oowikapun had beenlong looked for as an expected, honoured guest, he was cordiallywelcomed in quiet Indian style and directed to a comfortable place inthe circle, the seat of the stranger. The pipe of peace was handed tohim, and but few words were spoken until he had finished it. 

Indian eyes are sharp, even if at times words are few; and it was notmany minutes before the owner of the wigwam saw that something waswrong, and so he drew from him the story of the killing of the wolf andhis fears that perhaps all the froth from his teeth had not been rubbedoff by the leather shirt and other covering through which they hadpassed as they pierced into his arm. 

If Oowikapun had travelled a thousand miles he could not have been morefortunate than he was in the man to whom he had gone; for this man wasMemotas, the best Indian doctor in all that vast country, who, when hishunting seasons were over, spent his time in studying the medicinalqualities of the roots and herbs of the country which the Good Spirithad created for some good purpose, and then in being a benediction and ablessing to the afflicted ones by their use among them, with but verylittle fee or reward, as a general thing, in return. 

Quickly did Memotas apply his remedies, both external and internal, forhe knew the risks the man was running; and he gently insisted on hisremaining in his wigwam as his guest for several days until he wasrecovered from his wounds. He would not even hear of his going to visithis traps, for fear of his heating his blood by the vigorous exercise, and thus aggravating the wounds. So Memotas himself looked after them, and several times returned with rich spoils of fur-bearing animals, which he gladly handed over to the grateful man. 

These great kindnesses completely won the heart of Oowikapun, whoconsidered himself very fortunate in finding so kind a friend in hishours of need. The kind-hearted wife of Memotas was also interested inOowikapun, and did all she could to add to his comfort and hasten hisrecovery. The injured man had been surprised at the kindness andrespect which Memotas constantly manifested toward her, and was amazedthat he often asked her advice. He did not, as the married men withwhom Oowikapun was acquainted, treat her unkindly, nor even consider heras much inferior to himself. 

While Memotas's wife, whose Indian name was Meyooachimoowin, was veryindustrious, and kept her wigwam and her children tidy and clean, yetshe was never considered as merely a drudge and a slave and left to doall the heavy work. Strange to say, she was not allowed to cut the woodin the forest and then drag it home. Neither did she carry the heavybuckets of water up from the lake, as other Indian women were accustomedto do. Nor did she go out into the woods, perhaps miles away, and carryhome on her back the deer which her husband had shot. Memotas neverwould allow her to do anything of the kind. He did all this himself, and seemed even anxious to save her from fatigue and toil. Then whenthe meals were prepared she was not gruffly sent away to wait until themen had eaten, but with them and the children she sat down on terms ofperfect equality. 

Then, as regards the children, a boy and girl, whom they calledMeyookesik and Sagastao, he noticed that the girl was just as much lovedand petted as the boy, and even as kindly treated. This was a state ofaffairs entirely unknown in the wigwams of the pagan Indians. There theboys are petted and spoiled and early taught to be proud and haughty, and to consider that all girls and women, even their own sisters andmother, are much inferior to them, and only worthy of their kicks andcontempt. The boys get the best of everything and are allowed to eatwith the men first; while the poor women and girls have to wait untilthey are finished, and then be content with what is left, often notmuch; and even then they have to struggle with the dogs for thefragments. The result is they are often half starved. 

CHAPTER TWO. 

A CONTRAST. 

Oowikapun was bewildered at the marvellous contrast between what he hadbeen accustomed to witness in the wretched wigwams and lives of his ownpeople and what he here saw in this bright little tent of Memotas. Itwas all so new and strange to him. Everybody seemed so happy. Therewere no rude words said by the boy to his mother and no tyrannising overhis sister. With equal affection Memotas treated Meyookesik andSagastao, and great indeed was his kindness and attention to his wife. At first Oowikapun's old prejudices and defective education as regardswomen almost made him believe that Memotas was lacking in brave, manlyqualities to allow his wife and daughter to be on such loving terms ofequality with himself and his son. But when he became better acquaintedwith him, he found that this was not the case. 

Oowikapun could not then solve this question, neither did he until inafter years he became a Christian. 

There was one custom observed in the wigwam of Memotas that gaveOowikapun more surprise than any of these to which we have referred, forit was something which he had never heard of nor seen before. It wasthat in the morning and evening Memotas would take out of a bag a littlebook printed in strange characters, and read from it while his wife andchildren reverently and quietly sat around him and listened to thestrange words. Then they would sing in a manner so different from thewild, droning, monotonous songs of the conjurers, that Oowikapun wasfilled with a strange feeling of awe, which was much increased when theyall knelt down reverently on the ground and Memotas seemed to talk withthe Great Spirit and call him his Father. Then he thanked him for alltheir blessings, and asked his forgiveness for everything they had donethat was wrong, and he asked his blessing upon his family and everybodyelse, even upon his enemies, if he had any. Then he besought the GreatSpirit to bless Oowikapun, and not only heal his wounds, but take thedarkness from his mind and make him his child. He always ended hisprayers by asking the Great Spirit to do all these things for the sakeof his Son Jesus. 

All this was very strange and even startling to Oowikapun. He had livedall his life in a land dark with superstition and paganism. The Gospelhad as yet never been proclaimed there. The name of Jesus had neverbeen heard in that wild north-land, and so as none of the blessedness ofreligion had entered into the hearts of the people, so none of itssweet, losing, elevating influences had begun to ennoble and bless theirlives and improve their habits. So he pondered over what he witnessedand heard, and was thankful when the day's hunting was over, and Memotaswould talk to him as they sat there on their robes around the fire, often for hours at a time. From him he learned how it was that they hadso changed in many of their ways. Memotas told him of the coming toNorway House of the first missionary, the Reverend James Evans, with thebook of heaven, the words of the Good Spirit to his children. He toldhim many of the wonderful things it speaks about, and that it showed howman was to love and worship God, and thus secure his blessing andfavour. The little book which Memotas had was composed of the fourgospels only. These Mr Evans had had printed at the village in Indianletters, which he had invented and called "syllabic characters. " Theyare so easily learned by the Indians, that in a few weeks those who werediligent in their studies were able to read fluently those portions ofthe word of God already translated for them, as well as a number ofbeautiful hymns. Oowikapun had never heard of such things, and was soamazed and confounded that he could hardly believe that he was in hisright mind, especially when Memotas, to try and give him some idea ofthe syllabic characters in which his little book was printed, madelittle sentences with a piece of coal on birch bark, and then handedthem to his wife and children, who easily read out what had beenwritten. That birch bark could talk, as he expressed it, was a mysteryindeed. 

When the time came for Oowikapun to return to his home Memotas went withhim quite a distance. He had become very much interested in him, andbeing a happy Christian himself, he was anxious that this man, who hadcome to him and been benefited physically, should hear about his soul'sneed, and the great Physician who could heal all its diseases. Lovinglyand faithfully he talked to him and urged him to accept of this greatsalvation. Then he asked him to kneel down with him, and there, alonewith him and God, Memotas prayed earnestly that this dark pagan brothermight yet come into the light of the blessed Gospel. Then he kissedhim, and they parted, not to meet again for years. 

Happy would it have been for Oowikapun if he had responded to Memotas'sentreaties and become a Christian, but the heart is hard and blinded aswell as deceitful, and the devil is cunning. So long, sad years passedby ere Oowikapun, after trying, as we shall see, other ways to findpeace and soul comfort, humbled himself at the cross, and found peace inbelieving on the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Oowikapun returned to his little lodge, rekindled the fire, and tried toenter upon his hunting life where he had left off when wounded by thewolf. He stretched the furs already secured, and then early nextmorning visited his traps and spent the rest of the day hunting fordeer. His success was not very great; the fact is, what he had heardand witnessed during the days of his sojourn in the wigwam of Memotashad given him so much food for thought that he was not concentrating hismind on his work in a manner that would bring success. He wouldsometimes get into a reverie so absorbing that he would stop in thetrail and strive to think over and over again what he had heard aboutthe good book and its teachings. Very suddenly one day was he rousedout of one of these reveries. He had gone out to visit some traps whichhe had set in a place where he had noticed the tracks of wild cats. While going along through a dense forest with his gun strapped on hisback he got so lost in thought that his naturally shrewd instincts as ahunter, sharpened by practice, seemed to have deserted him, and henearly stumbled over a huge, old she bear and a couple of young cubs. With a growl of rage at being thus disturbed the fierce brute rushed athim, and quickly broke up his reverie and brought him back to a sense ofpresent danger. To unstrap his gun in time for its successful use wasimpossible, but the ever-ready sharp pointed knife was available, and soOowikapun, accustomed to such battles, although never before taken sounexpectedly, sprang back to the nearest tree, which fortunately for himwas close at hand. With a large tree at his back, and a good knife inhis hand, an experienced Indian has the advantage on his side and cangenerally kill his savage antagonist without receiving a wound, but ifattacked by a black bear in the open plain, when armed with only aknife, the hunter very rarely kills his enemy without receiving afearful hug or some dangerous wounds. 

One of the first bits of advice which an old, experienced Indian huntergives to a young hunter, be he white or Indian, who goes out anxious tokill a bear, or who may possibly while hunting for other game beattacked by one, is to get his back up against a tree so large that ifthe bear is not killed by the bullet of his gun, he may be in the bestpossible position to fight him with his knife. It will be no child'splay, for a wounded, maddened bear is a fierce foe. The black bear'smethod of trying to kill his human antagonist is quite different fromthat of the grizzly bear of the Rocky Mountains. The grizzly strikesout with his dreadful claws with such force that he can tear a man topieces and is able to crush down a horse under his powerful blows, butthe black bear tries to get the hunter in his long, strong, armlike forelegs, and then crush him to death. The hug of a bear, as some huntersknow to their cost, is a warm, close embrace. Some who, by the quick, skillful use of their knives, or by the prompt arrival of a rescueparty, have been rescued from the almost deathly hug, have told me howtheir ribs have been broken and their breastbones almost crushed in bythe terrible embrace. I know of several who have been in such conflict, and although they managed to escape death by driving their knives intosome vital spot, yet they had suffered so much from broken ribs andother injuries received, that they were never as strong and vigorousafterward. But with a good tree at his back, his trusty knife in hishand, and his brain cool, the advantage is all on the side of thehunter. 

Among the many stories told of such conflicts, there is one by aCanadian Indian which shows that even the women know how to successfullyconquer in these encounters. This hunter was out looking for game, andhad succeeded in killing a deer, which he left in the woods with hiswife, skinning it, while he returned to his wigwam for his sled on whichto drag it home, as it was a large one. It was in the spring of theyear and there was still snow on the ground. A great, hungry bear thathad just left his den after his long winter's sleep of months, whileprowling about looking for food, got on the scent of the blood of thenewly killed deer, and following it up soon reached the spot where theIndian woman was skinning the animal. She had just time to spring upwith the knife in her hand and back up against a tree before thehalf-famished brute sprang on the partly skinned animal and begandevouring it. Seeing the woman so close, he seemed to think it best toget rid of her before eating his meat, so with a growl he rushed at her. He raised himself up on his hind legs and tried to get his fore pawsaround her, and thus crush her to death. She was a brave woman and knewwhat to do. Holding the knife firmly in her hand, she waited until hishot breath was in her face and he was trying to crowd his paws inbetween her back and the tree against which she was pressing herselfwith all her might, then with all her force she plunged the sharppointed knife into his body in the region of his heart and gave it aquick, sharp turn. So thoroughly and well did she do her work that thegreat, fierce brute could only throw up his paws and fall over dead. The brave squaw had killed him without receiving a scratch herself, andwhen her husband returned with his sled he found that, not only had hiswife skinned the deer, but also a big black bear. 

CHAPTER THREE. 

OOWIKAPUN'S VISION. 

So Oowikapun, though taken off his guard for once, was soon himselfagain, and ere the infuriated brute could get her paws around him, onequick, vigorous thrust of his knife was sufficient; and his antagonist;armed only with teeth and claws, lay dead before him. So sudden hadbeen the attack, and so quickly had come the deliverance, that for thefirst time in his life Oowikapun offered up as well as he could words ofthanksgiving to the Great Spirit for his escape. In his own crude wayand with the Indian's naturally religious instinct and traditions, hehad believed in the existence of a Good Spirit, which he calledKissa-Manito; and also in the existence of a bad spirit, whose name wasMuche-Manito; but in what little worship he had engaged heretofore hehad endeavoured to propitiate and turn away the malice of the evilspirit, rather than to worship the Good Spirit, in whom all Indiansbelieve, but about whom he had very vague ideas until his visit to theChristian hunter's wigwam. Now, however, even before he skinned thebear, as the result of that visit, he prayed to that Good Spirit, thegiver of all his blessings, and was grateful for his deliverance. Wouldthat he had continued trying to pray, even if he had received as yet butlittle instruction in the right way!

He was glad to get the meat and skin of the bear and also the two littlecubs, which he easily captured alive. Bending down some small trees, hetied the greater portion of the meat in the tops and then let them swingup again, as he could not carry much back with him in addition to theskin and the two frisky little bears. This plan of _caching_ suppliesin the tops of small trees, as the Indians call it, is almost the onlyway that things can be safely left in the woods where so many wildanimals are prowling about. If the meat were put up in the branches ofa large tree, the wolverines or wild cats would soon get on the scent ofit, and being able to climb the trees, would quickly make short work ofit. If buried in the ground, these animals, or perhaps the grey wolves, would soon get it; but bury it in the tops of the small trees which theanimals cannot climb, and which they have not wit enough to cut downwith their teeth, the _cache_ is safe until the owner comes for it. 

Thus Oowikapun hunted until the season was almost ended; and then makinga long light sled, he packed on it his furs and camping outfit, and thetwo little bears, which had become quite tame, and started out on hisreturn journey to his far-away northern home. Loaded as he was, he sawit would take him several days to make the journey, and so he resolvedto go a little out of his way and visit a village of Indians, at themeeting place of three rivers, and spend a little time with them, asthey were of the same tribe as his own people, and some of them weredistant relatives. Unfortunately for him they were in the midst of oneof their superstitious dances. The dances and sacrifices of dogs were akind of propitiatory offering to the Muche-Manito, the devil, to put himin good humour, so that he would not interfere with them and preventtheir having great success in the coming spring hunt. Of courseOowikapun was invited to join in the dance, but much to their surprisehe at first refused. This they could not understand, as in previousvisits he had been eager to spring into the magic circle and display hisagility and powers of endurance. When questioned as to his reasons fordeclining, he told them of his visit to the camp of Memotas and what hehad heard and witnessed. They gathered around him and, Indianlike, patiently listened in silence until he had told them his story. Unfortunately it was not only received with incredulity, but with scorn. The men were astounded, and indignantly exclaimed: "So he lets his wifeeat with him, does he? and cuts the wood himself, and carries the waterand prays to the Kissa-Manito to bless his enemies, instead of trying topoison or shoot them! That is the white man's religion, is it? whichthat Memotas has accepted. Well, let him keep it. It is not what wewant. As our fathers lived and died so will we. Don't be a fool, Oowikapun. You will be wanting one of our daughters one of these daysto be your wife; then if you treat her like Memotas treats his, she willbe coming back and telling our women all about it, and there will be apretty fuss. O no; this will never do. You have had bad medicinethrown into your eyes, and you do not see straight. "

Thus they answered him; and day after day they bantered him, until atlength the poor fellow--anxious to follow the entreaties of Memotas, butas yet unconscious of the divine power which he might have had if onlyhe had asked for it, and so lacking the strength to resist theentreaties of his heathen friends, especially when he heard from lyingconjurers that even the black-eyed maidens were talking about hisstrange unwillingness to join in the religious ceremonies for success inthe hunt--yielded to the tempter's power, and sprang into the circle, and with wild _abandon_ engaged in the dance. Madly and recklessly hedanced to the monotonous drummings of the wicked old conjurers andmedicine-men, who had been fearful that they were about to lose theirgrip upon him. A wild frenzy seemed to have entered into him, and so hedanced on and on until even his hardened, stalwart frame could stand itno longer, and suddenly he fell upon the ground in a state ofunconsciousness, and had to be carried away to a little wigwam, where ona bed of spruce branches he was left to recover consciousness when hemight. 

Such occurrences among the Indians in their wild state when celebratingsome of their religious ceremonies, such as this devil worship or theirsun or ghost dances, were not at all uncommon. Wrought up to a state offrenzy, some of these devotees ceased not their wild dancings day ornight, sometimes for three days continuously; and then when utterlyexhausted fell into a deathly swoon, which often continued for manyhours. In this sad plight was poor Oowikapun. 

For hours he remained more like a corpse than a living being, in a stateof absolute unconsciousness, and without an apparent movement of eithermuscle or limb. After a time the mind began to act, and strange anddistorted dreams and visions flitted through his disordered mind andtroubled him. At first all was confusion and discord. Then there cameto him something more like a vision than a dream, and so vividly was itimpressed upon him that it was never forgotten. 

Here it is as told me years after. Oowikapun dreamed that he was one ofa large company of his people who were on a long journey, which all hadto take. It led them over high mountains and trackless plains, alongswift rivers and across stormy lakes, through great forests, wherefierce wild beasts were ever ready to spring upon them, and wherequaking bogs were in the way to swallow up those who were for a momentoff their guard. The company was constantly diminishing as theyjourneyed on, for the dangers were so many that death in various formswas constantly cutting them off. The survivors, full of sadness, andhurried on by some irresistible impulse, could not stop long in the way. All they could do was to give those who had fallen a hasty burial andthen join in the onward march. 

Darker and darker became the sky, and worse and worse seemed the way;still they were impelled on and on. They had to cross the wide, stormylakes, and in every one of them some of the party were lost. In everyrough portage some fell fainting by the way, and sank down to rise nomore. The crouching panther and the fierce wolves in the dense forestswere ever on the alert, and many a man and woman, and even some of thelittle children, fell victims to these savage beasts. A feeling ofsadness and despair seemed to take possession of all. Vainly theycalled upon the conjurers and medicine-men to get help from theirManitos to make the ways easier and their sorrows less, and to find outfor them why they were travelling on this trail, and the place to whichit led. 

Very unsatisfactory were the answers which they received. They had noinformation to give about the trail; yet some said that they had heardfrom their forefathers that there was a place called the happy huntinggrounds beyond the high mountains; but the way was long and dark, andthey had no guide to lead them in the gloom, none to tell them how theycould find the passes in the mountains. While thus almostbroken-hearted in the way, the thought came to Oowikapun in his dream orvision that surely there must be a better trail than this rough one, wherein so many of the people were perishing so sadly. With thisthought in his mind he resolved, if possible, to break away from thecompany, and try to find a safer path. If he failed in his efforts andperished miserably in his search, why, what did it matter? They weredying off very rapidly where they were, and things could not be worse. 

Then if he succeeded in finding a better road, where the skies werebright, and the storms came not, and the portages were short and easilypassed, and the breezes on the lakes only wafted them on their way, andno savage beasts lurked along the trail, and he could find some one whohad been over the way, or could tell him that it ended well, and if hecould succeed in getting his people in this better path, how rejoiced heand they would be!

Then it seemed in his dream that he made the effort to break away; buthe told no one of what was in his heart or of his resolves, for he wasafraid of being ridiculed by his comrades if he should try and then failin his efforts. He found it very hard at first to get out from the oldtrail; but he persevered and succeeded, although but slowly at first. He found the way become smoother, and in some way which he could notunderstand help was being given him several times just when he neededit. Cheering words and sweet songs at times fell upon his ears, andmade him forget that he was alone and footsore in this trying work; andonce when his way led him over a great lake, and he was in a little boatin which it seemed impossible for him to reach the farther shore, and hewas about to give up in despair, a strong, firm hand took the littlehelm, and soon he was safe at his landing place. 

From this place the travelling was very much easier, and he journeyedon, ever looking for the safer trail for his people. Seeing before hima pleasant hill, he hurried to its summit, and there before him in thevalley, stretching away in the distance on and on until lost in a goldencloud of brightness, like the sunlight on the waters, he saw a broadtrail, smooth and beautiful, with a great company of happy peoplewalking in it. As he observed more carefully, he saw that some wereIndians, some white people, and some of other colours; but all seemed sohappy, bright, and joyous, that Oowikapun wept as he thought of theunhappy condition of his own people in the other trail. 

