Adventure and adventurers > Hudson Bay, or, Everyday life in the wilds of North America

THE VILLAGE OF EOSSVILLE.
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the hill together. Upon recovering myself, I found that
the blow of the axe had killed him instantly, and that
I was uninjured. Not so the Indian: the whole calf of
Ids left leg was bitten off, and his body lacerated dread¬
fully in various places. He was quite sensible, however,
though very faint, and spoke to me when I stooped to
examine his wounds. In a short time I had tied them
up; and placing him on the sledge with part of the
bear’s carcass, which I intended to dine upon, we re¬
turned immediately to the fort. The poor Indian got
better slowly, but he never recovered the perfect use of
his leg, and now hobbles about the fort, cutting fire¬
wood, or paddling about the lake in search of ducks
and geese in his bark canoe.”
Mr. Gumming concluded his story just as we arrived
at the little bay, at the edge of which the Indian village
of Rossville is built. From the spot where we stood the
body of the village did not appear to much advantage;
but the parsonage and church, which stood on a small
mound, their white walls in strong contrast to the back¬
ground of dark trees, had a fine picturesque effect.
There were about twenty houses in the village, in¬
habited entirely by Indians, most of whom were young
and middle-aged men. They spend their time in farm¬
ing during the summer, and are successful in raising
potatoes and a few other vegetables for their own use.
In winter they go into the woods to hunt fur-bearing
animals, and also deer; but they never remain long
absent from their homes. Mr. Evans resided among
them, and taught them and their children writing and
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