clothes, which at the best of times is very scant, and do their
calling. They salute the inmates of each house they enter with a
congratulatory shake, expecting to be kissed in return. Just think of
having to kiss a whole tribe of Indians in one day, that part we would
rather do by proxy. We would not countenance it in any way.
On Christmas day we went out for a walk along Frog Creek; on our way
we came to where two little Indian children were catching rabbits with
a snare, they stepped to one side and let 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