Wearied by his long journey, and charmed by the sight before him, hetarried there for hours, and then he thought he fell asleep; and whilein this condition a man with a covered face came to him and gentlyaroused him, and seeing that he had been weeping, asked in gentle, sympathetic tones why he should weep while before him there was so muchjoy and gladness. 

Touched by the kindly manner of the stranger, Oowikapun forgot his usualreserve, and told him all that was in his heart. While he talked thevisitor listened in silence until he had told his sad story, and thenheaving a sigh, that seemed full of sorrow, he said to Oowikapun: "Hasnot the Great Spirit pitied you and tried to help you? Did he not sendyou to the wigwam of one of his followers to give you some directionsabout getting in the better way? Is he not waiting and watching to seehow you are using what knowledge you have secured? Why have you so soonforgotten your first lesson?" Then he quickly moved to go, and as heturned away the covering for an instant dropped from his face, andOowikapun had a glimpse of it, and it vividly reminded him of Memotas. 

CHAPTER FOUR. 

A STRANGE BENEFACTOR. 

With a start Oowikapun awoke from his long sleep, confused andbewildered. So vivid had been his dream that it was some time before hecould grasp his surroundings and come back to life's realities. 

It was a night of intense darkness. Fierce, cold winds came shriekingout of the dense forest, and shook the little bark tent into which hehad been thrown, and whistled through its many chinks, and made himshiver. No cheerful fire burned in the centre, and there was not aperson in the wigwam to offer aid. Every bone and muscle in his bodyseemed to ache, and his mind was so distracted and his nerves unstrungthat he was thoroughly miserable. He was nearly destitute of clothing, for he had been carried out from the circle just as he had danced andfallen, and now here he was nearly naked and shivering with the cold. Vainly he felt about for his fire bag, in which he carried his flint andsteel, that he might strike a light; but in the inky darkness nothingcould be found. Only a visitor in the village, he felt, with Indianreserve, that it would be a great breach of decorum and a sign of greatweakness if he were to call out for help, and so, in spite of his achesand shiverings, he resolved that he would at least be a "brave, " andpatiently endure until the morning brought him light and friends. 

Very long indeed to Oowikapun seemed that cold, dark night. Thereaction had come, and physically and mentally he was to be pitied. Hisdance had carried him very near to the verge of the dance of death. Andthen owing to his vivid dream, although as yet he could not interpretmuch of it, there was the vague idea, as a haunting fear, that it hadcome to chide him for his cowardice in falling back and taking part inthe devil dance, after having heard of the other way. Thus filled withsorrow there he sat on his rude bed of boughs, hour after hour, with hislocked hands clasping his knees, and his head bowed down upon hisbreast. 

The few sounds which broke the stillness of those hours or interruptedthe sighing of the winds were not pleasant. A great owl ensconced in atree not far away began and maintained for a long time its monotonous"hoot-a-hoot a-hoo, " while away in the distant forest gloom, rising attimes shrill and distinct above the fitful wind, he heard the wail ofthe catamount or panther, the saddest and most mournful sound that everbroke the solitude of forest gloom. A sound at times so like theshrieking wail of a child in mortal agony, that heard close at hand ithas caused the face of many a brave wife of the backwoods settler, evenwhen all her loved ones were safe with her within the strong walls ofthe log house, to blanch with terror and to cry out with fear. Itsdespairing wail seemed to poor Oowikapun as the echo of the feeling ofhis saddened heart. 

But the longest night has an end, and to the patient watchers day dawncomes again. As the first rays of light began to enter through thecracks and crevices of the wigwam Oowikapun rejoiced greatly, and thenfell into a heavy sleep. 

When he awoke the camp fire was burning brightly on the ground beforehim, a warm blanket was over his shoulders, and food warm and invitingwas ready for him near the fire. 

It was very evident that some one had had compassion on him. Oowikapunrubbed his eyes, rose up and shook himself, and wondered whether thiswas a vision or a reality. His keen appetite, sharpened by longfasting, came to his help and naturally aided in the settling of thequestion; so he vigourously attacked the food, and, eating, wasrefreshed and comforted. 

Just as he was finishing his meal, the deerskin door of his lodge waspartially but noiselessly pulled aside, and his outer garments andIndian finery, including his prized fire bag, all of which he had thrownoff at the beginning of the dance, were quickly placed inside the door. The thing was done so speedily and quietly that it nearly escaped hisnotice, sharp and quick as he was; but a draught of air coming inthrough the partly opened door caused him to turn and look, but he wasonly in time to see a hand and shapely arm, on which was a beautifullywrought bracelet of Indian beadwork, draw close again the curtainlikedoor. 

It would have been considered a great breach of decorum if he hadmanifested any curiosity or had arisen to see who the person was to whomhe was indebted for this kindness. So curbing all curiosity he finishedhis breakfast and put on his apparel, and strange to say, seemed anxiousto be as presentable as possible. Then going out, he was soon greetedby his friends, who all began urging him to accept of theirhospitalities and go and eat with them. When Oowikapun stated that hehad eaten already a hearty meal, they were all astonished and amazed, and doubly so, when he told them of what had been done for him in thewigwam while he slept. Their heartless custom had ever been to leavethe unconscious dancer alone and uncared for until he emerged from thetent, and then offer him their hospitalities; but here had been astrange innovation, and the question was immediately raised, Who hasdone this? But in spite of many inquiries, everybody seemed to be inignorance. 

Oowikapun's curiosity was now aroused, and he became exceedinglydesirous of finding out who his benefactor was and expressing hisgratitude. Among other plans that were suggested to his mind was toendeavour to find out who had taken charge of his clothing and fire bagwhile he was dancing in the tent. But even here, he failed to get anyclue. Everybody seemed to have become so absorbed in the ceremonies ofthe dance, or in watching the endurance of the dancers, that all minorthings were forgotten. 

When the conjurers and medicine-men came to congratulate Oowikapun onhis efforts, and called his dances "good medicine, " a sudden feeling ofabhorrence and repulsion came into his heart toward these men; and asquickly as he dared he turned from them in disgust, and resolved to getout of the village and away from their influence as soon as possible. 

His few preparations were soon completed, and saying, "What cheer?" theIndian farewell, to his relatives, he securely fastened his little bearswith his furs upon his sled, and throwing the strap over his shoulder, resumed the trail that led to his still distant home. Soon he was outof the village and in the forest. Snares and traps abounded on eachside of the path, for the game was plentiful. Especially were therabbits and white partridges, the beautiful ptarmigan, very abundantthat winter and spring, and hundreds were caught in snares by the boysand women and girls; and so for a time he had the well-beaten trail overwhich these people travelled as they daily visited their snares. 

On pushed Oowikapun until nearly every snowshoe track of these huntershad disappeared, and but few were seen, and the sense of being aloneagain in the forest, or nearly so, returned to him with depressingresults. Rapidly and vividly did there pass through his memory theevents of the last few days spent in the village just left behind; andespecially did his singular dream come up before him, and a feeling ofremorse filled his heart that he had yielded to the importunities of hispagan friends and had been persuaded to take any part in the dance. Then his thoughts went farther back, and he was with Memotas again, andthe memory of their last walk came up so distinctly, and especially theloving words about the true way; and then as he recalled the spot wherewith him he had bowed in prayer, and then put up his hand on his browwhere the good man's kiss had been imprinted, the very spot seemed toburn, and Oowikapun could have wept, only he was indignant at hiscowardice. 

Thus moodily he strode along on the trail, now nearly destitute of allevidences of having been used by the hunters, when he was startled andamazed by an unexpected sound that seemed strangely out of place. Itwas a woman's voice he heard; and although the tones were low andplaintive, yet he could easily make out the words of the song, for hehad heard them over and over again in the wigwam of Memotas. They were:

 "Jesus net it a ye-moo-win, Is pe-mek ka ke it oo-tate, Weya pi-ko ne mah-me-sin, Nesta a-we itoo ta-yan. "

To our readers who may not be posted in the Cree language of the farNorth, we give the English translation of the verse:

 "Jesus, my all, to heaven is gone, He whom I fix my hopes upon; His track I see, and I'll pursue The narrow way, till him I view. "

This hymn was the first translated into Cree. It is a generalfavourite, and is frequently heard not only in the public religiousservices and at the family devotions, but often the forest's stillnessis broken by its hopeful, cheering notes, as at his lonely toil theChristian hunter strides along. Mr Evans printed his first copies ofit in syllabic characters on birch bark. 

But how did it get here? and who was the sweet singer? These werequestions now in the mind of Oowikapun as he stood still, uncertain whatto do, but strangely thrilled by the song, which had so quickly carriedhim back to the tent of the loving Christian Memotas. 

CHAPTER FIVE. 

THE MAIDEN'S STORY. 

Not long had Oowikapun to wait, for soon emerged from among the youngbalsam trees a fair Indian maiden with a number of snow-white ptarmiganand a few rabbits, which had rewarded her skill and enterprise as asuccessful huntress in coming so far from the village to set her snares. She was taller than most Indian maidens, and her eyes were bright andfearless. She stepped into the trail and turned her face homeward, butgave a sudden start, as, lifting up her eyes, she found herself almostface to face with Oowikapun. Quickly regaining her composure, she threwher game over her back, in the Indian woman's style of carrying loads;and with the natural Indian womanly modesty seemed anxious to at once goon. In all probability not a word would have passed between them. Asit happened, however, just at the moment when the maiden swung her loadof game over her pack, the shawl she was wearing fell back for aninstant from her arm, and on it Oowikapun's quick eye detected thebeautiful bracelet that he had seen that morning on the arm that hadclosed the door of his little lodge. 

This discovery filled him with curiosity, and he resolved to find outwho she was, and why she had shown him, a stranger, so much kindness. But the difficulty was how to begin. His Indian training told him itwould be a breach of decorum to speak to her; but so great was hisanxiety to find the solution of what was a mystery even to the villagersthemselves, that he felt he must not let the opportunity pass by. Man'sbluntness is his own poor substitute for woman's superior tact, and soas she was about to pass he said: "Have I not seen that beautifulbracelet before?"

He tried to speak kindly, but he was excited and fearful that she wouldbe gone, and so his voice sounded harsh and stern, and it startled her, and her face flushed a little; yet she quickly regained her composure, and then quietly said: "It was made years ago, so you have seen itbefore. "

"Was it not on the arm of the friend who made the fire and prepared thefood and brought the clothing for the poor, foolish stranger?" he asked. 

She raised her piercing black eyes to his, as though she would look intohis soul, and said, without hesitancy: "Yes, it was; and Oowikapun wasindeed foolish, if not worse. "

Startled and confounded at this reply, given in such decided tones bythis maiden, Oowikapun, in spite of all his efforts to appear unmoved, felt abashed before her, and his eyes fell under her searching gaze. 

Recovering himself as well as he could, he said: "Will the fair maidenplease tell me what she means?"

"Yes, " she answered. "What she means is that she is very much surprisedthat a man who for days has been a guest in the wigwam of Memotas andMeyooachimoowin, and who has heard their songs and prayers to the GoodSpirit, should again be found in the circle of the devil dance. "

"How do you know I was with Memotas?" he replied. 

"From your own lips, " she answered. "I was with the maidens, with onlya deerskin partition dividing us from the place where you told the menof your battle with the wolf, and of Memotas's love and words about thebook of heaven and the Good Spirit to you. And yet, " she added, andthere was a tinge of sorrow in her voice, "after having heard all that, you went to the old bad way again. "

Stung by her words so full of reproof, he retorted with some bitterness:"And you and the other maidens goaded me on to the dance. "

With flashing eyes she drew herself up proudly, and said: "Never! Iwould have died first. It was a lie of the conjurers, if they saidanything of the kind. "

A feeling of admiration, followed by one of almost envy, came over himas he listened to the decided words, uttered with such spirit, and heheartily wished some of it had been his when tempted to join in thedance of sin. With the consciousness of weakness and with his proudspirit quelled, he said: "Why are you of this mind? How is it that youknow so much about the white man's way? Did I not see you in the wigwamof Kistayimoowin, the chief, whose brother is the great medicine man ofthe tribe? How is it that you, the chief's daughter and the conjurer'sniece, should have such different thoughts about these things?"

Her answer, which was a little bit of her family history, was asfollows:

"While I am the niece of Koosapatum, the conjurer and medicine man, whomI hate, I am not the daughter, but the niece of Kistayimoowin, thechief. My father was another brother of theirs. He was a great hunter, and years ago, when I was a little child, he left the home of his tribeand, taking my mother and me, he went far away to Lake Athabasca, wherehe was told there was abundance of game and fish. In a great storm theywere both drowned. I was left a poor orphan child about six years ofage among the pagan Indians, who cared but little for me. They saidthey had enough to do in looking after their own children, so often Iwas half starved. Fortunately for me the great missionary, with hiswonderful canoe of tin, which the people called the `Island of Light, 'came along that way on one of his journeys. He had those skillful canoemen--Henry Budd and Hasselton. While stopping among the people andteaching them the true way, the missionary heard of me and of the dangerI was in of perishing, and so he took me in the canoe and carried me allthe way to Norway House. It was long ago, but well do I remember howthey carried me across the rough portages when I got tired out, and gaveme to eat the best pieces of ducks and geese or other game which theyshot for food. At night they gathered old hay from the beavers'meadows, or cut down a young balsam tree, and with its branches made mea little bed for the night. 

"When we reached Norway House Mission, I was adopted into the family ofthe missionary. They and Miss Adams, the teacher, were very kind to me. I joined the Indian children in the school, and went regularly to thelittle church. I well remember Memotas and Big Tom and Murtagon andPapanekis and many others. I learned some of the hymns, and candistinctly remember seeing the missionary and Mr Steinhav printing thehymns in the characters on the bark and on paper. It was the happiestyear of my life. 

"O that I had been wise, and tried to gather up and fix in my memory allthat was said to me of the Great Spirit, and his son Jesus, and aboutthe good way! But I was a happy, thoughtless girl, and more fond ofplay with the little Indian girls and the fun-loving, happy boys than oflistening to the lessons and learning them. 

"A year after my Uncle Kistayimoowin came down to the fort with hisfurs, and took me away home with him; and here, so far away, I havelived ever since. In his way he is not unkind to me, but my UncleKoosapatum hates me because I know these things; and as all are in dreadof his poisons, even Kistayimoowin does not wish me to speak about whatI heard that year, or sing what I remember except when I am far out inthe forest. Because I do not want to have my uncle, the chief, poisoned, I kept quiet sometimes; but most of the women have heard all Iknow, and they are longing to hear more. So our hearts got full ofhoping when, as we waited on the chief with his dinner a few days ago, we heard him talking with some others who were eating with him that youhad come, and had been cured of your wounds by a Christian Indian, bythe name of Memotas, and were going to give a talk about what hadhappened to you, and what you had heard. When I heard him mention thename of Memotas, I thought I would have dropped the birch roggin ofroasted bears' paws which I was holding, for I could still remember thatgood man so well. Gladly I gathered some of the women together behindthe partition to listen and learn more of the good way, if we could, from you. 

"We drank in every word you said, and when they mocked we were veryangry at them; but we dare not say a word for fear of a beating. Whileyou stood firm and refused to join in that wicked dance we rejoiced. When you yielded our hearts became sad, and we silently got away. Iwent out into the woods and wept. When I returned the women had shutthemselves up in their tents, and the men were all off to the big dancehouse. I found your clothes and fire bag just where you had thrown themoff, in danger of being dragged away or torn to pieces by the foolishyoung dogs. So, unseen by anybody, I gathered them up and put themaway. 

"During the days and nights you danced I was angry and miserable, and attimes could not keep from weeping that a man who had known Memotas, andfor days had been with him, and had heard so much about the good way, should then go back to the old dark way which gives no comfort toanyone. 

"When you fell senseless in the circle, I watched where they carriedyou. I visited the tent in the night, and I heard your sad moans, and Iknew you were unhappy. At daybreak, as you had fallen into a deepsleep, I built the fire and prepared the food, and carried you yourclothing; and if it had not been for the breeze which swept through thedoor, when I last opened it, you would never have known anything aboutme. "

Her story greatly interested Oowikapun; and as he listened to her thustalking as he had never heard an Indian woman speak before, he saw thebenefit which had come as the result of a year spent among Christians, even though it were only a year in childhood. When she finished hesaid: "I am glad I have met you and heard your story. "

"Why should you be glad?" she replied. "I am sure you must be offendedthat a woman should have dared to speak so plainly to you. "

"I deserve all that you have said, and more too, " he added after apause. 

"In which trail are you in the future going to walk?" she asked. Thisstraight, searching question brought vividly before his vision thedream, and the two ways which there he saw, and he felt that a crisis inhis life had come; and he said, after a pause: "I should like to walk inthe way marked out by the book of heaven. "

"And so would I, " she replied, with intense earnestness; "but it seemshard to do so, placed as I am. You think me brave here thus reprovingyou, but I am a coward in the village. I have called it love for myuncle's life that has kept me back from defying the conjurers, andtelling everybody I want to go in the way the Good Spirit has given us;but it is cowardice, and I am ashamed of myself, and then I know solittle. O, that we had a missionary among us with the book of heaven, as they have at Norway House and elsewhere, that we might learn moreabout the way, and be brave and courageous all the time!"

This despairing cry is the voice of millions dissatisfied with the devildances and worship of idols. The call is for those who can tell themwhere soul comfort can be found, and a sweet assurance brought intotheir hearts that they are in the right way. 

Hardly knowing what answer to make, but now interested in the woman asnever in one before, he asked: "What name does your uncle call you?"Wishing to find out her name he put it this way, as it is considered theheight of rudeness to ask a person her name. When several persons aretogether, and the name of one is desired by one of the company, the planis always to ask some third person for the desired information. "Astumastao, " she replied. And then feeling with her keen womanlyinstincts that the time had come when the long interview should end, shequickly threw her game, which had been dropped on the ground, over hershoulder again, and gliding by him, soon disappeared in the foresttrail. 

CHAPTER SIX. 

HUNTING WILD GEESE. 

To Oowikapun this interview was of great value, and while he could notbut feel a certain amount of humiliation at the cowardice he had beenforced to admit, and felt also that it was a new experience to be thustalked to by a woman, yet his conscience told him that she was right andhe deserved the reproofs she had given. So with something more to thinkabout, he resumed his onward journey, and ere he stopped that night andmade his little camp he was many miles nearer his home. 

As he sat there by his cheery fire, while all around him stretched thegreat wild forest, he tried to think over some of the new and strangeadventures through which he had passed. With starring vividness theycame before him, and above all the brave words of the maiden Astumastaoseemed to ring in his ears. Then the consciousness that he who had beentrying to make himself and others believe that he was so brave wasreally so cowardly took hold of him, and so depressed him that he couldonly sit with bowed head and burdened heart, and say within himself thathe was very weak and foolish. 

The stars shone out in that brilliant northern sky, and the auroradanced and blazed and scintillated, meteors flashed across the heavenswith wondrous brightness, but Oowikapun saw them not. The problem oflife here and hereafter had come to him as never before. He found outthat he had a soul, and that there was a God to fear and love, who caredfor men and women, and that there was reward for right doing andpunishment for sin. So with the little light he had, he pondered andthought, and the more he did the worse he got; for he had not yet foundthe way of simple faith and trust, and he became so saddened andterrified that there was but little sleep that night for him. As therehe sat longing for help, he remembered the words of Astumastao: "O, thatwe had a missionary among us, with the book of heaven, that we mightlearn more about the way, and be brave and courageous all the time!"

In this frame of mind he watched and waited until the first blush ofmorn; then after a hasty meal prepared on his camp fire, he started off, and in due time reached his home in the distant village in thewilderness, and in the depressing mood in which we here first met him helived for many a day. 

The change in him was noticed by all, and many conjectured as to thecause, but Oowikapun unburdened not his heart, for he knew there wasnone among his people who could understand, and with bitter memories ofhis cowardice, he thought in his blindness that the better way to escaperidicule and even persecution would be to keep all he had learned aboutthe Good Spirit and the book of heaven locked up in his heart. 

Oowikapun was one of the best hunters in his village, and as his fatherwas dead and he was the oldest son, and now about twenty-five years ofage, he was looked up to as the head of the wigwam. In his Indian wayhe was neither unkind to his mother nor to the younger members of thefamily. To his little brothers he gave the two young bears, and theysoon taught them a number of tricks. They quickly learned the use oftheir fore legs, and it was very amusing to see them wrestling with andthrowing the young Indian dogs, with whom they soon became greatfriends. 

