and Christians, they still retain many of the barbarous habits, and
much of the superstitious belief of their forefathers, aggravated, I
regret to say, by some of the vices of the whites.

Among the number of those just mentioned was an individual who had
acquired considerable influence among his tribe, from his pretending
to be skilled in the art of divination. This man told his fellows that
he had had a communication from the Great Spirit, who assured him that
he would become the greatest man in Hudson's Bay if he only followed
the course prescribed to him, which was, first, to cut off their own
trading post, and then with the spoil got there to hire other Indians,
who should assist in destroying all the other posts the Company
possessed in the country. Accordingly, it was determined to carry
their design into execution, whenever a favourable opportunity
occurred. This was not long in presenting itself. They came one day to
the establishment, and told the people that the "man of medicine" had
come for the purpose of performing some extraordinary feat that would
astonish them all. The silly creatures believed the story, and went to
the borders of the lake, where they observed the sorcerer showing off
a variety of antics very much to their amusement. The conspirators,
seeing this part of the stratagem succeed, rushed into the house, and
immediately despatched Mr. Corrigal and his family. The men, hearing
the report of the guns, hastened back towards the house. The two that
first arrived were saluted by a volley of balls; the one fell dead,
the other fled. The third, seeing what had happened, seized his
youngest child, and also fled. The murderers pursued. The poor fellow,
encumbered by the weight of his child, necessarily fell behind. A ball
from the pursuers killed the child, and wounded him in the hand.
Dropping, then, the lifeless body, he soon came up with his fellow,
and both escaped without further injury.