ever, were in a considerable degree excited by the accounts we had
received of these animals. Having made a hearty supper he retired
to rest, slept soundly, and arose next morning in perfect health.
On the 28th of August Akaitcho was informed of our intention
to send a party to the river, and of the reasons for doing so; of which
he approved, when he found that I had relinquished the idea of going
myself, in compliance with the desire which he and the Indians
had expressed ; and he immediately said two of the hunters shoul
go to provide them with food on the journey, and to serve as guides.
During this conversation we gathered from him, for the first time,
that there might still be some of his tribe near to the river,, from
whom the party could get provision. Our next object was to despatch
the Indians to their hunting-ground, to collect provision tor
us, and to procure the fat of the deer for our use during the winter,
and for making the pemmican we should require m the spring-
They were therefore furnished with some ammunition, clothing, and
other necessary articles, and directed to take their departure as soon
as Apoksasiitbclhe.o came into our tent this evening at supper, and made
several pertinent inquiries respecting the eclipse, of which we had
spoken last night. He desired to know the effect that would-be
produced, and the cause of it, which we endeavoured to explain ;
and having gained this information, he sent for several of his companions,
that they might also have it repeated to them. They were
most astonished at our knowing the time at which this event should
happen, and remarked that this knowledge was a striking proof of
the superiority of the whites over the Indians. We took advantage
of this occasion to speak to them respecting the Supreme Being,
who ordered all the operations of nature, and to impress on their
minds the necessity of paying strict attention to their moral duties,
in obedience to his will. They readily assented to ah these points,
and Akaitcho assured us that both himself and his young men
would exert themselves in obtaining provision for us,. in return for
the interesting communications we had just made to them.ij
Having received a supply of dried meat from the Indian lodges,
we were enabled to equip.the party for the Copper-Mine River,
and at nine A.M.,.on the 29th, Mr. Back and Mr. Hood embarked
on that service in a light canoe, with St. Germain, eight Canadians
and one Indian. We could not furnish them with more than eight
days’ provision, which, with their blankets, two tents, and a few
instruments, composed their lading. Mr. Back, who had charge of
the party, was directed to proceed to the river, and if, when he
arrived at its banks, the weather should continue to be mild, and
the temperature of the water was not lower than 40°, he might
embark, and descend the stream for a few days to gain some knowledge
of its course, but he was not to go so far as to risk his being
able to return to this place in a fortnight with the canoe. But, if
the weather should be severe, and the temperature of the water
below 40°, he was not to embark, but return immediately, and
endeavour to ascertain the best track for our goods to be conveyed
thither next spring.
We had seen that the water decreases rapidly in temperature at
this season, and I feared that, if he embarked to descend the river
when it was below 40°, the canoe might be frozen in, and the crew
have to walk back in very severe weather.
As soon as the canoes had started, Akaitcho and the Indians took
their departure also, except two of the hunters, who staid behind
to kill deer in our neighbourhood, and old Keskarrah and his family,
who remained as our guests.
The fishing-nets were this day transferred from the river in which
they had been set since our arrival, to Winter Lake, whither the fish
had removed, and the fishermen built a log-hut on its borders to
reside in, that they might attend more closely to their occupation.
The month of September commenced with very disagreeable