From Fort Garry the cavalcade and camp-followers were crowding on the public road, and thence, stretching from point to point, till the third day in the evening, when they reached Pembina, the great rendezvous of such occasions.  When the hunters leave the Settlement it enjoys that relief which a person feels on recovering from a long and painful sickness.  Here, on a level plain, the whole patriarchal camp squatted down like pilgrims on a journey to the Holy Land, in ancient days:  only not so devout, for neither scrip nor staff were consecrated for the occasion.  Here the roll was called, and general muster taken, when they numbered on the occasion 1,630 souls:  and here the rules and regulations for the journey were finally settled.  The officials for the trip were named and installed into their office, and all without the aid of writing materials.

The camp occupied as much ground as a modern city, and was formed in a circle:  all the carts were placed side by side, the trams outward.  Within this line, the tents were placed in double, treble rows, at one end; the animals at the other in front of the tents.  This is the order in all dangerous places:  but when no danger is feared, the animals are kept on the outside.  Thus, the carts formed a strong barrier, not only for securing the people and the beasts of burden within, but as a place of shelter and defence against an attack of the enemy without.

There is, however, another appendage belonging to the expedition, and to every expedition of the kind; and you may be assured they are not the least noisy.  We allude to the dogs or camp followers.  On the present occasion they numbered no fewer than 542; sufficient of themselves to consume no small number of animals a day, for, like their masters, they dearly relish a bit of buffalo meat.

These animals are kept in summer as they are, about the establishments of the fur traders, for their services in the winter.  In deep snows, when horses cannot conveniently be used, dogs are very serviceable to the hunters in these parts.  The half-breed, dressed in his wolf costume, tackles two or three sturdy curs into a flat sled, throws himself on it at full length, and gets among the buffalo unperceived.  Here the bow and arrow play their part to prevent noise; and here the skillful hunter kills as many as he pleases, and returns to camp without disturbing the band.

But now to our camp again—­the largest of its kind perhaps in the world.  A council was held for the nomination of chiefs or officers for conducting the expedition.  Two captains were named, the senior on this occasion being Jean Baptiste Wilkie, an English half-breed brought up among the French, a man of good sound sense and long experience, and withal a bold-looking and discreet fellow, a second Nimrod in his way.  Besides being captain, in common with others, he was styled the great war chief or head of the camp, and on all public occasions he occupied the place of president.