36 THE LIFE 05‘

My father, at times, would draw near the fire, and
rehearse some prayer to the gods. It appeared to him
that there was no way of escape; the men, women
and children dying; some of them were speechless.
The wigwam was cold and dark, and covered with
snow. On the eleventh day, just before daylight, my
father fell into a sleep ; he soon awoke and said to me,
“ My son, the Great Spirit is about to bless us; this
night in my dream I saw a person coming from the east,
Walking on the tops of the trees. He told me that we
should obtain two beavers this morning about nine
o’clock. Put on your moccasons and go along with me
to the river, and we will hunt the beaver, perhaps for
the last time.” I saw that his countenance beamed
with delight; he was full of confidence. I put on my
moccasons and carried my snow shoes, staggering
along behind him, about half a mile. Having made a
fire near the river, where there was an air hole, through
which the beaver had come up during the night, my fa-
ther tied a gun to a stump, with the muzzle towards the
air hole; he also tied a string to the trigger, and said
“should you see the beaver rise, pull the string and
you will kill it.” I stood by the fire with the string in
my hand. I soon heard a noise occasioned by the blow
of his tomakawk ; he had killed a beaver, and he
brought it to me. As he laid it down, he said “then
the Great Spirit will not let us die here ;” adding, as
before, “if you see the beaver rise, pull the string.”
He left me, I soon saw the nose of one ; but I did not
shoot. Presently another came up ; I pulled the trig-