Oowikapun, to divert attention from himself, and to keep from beingquestioned about the change in his conduct, which was so evident to all, devoted himself with unflagging energy to the chase. Spring having nowopened, the wild geese came in great flocks from their southern homes tothose northern lands, looking for the rich feeding grounds and safeplaces where they could hatch their young. These times when the geeseare flying over are as a general thing profitable to the hunters. Ihave known an old Indian, with only two old flintlock guns, killseventy-five large grey geese in one day. That was however anexceptional case. The hunters considered themselves fortunate if eachnight they returned with from seven to twelve of these birds. 

Oowikapun, having selected a spot at the edge of a great marsh fromwhich the snow had melted, and where the goose grass was abundant, andthe flocks were flying over in great numbers, hastily prepared what thehunters call their nest. This is made out of marsh hay and branches oftrees, and is really what its name implies, a nest so large that atleast a couple of men can hide themselves in it. When ready to begingoose hunting they put on a white coat and a cap of similar colour; forthese observant Indians have learned that if they are dressed in whitethey can call the geese much nearer to them than if their garments areof any other hue. Another requisite for a successful hunt is to have anumber of decoy geese carved out of wood, and placed in the grass nearthe nest, as though busily engaged in eating. 

Oowikapun's first day at the hunt was fortunately a very good one. Thesun was shining brightly, and aided by a southern breeze many flocks ofgeese came in sight in their usual way of flying, either in straightlines or in triangles. Oowikapun was gifted with the ability to imitatetheir call, and he succeeded in bringing so many of them in range of hisgun that ere the day ended he had bagged almost a score. 

In after years when I visited that land it used to interest me much, andadded a pleasurable excitement to my trip, to don a white garment overmy winter clothing, for the weather was still cold, and join one ofthese clever hunters in his little nest and take my chance at a shot atthese noble birds. I felt quite proud of my powers when I brought downmy first grey goose, even if I did only break a wing with my ball. 

Quickly unloosing Cuffy, one of my favourite Newfoundland dogs, I senther after the bird, which had lit down on a great ice field about fivehundred yards away. But although disabled, the bird could still fight, and so when my spirited dog tried to close in upon her and seize her bythe neck, the brave goose gave her such a blow over the head with theuninjured wing that it turned her completely over and made her howl withpain and vexation. Witnessing the discomfiture of my dog, I couldeasily understand what I had been frequently told by the Indians, offoxes having been killed by the old geese when trying to capture younggoslings from the flocks. 

In these annual goose hunts all the Indians who can handle a gun takepart. The news of the arrival of the first goose fills a whole villagewith excitement, and nothing can keep the people from rushing off to thedifferent points, which they each claim year after year, where theyhastily build their nests and set their decoys. 

I well remember how quickly I was deserted by a whole company ofSalteaux Indians one spring, on their hearing the long-expected call ofa solitary goose that came flying along on the south wind. I hadsucceeded, after a good deal of persuasion, in getting them to work withme in cutting down trees and preparing the soil for seed sowing, when inthe midst of our toil, at about ten o'clock in the forenoon, the distant"aunk! aunk! aunk!" of an old grey goose was heard, the outskirmisher ofthe oncoming crowds. Such was the effect of that sound upon my goodhunters, but poor farmers, that the axes and hoes were hastily dropped, and with a rush they were all off to their wigwams for their guns andammunition, and I did not see them again for a month. 

Success in the goose hunt seems to elate the Indian more than inanything else. Why, I could never find out. It may be because it isthe first spring hunting after the long, dreary winter, and there is thenatural gladness that the pleasant springtime has come again. Whateverit may be, I noticed for years more noisy mirth and earnestcongratulations on success in the goose hunt than in anything else. 

Loaded down with his game, Oowikapun returned to his wigwam, and insteadof cheerily responding to the congratulations of the inmates on accountof his success, he threw himself down on his bed, silent and gloomy, andrefused the proffered meal, and even the lighted pipe which his motherbrought him. 

They were all surprised at his conduct, which was so contrary to his oldways. He had never been known to act like this before. Just thereverse. He had come to be considered the brightest young man in thevillage; he had more than once been called the young hunter of thecheery voice and the laughing eyes. Then in his serious hours, in timeswhen the affairs of the tribe were being discussed at the council fires, so good was his judgment, and wise and thoughtful beyond his years werehis words considered, that even the old men, who seldom did anything butsneer at the words of the young men, gave respectful attention to whatfell from the lips of Oowikapun. Well was it remembered how, only lastyear, at the great council fire of the whole tribe, when the runnersbrought the news of the aggressions of the whites on some of thesouthern tribes with whom they had been, in the years past, on friendlyalliance, and the old men spake with bitterness and talked of the oldglories of the red men, ere the paleface came with his firearms, andwhat was worse with his firewater, and hunted down and poisoned many oftheir forefathers, and drove back the rest of them toward the settingsun or northward to the regions of the bitter cold and frost, and howmuch better it would have been, they said, if their forefathers hadlistened to the fiery eloquence and burning words of Tecumseh and hisbrother the prophet, and joined in a great Indian confederacy, when theywere numerous and strong to drive the white man back into the sea. Thenit was, when eyes flashed and the Indians were wild enough withexcitement to cause great trouble, that Oowikapun arose and spoke kindlywords, and wise beyond his years. 

In his address he urged that the time for successful war was passed, that Tecumseh himself fell before the power of the paleface, that hiswampum and magic pipe had disappeared, and his tomahawk had been buriedin a peace ceremony between his survivors and the paleface; and bitteras might be some of the memories of the past, yet to all it must beclear that as many of the white men were really their friends, it wasfor their interest and happiness to act patiently and honourably towardthem, and strive to live as the Great Spirit would have them, as lovingbrothers. 

Thus talked Oowikapun last year. Why is it, they said, that he who gavesuch promise of being a great orator, as well as a successful hunter, should act so strangely now? Some said he was losing his reason andbecoming crazy. The young folks said he was in love with somebright-eyed maiden, whom they knew not, but many of the dark-eyedmaidens hoped she was the fortunate one. And so they wondered why hedid not let it be known. As he still delayed, they said, it is becausehe has had so many to support that he is poor, and is fearful that whathe has to offer in payment for his bride might not be consideredsufficient, and he would be humiliated to be refused. 

Even some of the older women, not born in beauty's hand basket, whenthey could, get away from their exacting husbands, would sit downtogether under the bank where the canoes were drawn up, and in imitationof the men around the council fires, would gravely exchange opinions, and perhaps, like white folks, would gossip a little in reference toconduct so extraordinary. 

CHAPTER SEVEN. 

MOOKOOMIS AND HIS LEGENDS. 

The old conjurers and medicine-men who were at length consulted said, after long drumming and powwowing and the consuming of much tea andtobacco, at the expense of his relatives, that the spirits of theforests and rivers were calling to him to fast and suffer, and prepareto become a great medicine man; that nature would then reveal hersecrets and give him power and influence over the people and make him"good medicine, " if he obeyed her voice. 

Oowikapun heard of the surmisings and mutterings of the people abouthim, and at first was very much annoyed. Then no peace coming to him, for he was afraid to pray to the Good Spirit since he had taken part inthe devil dance, he decided to consult one of the old men of thevillage, who had a reputation among the people for wisdom and also asbeing well posted in old Indian traditions and legends. The young manwas cordially welcomed to the wigwam of the old man, but Oowikapun hadnot been there very long in conversation with him before he found outthat he was a great hater of the whites. On Oowikapun expressing somesurprise at this, and asking his reason for having such bitterness inhis breast toward the palefaces, the old man told him the followingstory. 

One winter many years ago when he was a great hunter, he had been verysuccessful in the chase and had caught quite a number of black andsilver foxes, as well as many otters and other valuable fur-bearinganimals. Thinking he could do better in selling his furs by going downthe rivers and across many portages far away to a place where he hadheard that white men had come, who wished to trade with the Indians, andwho had sent word that they would give a good price for rich furs, heset off for that place. He took his wife along with him to help himpaddle his canoe and to carry the loads across the portages, which werevery many. They reached the place after many days' journey; and thewhite men when they saw their bales of rich furs seemed very friendly, and said as they had come so far they must be very weary; and so theygave him their fire water to drink, and told him that it would make himforget that his hands were sore with long paddling his canoe, and thathis feet were weary with the hard walking in the portages. So becausethey professed to be his friends he drank their fire water, and foundout that they were his enemies. They gave him more and more, tellinghim it was good; and so he foolishly drank and drank until he lost hissenses, and was in a drunken stupor for days. 

When he came to himself he found he was out in a cold shed and verymiserable. His head ached and he was very sore. His coat was gone, andso were his beautifully beaded leggings and moccasins. His gun wasgone, and so were his bales of rich and valuable furs. His wife wasalso gone, and there he was, half naked and alone. 

Alarmed, he cried out for his things, and asked how it was that he wasin such a sad plight. Hearing him thus calling out, some of those whitemen who had pretended to be his friends came to him and said, "Begone, you poor Indian fool!"

"Where are my furs?" he asked. 

With a laugh they said, "We have taken them for the whisky you drank. "

"Give me my furs, " he cried, "or pay me for them. "

"But, " added the old man, "they were stronger than I, and had takenaway, not only my gun, but my axe and knife, so I was helpless beforethem. "

"`Where is my wife?' I then asked. But they only laughed at myquestion, and it was weeks before I heard that they had insulted her, and would have foully treated her but that she had pulled out her knifeand threatened to kill the first man that touched her. While keepingthem away with her knife she moved around until she got near an openwindow, when she suddenly sprang out and fled like a frightened deer tothe forest. After long weeks of hardship she reached the far-off home. She had had a sad time of it and many strange adventures. Footsore andnearly worn out she had been at times, but she bravely persevered. Herfood had been roots and an occasional rabbit or partridge which shesnared. Several times she had been chased by wild animals. Once forseveral days the savage wolves madly howled around the foot of a treeinto which she had managed to climb for safety from their fierceattacks. Fortunately for her a great moose deer dashed along not faraway, and the wolves which had been keeping watch upon her rushed off onits trail. Hurrying down, she, although half starved, quickly sped onher way. Thus had she travelled all alone, her life often in jeopardyfrom savage beasts; but she feared them less than she did the rude whitemen from whom she had just fled. The clothing she had on when shereached home, was principally of rabbit skins taken from the rabbits shehad captured, and made to supply that in which she had started, butwhich had been almost torn in rags by the hardships of the way. "

The man when kicked out of the place of the white traders hadfortunately for himself, after a couple of days' wanderings, fallen inwith some friendly Indians, who took pity on him, clothed and fed him, and sent him back in care of some of their best canoe men. The resultwas he reached home long before his brave wife, who had to work her wayalong as we have described. 

Oowikapun listened to this story of the old man, whose name wasMookoomis, Indianlike, with patience, until he closed; and then instrong language expressed his horror and indignation. It was mostunfortunate that he should have heard it in the state of mind that hewas in at that time. From his meeting with Memotas and Astumastao hehad inferred that all white men were good people, but here was a rudeawakening from that illusion. Terrible indeed have been the evilswrought by the white men in these regions where dwell the red men, aswell as in other lands. The native prejudices and even theirsuperstitious religions are not as great hindrances to the spread of theGospel among them as are the abominable actions and rascalities of whitemen who bring their fire water and their sins from Christian lands. 

For a time Mookoomis exerted a strong influence over Oowikapun, and manywere the hours they spent together. Oowikapun was in such a state ofrestlessness that the only times he could be said to be at peace werewhen either engaged in the excitements of hunting, or when listening toMookoomis's excited words as he talked away, hour after hour, of the oldlegends and traditions of his people, whose glory, alas! was nowdeparted. 

One evening, when a few interested listeners were gathered around thewigwam fire of the old story-teller, whom they had made happy by giftsof venison and tobacco, Oowikapun said to him, "Good father, you arewise in many things about which we are ignorant, and long ago the oldmen of our people handed down to you from our forefathers the stories tobe kept in remembrance; tell us how the white men come to be here, andif you know, we should like to hear also of the black people of whom therunners from other tribes have told us, who also exist in greatnumbers. " All joined in this request; and so, when the old man hadfilled and smoked his calumet again, he told them the Indian traditionof the origin of the human races:

"Long ago, perhaps as many moons as there are stars in the sky, theGreat Spirit made this world of ours, and fitted it up as a dwellingplace for his people. Then he set to work to make man. He took a pieceof white clay, and moulded it and worked at it until he had formed aman. Then he put him into an oven which he had prepared, and there hebaked him to make him firm and strong. When he took him out of the ovenhe found that he had kept him in too long, and he was burnt black. Atthis the Great Spirit was not pleased, and he said, `You will never do;'and he gave him a great kick which sent him away south to that landwhere they have no snow, and where it is very hot, and told the blackman that that was to be his land. 

"Then the Great Spirit took another piece of clay, and moulded it andformed another man, and put him into the oven to bake. But as he hadburnt the first one so badly he did not leave the second one in verylong, and so when he took him out he found that he was still very white;and at this he was not pleased, and he said: `Ugh! you will never do. You are too white. You will show the dirt too easily. ' So he gave hima great kick, which sent him across the sea to the land where the whiteman first came from to this country. 

"Then, " said Mookoomis, "the Great Spirit tried again, and he gatheredthe finest clay he could, and moulded it and worked it until he was wellpleased with it; and then he put it into the oven to bake it; and nowhaving the wisdom which came from the experience of the other twofailures, he kept this one in just the right time, and so when he tookhim out he was of a rich red colour, and he was very much pleased, andhe said: `Ho! ho! you are just right; you stay here. ' So he gave thiscountry to the Indian. "

This account of the origin of the human race, which differs considerablyfrom Darwin's, very much interested Oowikapun and his companions, and sothey urged Mookoomis to tell them from Indian traditions how it was thatthe races had got into the condition in which they now are. So when theold man had filled and smoked his pipe again, and had seemed to be lostin thought for a time, he began once more:

"When the Great Spirit had made these different men, and given eachwives of their own colour, he went away to his dwelling place beyond thesetting sun, and there abode. After a while he thought he would comeback and see how these men were getting on. So he called them to meethim at a certain place, and as he talked with them he found they wereunhappy because they had nothing to do. When the Great Spirit heardthis he told them to come back to-morrow and then he would make this allright for them. On the morrow, when they had met, they saw that theGreat Spirit had three parcels. He laid them on the ground, and toldthem they were to choose which they would have. As the parcels differedvery much in size it was decided that they would cast lots, and thussettle who should have the first choice. When this was done it wasfound that the black man was to choose first, the red man second, andthe white man would have to take what was left. So the black man chosethe largest parcel; and when he opened it he found that it containedaxes and hoes, and spades and shovels, and other implements of toil. The Indian selected the next largest bundle; and when he had opened ithe found that it contained bows and arrows, and spears and lances, andknives and other weapons used by the hunter. Then the turn of the whiteman came, and he took up the last parcel, which was a small one; andwhen he had opened it there was nothing in it but a book. 

"When the black man and the red man saw that the white man had nothingbut a book they laughed out loudly, and ridiculed him very much. Butthe Great Spirit reproved them, and said, `Wait a while, and perhaps youwill think differently. ' And so they now do; for it has come to passthat because of the possession of that book the white man has become solearned and wise that he is now much stronger than the others, and seemsto be able to make himself master of the other races, and to takepossession of all lands. "

CHAPTER EIGHT. 

SEEKING FOR LIGHT. 

Thus Oowikapun heard Mookoomis at the camp fires tell these weird oldstories, and in listening to him he tried to forget his own sorrows andanxieties. 

When he thought he had become so well acquainted with him that he couldmake a confidant of him, he told him a little of what he had learnedfrom Memotas, but he was careful to hide his own secret feelings, for heknew that Mookoomis was a strong pagan, as well as a great hater of thewhites. Not as yet having met with any of the detested race who wereChristians, he thought they were all alike, and had only come across theocean to rob and cheat and kill the poor Indian and take possession ofall his lands. 

One evening, when they were alone, Oowikapun ventured to tell him aboutthe book of heaven which the white man had, and which some Indians hadgot hold of and were reading with great interest, and that some of themhad even accepted its teachings and were believing in them. This newsmade Mookoomis very angry, and Oowikapun was sorry that he had told him;but it was now too late, and so he had to listen while the angry mantalked and gave his views on these things. 

He said, referring to the legend, that the Great Spirit never intendedthe book for the Indian, but that he had made him a hunter, and sent himout into the forest and the prairies, and on the great lakes and rivers, and there he was to listen and hear the Great Spirit's voice and see hisworks. "This, " added Mookoomis, "is the Great Spirit's plan, and hewill be angry with any of his red children who become dissatisfied withthis arrangement, and try to go the white man's way or read his book. "

These talks did not bring comfort to Oowikapun, or lift the burden fromhis soul; and so, in his desperation, although he did not expect muchcomfort, he told Mookoomis of his heart sorrows and disquietude ofspirit. The old man did not get angry, but listened to him verypatiently; and then advised and even urged him to go out into the woodsaway from every human sound, and in peaceful solitudes let nature speakto him and soothe his troubled spirit. 

So Oowikapun obeyed the voice of Mookoomis, and, quickly arranging hisaffairs, he went out into the solitudes, far away from any human being, in the hope that there, alone with nature, he might get rest for hissoul. In doing this he was only imitating thousands who, too stubbornor too ignorant to come to the great Comforter in his own way, aretrying in some other way to find that peace which God alone can give. 

We pity those who ignorantly do these things, but what can we say ofthose who have been taught the plan of salvation through faith in theLord Jesus Christ, and yet will go on talking pertly about God innature, and of their ability to find themselves in him by studying himin his works? God in nature, without Christ, is a riddle, a perplexity, a mystery. 

We pity poor Oowikapun. Just enough light had come to him to show himthat he was a poor, miserable sinner, but he had not yet received enoughto show him the true plan of salvation; and so he was still gropingalong in the gloom, and much more to be pitied than the thousands whoknow in theory what is God's plan of salvation, but who reject itbecause of their pride or hardness of heart:

Everything seemed against him. His eyes were opened to see things nowas never before, for not as a skillful hunter, but as a seeker afterpeace, was he out in nature's solitudes. Everything around him seemedmysterious and contradictory. This teacher, nature, whose lessons hehad come to learn, seemed to be in a very perverse mood, as if to impartjust the reverse of what he would learn, and seemed herself to bedestitute of the very things he had hoped she would have imparted tohim. 

Sharp and rude was his first awakening from his illusion. He had notgone far into the wilderness before it came to him, and it happenedthus. As he was walking along in the forest he heard, but a shortdistance ahead of him, a pitiful cry of a creature in distress. Quicklyhe hurried on, and was just in time to see the convulsive gasp of abeautiful young fawn that had been seized and was being mangled by agreat, fierce wolf, which had found it where it had been hidden away bythe mother deer before she had gone into the beaver meadows to feed. 

To send the death-dealing bullet through the brains of the savage wolfwas soon done, but, alas! it was too late to save the little innocentfawn, whose great, big, beautiful eyes were already glassy in death, andwhose life-blood pouring out from the gaping wounds was crimsoning theleaves and flowers where it had fallen. 

"Is this, " said Oowikapun, with sadness of spirit, "the first lessonnature has for me? To her I am coming for peace and quietness ofspirit, and is this what I first see?" Thus on he travelled until hereached the shores of a great lake, where he had resolved to stay for atime, at the advice of Mookoomis, to try to find in the solitudes, incommunion with nature, that which his soul craved. 

As an observant hunter he had ever been a student of nature, but neverbefore with such an object in his heart as now filled it. He found nohappiness in his investigations, but was appalled at the sights whichmet him and the mysteries with which the study of them baffled him. Death and discord seemed to reign everywhere, and the strong seemed evertyrannising over the weak. 

