36 FIFTY YEARS IN WESTERN CANADA

panied the priest immediately cut a piece of bark off
a neighbouring spruce, while another was looking for
thorns which served as pins or nails, to fasten the
turned-up edges of the bark in the shape of a cup.
When you need it, you can drink as well from that as
from the richest gold goblet.

Arrived in view of the village towards which priest
and natives had turned their steps, the former’s heart
beat hard in his breast.

‘‘How delighted the poor Indians will be!” he
thought.

Cruel deception! Not one of them was to be seen
in any of their old smoky lodges! One of the priest’s
companions then remembered that the population was
to go to the sea, not very faraway. They must surely
be on their way home by this time, he said. Perhaps
they may even have reached their fishery, as salmon
is now coming up streams in those parts. So: ‘“On-
ward for the fishery!’ cried out Father Morice.

After a full day’s ride through the dense forest
and across the big Salmon River, which had to be
forded in a particularly crooked and rather dangerous
way, the missionary, tired out and hungry, reached the
fishery, which stands just below a fall in a stream
which rushes down, with great precipitation and
tumult, towards beautiful snow-clad mountains
through a gorge which it must pass to fall into the
sea. Another deception! They find here just one
single family which has not accompanied the others to
the coast!

These details are given as specimens of the many
disappointments which too often face the shepherd in
search of his sheep.

Failing a crowd to instruct in the truths of Christian
faith, the wayfarers, or at least their chief, endeavoured

: