I entered into conversation with a shrewd old fellow, who had been often at Red River settlement.  Among other questions, I asked him whether he had not been baptized?

“Baptized!” he exclaimed; “don’t speak of it, my brother.  Baptized—­that I may go to the devil!  Indians think a good Indian goes to the good place when he dies; but the priests send all to the evil one.”

I asked him how he made that out?

“Why, I learned it from the priests themselves.  When I first went to Red River, I met a French priest, who earnestly besought me to be converted.  I heard him attentively, and his words had a great effect upon me; but I had been told there was another priest there, who had different thoughts about religion, and I thought I would go to him too.  He was very kind to me, and spoke nearly the same words as the French priest; so that I thought there was no difference in their religions.  He asked me if I would be baptized? and I told him that I would; but I wanted to learn the French prayer.  ‘Ah! my son,’ he said, ’that must not be:  if you adopt that bad religion, you will be burned for certain.’  And he spoke so strong, that I almost thought he was right.  But before I would do anything, I went to the French priest again, and told him what the English priest said to me; and then said I would learn the English prayer.  ‘Ah! my son,’ said he, ’if you do so, it will lead you to perdition:  all that pray after the English manner go to the fire.’  And he said much more, and his words were very strong too; so I saw that I could be no better by forsaking the belief of my fathers, and I have not gone to French or English priest since.”

This is by no means a solitary case; and it is one of the sore evils which arise from the corruption of Christianity, and the divisions of Christians.  Nor, in the case of creeds so opposite as those of Protestants and Roman Catholics—­creeds as opposite as light and darkness—­is it easy to point out a remedy.  After all, it is surely better for these poor Indians to adopt some form of Christianity, however corrupt, than to remain in the darkness and debasement of heathenism.  And if our missionaries would act upon the noble maxim of the greatest of the Apostles—­“never to enter upon the sphere of another man’s labours,”—­consequences so injurious would be avoided.  If they have not so much Christianity and good sense as to do so of themselves, where there is the power, they should be compelled to do it.  The Company have the power, but are too much occupied with matters which they deem more momentous, to waste a thought upon this.

CHAPTER XVI.

CONTINUATION OF THE VOYAGE—­RUN SHORT OF PROVISIONS—­DOGS’ FLESH—­NORWAY HOUSE—­INDIAN VOYAGEURS—­ORDERED TO NEW CALEDONIA—­LAKE WINNIPEG—­MACINTOSH’S ISLAND SUBMERGED—­CUMBERLAND HOUSE—­CHIPPEWEYAN AND CREE INDIANS—­PORTAGE LA LOCHE—­SCENERY—­ATHABASCA—­HEALTHINESS OF THE CLIMATE.