Such sights as the following were ever before him. One day, whilesitting near the shore of the lake, where before him the sunlit watersplayed with the pebbles at his feet, he saw a beautiful kingfisher hoverin mid-air for an instant, and then suddenly plunge down in the waterand quickly rise up again with a fine fish in his bill. Almostinstantly, from the top of an old dead tree near the shore, he observeda fierce hawk, whose sharp eye had seen the fish thus captured. With ascream that rang out sharp and clear, it flew swiftly after thekingfisher, and so terrified it that it quickly dropped the fish andhurriedly flew away to a place of safety. Seizing the fish in its bill, with a scream of triumph, the hawk was about to return to the shore, when another actor appeared upon the scene. Away up on the side of thecliff, which rose up a little back from the shore to the height ofseveral hundred feet, on a projecting ledge of rocks, a pair of eaglescame year after year and built their crude, wild nest. One of thesegreat birds was watching the transaction going on below. When it heardthe shrill scream of triumph from the fishhawk, it knew that the timefor action had arrived. With both wings closed it shot down from theeyrie, and ere the hawk, with its stolen plunder, had reached its old, storm-beaten tree, the king of birds struck it such a blow that, dazedand terrified, it dropped the fish, and barely succeeded in gettingaway. It was not the fishhawk the eagle was after, but fish; and as theactive bird saw the fish drop from the beak of the fishhawk, it flewdown after it and caught it in mid-air ere it reached the water. Then, in majestic circles, it slowly ascended to its eyrie. This sight underother circumstances would have been enjoyable; but now, when he was aseeker in nature for peace and happiness, the greed and rapacity of thestronger over the weaker only filled him with sadness. 

Thus for several weeks he tried to study nature, or to learn lessonsfrom her, while, far away from all his people, he dwelt in his littlecamp, which he had made at the foot of a beautiful birch tree, orwandered over the hills or in the forests. But he was no better off, for all the sights that met his eyes were very similar to those we havedescribed. It was cruelty and death and destruction everywhere. 

Nature alone and unaided does not reveal Christ the Saviour. Since thefall, and the entrance of sin with all of its attendant miseries intothis once glorious world of ours, the study of nature, with all hervagaries, without the light of revelation to clear up her mysteries, ismore apt to drive men from God than to draw them to him. 

So Oowikapun found out, especially one night, after tossing about on hisbed of balsam boughs in his little tent. While lying there, utterlymiserable and dissatisfied with himself, he was startled by hearing, faraway, the dull, sullen roar of thunder, telling of an approaching storm. Such was the mode in which he was that this sound was welcomed, and hesprang up rejoicing, for there had suddenly come into his mind thethought that perhaps now he would hear something in nature's voice fromwhich he could draw comfort and happiness. 

With this hope in his heart he went out of his tent and seated himselfon a rock near at hand. One by one the stars disappeared as the thick, black clouds came rolling up, quickly covering the whole expanse ofheaven, and making the night one of inky darkness, save when the cliffsand forest, islands and lake, were illumined by the vivid lightning'sflash. 

Soothed by that awesome feeling which comes to many in the brief lastmoments which precede the burst of the tempest, Oowikapun was comforted, and began to say to himself, "At last I hear the voice of nature forwhich I have so long been waiting, and now tranquillised I wait for allshe has to tell me of comfort and of rest. "

Hardly had these thoughts passed through his mind ere there came alightning flash so vivid, and a thunderbolt so near and powerful, followed by a crashing peal of thunder so sudden and so deafening, thatOowikapun was completely stunned and thrown helpless to the ground. When he recovered consciousness the storm had nearly died away. A fewmuttering growls of thunder could still be heard, and some flashes oflightning upon the distant horizon told in which direction the storm haddisappeared. 

Oowikapun staggered to his feet, and tried to comprehend what hadhappened. That something had struck him was evident. What it was atfirst he was too bewildered to understand. Thinking the best thing hecould do in this dazed condition would be to go back under the shelterof his little tent, he turned to do so, but found it an impossibility. The thunderbolt that had stunned him had struck the large birch tree, and so shattered it to pieces that, as it fell, it had crushed down thelittle wigwam into a helpless wreck. 

Great indeed was the disappointment and vexation of Oowikapun, who, while vainly imagining that at length he was about to hear the soothingvoice of nature to comfort and bless him, got from her such a crack thathe was knocked senseless, and, in addition, had his dwelling placecompletely wrecked. Groping round in the ruins, he succeeded in findinghis blanket, which he threw over his shoulders as a slight protectionagainst the heavy rain, which continued falling all night. 

Oowikapun still lingered in his lonely forest retreat. His priderevolted at the idea of having to return to the village and confess thatall his efforts had been in vain and that only defeat and humiliationhad been his lot. 

So a new wigwam was built in a more sheltered place amid the darkevergreen trees. His depression of spirit was such that for a long timehe left his abode only when hunger compelled him to hunt for hisnecessary food. When he did resume his wanderings they were generallyin the night. The singing of the birds had no charm for him, and thebrightness of the summer days chased not away his gloom. More congenialto him were the "watches of the night, " when the few sounds that fellupon his ears were weird and ghostly. Here, amid the gloomy shadowswhere the only sounds were the sighing of the winds among the trees, themelancholy hootings of the owls, or the distant howlings of the wolves, he passed many weary hours. 

The psalmist, with adoring love, could say: "Day unto day utterethspeech, and night unto night showeth knowledge, " but to Oowikapunneither the "speech" of the day nor the "knowledge" of the night gaveany responsive answer to his heart's longings or led him any nearer tothe source of soul comfort. And yet nature spoke to him as grandly asit was possible for her to utter her voice, and her last effort was ofthe sublimest character and such as but few mortals are permitted towitness. 

It came to Oowikapun one night when he had aimlessly wandered far outfrom the shadows of the forest gloom, to a spot where the canopy ofheaven, bright with its multitudes of stars, was above him. 

Perhaps in no other land can nature in her varied aspects of sublimityand grandeur as regards celestial phenomena, be better studied than inthe wild north-land. Her cyclonic storms in summer and her blizzardblasts in winter are at times not only terrific in their destructivepower, but they are also overwhelmingly grand in their appearance. 

Then her "visions of the night" are at times sublimely beautiful. Herstar-decked vault of heaven, absolutely free from all mists and fogs anddamps, seems so high and vast. The stars glisten and twinkle withwondrous clearness. The flashing meteors fade out but slowly, and themoon is so white and bright that her shadows cast are often as vivid asthose of the sun in some other lands. 

But nothing equals a first-class field night of the mysterious auroraborealis. No other phenomenon of nature in magnitude of display, invaried brilliancy of colour, in bewildering rapidity of movement, ingrandeur so celestial, in its very existence so unaccountable, iscalculated to lift man up and away from things earthly, into the veryrealm and presence of the spiritual, as does a first-class display ofthe northern lights, as seen in the far north-land. While they aregenerally more frequent in the winter months than at other times of theyear, yet they are very uncertain in their comings, and sometimes burstupon the world and illuminate and fill up with celestial glory the briefhours of some of the short summer nights. 

To Oowikapun, in his mental darkness and disquietude, there came one ofthese more than earthly visions of entrancing beauty. If in any one ofnature's phenomena she could speak to a troubled soul, surely it wouldbe in this. For while to Elijah the answer was in the still smallvoice, yet man unaided by divine revelation prefers the earthquake andthe fire, or some other grand, overwhelming manifestation of nature'spower, which appeals to the sensuous rather than to the spiritual. 

To these Northern Indians the auroras have ever been associated with theghostly or spiritual. In some of the tribes the literal translation ofthe northern lights is the "spirits of their forefathers going out tobattle. "

The display that Oowikapun gazed upon was one of more than ordinarysublimity. He had left his little wigwam which nestled among thebalsams, and had gone out from the forest gloom and had seated himselfon the shore of the lake where the little waves made soothing music asthey played among the pebbles at his feet. The sun had gone down insplendour, leaving a glorious radiance of sapphire and crimson on hillsand waves. Quietly and imperceptibly the shadows of night mantled thelong twilight gloaming, and then one by one the stars came out fromtheir hiding places, until the whole high dome of heaven was bright. The milky way brightened into wondrous distinctness, until it seemed toOowikapun like a great pathway, and he wondered, as held in thetradition of his people, if on it, by and by, he should travel to thehappy hunting grounds of his fathers. 

After a time a brightness began to dawn in the northern sky, and thenfrom it some brilliant streamers of light suddenly shot up to theheavens above. Then wavy ribbons of light quickly followed, and rapidlyunrolling themselves parallel with the horizon, quivered and danced inrhythmic movements, blazing out at times in varied vivid colours as theygracefully undulated from east to west. Often had Oowikapun seen thesedisplays, but up to this time he had only gazed with languid interestupon these nightly visitants. This night, however, there was a displayso glorious that he stood as one entranced. 

With a suddenness that can be shown only by electrical phenomena, therealmost instantaneously shot up from below the eastern horizon a dazzlingblaze of gorgeous electrical light, which in successive bounds rushed onand on until, like a brilliant meteor a million times magnified, itspanned the heavens, and for a time in purest white it seemed to hang anarch of truce from heaven to earth. For a little while it quivered inits dazzling whiteness, and then from it flashed out streamers in allthe colours of the rainbow. With one end holding on to the arch ofsnowy whiteness they danced and scintillated and blazed until the wholeheavens seemed aglow. Then breaking loose they seemed to formthemselves into whole battalions of soldiers, and advanced and foughtand retreated until the heavens seemed to be the battlefield of theages, and stained with the blood of millions slain. During all theapparent carnage, great streamers waved continuously above thecontending armies, and seemed like great battle flags leading on theforces to greater deeds of valour. Sometimes they seemed to change intogreat fiery swords, ready to add to the apparent carnage and destructionthat seemed so intensely real. 

Thus in ever-changing glories the vision of the heavens above continued, while Oowikapun, awed and subdued in spirit, felt thankful that he wasonly a spectator upon such scenes of ghostly carnage and blood. Butimpressive and glorious as what had already been revealed, the aurorashad yet in reserve the climax of their display, and when it came itnearly froze his blood in his veins, and threw him trembling andterrified on his face upon the ground. Suddenly did the change come. With, the rapidity of a lightning flash, the great quivering arch oflight transformed itself, into a corona of such dazzling splendour thatno words can describe it. From purest white the multitudes ofstreamers, of which it was now composed, suddenly changed to pink andblue, and green and yellow, all the time flitting and scintillating sorapidly that the eyes were pained in their vain efforts to follow therapid flights. 

Then in a twinkling of an eye the whole changed to a deep, blood-redcrimson--so bloodlike, so terrible, so dazzling, so awful, that thebrave man was crushed down, terrified and subdued before this blindingdisplay of the omnipotent power of the Great Spirit. 

The dauntless courage that had made him exult at the prospect of meetingthe fiercest bear in the forest, with no other weapon than his trustyhunting knife, or the most hostile foe of his tribe, was of no availhere, and so, a crushed and vanquished man, as soon as he could, hecowered back to his wigwam, where, wrapping himself in his blanket, helong remained. He trembled at the thought of having been in suchapparent contact with the spirit land, while his unhappy soul chided himwith a sense of his unfitness for that unknown life beyond. 

Poor Oowikapun, he was like many who, although they live under happierinfluences and amid the blaze of Gospel day, yet foolishly think that ifsome heavenly manifestation of the glory beyond, some glimpse of theland that is afar off, or some sight of its celestial inhabitants, weregiven them to enjoy, very quickly would they be convinced and converted. 

John, the beloved disciple, saw the New Jerusalem and its inhabitants;dazzled and confused he fell at the feet of one of those redeemed ones, and worshipped the creature instead of the Creator. 

Something more than the mere visions of heaven's glories or northernauroras are necessary to give peace to the troubled soul. Even so foundunhappy Oowikapun, for when the excitement of these night visions woreoff, he felt more than ever crushed down with a sense of his ownlittleness, while darker seemed his spiritual vision than ever beforethese auroral glories had blazed and flashed around him. 

Disgusted and disappointed, he packed up his few things and returned tohis village more miserable and depressed in spirit than ever. 

He had had many evidences of a Creator, but had met with nothing thattold him of a Saviour. The idea of being able to "look up throughnature unto nature's God, " is an utter impossibility unless the onelooking has some knowledge of God in Christ Jesus. With this knowledgein his possession he can answer as did the devout philosopher when askedthe question, "What are the latest discoveries in nature?" replied, "Godeverywhere. "

With God revealed in Christ Jesus there is something real in which totrust. Her mysteries that long perplexed are cleared up, and darknessthat long continued is dissipated, and the trusting one realises that nolonger is he slowly and feebly feeling his way along on the "sinkingsands" of uncertainties, but is securely built on the "Rock of ages. "

CHAPTER NINE. 

PHYSICAL TORTURE. 

Oowikapun shortly after his return to the village found his way to thetent of Mookoomis, and candidly told him of his complete failure to findanything of comfort or peace of mind in communion with nature. He saidhe had faithfully carried out his directions, but that everything hehoped would have in it help or satisfaction seemed to have had just thereverse. Mookoomis listened intently to all he had to say, and then, perhaps for the first time in his life, freely admitted his owndissatisfaction and uncertainty of belief in their Indian way; but hewas an obstinate, wicked old man, and determined, if possible, to keepOowikapun walking, as he again said, "as our forefathers walked. " So heurged him to make the great trial of fasting and personal torture, andsee if in the delirium of physical agonies the voice of comfort forwhich he was longing would, not come to him. 

For a long time Oowikapun hesitated to undertake this terrible ordeal, called by the Western Indians the _hock-e-a-yum_, a ceremony so severeand dreadful that many an Indian has never recovered from its agonies. Great indeed must be the wretched disquietude that will cause humanbeings, who are made to shrink from pain, endure what thousandsvoluntarily submit to, if only they can get peace to their souls. 

Oowikapun spent weeks in a state of indecision, and then resolved tofollow the advice of old Mookoomis; and so in his blindness and folly hefound himself, although he knew it not, in company with a vast multitudewho in their ignorance and superstition, are hoping by inflictingtorture on their bodies to atone for sin and merit heaven. 

Great indeed was, and still is, this innumerable company of deludedones. They are found by the missionaries almost everywhere. The poor, ignorant Hindoo on the burning plains of his native land, seated on astone pillar, with arm extended until it has become fixed and rigid, while the ever-growing finger nails have pierced through his clenchedhand, is one of the sad company. Another is that poor fanatic whomeasured the whole distance, many hundreds of miles, which stretchedfrom his jungle home to the Ganges by prostrating his body on the groundas a measuring rod. In this sad procession are millions, and millionsof unhappy souls, without God, and therefore without hope. They aregoing down from the darkness of sin and error to the darkness of thetomb, with none to whisper in their ears the story of redeeming love;and so in their blindness and folly, believing that God delights inmisery and pain and suffering, they torture their poor bodies; and insome instances still, as in olden times, "give of the fruit of theirbody for the sin of their soul, " if by these or any other means they canpropitiate the One whom they hope can give them peace. 

The contemplation of a multitude so vast and in a condition sodeplorable makes our hearts sad, and shows us how imperative is the callto each of us to do all we can to carry to them, or, if this isimpossible, to aid in sending to them, the blessed truth which alone canmake them happy. Poor Oowikapun was now in this sad company. All hisfears are aroused, and in his vain efforts to quiet them he is about togo through a most severe ordeal of fasting and acute physical suffering. How terrible is sin! How dreadful must be the goadings of the guiltyconscience when men and women will so punish themselves, if thereby theycan find relief!

When Oowikapun had finally resolved on his course of action heimmediately set about carrying it out. He joined himself to a companyof "braves" who were also going to pass through the ceremony of_hock-e-a-yum_. Different motives were in the hearts of those who wereabout to undergo the trying ordeal. Some of them were ambitious tobecome great warriors or hunters, others were ambitious to becomeleaders or great medicine-men among the tribes. To succeed in theirambitious purposes, it was necessary that the ordeal of suffering shouldbe passed through. 

While the majority were thus fired by their selfish hopes of attainingprominence and position as the result of their suffering, there wereseveral like Oowikapun who were unhappy in their souls, and were goingto try this method in hope of relief. Perhaps, like him, they had insome way or other been in a place where a few rays of light had shoneupon their souls. These had revealed to them the sinfulness of theirlives and the hideousness of sin; but being ignorant of the greatPhysician, instead of looking to him for healing and happiness, theywere going to see if there was any efficacy in these trying ordeals. 

As the ceremonies were only held in the far West, where the devoteesgathered from various tribes, Oowikapun and those with him had to travelfor many days ere they reached the place. 

Far beyond the limits of the hunting grounds of his people did he andhis deluded comrades journey. They had to work up the swift current andmake many portages around the rapids of the Nelson River. Then acrossthe northern part of treacherous Lake Winnipeg they ventured in theirfrail canoes, and only their consummate skill in the management of thesefrail boats saved them from going down to watery graves. 

Up the mighty Saskatchewan for nearly a thousand miles they hurried on. If their minds had not been troubled at the prospect of their comingsufferings, they would as hunters have been delighted by that tripthrough that glorious western country which then teemed with game. Multitudes of buffalo coming down to the great river to drink, firstgazed on them with curiosity and then, when alarmed, went thunderingover the plains. The great antlered elks were seen in troops upon thebluffs and hills, and bears of different kinds went lumbering along theshores. Beautiful antelopes with their large luminous eyes looked atthem for a moment and then went flying over the prairies like thegazelles in the desert. 

They landed at Edmonton, where now there nestles in beauty on itspicturesque bluffs a flourishing little town. Oowikapun and hiscomrades in those days, however, found only the old historic fort, eventhen famous as the scene of many an exciting event between theenterprising fur traders and the proud, warlike Indians of the plains. 

Here they left their canoes, and after exchanging some furs for neededsupplies they started southwest on the long trail of many days' toilsometravelling, until at length the place of the fearful ordeal was reached. 

Into the details of the scenes and events of the Indian ceremony oftorture, I am not going to enter. Catlin has with pen and brushdescribed it in a way to chill the blood and fill our sleeping hourswith horrid dreams. 

Suffice to say that Oowikapun put himself in the hands of the torturers, and, first of all, they kept him for four days and nights withoutallowing him a mouthful of food or drink. Neither did they permit himto have a moment's sleep. Then they stripped off his upper garments, and, cutting long, parallel gashes in his breast down to the bone, theylifted up the flesh and there tied to the quivering flesh ends ofhorsehair ropes about three quarters of an inch in diameter. The otherends of these two ropes were fastened to a high pole about fifteen feetfrom the ground. At first the upper ends of these ropes were drawnthrough rude pulleys, and poor Oowikapun was dragged up six or eightfeet from the ground and held there for several minutes by the bleeding, lacerated, distended muscles of his breast. Then the ropes weresuddenly loosened from above, and he fell with a sickening thud to theground. Quickly they raised him up on his feet and made fast the ropesto the upper end of the pole, and left him to struggle and pull untilthe muscles rotted or were worn away, and he was free. Four days passedby ere he succeeded in breaking away, and during that time not a morselof food or a drop of water was given him. 

Weeks passed away ere Oowikapun recovered from those fearful wounds, and, after all, what did they accomplish for him? Nothing at all. Hewas, if possible, more wretched in mind than in body. No voice ofcomfort had he heard. No dispelling of the darkness, no lifting of theheavy loads, no assurance of pardon and forgiveness. Is it any wonderthat he was discouraged, and that his sharp-eyed neighbours looked athim at times with suspicion, and said one to another that something mustbe wrong in his head?

To convince them that his mind was not disordered or his reasonaffected, Oowikapun attended the councils of the tribe, and ever showedhimself clear-headed in discussion and debate. He applied himself withrenewed diligence to his work as a hunter, and remembering Memotas'slove for his household, strove to imitate him in his conduct toward hismother and the younger members of his family. Disgusted and annoyedthat nothing but disappointment and suffering had come to him fromfollowing the advice of Mookoomis, he shunned his society and would havenone of his counsel. 

So passed the summer months, and when the winter came again there arosein the breast of Oowikapun a longing desire, doubtless it had been therebefore, to go and see Astumastao, the brave maiden who had been his realfriend, and had told him words which had done him more good thananything else he had heard since he had parted from Memotas. 

About her he had never spoken a word to anyone, but her bright eyes hadburied themselves in his heart, while her brave words had fixedthemselves in his memory. 

So making up some excuse in reference to business with his relatives inthe distant village where dwelt the fair maiden, he prepared for thejourney. He arrayed himself in new and picturesque apparel, and withhis little outfit on a light sled, and his gun in his hand, and his axeand knife in his belt, he set off for the village where he had made sucha sad fall, after all his resolves to have nothing more to do with devilworship. 

Is it surprising that, as he hurried along, he forgot much of hissorrow, and was filled with pleasurable excitement at the prospect ofmeeting Astumastao again? True, he would check himself and say he wasacting or thinking foolishly, for Astumastao might be married or thebride selected, by her uncle, for some one else, for all he knew. Why, then, should he so think about her? True, she had been very kind to himin his sorrow, but then he had only met her once, and so why should hebe continually thinking about her? Thus he reasoned with himself, buthe kept hurrying along as never before, and he did not try very hard tobanish her from his heart and memory. And fortunate it was forAstumastao that Oowikapun was on the way. 

