The Indians are a people requiring a good deal of patience on the part
of their teachers, as, those who have tried working among them have
generally found. There is on the one hand a charming fascination about
their simple manners and habits, their readiness to receive and accept
Gospel teaching, the bright winning smile that lights up their faces
when pleased, their stoical behaviour under adverse circumstances,
their gentleness and politeness, the absence of that rough manner and
loud talk which is so common among white people of the lower classes;
and yet on the other hand we must admit that there are certain strong
points in their natural character which are anything but pleasing; and
it is, I believe, these points coming to the notice of people who are
not inclined to befriend them that have earned for them the character
of an idle, ungrateful people. Many a time has it been said to me, "How
can you waste your time working among those Indians? They will never
get any better for all you can teach them or do for them." And yet I
have continued labouring, and do still labour among them, believing
that it is God's will that every wandering sheep should be sought out
and, if possible, be brought into the Good Shepherd's fold. If at times
I have found them trying, yet, after all, I doubt if they are much more
so than many a community of white people.

I will now give a few extracts from, my journal of the winter 1872-73.

_Oct._ 21, we were up at 5.30 a.m., preparing for the "Bee;" I
rang the church bell to bring the Indians together, and hoisted the
Union Jack. Mrs. Cryer got tea made, and pork and potatoes cooked, and
about 7.30 a.m. twelve stalwart Indians sat down to breakfast. Then
axes were shouldered, the oxen yoked, and we started for the farm land
a little way back from the house. We mustered twenty-two in all and had
a good days' work--chopping down trees and brush-wood, grubbing up