Formed friendships--Make a start--Fat wolves--Run one--Reach the
Saskatchewan at Edmonton.
We had now spent several days with this people, and had become
acquainted with many of them. I had formed friendships with a
number, which, grown stronger with the years, have helped me in my
life-work ever so much. Now we must continue our journey. Father
told them they might look for him next year about the same time, and
as a pledge of this he was going to leave me with Mr. Woolsey in the
meantime.
Quite a large number escorted us for several miles on our way, and
seemed reluctant to have us go. They had provisioned us with the
choicest dried meat and pemmican, and our horses were rested and
ready to go on.
Our course was now westward up the Battle River, and then northward
for Edmonton, or as the Indians term it, the "Beaver Hill House."
As we journeyed we came near the scene of our hunt a few days since.
A number of big prairie wolves were to be seen. They were glutting
themselves on the offal and carcases left on the field. They were
fat and could not run fast, and one could kill them with a club from
his horse's back. I drove one up to our party, and Peter and William
and I amused ourselves by making him trot between us for quite a
distance; then we let him go, for wolf-skins in those days were not
worth packing any distance.
We went in by the "Bony Knoll" and what is now known as the "Hay Lake
Trail," camped twice, and reached the Saskatchewan opposite the fort
in the evening of the third day.