When Astumastao returned to the village after her conversation withOowikapun she found the people excited by his story of the fire burningin his wigwam and the meal prepared and ready for him. How these thingscould have been done without anyone finding it out, when they were allso alert and quick-witted, amazed them. Then it was to them such abreach of the rules or usages of such occasions. Who, they said intheir excitement, could have been so presumptuous as to break thelong-established custom, and take in food and fire to one of thedancers?

While some said that one of their number must have done it while theothers slept so soundly after the exciting days through which they hadbeen passing, there were others, tinged with superstition, who declared, with bated breath, that the gods must have had special love for him, andhad themselves come and supplied his wants. 

To all of these things Astumastao listened, and, not being suspected, she kept what she knew in her heart. She was an active, brave girl, andknew how to handle both the paddle and the gun. Kistayimoowin, heruncle, was pleased with her prowess and industry, and while possessingthe pagan ideas about women, so that he would never allow himself toshow them any particular affection, yet ever since she had been broughtas a little child into his wigwam he had treated her not unkindly. Withhis superstitious nature he had been strongly influenced by the words ofthe missionary, when he handed the orphan child over to his care, andhad told him that if he wanted the favour of the Great Spirit he musttreat her kindly and well. 

So it happened that as Kistayimoowin had no children of his own, thisbright, active girl was always with him and his wife as they, Indianlike, moved from one hunting ground to another in quest ofdifferent kinds of game. As she was so quick and observant, her unclehad taught her many things about the habits and instincts of thedifferent animals and the best method known for their capture. Theresult was she had become a very Diana, skillful and enthusiastic in thechase. 

Thus the years rolled on, and she grew to beautiful young womanhood, andmore than one pair of eyes looked toward her as the one they would liketo woo and win, or, as they thought of it, be able by abundant orvaluable gifts to purchase her from her uncle. Up to this time, however, he had repelled most decidedly all advances made to him forher, and had acted in so harsh a manner toward all would-be suitors thatthey had been obliged to keep at a respectful distance. So Astumastaowas still free as a prairie breeze. 

CHAPTER TEN. 

A MORTAL WOUND. 

The summer following the visit of Oowikapun, Kistayimoowin had taken hiswife and his niece and gone out to an island in one of the large lakesto hunt and fish. Theirs was the only wigwam on that island thatsummer. While out in a small canoe on the lake one day shooting ducks, his gun, which was an old flintlock, unfortunately burst, and, not onlyseverely wounded him, but caused him to upset the canoe while out abouthalf a mile from the shore. His wife and Astumastao heard his wildwhoop of danger, and quickly realised the sad position he was in. Unfortunately they had no other canoe and no friendly helper was withinrange of their voices. Astumastao, however, like all Indian girls, could swim like a duck; and so without hesitancy she sprang into thelake and as rapidly as possible swam out to the rescue of her woundeduncle, who sorely needed her assistance. The explosion of the gun hadnearly blown off one of his hands, and some pieces of the barrel hadentered into his body. The result was that he was very helpless andweak from the loss of blood. 

Astumastao reached him as soon as possible, and finding it impossible toright the canoe, she succeeded in tying a deerskin thong around thewounded wrist, and then resolved to try to swim with him to the shore. It was a desperate undertaking, but she knew just what to do to succeed, if it were possible. The wounded man could do nothing to help himself, so she placed him so that he could put his unwounded hand upon her back, and thus keep afloat, then she bravely struck out for the distant shore. 

Only those who have tried to rescue a helpless person in the water canhave any correct idea of the fearful task she had to perform; but buoyedup by hope and her naturally brave, true heart, she persevered, and, although at times almost exhausted, she succeeded in reaching theshallow water, out into which her feeble aunt had ventured to come toassist her. As well as they could, they helped or carried the almostexhausted man to the wigwam, and immediately made use of every means attheir disposal to stop the wounds from which his life's blood seemed tobe ebbing away. 

The poor man was no sooner laid on his bed, weak and exhausted, than heturned his eyes toward Astumastao and startled her, although he spoke ina voice that was little above a whisper. 

What he said was, "Nikumootah!" ("Sing!")

Astumastao hesitated not; but choking back her emotions she began insweet and soothing notes the song we have already heard her sing:

 "Jesus, my all, to heaven is gone, He whom I fix my hopes upon; His track I see, and I'll pursue The narrow way, till him I view. "

When she had sung two or three verses the sick man said, "Who is thisJesus?"

Not much was it that was remembered through all the long years that hadpassed away since Astumastao had received her last Sabbath schoollesson, but she called up all she could, and in that which still clungto her memory was the matchless verse: "For God so loved the world, thathe gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him shouldnot perish, but have everlasting life. " The sick man was thrilled andstartled, and said, "Say it again and again!" So over and over againshe repeated it. "Can you remember anything more?" he whispered. 

"Not much, " she replied, "only I remember that I was taught that thisJesus, the Son of the Great Spirit, said something like this: `Him thatcometh to me I will in no wise cast out. '"

"Did they say, " said the dying man, "that that included the Indian? Mayhe, too, go in the white man's way?"

"O yes, " she answered; "I remember about that very well. The missionarywas constantly telling us that the Great Spirit and his Son lovedeverybody--Indians as well as whites--and that we were all welcome tocome to him. Indeed it must be so, for there are the words I havelearned about it out of his great book: `Him that cometh to me I will inno wise cast out. '"

"Sing again to me, " he said. And so she sang:

 "Lo! glad I come; and thou, blest Lamb, Shalt take me to thee, as I am; Nothing but sin have I to give; Nothing but love shall I receive. "

"What did you say his name was?" said the dying man. 

"Jesus, " she sobbed. 

"Lift up my head, " he said to his weeping wife. "Take hold of my hand, my niece, " he said. "It is getting so dark I cannot see the trail. Ihave no guide. What did you say was his name?"

"Jesus, " again she sobbed. And with that name on his lips he was gone. 

Call not this picture overdrawn. Hundreds of these Indians have longlost faith in paganism, and in their hours of peril, or in the presenceof death even, many of them who have learned but little aboutChristianity cling to those who have some knowledge of the greatsalvation and strive to grope into the way. 

The two women were alone on the island with their dead, and with nocanoe by which they could return to the distant mainland. But Indianwomen are quick at devising plans to meet emergencies, and so Astumastaospeedily resolved on a plan to bring help to them. What she did wasthis. She cut a long pole from a clump of tall, slender trees whichgrew near their wigwam, and then securely fastening her shawl to it, shehoisted it up as a signal on a point where it was visible from theshore. Soon it was observed, and help came speedily. 

There was a good deal of genuine sorrow expressed by the Indians intheir own quiet way. After many questions had been asked and answered, they wrapped up the body in birch bark, and conveyed it across to themainland, and there buried it with their usual Indian pagan rites, muchto the regret of Astumastao. 

Left alone with her aunt, who was quite feeble, upon Astumastao fell thechief work of supplying food for both. Bravely did she apply herself tothe task; and such was her skill and industry that a good degree ofsuccess crowned her efforts, and very seldom indeed was it that theirwigwam was destitute of food. Often had she some to spare for the oldand feeble ones who, according to the heartless custom of some of thetribes, when they reach the time of life when they can neither snarerabbits nor catch fish, are either thrown out of the wigwams in thebitter cold, and left to freeze to death, or they are deserted in theforests, and left to be devoured by the wild beasts. 

Astumastao, when a poor orphan child, had been rescued and kindly caredfor, and she never forgot those early days and kindly deeds performedfor her happiness, and so now we see her ever striving to comfort orhelp others. 

During the remaining part of the summer which followed the sad death ofher uncle, she succeeded in killing a number of reindeer, which are attimes very plentiful in those high latitudes. Annoyed by the numerousflies, these reindeer frequently rush into the great lakes and rivers;and as the Indians can paddle their light canoe much faster than theseanimals can swim, they easily overtake and kill them. 

Astumastao, with a couple of other Indian girls, succeeded in killingquite a number of them. Their plan was to lash a sharp knife to the endof a pole, and then when they had paddled near enough they stabbed thedeer and dragged it ashore. All the deer do not give up without astruggle. This Astumastao found to her cost one day. She and a coupleof young maidens about her own age had hurried out to try and kill afamous deer whose many-pronged antlers told that he was one of the greatmonarchs of the forest. When they tried to get near enough to stab him, he suddenly attacked the canoe with such fury that, although Astumastaosucceeded in mortally wounding him, yet he so smashed the canoe that itwas rendered useless, and the girls had to spring out and swim to theshore, which was a long way off. However, they reached it in safety, amid the laughter of the people, who had observed their discomfiture. Nothing daunted, however, the plucky girls quickly secured another canoeand paddled out and brought in their splendid deer. 

When the long, cold winter set in again, Astumastao applied herself verydiligently to the work of trapping and snaring rabbits and some of thesmaller fur-bearing animals. In her hunting excursions she followed herplans of the preceding winters, and often plunged farther into the denseforest to set her traps and snares beyond those of any other womanhunter. 

Here, in the solitude of nature, she could sing to her heart's contentwhile deftly weaving her snares or setting her traps. On one of thesetrips she caught a glimpse of a black fox, and suspecting him to be thethief who had been robbing her snares of some rabbits during the lastfew days, she resolved if possible to capture the valuable animal. Hisrich and costly fur would buy her and her aunt some valuable blanketsand other things much required for their comfort. Returning quicklyback to her wigwam, she succeeded in borrowing a fox trap from afriendly hunter, and then making all preparations she started very earlythe next morning for the spot where she intended to set her trap. Thedistance was so great that she had to tramp along for several hours onher snow-shoes ere she reached the place. But the air was clear andbracing, and hoping for success in her undertaking she felt but littlefatigue. Skillfully she set the trap, and then walking backward, andwith a heavy balsam brush carefully brushing out her tracks, sheretraced her steps to the ordinary trail, and began collecting herrabbits and partridges from the snares. Although the fox had robbed herof several, yet she was more than ordinarily successful and gatheredsufficient to make a heavy load. 

At one place the path led her through a dense, gloomy part of, theforest, where the great branches of the trees seemed to interlock aboveher head, and shut out the greater part of the light and sunshine. Butshe was a brave Indian maiden who knew no such thing as fear, and so, throwing her heavy load over her shoulder, and supporting it with thecarrying strap from her forehead, she cheerily moved along, thinking howhappy she would be if she captured that fox to-morrow, when suddenly theshriek of a wild beast rang in her ears, and she was hurled down on herface to the ground. 

CHAPTER ELEVEN. 

THE RESCUE. 

We left Oowikapun hurrying along on willing feet at the place in theforest where he had first observed the snowshoe tracks of the hunter ofthe village he was approaching. Observing that the tracks were those ofa woman, he could not help hoping that they were those of the fairmaiden whom he had met near that same spot two winters before. Thishope filled him with pleasant anticipation, and so on and on he hurried. 

As he strode along swiftly but quietly, an object caught his attentionthat filled him with excitement and called for all his hunter'sexperience and trained instincts. Crouching down, and yet hurryingalong rapidly, in front of him, not three hundred yards away, was anenormous catamount. This was not a mere lynx or wild cat, but one ofthose great fierce brutes, more allied to the mountain lion of theRockies, or the panthers, now about extinct, in the western and northernpart of this continent. 

As Oowikapun watched the graceful, dangerous brute gliding along beforehim, the thought came into his mind that perhaps this was the very onewhose wild, weird shrieks had sounded in his ears so dolefully, as heshivered in the little wigwam of the village he was now approaching. 

Knowing the habits of these animals, he supposed this one, from itsrapid, persistent, forward movements, and the absence of that alertwatchfulness which they generally possess, was on the track of a deer. 

Oowikapun dropped to the ground and carefully looked for the tracks ofthe game that this fierce catamount was pursuing, but to his surprise hecould not discover the footprints of any animal. All at once the truthflashed upon him, that this fierce brute had got on the trail of thewoman, and, maddened it may be by hunger, was resolved to attack her. As he hastened on he became more thoroughly convinced of this, as heobserved how like a great sleuth-hound it glided along in the snowshoetracks before them. Quickly did Oowikapun prepare for action. Histrusty gun was loaded with ball. His knife and axe were so fastened inhis belt that they were ready for instant use if needed. The strap ofhis sled was dropped from his shoulders, and thus disencumbered--withall a hunter's excitement in such a position increased by the thoughtthat perhaps it was Astumastao who was in such danger--he glided alongsilently, cautiously, and rapidly. Indian trails are very crooked, andso it was that he only now and then caught a glimpse of the bloodthirstybrute; but when he did, he observed it was intent on its one purpose, asit hardly turned its head to the right or the left as it crouched orbounded along. Soon, however, the trail led from the open forest, wherethe trees were not clustered together very closely, into a dense, gloomyplace of venerable old trees, whose great limbs stretched andintertwined with each other for quite a distance. This was the samegloomy part of the forest into which we had seen Astumastao go as shewas returning with her heavy load of game. 

When Oowikapun reached the entrance to this part of the trail, he wassurprised to notice the sudden disappearance of the tracks of thecatamount. Rapidly did his eye scan every spot within jumping distance, and still not a vestige of a footstep was visible. However, he was notto be deceived, but, knowing the habits of these animals, he carefullyexamined the trunks of the trees close at hand, and on one of them hefound the marks of the creature's claws, as it had sprung from the trailinto it. This discovery, while it added to the excitement of Oowikapun, caused him to be, if possible, more alert and cautious, as he rapidlyand silently moved along. These animals can climb trees like squirrels, and glide along from branch to branch with amazing celerity where thetrees are large. They seem to prefer to make their attack by springingupon their victims from a tree rather than from the ground, as their aimis, if possible, to seize them by the throat. Oowikapun was aware ofthis, and it added to his anxiety. 

Once or twice he caught sight of the creature as, like a South Americanpuma, it glided along from tree to tree. Soon he saw it pause for aninstant, and become greatly agitated, and apparently quiver withexcitement. It was still a long shot from him, as he had only asmooth-bore, flintlock gun. The temptation to fire was great, but, wishing to be sure of his aim, he resolved to follow on, and get so nearthat no second ball would be needed. On again glided the beast, and wassoon lost to view, while Oowikapun followed as rapidly as he thought itwas best in the crooked trail, when suddenly he heard the wild shriekthat seemed to tell of the triumph of the savage beast. As he dashedon, a sharp turn in the trail showed him the bloodthirsty brute tearingat the back of a prostrate woman, upon whom he had sprung from the tree, thus dashing her to the ground. 

With all an Indian's coolness and presence of mind, Oowikapun knew that, while he must act quickly, he must also guard against accidentallyinjuring the woman, and so, raising his gun in position, he shouted theIndian word for "keep still, " and as the fierce brute raised his head atthe unexpected sound, the bullet went crashing through his brain, and hefell dead as a stone. 

To rush forward and find out who the woman was he had rescued, and theextent of her wounds, was but the work of an instant. And that instantwas all the woman required to spring up and see who it was that she hadto thank for her sudden deliverance from such a terrible death. 

Thus face to face they met again--Oowikapun and Astumastao. Reachingout her hand, while her bright eyes spoke more eloquently than herwords, she said, "I am very thankful for your coming and for my speedyrescue; and not less so, " she added, "when I see it has been byOowikapun. "

"Oowikapun is glad to be of any service to Astumastao, " he said, as hetook the proffered hand and held it, while he added, "But you are notbadly wounded?"

"Only in my arm do I feel hurt, " she replied. 

On inspection it was found that the wounds there were made by the clawsand not by the teeth, and so did not appear serious. 

As these very practical young people discussed the attack and escape, itwas unanimously agreed that it was fortunate for Astumastao that she hadthe heavy load of rabbits on her back and several brace of partridgesabout her neck. So when the brute sprang upon her, with the exceptionof wounding her arm, he had only plunged his teeth and claws into thegame. 

We need not here go into the particulars of all the beautiful thingswhich were said by these two interesting young people. Human nature isabout the same the world over. This is not a romantic love story, evenif it turns out to be a lovely story. Suffice it here to say that atfirst a fire was kindled and the wounded arm was dressed and bandaged. Some balsam from the trees was easily obtained by Oowikapun for thepurpose, and a warm wrapping of rabbit skins taken from the newly caughtanimals sufficed to keep the cold from the wounds. These prompt andthorough Indian methods for curing wounds were most successful, and in afew days they were completely healed. When the dressing of the arm wasattended to, Oowikapun returned for his sled, which he had left at thespot where he first caught sight of the catamount, while Astumastaobusied herself with cooking some of the game which she had caught, andwhich she had about ready when he returned. 

Perhaps some of my fastidious readers would not have cared much for asimple meal thus prepared, and eaten without the use of plates or forks;but there are others who have dined in this way, and the remembrance ofsuch meals, with the glorious appetite of forest or mountain air, is tothem a delicious memory. This one at any rate was very much enjoyed bythese young people. When it was over Oowikapun quickly skinned thecatamount, and, leaving the head attached to the skin, he placed it onhis sled that it might be shown to the villagers when they arrived. Thebody he left behind as worthless, as it is never eaten by the Indians, although they are fond of the wild cat, and some other carnivorousanimals. Astumastao's load of game was also placed upon his sled, andthen together they resumed their journey to the village. 

Great was the excitement among the people when the story became known, and in their Indian way they at once promoted Oowikapun to the ranks ofthe great "braves. " He was considered quite a hero and made welcome inall of the wigwams he chose to visit. The aunt of Astumastao welcomedhim most cordially, and, kissing him again and again, called him herson, while she thanked him most gratefully for his noble deed. Gladlyaccepting her invitation, he repeated his visits to her wigwam as oftenas Indian etiquette would sanction. 

One day, when only the three were present, Oowikapun, who had heard fromsome of the people of the heroic way in which Astumastao had rescued herUncle Kistayimoowin from a watery grave, asked her to tell him thestory. 

As a general thing among the Indians, but little reference is made tothe dead. The whole thing to them, without any light to illumine thevalley of the shadow of death, is so dreadful that they do not mentionthe word death. When obliged to speak of those who have gone they say, "Non-pimatissit, " which means, "He is not among the living. " However, Astumastao and her aunt had none of these foolish notions, especiallyas, since the sad event, the aunt had eagerly drunk in air theinformation she could get from her niece, who now had none in the wigwamto crush her song or quiet her speech. 

As Astumastao had a double object in view, she willingly, at the requestof her aunt, described the scene as we have already done. She dweltfully upon Kistayimoowin calling for her to sing, and his longing tolearn all he could about the name of Jesus. The recital produced a deepimpression upon Oowikapun, and brought up all the memories of his owndarkness and mental disquietude, while, month after month, he had beengroping along in his vain attempts to find soul-happiness. 

During this interview she told him how she and her aunt had tried eversince her uncle's death to live in the way of the book of heaven; butthat they knew so little, and there were so many mysteries andperplexities all around them, that they were at times much discouraged. Yet there was one thing that they had resolved upon, and that was neverto go back to the old pagan religion of their forefathers, for they werehappier in their minds now, with the glimmering light of the white man'sway, than ever they had been in their lives before. 

Oowikapun listened and was encouraged. He told them fully of his owntroubles, for he felt he had for the first time sympathetic listeners. When he described his various methods to get peace and quiet from hisfears and anxieties, and referred to the ceremony of torture throughwhich he had gone, Astumastao's eyes seemed to flash at first withindignation, and then to fill up with tears. Strong words seemed aboutto come from her lips, but with an effort she controlled herself, andremained quiet. 

Very frequently did Oowikapun find his way to the wigwam where dweltthese two women, and doubtless many were the things about which theytalked. 

For a time he visited the snares and traps and brought in the game. Oneday he returned with the splendid black fox which Astumastao had triedso hard to capture. For this they gratefully thanked him, as well asfor the great, tawny skin of the catamount, which he had carefullyprepared as a splendid rug, and spread out for them in their wigwam. 

The wounded arm was now completely healed, and the business whichOowikapun had used as his excuse for coming to the village was long agoarranged, still he lingered. 

CHAPTER TWELVE. 

A NOBLE AMBITION. 

