people report that in their hunting excursions to the northward of
Great Bear Lake they meet small parties of Esquimaux.
Immediately to the northward of the Hare Indians, on both banks
of Mackenzie’s River, are the Tykothee-dinneh, Loucheux, Squint-
Eyes, or Quarrellers. They speak a language distinct from the
Chipewyan. They war often with the Esquimaux at -the mouth of
Mackenzie’s River, but have occasionally some peaceable intercourse
with them, and it would appear that they find no difficulty in understanding
each other, there being considerable similarity in their
languages. Their dress also resembles the Esquimaux, and differs
from that of the other, inhabitants of Mackenzie’s. River. The
Tykothee-dinneh trade with Eort Good-Hope, situated a considerable
distance, below the. confluence of Bear Lake River with Mackenzie’s
River, and as the traders suppose, within three days’ march
of the Arctic sea. It is the most northern establishment of the
North-West Company, and some small peices of Russian copper coin
once made their way thither across the continent from the westward.
Blue or white beads are almost the only articles of European manufacture
coveted by the Loucheux. They perforate the septum of
the nose, and insert in the opening three small shells, which they
procure at a high price from the Esquimaux.
On the west bank of Mackenzie’s River there are several tribes
who speak dialects of the Chipewyan language, that have not
hitherto been mentioned. The first met with, on tracing the river
to the southward from Fort Good-Hope, are the Ambawtawhoot-
dinneh, or Sheep Indians. They inhabit the. Rocky Mountains near
the sources of the Dawhoot-dinneh River which flows into Mackenzies,
and are but little known to the traders. Some of them
have visited Fort Good-Hope. A report of their being cannibals
may have originated in an imperfect knowledge of them.
Some distance to the southward of this people are the Rocky
Mountain Indians, a small tribe which musters about forty men and
boys capable of pursuing the chase. They differ but little from the
next we are about to mention, the Edchaictawhoot-dinrieh, Strong-bow,
Beaver, or Thick-wood Indians, who frequent the Rivière aux Liards,
or south branch of Mackenzie’s River. The Strong-bows resemble
the Dog-ribs somewhat in their disposition; but when they meet
they assume a considerable degree of superiority over the latter, who
meekly submit to the haughtiness of their neighbours. Until the
year 1813, when a small party of them, from some unfortunate
provocation, destroyed'Fort Nelson on the Rivière awe Liards, and
murdered its inmates, the Strong-bows were considered to be a
friendly and quiet tribe, and esteemed as excellent hunters. They
take their names, in the first instance, from their dogs. A young
man is the father of a certain dog, but when he is married, and has
a son, he styles himself the fathér of the boy. The women have a
habit of reproving the dogs very tenderly when they observe them
fighting.—“ Are you not ashamed,”, say they, “ are you not ashamed
to quarrel with your little brother?.” The dogs appear to understand
the reproof, and sneak off. .
The Strong-bows, and Rocky-Mountain Indians, have a tradition
in- common with the Dog-ribs, that they came originally from the
westward, from a level country, where there was no winter, which
produced trees, and large fruits, now unknown to them. It was
inhabited also by many strange animals, amongst which there was a
small one whose visage bore a striking resemblance to the human
countenance. During their residence in this land, their ancestors
were visited by a man who healed the sick, raised the dea , an
performed many other miracles, enjoining them at the same time to
lead good lives, and not to eat of the entrails of animals, nor to use
the brains for dressing skins until after the> third day ; and never to
leave the skulls of deer upon the ground within the reach of dog
and wolves, but to hang them carefully upon trees. No mne knew
from whence this good man came, or whither he went. They were