regenerated in the waters of baptism, and seven marriages renewed and blessed. The number of baptized amounted to forty-four; among whom was the lady of Mr. [Colin] Fraser, (superintendent of the fort) and four of his children and two servants.
Monseigneur:'
Provisions becoming scarce at the fort, and the large Iroquois family being encamped round about, resolved to remain until my departure, in order to assist at the instructions, we should have found ourselves in an embarrassing situation had not Mr. Fraser come to our relief, by proposing that we should leave the fort and accompany himself and family to the Lake of Islands, where we could subsist partly on fish. As the distance was not great, we accepted this invitation, and set out to the number of fifty-four persons and twenty dogs. I count the latter, because we were as much obliged to provide for them as for ourselves. A little note of the game killed by our hunters during the twentysix days of our abode at this place will perhaps afford you some interest; at least, it will make you acquainted with the animals of the country, and prove that the mountaineers of Athabasca are blessed with good appetites. Animals killed - twelve moose deer, two reindeer, thirty large mountain sheep or bighorn, two porcupines, 2Io hares, one beaver, two muskrats, twenty-four bustards, 115 ducks, twenty-one pheasants, one snipe, one eagle, one owl; add to this from thirty to fifty fine white-fish every day and twenty trout, and then judge whether or not our people had reason to com plain; yet we heard them constantly saying: " How hard living is here? The country is miserably poor -we are obliged to fast."
As the time approached at which I was to leave my new children in Christ, they earnestly begged leave to honor me,
s Letter dated Foot of the Great Glacier, at the Source of the Athabasca, May 6, 1845.