To the villagers the cause was evident, but why there should be anytrouble or delay in his courtship they could not make out. Of course hewould take Astumastao's aunt to live with them, and therefore there wasno price to pay for the maiden. So quickly and promptly do theygenerally attend to these things, that, when matters have gone betweentheir young folks as they evidently imagined they had between these two, a decision one way or another is quickly reached. 

These simple people do not believe in long courtships. So they began towonder and conjecture why this matter was not settled between them. They were nearly all favourably inclined toward Oowikapun, and werepleased at the prospect of his marrying a maiden of their village. Evensome of the young men who had hoped to have won her, when they heard thestory of her wonderful deliverance by this fine young hunter of anothervillage, and observed how evident it was that he had set his heart uponher, retired from the field, saying that Oowikapun's claims to her weregreater than theirs, and that for themselves they must look elsewhere. 

But strange to say, while Astumastao's eyes brightened when Oowikapunentered the wigwam, and her welcome was always kindly, yet sheskillfully changed the conversation when it seemed to be leading towardthe tender sentiment, and parried with seeming unconsciousness allreference to marriage. And being, as women are, more skillful andquick-witted than men, she, for some reason or other, would never lethim see that she appeared to think of him as a suitor for her hand andheart, and by her tact, for some reason unaccountable to him, kept himfrom saying what was in his heart. And yet she was no mere coquette orheartless flirt. In her great, loving heart was a purpose noble andfirm, and a resolve so high that, for the present at least, all othersentiments and feelings must hold a subordinate place. And so, whileshe did not repel him, or offend his sensitive spirit, she, in some waywhich he could not exactly define, made him feel that he must defer thething to him so important, and talk on other subjects. There was onetheme on which she was always eager to talk and to get him to talk, andto her it never grew stale or threadbare. It was about what he and shehad learned or could remember of the book of heaven, and the good whiteman's way. 

She sang her hymns to him, and called up all the memories possible ofthat happy year in childhood which she had spent in the home of themissionary. She made him tell her over and over again all he couldremember of Memotas and Meyooachimoowin, and as well as she could, inher quiet way, let him see how solicitous she was that he should try tofind out how to get into this way, which she said, she was sure was theright way and the one in which he could find that soul comfort for whichhe had been so long seeking. 

Oowikapun was thankful for all this kindness, and was very happy in herpresence, but was all the time getting more deeply in love with her, andwhile anxious to learn all he could from her, had come to the sageconclusion that if she would only marry him he could learn so much thefaster. 

It is said "that all things come to him who waits, " and so theopportunity which our Indian friend had so long desired came to him. Astumastao had been telling him one day when they were alone of thepersecutions and oppositions she had met with from her uncle Koosapatum, the conjurer, and from others, and then stated how hard it was for heralone to remember about the good Book, and live up to its lessons. Thenshe added, if there had only been some one among the people who knewmore than she did to stand firm with her, they might have helped eachother along and been so firm and brave. 

When she had finished. Oowikapun saw his opportunity, and was quickenough in availing himself of it. He replied by deeply sympathisingwith her, and then, referring to his own difficulties and failures inthe past, stated how fearful he was of the future, unless he had sometrue, brave friend to help him along. Then, suddenly facing her, instrong and loving words he begged and urged her to be his teacher andhelper, his counsellor, his wife. 

So quickly had the conversation changed, and so suddenly had come thisdeclaration, that Astumastao was thrown off her guard and more deeplyagitated than we have ever seen her before. However, she soon regainedher composure, and replied to him--not unkindly, but candidly andunmistakably--that she was very sorry he had made such a request, as shehad set her heart upon the accomplishment of some work which perhapswould make it impossible for her to think of marriage for years to come. 

Vainly he urged his suit, but most firmly she resisted; and with onlythe satisfaction of getting from her the information that at some futureinterview she would tell him of the great object she had set her heartupon, he had to leave the wigwam, feeling that his chances of winningAstumastao were not quite so bright as he had vainly imagined. 

Oowikapun, as we may well suppose, was very anxious to know the reasonswhich had so strong a hold upon Astumastao as to cause her thus to act;and, so soon as Indian etiquette would allow another visit to herwigwam, he was not absent. 

When some Indian maidens, who had been learning from Astumastao some newdesigns in beadwork, at which she was very skillful, had retired, andthe two young people and the aunt were now left alone, she, in herclear, straightforward manner, told what was uppermost in her heart. Itwas of a purpose which had been growing there for years, but which shehad only seen the possibility of carrying out since her uncle's death. She said she believed they ought to have a missionary to teach them thetruths in the book of heaven. Pe-pe-qua-napuay, the new chief, was notunfriendly, as he had himself declared that he had lost faith in the oldpagan way; and Koosapatum, the conjurer, had lost his power over theyoung men, who now feared not his threats; and at Tapastanum, the oldmedicine man, they even laughed when he threatened them. So she hadresolved to go all the way to Norway House, to plead with the missionarythere to send away to the land of missionaries, and get one to come andlive among them and be their teacher of this right way, as described inthe book of heaven. She knew it was far away, and her hands and armswould often get weary with paddling many days, and her feet would getsore, and perhaps the moccasins would wear out in the portages where thestones were sharp and the rocks many. But they had talked it all over, and they had resolved to go. Two women were to go with her. One, whowas a widow, was to be the guide. She had gone over the way years ago, with her husband, and thought that she could remember the trail. Theother was a young woman, the companion of Astumastao, who from being somuch with her had learned what she knew, and so longed, for moreinstruction that she was willing to go on the long journey, hard anddangerous though it was. These two women, she said, were anxious to gowith her. They were sick of the way they were living, and longed forthe better life and a knowledge, of what was beyond. 

They had been making their preparations for a long time, she said. Afriendly family would keep the aunt in her absence and look after herlittle wigwam. They had been making beadwork and some other things tosell at Norway House, so that they would not be dependent upon thefriends there while they pleaded for a missionary. 

Thus talked this noble girl, and, as she went on and described theblessing that would come to her people if she should succeed, she becameso fired with this noble resolve which had taken such completepossession of her that poor Oowikapun, while more and more in love withher, felt himself, while under the witchery of her impassioned words, verily guilty in having dared to make a proposal of marriage which wouldin any way thwart a purpose so noble, and which might be followed bysuch blessed results. 

And yet, when alone and in cool blood, Oowikapun pondered over thenature of the task she had decided to undertake, and thought of theperils and difficulties in the way to which she and her companions wouldbe exposed, he resolved to try to persuade her to abandon the perilousundertaking. 

Patiently she listened to all he had to say, but she would not bepersuaded to abandon this, on which her heart was so set. Seeing this, he tried to arrange some compromise or some other plan. First he askedher to marry him, and let him go along in place of the young Indianmaiden, companion of Astumastao. This plan, which seemed so agreeableto Oowikapun, she quickly dismissed, saying that she did not intend tobe married until she could be married in the beautiful Christian way sheremembered having seen when a child, and by a Christian missionary. 

Failing in this scheme, Oowikapun suggested that he should select somestrong young fellow, and that together they should set off as soon asthe ice disappeared from the rivers, and present her request. 

To this Astumastao replied, and there was a little tinge of banter, ifnot of sarcasm, as well as a good deal of seriousness in her voice: "Andsuppose, in one of the Indian villages through which you might pass, asun or ghost dance, or even the ceremony of the devil worship or dogfeast might be going on, who knows but you might be persuaded to jumpinto the magic circle and dance yourself senseless? Or if you did notsucceed, might you not in your discouragement go off again to thetortures and miseries of _hock-e-a-yum_?"

These words made him wince, but he could only feel that they were true, and that he deserved them all; and he felt that, until he did somethingto redeem himself in the eyes of this brave, true woman, he was onlyworthy of her reproofs. 

Seeing that her words had so hurt him, this generous-hearted girl, who, while grieved at the failures he had made, could also appreciate hisnoble qualities and sympathise with him in his struggles for the light, quickly turned the conversation, and then, as though making a confidantof him, told him of all the plans of their contemplated journey, whichwas to begin just as soon as the spring opened, as they supposed itwould take them all the season of open water in their lakes and riversto go and return. Then she added: "And shall I not be happy when againI see the spire of that house of prayer at Norway House? And if I canonly succeed in getting the promise of a missionary to come and dwellamong our people I shall forget all the dangers and hardship of thetrip. "

One day, while Oowikapun was pondering over the words of Astumastao, andthinking of the risks she and her companions were about to run, and thedangers they would have to encounter in their great undertaking, andcontrasting it with the listless, aimless life he had lately beenleading, suddenly there came to him, as a revelation, a noble resolvewhich took such possession of him and so inspired him that he appearedand acted like another man. 

To carry it out was quickly decided upon, and so, letting no one know ofhis purpose, he very early, one crisp, wintry morning, tied his littletravelling outfit, with his axe and gun, upon his sled, and, withoutsaying "Good-bye" to anyone, even to Astumastao, secretly left thevillage. 

There were many surmises among the people when it was known that he wasgone. Many conjectures were made, and when some hunters returned alongthe trail which led to his own village, and reported that the tracks ofhis sled and snow-shoes were not seen in that direction, they were allthe more surprised; and it was a long time ere they had any hint ofwhere he had gone or the cause which had taken him away. 

CHAPTER THIRTEEN. 

THE SUDDEN DISAPPEARANCE. 

The mysterious disappearance of Oowikapun from the village of hisfriends caused a good deal of excitement and innocent gossip. That hewas deeply in love with Astumastao was evident to all, and while she didnot allow even her most intimate friends to hear her say that sheintended to marry him, yet her conduct very plainly indicated that hestood higher than anyone else in her esteem. That she had positivelyrejected him none of them could believe. Why then had he thus shown thewhite feather, and so ignominiously and so suddenly left the field whenit seemed so evident that a little more perseverance would have surelyresulted in his success. In this way the young men and maidens of thevillage talked, while the old men gravely smoked the calumets andmourned that the times were so changed that a young brave should have somuch trouble in capturing a squaw. 

When Astumastao was informed of the sudden disappearance of Oowikapunshe was troubled and perplexed. Not the slightest hint had he given herof his intended movements when, like a flash, there had come to him thegreat resolve to be the one who should go on the long journey to findthe missionary. She was a maiden, not beautiful, but she was a comelyIndian girl, attractive and clever in her way, and she well knew thatmany a young hunter had sat down beside her wigwam door or had droppedthe shining, white pebble before her in the path, thus plainlyintimating his desire to win her notice and esteem. But to all of themshe had turned a deaf ear, and had treated them, without exception, withperfect indifference. As shy and timid as a young fawn of the forest, she had lived under the watchful and somewhat jealous care of her uncleand aunt, until Oowikapun had appeared in the village. 

His coming, however, and his reference to Memotas had strangely brokenthe quiet monotony of years. Then what she had done for him in thewigwam, their conversation in the trail, and above all, his gallantrescue of her from the terrible catamount, had aroused new emotionswithin her and opened up her mind to a wider vision, until now she sawthat she was no longer the young free Indian girl with no thoughts butthose of her childhood, but a woman who must now act and decide forherself. But with the characteristic reserve of her people she kept allthe newborn emotions and aspirations hid in her heart. 

The power to control the feelings and passions among the Indians is notconfined to the sterner sex. Schooled in a life of hardship, the womenas well as the men can put on the mask of apparent indifference, whileat the same time the heart is racked by intensest feeling, or the bodyis suffering most horrid torture. Death in its most dreadful form maybe staring them in the face, and yet the outsider may look in vain forthe blanching of the cheek, or the quivering of a muscle. Very early inlife does this stern education begin. 

"That is my best child, " said an Indian father, as he pointed out anapparently happy little girl seven or eight years old, in his wigwam. 

"Why should she be your favourite child?" was asked him. 

"Why? Because she, of all my children, will go the longest withoutfood, without crying, " was his answer. 

To suffer, but to show no sign, is the proverb of the true Indian. Andyet Astumastao would not admit even to herself that she was deeply inlove with Oowikapun. She had treasured the fond conceit in her heartthat the one all-absorbing passion with her was that which she hadfreely revealed to him, and she in her simplicity had honestly believedthat no other love could take its place, or even share the room in herheart. 

But here was a rude awakening. She was a mystery to herself. Why thesesighs and tears when she was alone and unwatched by her bright-eyed, alert young associates? Why did the image of this one young Indianhunter intrude itself so persistently before her in her waking hours?It is true he came not frequently to her in her dreams, for we dream butlittle of those we love the most, and who are in our memories and on ourhearts continually during the waking hours of active life. 

Untaught in the schools and free from all the guiles of heartlesscoquetry, an orphan girl in an Indian village, with neither prudery onthe one hand, nor hothouse teachings on the other, which turn the headsof so many girls, Astumastao was to herself a riddle which she could notsolve--a problem the most difficult of any she had tried to understand. 

Her maidenly modesty seemed first to tell her to banish his image fromher heart, and his name from her lips. To accomplish this she threwherself with renewed diligence into the duties incident to her simpleyet laborious life, and by her very activities endeavoured to bringherself back to the sweet simplicities of her earlier days. Butfruitless were all her efforts. The heart transfixed, was too strongfor her head, and the new love which had so unconsciously come to herwould not be stilled or banished. 

A true daughter of Eve was this forest maiden, even if she did live in awigwam, and had never read a novel or a romance, and because she hadthese feelings and was passing through these hours of disquietude andconflicting emotions we think none the less of her. Our only regret isthat she had no judicious friend of her own sex to whom in herperplexity she could have gone for wise and prudent counsel. Happy arethose daughters in civilised lands who have their precious mothers orother safe counsellors to whom they can go in these critical hours oftheir history, when their future weal or woe may turn upon the decisionsthen made. And happy are those fair maidens who, instead of impulsivelyand recklessly rejecting all counsel and warning from their truestfriends, listen to the voice of experience and parental love, and aboveall, seek aid from the infinitely loving One who has said: "If any ofyou lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. "

Astumastao unfortunately had no one to whom she could go in herperplexity. Her feeble aunt had been a purchased wife, bought in thelong ago by her husband whom she had never seen until the day when hehad come from a distant village, and being impressed with herappearance, for she was then a fine-looking young woman, had quicklyspread out at her father's feet all the gifts he demanded for her. Hisfirst words to her were to inform her that she was his wife, and thatvery shortly they would set out for his distant home. Crushed, out ofher heart were some feelings of affection for a handsome young hunterwho had several times met her on the trail, as she was accustomed to goto the bubbling spring in the shady dell for water for her father'swigwam. Few indeed had been his words, but his looks had been brightand full of meaning, and he had let her know that he was gathering upthe gifts that would purchase her from her stern, avaricious father. But, alas! her dreams and hopes had been blasted, and her heart crushedby this old pagan custom, and so for long years she had lived thedreary, monotonous life to which we have referred. Such a woman couldgive no advice that would be of much service to such an alert, thoughtful girl as Astumastao, and so, unaided and undisciplined, shelet her thoughts drift and her heart become the seat of emotions andfeelings most diverse. Sometimes she bitterly upbraided herself for hercoldness and indifference to Oowikapun as she thought of his many noblequalities. Then again she would marshal before her his weaknesses anddefects, and would vainly try to persuade herself to believe that theman who had been in the tent of Memotas and had heard him pray, and hadthen gone into the devil dance and had voluntarily suffered the torturesof _hock-e-a-yum_, was unworthy of her notice. Then suddenly, as thememory of what he must have suffered in those terrible ordeals camebefore her, her bright eyes would fill with tears, and she found herselfimpulsively longing for the opportunity to drive the recollection ofsuch suffering from her mind and heart, and to be the one to save himfrom their repetition. Amid these conflicting emotions there was onethought that kept coming up in her mind and giving her much trouble, andthat was, "Why had he left so abruptly? Why did he not at least comeand say `Good-bye?' or why had he not left at least some little messagefor her?"

Over these queries she pondered, and they were more than once thrown ather by the young Indian maidens, as with them she was skillfullydecorating with beads some snow-white moccasins she had made. 

Thus pondered Astumastao through the long weeks that were passing bysince Oowikapun left her, while he, brave fellow, little dreaming thatsuch conflicting feelings were in her heart, was putting his life injeopardy, and enduring hardships innumerable, to save and benefit theone who had become dearer to him than life itself. 

Thus the time rolled on, and all her efforts to banish him from her mindproved failures, and it came to pass that, like the true, noble girlthat she was, she could only think of that which was brave and goodabout him, and so when some startling rumours of a delightful characterbegan to be circulated among the wigwams, our heroine, Astumastao, without knowing the reason why, at once associated them with Oowikapun. News travels rapidly sometimes, even in the lands where telegraphs andexpress trains are unknown. It does not always require thewell-appointed mail service to carry the news rapidly through the land. 

During the terrible civil war in the United States there was among theNegroes of the South what was known as the grapevine telegraphy, bywhich the coloured people in remote sections often had news of successor disaster to the army of "Uncle Abraham, " as they loved to callPresident Lincoln, long before the whites had any knowledge of what hadoccurred. 

So it was among the Indian tribes. In some mysterious, and to thewhites, most unaccountable way, the news of success or disaster wascarried hundreds of miles in a marvellously short period of time. Forexample, the defeat and death of General Custer at the battle of theRosebud was known among the Sioux Indians, near Saint Paul, for severalhours before the military authorities at the same place had anyknowledge of it, although the whites were able to communicate more thanhalf of the way with each other by telegraph. An interesting subjectthis might prove for some one who had time and patience to give it athorough investigation. 

The rumours of coming blessings to the people kept increasing. Atlength they assumed a form so tangible, that the people began tounderstand what was meant. It seemed that some hunters met some otherhunters in their far-off wanderings, who had come across a party ofNorway House Christian Indians, who informed them that a visit might besoon expected from the white man with the great book, about which therehad been so many strange things circulating for such a long time. WhenAstumastao heard these rumours she was excited and perplexed. Whilehoping most sincerely that they were true, and would speedily befulfilled, yet she could not but feel that she would have rejoiced tohave been able to have made the long journey, for which she had been soindustriously preparing, and have had something to do in bringing themissionary and the book among her own people. And then she let herthoughts go to some one else, and she said to herself, "I will rejoiceif it turns out to be the work of Oowikapun. "

CHAPTER FOURTEEN. 

IN NEED OF A MISSIONARY. 

The success which has attended the efforts of the missionaries inpreaching the Gospel among the most northern tribes of Indians has beenvery encouraging. For a long time they had been dissatisfied with theirold paganism. They had in a measure become convinced that theirreligious teachers, their medicine-men, and conjurers, were impostorsand liars, and so, while submitting somewhat to their sway, were yetchafing under it. When the first missionaries arrived among them theywere soon convinced that they were their true friends. Not only werethey men of saintly lives and pure characters, but they were men whopractically sympathised with the people, and to the full measure oftheir ability, and often beyond, they helped the sick and sufferingones, and more than once divided their last meal with the poor, hungrycreatures who came to them in their hours of direst need. The resultwas that the people were so convinced of the genuineness of thesemessengers of peace and good will, that large numbers of them gladlyaccepted the truth and became loving Christians. 

The story of the founding of these missions went far and wide throughoutall these northern regions, and at many a distant camp fire, and in manya wigwam hundreds of miles away, the red men talked of the white man andhis book of heaven. 

Occasionally some of these hunters or trappers, from these still remotepagan districts of their great hunting grounds, would meet with some ofthe Christian hunters from the missions, and from them would learnsomething of the great salvation revealed in the book of heaven, andthey would return more dissatisfied than ever with their old, sinful, pagan ways. 

Then it sometimes happened that a missionary, full of zeal for hisMaster, and of sympathy for these poor, neglected souls in thewilderness, would undertake long journeys into their country to preachto them this great salvation. Many were the hardships and dangers ofthose trips, which were often of many weeks' duration. They were madein summer in a birch canoe with a couple of noble Christian Indians, whowere not only able skillfully to paddle the canoe, and guide it safelydown the swift, dangerous rapids, and carry it across the portages, butalso be of great help to the missionary in spreading the Gospel bytelling of their own conversion, and of the joy and happiness which hadcome to them through the hearty acceptance of this way. 

