are indelibly engraven on our memories. Of their notions of a
Deity, or future state, we never could obtain any satisfactory account;
they were unwilling, perhaps, to expose their opinions to the chance
of ridicule. Akaitcho generally evaded our questions on these
points, but expressed a desire to learn from us, and regularly attended
Divine Service during his residence at the Fort, behaving
with the utmost decorum.
This leader, indeed, and many others of his tribe possess a laudable
curiosity, which might easily be directed to the most important
ends; and I believe, that a well-conducted Christian mission to this
quarter would not fail of producing the happiest effect. Old Kes-
karrah alone used boldly to express his disbelief of a Supreme
Deity, and state that he could not credit the existence of a Being,
whose power was said to extend every where, but whom he had not
TCt seen, although he was now an old man. The aged sceptic is not
a little conceited, as the following exordium to one of his speeches
evindes: “ It is very strange that I never meet with any one who is
equal in sense to myself.” The same old man, in one of his communicative
moods, related to us the following tradition.—The earth
had been formed, but continued enveloped in total darkness, when
a bear and a squirrel met on the shores of a lake; a dispute arose
as to their respective powers, which they agreed to settle by running
in opposite directions round the lake, and whichever arrived
first at the starting point, was to evince his superiority by some
signal act of power. The squirrel beat, ran up a tree, and loudly
demanded light, which instantly beaming forth, discovered a bird
dispelling the gloom with its wings ; the bird was afterwards recognised
to be a crow. The squirrel next broke a piece of bark from
the tree, endowed it with the power of floating, and said, “ Behold
the material which shall afford the future inhabitants of the earth
the means of traversing the waters.”
The Indians are not the first people who have ascribed the origin
of nautics to the ingenuity of the squirrel. The Copper Indians
consider the bear, otter, and other animals of prey, or rather some
kind of spirits which assume the forms of these creatures, as their
constant enemies, and the cause of every misfortune they endure;
and in seasons of difficulty or sickness they alternately deprecate and
abuse them.
Few of this nation have more than one wife at a time, and none
but the leaders have more than two. Akaitcho has three, and the
mother of his only son is the favourite. They, frequently marry two
sisters, and there is no prohibition to the intermarriage of cousins,
but a man is restricted from marrying his niece.
The last war excursion they made against the Esquimaux was ten
years ago, when they destroyed about thirty persons, at the mouth
of what they term Stony-Point Eiver, not far from the mouth of the
Copper-Mine: Eiver. They now seem desirous of being on friendly
terms with that persecuted nation, and hope, through our means’
to establish a lucrative commerce with them. Indeed, the Copper
Indians are sensible of the advantages that would accrue to them,
were they made the carriers of goods between the traders and
Esquimaux.
At the time, of Heame's visit, the Copper Indians being un-
supplied with fire-arms, were oppressed by the Chipewyans; but
even that traveller had occasion to praise their kindness of heart.
Since they have received arms from the traders, the Chipewyans are
fearful of venturing upon their lands ; and all of that nation, who
frequent the shores of Great Slave Lake, hold the name of Akaitcho
in great respect. The Chipewyans have no leader of equal authority
amongst themselves.
The number of the Copper Indians may be one hundred and
ninety souls, viz., eighty men and boys, and one hundred and ten
women and young children. There are forty-five hunters in the