A few hours afterwards I was not a little surprised to see my
neighbour entering our hut hurriedly, who addressed me thus:--

"My dear Mac, it is true we are in opposition, but no enmity exists
between us. A dreadful misfortune happened in my house last
night.--Come and see!"

I instantly complied with his request; proceeded to his hut, and saw
the Indian who was said to be asleep, with his eyes closed--for ever;
a sad spectacle, for it was evident that the death of the poor wretch
had been caused by intemperance; he was found in the morning lying on
his face, and his body already stiff. We were both alike involved in
the same awful responsibility, for the Indians drank as much at one
house as the other, though his death occurred at the establishment of
the other party. The Company only permit the sale of liquors to the
natives when the presence of opponents renders it an indispensable
article of trade, as it is by this unhallowed traffic that the petty
traders realize their greatest profit. Yet this plea of necessity,
however satisfactory it may appear in a certain quarter, will not,
I feel assured, be accepted in our vindication by the world, nor
hereafter in our justification at that tribunal where worldly
considerations have no influence. Information soon reached the camp of
the calamity that had happened, which promptly silenced the clamorous
mirth that prevailed; and the voice of mourning succeeded--the Indians
being all in good crying trim, that is, intoxicated; for I have never
seen an Indian shed a tear when sober.

No more liquor was traded; the relatives of the deceased departed with
the body to the Lake of Two Mountains, and the other Indians started