In winter the missionaries could only make these long journeys bytravelling with dogs, accompanied by a faithful guide and some cleverdog drivers. Sometimes they travelled for three hundred miles throughthe cold forests or over the great frozen lakes for many days togetherwithout seeing a house. When night overtook them, they dug a hole inthe snow, and there they slept or shivered as best they could. Theirfood was fat meat, and they fed their dogs on fish. The cold was soterrible that sometimes every part of their faces exposed to thedreadful cold was frozen. Once one of the missionaries froze his noseand ears in bed! Often the temperature ranged from forty to sixtydegrees below zero. It was perhaps the hardest mission field in theworld, as regards the physical sufferings and privations endured; but, fired by a noble ambition to preach the Gospel "in the region beyond, "these men of God considered no sufferings too severe, or difficultiesinsurmountable, if only they could succeed. They were among those ofwhom it is said:

 "Fired with a zeal peculiar, they defy The rage and rigour of a northern sky, And plant successfully sweet Sharon's rose On icy fields amidst eternal snows. "

Wherever they could gather the wandering Indians together, even inlittle companies, for religious worship they did so. On the banks ofthe lakes or rivers, in the forests, at their camp fires, or in theirwigwams, they ceased not to speak and to preach Jesus. The result was, a spirit of inquiry was abroad, and so, in spite of the old conjurersand medicine-men, who were determined, if possible, not to lose theirgrip upon them, there was a longing to know more and more about thisbetter way. 

Norway House Mission was the spot to which many eyes were directed, andto which deputations asking for missionary help often came. It was thelargest and most flourishing of those northern missions, and for yearshad its own printing press and successful schools. 

Very pathetic and thrilling were some of the scenes in connection withsome of these importunate Indian deputations, who came from remoteregions to plead with the resident missionary that they might have oneof their own, to live among them and help them along in the right way. 

One deputation, consisting of old men, came year after year, and whenstill refused each successive year, because there was none to volunteerfor a life so full of hardships, and no money in the missionarytreasury, even if a man could be found, became filled with despair, andeven bitterness, and said: "Surely then the white men do not, as theysay, consider us as their brothers, or they would not leave us withoutthe book of heaven and one of their members to show us the true way. "

Another old man, with bitterness of soul and tremulousness of speech, when replying to the refusal of his request for a missionary for hispeople, said: "My eyes have grown dim with long watching, and my hairhas grown grey while longing for a missionary. " These importunateappeals, transmitted year after year to the missionary authorities, atlength, in a measure, so aroused the Churches that more help was sent, but not before the toilers on the ground had almost killed themselves inthe work. Vast indeed was the area of some of those mission fields, andwretched and toilsome were the methods of travel over them. GeorgeMcDougall's mission was larger than all France; Henry Steinhaur's waslarger than Germany; the one of which Norway House was the principalstation was over five hundred miles long, and three hundred wide; andthere were others just as large. No wonder men quickly broke down andhad soon to retire from such work. The prisoners in the jails andpenitentiaries of the land live on much better fare than did theseheroic men and their families. The great staple of the North was fish. Fish twenty-one times a week for six months, and not much else with it. True, it was sometimes varied by a pot of boiled muskrat or a roastedleg of a wild cat. 

Yet, amid such hardships, which tried both souls and bodies, they toiledon bravely and uncomplainingly, and, as far as possible, responded tothe pleading Macedonian calls that came to them for help, from theremote regions still farther beyond, and gladly welcomed to theirnumbers the additional helpers when they arrived. 

With only one of these deputations pleading for a missionary have wehere to do. 

It was a cold, wintry morning. The fierce storms of that northern landwere howling outside, and the frost king seemed to be holding highcarnival. Quickly and quietly was the door of the mission house opened, and in there came two Indians. One of them was our beloved friendMemotas, who was warmly greeted by all, for he was a general favourite. The little children of the mission home, Sagastaookemou and Minnehaha, rushed into his arms and kissed his bronzed but beautiful face. Whentheir noisy greetings were over, he introduced the stranger who was withhim. He seemed to be about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years of age, and was a fine, handsome looking man; in fact, an ideal Indian of theforest. Very cordially was he welcomed, and Memotas said his name wasOowikapun. 

Thus was our hero in the mission house, and in the presence of the firstmissionary he had ever seen. How had he reached this place? and whatwas the object of his coming? These questions we will try to answer. 

The last glimpse we had of Oowikapun was when he was quietly speedingaway from the far-off village where dwelt Astumastao, and, according tothe hunters, returning not in the trail leading to his own village; Hispresence here in the mission house, hundreds of miles in the oppositedirection, now explains to us the way in which he must have travelled. 

From his own lips, long after, the story of his adventurous trip wastold. 

Oowikapun said that, when he left Astumastao after that last interviewin which he so completely failed to divert her from her determination toundertake, with the other women, the long, dangerous journey, and inwhich she had shown him how little he was to be depended upon, he wentback to the wigwam of his friends feeling very uncomfortable. Hisrelatives had all gone off hunting or visiting, and so there he wasalone in his tent. He kindled a fire, and by it he sat and tried tothink over what had happened, and was full of regret at what Astumastaohad resolved to do. While almost frightened at the dangers she wasabout to face, he could not but be proud of her spirit and courage. 

Then the thought came to him, What are you doing? Is there not manenough in you to do this work, and save these women from such risks? Isit not as much for you as anybody else the missionary is needed? Areyou not about the most miserable one in the tribe? Here is youropportunity to show what you can accomplish; and, as Memotas was alwaysdoing the hard work for his wife, here is your chance to save fromdanger, and do the work that the one you are longing to call your wifeis intending to do. 

"While I thought about it, " said Oowikapun, "the thing took such holdupon me that it fairly made me tremble with excitement, and I resolvedto set about it at once. So I very quickly gathered my few thingstogether, and when all was still I left the village. Some falling snowcovered up my snowshoe tracks and the little trail made by my sled, andso no one could tell in which direction I had gone. 

"I had many adventures. The snow was deep; but I had my good snow-shoesand plenty of ammunition, and, as there was considerable game, I managedvery well. One night I had a supper of marrow bones, which I got holdof in a strange way. I was pushing along early in the forenoon when Iheard a great noise of wolves not very far off. Quickly I unstrapped mygun and prepared to defend myself if I should be attacked. Theirhowlings so increased that I became convinced that they were so numerousthat my safest plan was to get up in a tree as quickly as possible. This I did, and then I drew up my sled beyond their reach. Not verylong after I had succeeded in this, I saw a great moose deer plungingthrough the snow, followed by fierce grey wolves. He made the mostdesperate efforts to escape; but, as they did not sink deeply in thesnow, while he broke through at every plunge, they were too much forhim, and although he badly injured some of them, yet they succeeded inpulling him down and devoured him. It was dreadful to see the way theysnarled and fought with each other over the great body. They gorgedthemselves ere they went away, and left nothing but the great bones. When they had disappeared, I came down from the tree, in which I hadbeen obliged to remain about six hours. I was nearly frozen, and so Iquickly cut down some small dead trees and made up a good fire. I thengathered the large marrow bones from which the wolves had gnawed themeat, and, standing them up against a log close to the fire, I roastedthem until the marrow inside was well cooked; then, cracking them openwith the back of my axe, I had a famous supper upon what the wolves hadleft. 

"I had several other adventures, " said Oowikapun; "but the mostinteresting of all, and the one most pleasing to me, was that I reachedBeaver Lake in time to rescue an old man from being eaten by the wolves. His relatives were some very heartless people of the Salteaux tribe. They were making a long journey through the country to a distant huntingground, and because this old grandfather could not keep up in the trail, and food was not plentiful, they deliberately left him to perish. Theyacted in a very cruel and heartless way. They cut down and stuck somepoles in the snow, and then over the top they threw a few pieces ofbirch bark. This in mockery they called his tent. Then seating him ona piece of a log in it, where he was exposed to view from every side, they left him without any fire or blankets, and gave him only a smallquantity of dried meat in a birch dish which they call a _rogan_. There, when he had eaten this meat, he was expected to lie down and die. 

"When I found him he was nearly dead with the cold. He had eaten hismeat and was sitting there on the log brandishing his old tomahawk tokeep off several wolves, who were patiently waiting until he wouldbecome wearied out, when they would spring in upon him and speedilydevour him. So intent were they on watching him, that I was able to getup so close to them that I sent a bullet through two of them, killingthem instantly. The others, frightened by the report of the gun, quickly rushed away. I cheered up the old man, and speedily made a fireand gave him some warm soup which I prepared. 

"I had to stay there with him a day before he was strong enough to go onwith me. I have succeeded in bringing him with me to Norway House bydragging him on my sled most of the way. I took him to the house ofMemotas, where he was kindly treated and cared for, as are all who comeunder the roof of that blessed man. "

CHAPTER FIFTEEN. 

THE MISSIONARY ON HIS JOURNEY. 

Oowikapun, during the days and weeks following, in his pleadings for amissionary had a great helper in Memotas, who had become very muchinterested in him. This devoted man had often thought about the youngwounded Indian who long ago had come to his hunting lodge, so far away, to be cured of the injuries inflicted by the savage wolf. 

Since his arrival, he had drawn from him many of the vents that hadoccurred in his life since they had knelt down in the woods together. He had opened to Memotas his heart, and had told him of his feebleefforts to live the better life, and of his complete failure. He toldhim of Astumastao, and made the heart of Memotas and others glad, whoremembered the little black-eyed maiden from the far North who had dwelta year in the village. They all rejoiced to hear that she stilltreasured in her breast so much of the truth and was so anxious for amissionary. 

These were happy weeks for Oowikapun. Under the faithful instructionsof Memotas he was being rapidly helped along in the way to a Christianlife. Perplexities and mysteries were being cleared up, and light wasdriving the darkness and gloom out of his mind and heart. Frequentlydid the faithful missionary, who had also become much interested in him, have long conversations with him, giving him much assistance, as well asarranging for the comfort of the old Salteaux whom he had rescued fromsuch a dreadful death. The plan of salvation by faith in the Lord Jesuswas unfolded to Oowikapun, and the necessity of a firm and constantreliance upon God for help in times of need was so explained to him thathe saw where his failures had been, because, in his own strength, he hadtried to resist temptation, and thus had so sadly failed. 

The Sabbath services intensely interested him, and he took great delightin them. The Sunday school was a revelation to him, and he gladlyaccepted the invitation of Memotas, and became an interested member ofhis class. He seemed to live in a new world, and when he contrastedwhat he had witnessed nearly all his days amid the darkness and evils ofthe pagan Indians with what he saw among this happy Christian people, instructed by the missionaries out of the book of heaven, his dream cameup vividly before him, and now it had a meaning as never before. Here, in this Christian village, were the people of his own race whom he hadseen in the bright and happy way, with Jesus as their guide, and thebeautiful heaven beyond as their destination. 

As he studied them more and more, the more importunate and anxious hebecame to have the missionary of this station go and visit his people, and thus prepare the way for their own missionary when he should come tolive among them. 

Oowikapun's anxiety for light, and his intense interest in everythingthat pertained to the progress of the people, and, above all, hisresolve to succeed in getting the missionary, created a great deal ofinterest among the villagers. With their usual open-heartedhospitality, they invited him to their comfortable homes, and from manyof them he learned much to help him along in the good way. 

So marvellously had Christianity lifted up and benefited the people thatOowikapun with his simple forest ways, at times felt keenly hisignorance as he contrasted his crude life with what he now witnessed. 

A genuine civilisation following Christianity had come to many of theseonce degraded tribes, and now comfortable homes and large and happyfamily circles are to be found where not a generation ago all was darkand degraded, and the sweet word "home" was utterly unknown. 

The conversion of some of these Indians was very remarkable, and therecital of how they had come out of the darkness into the light was mosthelpful to him. 

When there is a disposition to surrender we are easily conquered, andsuch was the condition of mind in which was the missionary to whomOowikapun had come with his earnest appeals. The decision to go was nosooner reached than the preparation began to be made for the longjourney, which would occupy at least a month. Four dog-trains had to betaken. A train consists of four dogs harnessed up in tandem style. Thesleds are about ten feet long and sixteen inches wide. They are made oftwo oak boards, and are similar in construction, but much stronger thanthe sleds used on toboggan slides. 

There are various breeds of dogs used in that country, but the mostcommon are the Eskimos. They are strong and hardy, and when welltrained are capital fellows for their work; but beyond that they areincorrigible thieves and unmitigated nuisances. 

Other breeds have been introduced into the country, such as the SaintBernard and the Newfoundlands. These have all the good qualities of theEskimos, and are happily free from their blemishes. Some few Scottishstag-hounds, and other dogs of the hound varieties, have been brought inby Hudson Bay officers and others; but while they make very swifttrains, they can only be used for short trips, as they are too tender tostand the bitter cold and exposure, or the long and difficult journeys, often of many days' duration, through the wild and desolate regions. 

The various articles for the long journey were speedily gatheredtogether and the sleds carefully packed. Preparing for such a journeyis a very different thing from getting ready for a trip in a civilisedland. Here the missionary and his Indian companions were going aboutthree hundred miles into the wilderness, where they would not see ahouse or any kind of human habitation from the time they left theirhomes until they reached their destination. They would not see theleast vestige of a road. 

They would make their own trail on snow-shoes all that distance, exceptwhen on the frozen lakes and rivers, where snow-shoes would be exchangedfor skates by some, while the others only used their moccasins. Everynight, when the toilsome day's travel was over, they would have to sleepin the snow in their own bed, which they carried with them. Their mealsthey would cook at camp fires, which they would build when required, asthey hurried along. So we can easily see that a variety of things wouldhave to be packed on the dog-sleds. Let us watch the old, experiencedguide and the dog drivers as they attend to this work. 

The heaviest item of the load is the supply of fish for the dogs. Asthis trip is to be such a long one, each sled must carry over twohundredweight of fish. Then the food for the missionary and hisIndians, which consists principally of fat meat, is the next heaviestitem. Then there are the kettles, and axes, and dishes, and numerousrobes and blankets and changes of clothing, and a number of otherthings, to be ready for every emergency or accident; for they are goingto live so isolated from the rest of the world that they must beentirely independent of it. One thing more they must not forget, andthat is a liberal supply of dog shoes, and so on this trip they takeover a hundred. 

In selecting his Indian companions, the missionary's first thought isfor a suitable guide, as much depends on him. The one chosen for thistrip was called Murdo, a very reliable man, who had come originally fromNelson River. Very clever and gifted are some of these Northern guides. Without the vestige of a track before them, and without, the mark of anaxe upon a tree, or the least sign that ever human beings had passedthat way before, they stride along on their big snow-shoes day afterday, without any hesitancy. The white man often gets so bewildered thathe does not know east from west or north from south; but the guide neverhesitates, and is very seldom at fault. To them it makes no differencewhether the sun shines or clouds obscure the sky, or whether theyjourney by day or night. Sometimes it is necessary to do much of thetravelling by night, on account of the reflection of the dazzling raysof the sun on the great, brilliant wastes of snow giving the travellersa disease called snow-blindness, which is painful in the extreme. Toguard against this, travelling is frequently done through the hours ofnight, and the sleep secured is during the hours of sunshine. 

Yet the experienced guide will lead on just as well by night as by day. To him it makes no difference what may be the character of the night. Stars may shine, auroras may flash and scintillate, and the moon maythrow her cold, silvery beams over the landscape, or clouds may gatherand wintry storms rage and howl through the forest; yet on and on willthe guide go with unerring accuracy, leading to the desired campingground. 

With this guide, three dog drivers, and Oowikapun, the missionarycommenced his first journey to Nelson River. 

The contemplated trip had caused no little excitement, not only onaccount of its dangers, but also because it was the pioneering trip fornew evangelistic work among a people who had never seen a missionary orheard the name of Jesus. And so it was that, although the start wasmade very early in the morning, yet there were scores of Indiansgathered to see the missionary and his party off, and to wish them"Godspeed" on their glorious work. 

The hasty farewells were soon said, and parting from his loved ones, whom he would not see for a month, the missionary gave the word tostart, and they were off. 

Murdo, the guide, ran on ahead on his snow-shoes. The missionary camenext. He had with him Oowikapun, the happiest man in the crowd. Whenthe missionary could ride--which was the case where the route lay overfrozen, lakes or along stretches of the rivers--Oowikapun was hisdriver, and rejoiced at being thus honoured. Following the missionary'strain, came the other three in single file, so that those following hadthe advantage of the road made by the sleds and snow-shoes in front. Where the snow was very deep, or a fresh supply had recently fallen, itsometimes happened that the missionary and all the Indians had to strapon their snow-shoes, and, following in the tracks of the guide, tramp onahead of the dogs, and thus endeavour to make a road over which thosefaithful animals could drag their heavy loads. 

When our travellers began to feel hungry a fire was quickly kindled, akettle of tea prepared, and a hearty lunch of cold meat or pemmican waseaten and washed down with the strong tea. So vigorous are theappetites in that cold land, that often five times a day do thetravellers stop for lunch. Then on they go until the setting sun tellsthem it is time to prepare for the wintry camp, where the night is to bespent. If they can possibly find it, they select a place where thereare green balsam trees, and plenty of dry dead ones. The green oneswill furnish the bed, while the dry ones will make the fire. 

When such a place is found a halt is called and everybody is busy. Thedogs are quickly unharnessed and gambol about close to the camp andnever attempt to desert. 

From the spot selected for the camp the snow is quickly scraped by usingthe great snow-shoes as shovels. Then a roaring fire is made, and on itthe kettles, filled with snow, are placed. In the larger kettle a pieceof fat meat is cooked, and in the other one tea is made. While supperis cooking the dogs are fed. They are only given one meal a day, andthat is at night. Two good whitefish constitute a meal. These arethawed out for them at the fire; and after eating them they curlthemselves up in their nests and sleep or shiver through the cold nightas best they can. The supper, which consists principally of fat meat, is then eaten, and after prayers preparations are made for retiring. Alayer of balsam boughs is placed on the ground; on this the robes andblankets are spread; and then the missionary, wrapping himself up in allthe garments he can well get on, retires first and is well covered up byadditional blankets and fur robes. So completely tucked in is he thatit is a mystery why he does not smother to death. But somehow hemanages to survive, and after a while gets to stand it like an Indian. Persons unacquainted with this kind of life can hardly realise how it ispossible for human beings to thus lie down in a hole in the snow, andsleep comfortably with the temperature everywhere from forty to sixtybelow zero. However, difficult as it is, it has to be done if theGospel is to be carried to people so remote that there is no better wayof reaching them. Such travellers are always thankful when a foot oreighteen inches of snow falls upon them. It is a capital comforter, andadds very much to their warmth. 

One of the most difficult things in connection with this kind oftravelling is getting up. The fire which was burning brightly when theyretired was but a flashy one, and so it expired very soon, and did notlong add much to their comfort. And now when morning has come, and theyhave to spring up from their warm robes and blankets, the cold is soterrible that they suffer very much. No wonder they shiver and quicklyget to work. Soon a roaring fire is burning, and breakfast prepared andenjoyed. After morning prayers the sleds are packed, the dogs areharnessed, and the journey is resumed. 

CHAPTER SIXTEEN. 

THE MISSIONARY AT WORK. 

Eight times was the wintry camp made on this long trip, which was fullof strange adventures and many hardships to every one of the party; andso they were glad indeed when Murdo and Oowikapun told the others, onthe ninth day, at about noon, that they were only six miles from NelsonRiver. 

This was indeed welcome news to all, especially to the missionary. Hehad not had the severe physical training which naturally falls to thelot of an Indian. True, he had his own dog-sled, and was supposed toride when possible; but there were whole days when he had to strap onhis snow-shoes and march along in single file with his Indians, and, ashappy Oowikapun put it in his broken English, "Good missionary help makeum track. "

The result of this "make um track" business was that he was about wornout ere the journey was ended. Several times had the cramps seized himin such a way that the muscles of his legs so gathered up in knots thathe suffered intensely for hours. Then his feet were tender, and theychafed so under the deerskin thongs of the snow-shoes that the bloodsoaked through his moccasins, and in many places crimsoned the snow ashe bravely toiled along. More than once, as he had to stop and rest ona log covered with snow, did he question with himself whether he haddone right in undertaking a journey so fraught with sufferings anddangers. 

Cheering, then, was the news that the journey was nearly ended. A haltwas called, a kettle of tea was prepared, and lunch was eaten with greatpleasure. The dog drivers put on some extra articles of finery ofbeautiful beadwork or silkwork, that they might appear as attractive aspossible. 

