Dear Sir, - We are now in the country of the dreaded
Blackfeet, and in the centre of the great prairie. All around us is
strange. One seems to be carried back to some remote, long past age.
Never before have I felt so forcibly a consciousness of my own
insignificance. Hourly expecting an attack from a war-party, living upon
the providence of Heaven, our covering the vaulted sky, our only refuge
God - and blessed by his holy name, we are witness of His watchful
providence over the wants of helpless man.
Our approach to the great camp was very exciting. On the
little hillocks that surrounded the little hamlet sat the wild
sentinels, each with a loaded gun. many scores of horses graced on the
adjacent plain. The vast circle of tents, all made of the dressed skins
of the buffalo, and many beautifully ornamented, presented a fine
appearance. Once inside the enclosure, and we caught a gleam of savage
life under one of its happiest aspects. The day's hunt had been
successful.
Many fat animals had been captured, and stages in every
direction were covered with the richest meat. Woman, the slave in all
heathen lands, was hard at work, while her lord, robed and painted, sat
smoking. An old conjurer fearing his craft was in danger, drummed and
sang most lustily. We were received with the greatest kindness.
Mas-ke-pe-toon, the head chief, set before us a kettle full of the
choicest flesh. O-nah-tah-me-nah-oos, his second, placed his tent at our
service. The feat over, the pipe of peace was passed round, and
arrangements were made for evening service. How solemn, how burdened
with the interest of eternity appears the hour when the Indian herald
announced to his tribe the commencement of this first camp-meeting.
For ages these virgin plains had echoed to the hideous
cry of the warrior and the dismal dirge of the conjurer, but now they resounded
to the praise of the most High God. The appearance of the congregation
was deeply interesting. The native Christians collected around the
missionary. In the background sat the heathen, their fierce restless eyes
and blood-stained faces proclaimed their allegiance to the Prince of
Darkness. Yet for these degraded and benighted ones there is hope. The
earnestness they manifested while listening to the Word cannot be
described. Seventeen times we pointed them to the Lam of God which
taketh away the sins of the world; and our last service was no only the
best attended, but, we trust, the most effective. Oh, God of mercy, have
mercy upon this perishing people; their cry, though unheard in Christian
lands, is heard by Thee! By many a camp-fire, and in many a smoky lodge,
our faithful missionaries have taught these natives the message of
salvation, and who can estimate the fruit of their labor? Many of the
pagans understand the syllabic characters, and have procured parts of
the Book of God; and in this way in many hearts the heavenly leaven is
spreading. The head chief, a fine old man, received a New Testament from
Mr. Woolsey last winter. Every day he reads two chapters. He was reading
the eight of Romans when I visited his tent.
While at the Cree camp, I attended, in company with my
brethren, a funeral. The deceased was a little girl, and the parents
were Christians. It was a sad and mournful spectacle, and powerfully
demonstrated that the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations
of cruelty; and yet such are the anomalies of heathenism, that men who
regard it as a merit and glory to murder a disarmed and helpless foe,
and afterwards subject the lifeless body to the most shameful treatment,
are no strangers to the tenderest sentiments of compassion for their
relatives. The loss of parent or husband must be deplored with blood. A
finger is cut off, or the arm pierced with a sharp flint, and the deeper
the incision the more sincere the sorrow.
At the burial we joined in in order to prevent the enemy
from discovering the new-made grave. Every effort was made to obliterate
any sign thereof. If it had been winter time, a fire would have been
built over the grave. In this case the sod was cut with a knife, the
earth placed on a buffalo skin, and after the body was deposited the
grave was filled and the sod perfectly replaced, the surface earth being
removed to a distance. Yesterday Mr. Steinhauer left for his station.
The company of our intelligent and useful Brother was very encouraging,
and often reminded me of the venerated Wm. Case. By that man of God the
Ojibeway boy was rescued from paganism and placed in a position to
receive a respectable education, and now, while the benefactor rests
from his labors, the Indian lad is a successful messenger of salvation
to his wandering brethren. Parting with the Crees was very affecting.
The native Christians cheerfully supplied us with provisions. The fierce
pagans seemed to forget their natural ferocity, as one by one they came
to bid us good-bye. The head chief and a number of his warriors escorted
us some distance on the way. Farewell, ye simple children of the plains.
May the Holy Spirit accompany with converting and sanctifying power the
living truths to which you have listened.
We are now on our way to Fort Edmonton. The scenery is
extremely beautiful. Judging from the appearance of these grassy plains,
the soil must be very fertile. Animals are abundant. A herd of buffaloes
allowed us to pass within fifty rods without showing fear. The elegant
antelope bounded past us with incredible swiftness. More than a score of
wolves were feasting on the carcass of a bull. The coyote, or smaller
wolf, is frequently seen. Numbers of whitened antlers, some very large,
show that we are in the neighborhood of the elk; but the king of the
plains is the grizzly bear.
G. M. McDougall.