Two months in the Camp of Big Bear | Page 5

us pass, and were delighted to have us
watching them while catching their game; and further on some of the
squaws had holes cut in the ice, and having a sharp hook were catching
fish. In this way they get fish all winter, and to look at these
"shrimpy-looking" women trotting along with their brown babies slung
in a sort of loose pocket dangling away behind their backs, it was
comical in the extreme, they would stop and look and laugh at us, our
appearance being so very different to their own dark skin and sharp
eyes. They wear their hair hanging, strung with brass beads, and have
small pieces of rabbit fur tied in; and the men wear theirs cut very short
in front, hanging over their brows, and ornaments of every description.
These people don't set at table on chairs, rich or poor; they squat down
on their feet in a fashion that would soon tire us exceedingly. Then at
night they wrap themselves up in a blanket, lie down and sleep as
soundly as we would in our warm feather bed and blankets.
My husband and the men worked hard during the next two months on
the mill in order to get it finished before the spring set in. As far as the
weather was concerned it was very favourable for working. The men
lost no time from the cold. During that period the thermometer ranged
from zero to 60? below but the air was so clear and bracing that the
cold was never felt. I have experienced more severe weather in Ontario
than I ever did in this part. I have heard of north-west blizzards, but
they are confined to the prairie and did not reach us. It is the most
beautiful country I ever saw with its towering hills, majestic rivers,
beautiful flowers and rolling land. I had made up my mind to see
nothing but frost, ice and snow, but was agreeably disappointed.
Nothing of an eventful nature transpired, during those two months, the
mill was about completed and Williscraft and the other men were
discharged with the exception of Mr. Gilchrist, who assisted my
husband. The machinery was all in position and everything done but
finishing up, when on the 17th of March, two men, strangers, made
their appearance at the mill and asked for employment. They said they

were weary and worn and had left Duck Lake in order to avoid the
trouble that was brewing there. One was Gregory Donaire and the other
Peter Blondin, my husband took pity on them and gave them
employment. They worked for us until the massacre. They were
continually going too and fro among the Indians, and I cannot but
believe, that they were cognizant of everything that was going on, if not
responsible in a great degree for the murders which were afterwards
committed.
CHAPTER V.
WOOD AND PLAIN INDIANS.
The Indians are in their habits very unclean and filthy. They will not in
the least impress anyone to such an extent that they would be willing to
forego the restrictions of civilized life, and enter upon the free life of
the red man.
The Indians living on the reserve in the neighbourhood of Frog Creek
are known as the Wood Crees, they were all peaceable and industrious,
and were becoming proficient in the art of husbandry. They lived in the
log cabins in the winter, but in the summer they took to their tents.
They numbered about 200 persons. They appeared satisfied with their
position which was much better than what falls to the lot of other
Indians. They did not take part in the massacre, nor where they
responsible for it in any way.
The Plain Crees are composed of the worst characters from all the
tribes of that name. They were dissatisfied, revengeful, and cruel, they
could not be persuaded to select their reserve until lately, and then they
would not settle upon it. Their tastes lay in a direction the opposite to
domestic; they were idle and worthless, and were the Indians who
killed our dear ones on that ever to be remembered 2nd of April. Those
same Indians were constantly fed by Mr. Delaney and my husband. The
following correspondence will show how he treated those ungrateful
characters:--Big Bear's Indians were sent up to Frog Lake, it is said, by
Governor Dewdney who told them, if they would go there, they would

never be hungry, but last winter their rations were stopped, and they
had to work to get provisions, or starve. They would go around to the
settlers houses and ask for something to eat, and Mr. Delaney would
give those Indians rations, paying for them out of his own salary. Gov.
Dewdney wrote a letter stating that he must