the river unhindered for four days. When we reached the great lake, the ice began to impede our progress. We were constantly having to land, to re-gum the thin bark of which our canoes were composed. Thus I found myself stopped for the second time. All navigation had ceased a month before - my pilots declared that to advance was to expose ourselves to imminent danger. I had learned by a letter just received from Father Mengarini that he had only escaped with the greatest difficulty from the snow and the water, and that twelve of his horses had perished in the
" evil forest." One of the Kalispels offered to carry a message to St. Mary's, on snowshoes -so I wrote to Father Mengarini, saying, among other things, " I have done what I could, with prudence, to come to you; but I have found insurmountable barriers in the snows of the Cceur d'Alene mountains and the overflowed rivers, and now finally the ice stops me on Clark's Fork. I find myself frustrated in my most earnest desire, that of seeing the mother mission once more - of embracing my dear brothers in Jesus Christ, and pouring out upon the hearts of our dear good Flatheads all the attachment and godly love that I bear them. Tell them all sorts of things for me; I shall pass but a sad winter
away from them. Tell them that I hope the Lord will grant me the favor of seeing them and taking their hands at the beginning of next spring; for as soon as the river is navigable I shall set out once more."
I was not long in descending the river, and on the 17th I reached the Kalispels' winter quarters. They seemed to have nothing more pressing to do than to procure me the best lodge in the camp, and to make all arrangements to make my stay among them as agreeable and comfortable, as the place and their poor circumstances permitted.
I shall always remember with pleasure the winter of Ig44-5, which I had the happiness of spending among these good Indians. The place for wintering was well chosen, picturesque, agreeable and convenient. The camp was placed near a beautiful waterfall, caused by Clark river