Very cordially were the missionary and his party welcomed by the greatmajority of the people. They were very much interested and excited whenthey found that the first missionary with the book of heaven was amongthem. As many of the people were away hunting, runners were dispatchedfor those within reach. All of these Northern Indians live by hunting. They are beyond the agricultural regions. Their summers are very short. The result is, they know but little of farinaceous or vegetable food. There are old people there who never saw a potato or a loaf of bread. Their food is either the fish from the waters or the game from theforests. The result is, they have to wander around almost continuallyin search of these things. The missionaries have learned this, andendeavour to arrange their visits so as to meet them at their gatheringsin places where they assemble on account of the proximity of game. While these meeting places are called villages, they do not bear muchresemblance to those of civilisation. 

As soon as the missionary had rested a little he paid a visit to thetent of Koosapatum, because he had quickly heard of the dire threats ofthe old sinner. So gloomy was the interior of the wigwam that, as themissionary pulled back the dirty deerskin which served as a door andentered, he could hardly see whether there was anybody in or not; and nokindly word of greeting had been heard. However, his eyes soon gotaccustomed to the place, and then he was able to observe that the oldconjurer and his wife were seated on the ground on the opposite side ofthe tent. With some tea and tobacco in his left hand, the missionaryextended his right, saying, "What cheer, _mis-mis_?"--the Indian for"How are you, grandfather?"

The old fellow was cross and surly, and evidently in a bad humour, andmost decidedly refused to shake hands, while he growled out words ofannoyance and even threatening at the coming of a missionary among hispeople. 

The missionary, however, was not to be easily rebuffed, and so reachingdown he took hold of his hand, and in a pump-handle sort of style gaveit quite a shaking. Then taking up the tobacco, which, with the tea, hehad dropped upon the ground, he quickly placed it in the hand of themorose old man. At first he refused to take it, but the missionaryspoke kindly to him, and after a little, as he had been out of the stufffor days, his fingers closed on it; and then the missionary knew that hehad conquered in the first skirmish. Tobacco among these Indians islike salt among the Arabs. Knowing this, the missionary, who never usedit himself, adopted this plan to make friends with the old conjurer. 

After he had taken the tobacco, the missionary took up the package oftea, and, looking at the dirty strips of meat which hung drying over astick, said: "You have meat, and I have tea. If you will furnish themeat, I will the tea, and we will have supper together. "

The first thought of the old sinner, as he glanced at his medicine bagin which he kept his poisons, was: "What a good chance I shall now haveto poison this man who has come to check my power!" However, themissionary saw that wicked gleam, and, being well able to read these menby this time, he quickly said: "Never mind your medicine bag and yourpoisons. I am your friend, even if as yet you do not believe it. Ihave come into your wigwam, and you have taken my tobacco, and I offerto eat and drink with you, and poison me _you dare not_!"

Thoroughly cowed and frightened that the white man had so completelyread his thoughts, he turned around to his wife, and in imperative tonesordered her to quickly prepare the meat and the tea. So expeditiouslywas the work accomplished that it was not very long ere the conjurer andmissionary were eating and drinking together. The old fellow said themeat was venison; the missionary thought it was dog meat. 

Perhaps we cannot do better than to anticipate the work a little and saythat at some later visits this old conjurer was induced to give up allof his wicked practices and become an earnest Christian. He so highlyprized the visits of the missionary that he followed him like hisshadow. He attended all the services, and when, wearied out with theday's toil, the missionary prepared to rest, Koosapatum was not far off;and when the missionary knelt down to say his evening prayer alone, thenow devout old man would kneel beside him and say: "Missionary, pleasepray out loud, and pray in my language, so that I can understand you. "

Thus the Gospel had come to the heart and was influencing the life ofeven the conjurer of the Nelson River Indians. The service at which agreat majority of the people decided for Christ was a very memorableone. It began at about eight o'clock in the morning. The majority ofthe Indians in all that vast district were gathered there. 

Oowikapun's people were among the crowd, much to his delight. Astumastao and her aunt had heard of the gathering, and required nosecond invitation to be on hand. Great indeed was her joy to look againinto the face, and hear the voice of a missionary. Very much surprisedand bewildered was she at having been anticipated by some one who hadsucceeded in bringing in the missionary before she had begun her journeyfor this purpose. And great indeed was her joy and delight, and deeplywas she moved when she heard of the part Oowikapun had played in theimportant work. 

The meeting between the two was genuine and natural. The dream of heryouth was now accomplished, for here, ready to begin the religiousservice, was the missionary, with the good book in his hand. His comingwas the result of the efforts of Oowikapun. That she really loved himthe conflicts of the last few weeks most conclusively answered. Hisbronzed, weather-beaten appearance showed something of the hardships ofthe long journey, while his bright, happy face revealed to her how amplyrepaid he felt for all he had endured and suffered. 

As he entered the gathering assembly it was evident to all that hisquick, eager eyes were on the lookout for some special friend. 

Not long had he to look. Astumastao and her aunt had come in fromanother wigwam, and were not very far behind him, and so were able tosee how eagerly he was scanning the faces of those who had alreadyassembled. So absorbed was he in scanning those in front that thenoiseless moccasined feet of others coming in behind him were unheeded. 

For a moment Astumastao watched his wistful, eager looks, and welldivining the meaning, with flushed and radiant face she advanced towardhim and cordially exclaimed: "My brave Oowikapun!" Startled, overjoyed, and utterly unconscious or careless of the hundreds of bright eyes thatwere on him, he seized the extended hands, and drawing her toward him, he imprinted upon her brow a kiss of genuine and devoted love, andexclaimed: "My own Astumastao!"

Tucking her arm in his as he had lately seen the white Christians do, heproudly marched with her up to a prominent place in the audience, wherethey seated themselves, while the aunt for the present judiciouslylooked out for herself. 

It was a very picturesque assembly. Indians dress in an endless varietyof fashions. Some in their native costumes looked as statuesque andbeautiful as the ancient Greeks; others as ridiculous as a modern fop. 

All, however, were interested and filled with suppressed excitement. The first hour was spent in singing and prayer and in reading the wordof God, or, as the Indians love to call it, the book of heaven. 

Then the Indians who had come from Norway House with the missionary, andwho were earnest Christians, told of how they had found the Saviour. Very clear and definite are many of the Christian Indians on this point. And as Paul loved to talk about how the Lord Jesus had met him while onthe way to Damascus, so it was with many of these happy converted redmen; they love to talk of their conversion. 

To the great joy of the missionary, Oowikapun asked for the privilege ofsaying a few words. At first he seemed to falter a little, but soon herose above all fear, and most blessedly and convincingly did he talk. We need not go over it again; it was the story of his life, as it hasbeen recorded in these chapters. Because of the words and resolves ofAstumastao, he said, he had gone for the missionary; and from this man, and from Memotas and others, he had found the way of faith in the Son ofGod. Now he was trusting in him with a sweet belief that even he, Oowikapun, was a child of God like these other happy Christians who hadspoken. 

After such an hour of preliminary services it was surely easy for thatmissionary to preach. He took as his text the sixteenth verse of thethird chapter of Saint John's gospel. This is how it reads in Cree, which we give, that our readers may see what this beautiful languagelooks like:

"_Aspeecke saketat Kesa-Maneto askeeyou kah ke ooche maket oopayye-koo-sah-ke aweyit katapua yaye mah kwa akah keche nese-wahnah-tee-sit maka kacke at ayaky ka-ke-ka pimatissewin_. "

It was a long sermon that was preached that day. For four hours themissionary talked without stopping. He had so much to say, for here wasa people who had never heard the Gospel before, and were now listeningto it for the first time. Everything had to be made plain as he wentalong. So he had to take them back to the creation of the human family;and tell them of the fall, and of the great plan to save the poorsinning race, who have got out of the right trail, and ate wandering indarkness and death, and bring them back again into the right way, whichhas in it happiness for them here, and heaven hereafter. 

Thus the missionary talked hour after hour, wishing to bring them to adecision for Christ at once. He dwelt upon the greatness andimpartiality of God's love, and urged them that as his love was so realand blessed, they should accept of him now, at the first greatinvitation. 

The ever-blessed Spirit carried home to the hearts of these simplepeople the truths uttered, and deep and genuine were the results. Aftermore singing and prayer the missionary asked for some of them tocandidly tell what was in their hearts concerning these truths, and whatwere their wishes and resolves in reference to becoming Christians. 

To write down here all that was said that day would require several morechapters; suffice it to say that, from the chief, who spoke first, through a succession of their best men, they were all thankful for whatthey had heard, and said that these things about the Great Spirit"satisfied their longing, " and, as one put it, "filled up their hearts. "

Thus the Gospel had reached Nelson River, and rapidly did it find alodgment in the hearts of the people. At the close of the secondservice about forty men and women came forward to the front of theassembly and professed their faith in Christ and desired Christianbaptism, the meaning of which had been explained to them. And thus thegood work went on day after day, and many more decided fully for Christ. 

Do not, my dear reader, say this work was too sudden, and that thesebaptisms were too soon. Nothing of the kind. It was only anotherchapter in the Acts of the Apostles, and in perfect harmony with what isstated by infallible Wisdom. There it is recorded of the multitudes, after one sermon by Peter, "Then they that gladly received his word werebaptised: and the same day there were added unto them about threethousand souls. "

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN. 

NORWAY HOUSE REVISITED. 

Of course Oowikapun and Astumastao were married. Everybody was invited, and of course everybody came to the wedding, and to the great feast thatfollowed. Very kind and devoted was he to her, even as Memotas had beento his wife. The excitement of the arrival of the missionary after atime died away, but the good results continue to this day. Although attimes slowly, yet constantly has the good work gone on, and none who atthe beginning decided for the Christian life have ever gone back to theold pagan religion of their forefathers. So much had Oowikapun to sayabout Memotas that he resolved if possible to see that blessed man onceagain. And to Astumastao also there came a longing desire to visit thespot to which now, more than ever, her memory turned, where that period, all too brief, in her childhood days had been spent, where in the homeof the missionary, and in the house of God she had learned the sweetlessons which had never entirely been forgotten, and which had "aftermany days" produced such glorious results. 

The longed-for opportunity came the next summer, and was gladlyaccepted. 

So successful had been the fur hunters in their trapping the fur-bearinganimals such as the silver foxes, beavers, otters, minks, and otherswhose rich pelts are very valuable, that the Hudson Bay Trading Companyresolved to send up to Norway House a second brigade of boats to take upthe surplus cargo left by the first brigade, and also to bring down acargo of supplies for the extra trade, which was so rapidly developing. Oowikapun was appointed steersman of one of the boats, and his wife waspermitted to go with him. 

With great delight were they both welcomed at Norway House Mission. They had had a long, dangerous trip. Many rapids had to be run wherethe greatest skill was required in safely steering the little boats, butOowikapun was alert and watchful and did well. Twenty-five or thirtytimes did they have to make portages around the dangerous falls andrapids. 

The joy of Astumastao on reaching the place where she had spent thateventful year, so long ago, was very great indeed. Absorbed in bringingup the memories of the past she seemed at times like one in a dream. Tofind the playmates of that time she had to search among those, who now, like herself, had left the years of childhood far behind. Many of themhad gone into the spirit land. Still she found a goodly number after atime, and great indeed was their mutual joy to renew the friendships oftheir earlier days. And great indeed was the pleasure of all to meetthe wife of that Indian who had visited the mission in the depth of thatcold winter to plead for a missionary, especially when they learned thatit was because of her earnest resolve that he had undertaken the long, cold, dangerous journey. 

They were welcome visitors at the mission house. Sagastaookemou andMinnehaha seemed intuitively to love them, much to their delight, and asgravely listened as did the older people to the recital of some of thethrilling incidents of their lives. The services of the sanctuary were"seasons of sweet delight, " and in them much was to be learned to behelpful in times to come. 

Of course the little home of Memotas was visited. Their hearts weresaddened at finding the one, who for years had not only, as themissionary's most efficient helper, often ministered to the minddiseased, and brought comfort to the sin-sick soul, but had often, as inthe case of Oowikapun, when bitten by the savage wolf, skillfullyrestored to health and vigour many suffering ones, now rapidly himselfhastening to the tomb. 

But although he was feeble in body he was joyous in spirit, and had thehappy gift of making everybody happy who came to see him. Even in hislast illness this remarkable man was a "son of consolation. " For monthsere he left us, he lived in an atmosphere of heaven, and longed for hiseternal home. Only once after the arrival of Oowikapun and Astumastaodid he have sufficient strength to go with them to the house of God. Every Indian within twenty miles of the sanctuary was there that brightSabbath morning. Wan and pale and _spiritual_ looked the saintly manwho seemed to have just, by the strength of his will, kept the soul inthe frail earthen vessel, that he might once again worship in theearthly sanctuary, ere he entered into that which is heavenly. 

When with an effort he raised himself up to speak the place was indeed aBochim, for the weepers were everywhere. One illustration used by himhas lingered with me through all these years. He said: "I am in bodylike the old wigwam that has been shaken by many a storm. Everyadditional blast that now assails it only makes the rents and crevicesthe more numerous and larger. _But the larger the breaks and openings, the more the sunshine can enter in_. So with me, every pang ofsuffering, every trial of patience, only opens the way into my soul formore of Jesus and his love. "

How he did rejoice as they talked with him and rehearsed the story ofhow the Lord had so wonderfully led them out of the darkness of the oldway into the blessed light of the new. 

At Astumastao's request Oowikapun told Memotas of his wonderful dream, and of the deep impression it had made upon him. Memotas listened toits recital with the deepest interest, and stated what many others havesaid, that they believed that still, as in ancient times, the goodSpirit in loving compassion speaks in dreams to help or warn those whohave not yet received enough of the divine revelation to be completelyguided by it. At his feet sat those two happy converts, and, as didmany others, learned from his rich testimony many blessed truths. 

Happy Memotas; only a little while longer did he tarry with us. Alittle additional cold was all that was needed to finish the work in aconstitution so nearly shattered. When he felt it assailing him therecame very clearly to him the presentiment that the end was near. Andnever did a weary traveller welcome his home and bed of rest withgreater delight than did Memotas welcome the grave and the bliss beyond. 

The prospect of getting to heaven seemed so glorious that he couldhardly think of anything else. This was now his one absorbing thought. 

Like all the rest of these Northern Indians, he was very poor, and hadnothing in his home for food of his own but fish. But there were lovinghearts at the mission house, and so willing hands carried supplies asneeded to his little habitation. 

On one occasion, when that dear, good missionary, Reverend John Semmens, who had gone with me, as together we had lovingly supplied his wants, said to him: "Now, beloved Memotas, can we do anything else for you? Doyou want anything more?"

"O, no, " replied Memotas; "I want nothing but Christ. More of Christ. "

When we administered to him the emblems of the broken body and spiltblood of the dear Redeemer, he was much affected, and exclaimed, "Myprecious Saviour. I shall soon see him. "

Seeing his intense longing to go sweeping through the gates of thecelestial city, I said to him: "Memotas, my brother beloved, why are youso anxious to leave us? I hope you will be spared to us a littlelonger. We need you in the Church and in the village. We want yourpresence, your example, your prayers. "

He was a little perplexed at first, and seemed hardly to know how toanswer. Then he looked up at me so chidingly, and gave me the answerthat outweighs all arguments: "I want to go home. "

And home he went, gloriously and triumphantly. His face was so radiantand shining that it seemed to us as though the heavenly gates had swungback, and from the glory land some of its brightness had come flashingdown, and had so illumined the poor body that still held in itsfaltering grasp the precious soul, that we could almost imagine thatmortal itself was putting on immortality. The triumphant death ofMemotas was not only a revelation and a benediction to Oowikapun andAstumastao, and many other Christian Indians, but it caused the full andcomplete surrender of many hard, stubborn hearts to Christ. 

So short a time had our hero and heroine been in the way that, happy asthey were in their present enjoyment of the favour of God, they had hadtheir fears as they thought of the last enemy which is death. In thequietude of their wigwam home they had asked themselves, and each other, the solemn question, Will this religion sustain us in the valley andshadow of death? or, How will we do in the swellings of Jordan? Naturaland solemn are these questions, and wise and prudent are they in alllands who thoughtfully and reverently ask them. 

Comforting and suggestive were the answers which they and others hadlearned at the bedside of the triumphant Memotas. 

"As thy days, so shall thy strength be, " had a new meaning to them fromthat time forward, and so as they reconsecrated themselves to God, theyresolved in the divine strength to obtain each day sufficient grace forthat day's needs--and who can do any better?

Very anxious was Astumastao to learn all she could about housekeepingand other things which would more fully fit her for helping her lessfortunate Indian sisters at the distant Indian village, who, now thatthey had become Christians, were also trying to attain to some of thecustoms and comforts of civilisation. 

Thus very quickly sped the few weeks during which the brigade of boatswaited at Norway House for their return cargo, which had to come fromFort Garry. When this arrived all was hurry and excitement. Two orthree days only were required to unpack from the large cases or balesthe supplies, and repack them in "pieces, " as they are called in thelanguage of the country. These pieces will each weigh from eighty to ahundred pounds. The cargoes are put up in this way on account of themany portages which have to be made, where the whole outfit has to becarried on the men's shoulders, supported by a strap from the forehead. It is laborious work, but these Indians are stalwart fellows, and nowbeing homeward bound, they worked with a will. 

Most of them were at this time Christians. So they tarried at themission for a little time to say "Farewell" and to take on boardAstumastao and two or three other Indian women, who had been wooed withsuch rapidity that ere the short visit of a few weeks rolled round allarrangements had been made and some pleasant little marriage ceremonieshad taken place in our little church. 

These marriages were a great joy to Astumastao as her intenselypractical character saw that the coming to her distant country of somegenuine Christian young women would be very helpful in the more rapidextension of Christianity. Indeed, "Dame Rumour, " who lives there aswell as elsewhere, said that she had a good deal to do in introducingsome of the shy, timid bachelor Indians of the Nelson River brigade tosome of the blushing damsels whom she had, in her judgment, decidedwould make good wives for them and also be a blessing in their newhomes. Various amusing stories were flying about for a long time inreference to some of the queer misadventures and mixing up of theparties concerned ere everything was satisfactorily arranged andeverybody satisfied. Among a people so primitive and simple in theirhabits this could quickly be done, as no long months were required toarrange jointures or marriage settlements, or a prying into the state ofthe bank accounts of either of the parties concerned. 

But all these things have been attended to, and the long journey begun. It was a matter of thankfulness that no boats were smashed on the rocksor lives lost in the raging waters. The women looked well after thecooking of the meals and the mending of garments torn in the roughportages. Every morning and evening they read from the good book andhad prayers. Often in the long gloaming of those high latitudes, whenthe day's work was done, they clustered around the camp fire on thegreat, smooth granite rocks, with the sparkling waters of lake or riverin front, and the dense, dark forest as their background, and sweetlysang some of the sweet songs of Zion which they had lately learned orwere learning from these young Christian wives whom the wise Astumastaohad introduced among them. 

The three Sabbaths which had to be spent on the journey were days ofquiet restfulness and religious worship. It is a delightful fact thatall of our Northern Christian Indians rest from their huntings andjourneyings on the Lord's Day. And it has been found, by many years oftesting, that the Christian Indians who thus rest on the Sabbath can domore and better work in these toilsome trips for the Hudson Bay Companythan those brigades that know no Sabbath. 

The longest journey has an end. The far-away home was reached at last. The goods, in capital order, were handed over to the officer of thetrading post. The men were paid for their work, and supplies were takenup for the winter's hunting, and one after another of the familiesdispersed to their different hunting grounds, some of which werehundreds of miles away. 

Oowikapun, with Astumastao and her aunt, went with a number whosewigwams were so arranged on their hunting grounds that they could meetfrequently for religious worship among themselves. Very blessed andhelpful to them was this little church in the wilderness. And now herewe must leave them for the present. They had their trials and sorrowsas all have. Even if their home was but a wigwam, it was a happy onewith its family altar and increasing joys. 

They had never become weary of talking about the wonderful way in whichtheir loving heavenly Father has led them out of the dark path of theold life into this blessed way. 

The only question on which they differed was which had had more to do inbringing the Gospel to their people. Astumastao said it was the visitof Oowikapun; while he declared if it had not been for her true, bravelife and faithful words, and her endeavour to live up to what light shehad received when a little child, they might all have been in darknessstill. And I think my readers will believe with me that I thinkOowikapun was right when he so emphatically argued that to Astumastaomore than to anyone else was to be given this high honour. 

So, while in our story we have given Oowikapun such a prominent place, yet to Astumastao, we think our dear readers with us will say, must begiven the first place among those who have been instrumental in havingthe Gospel introduced among the Nelson River Indians. 

THE END.