Although perfectly convinced of his baseness, I could not dispense
with his services; and had no other resource but to give him a
serious admonition, and desire him to return to his duty; after endeavouring
to work upon his fears by an assurance, that I would certainly
convey him to England for trial, if the Expedition should be
stopped through his fault. He replied, “ It is immaterial to me
where I lose my life, whether in England, or in accompanying you to
the sea, for the whole party will perish.” After this discussion, however,
he was more circumspect in his conduct.
On the 28th we received a small supply of meat from the Indian
lodges. They had now moved into a lake, about twelve miles from
us, in expectation of the deer coming soon to the northward.
On th e. 29th Akaitcho arrived at the house, having been sent for
to make some arrangements respecting the procuring of provision,
and that we might learn what his sentiments were with regard to
accompanying us on our future journey. Next morning we had a
conference, which I commenced by shewing him the charts and
drawings that were prepared to be sent to England, and explaining
fully our future intentions. He appeared much pleased at this mark
of attention, and, when his curiosity was satisfied, began his speech
by saying, that “although a vast number of idle rumours had been
floating about the barren grounds during the winter, he was convinced
that the representations made to him at Fort Providence regarding
the purport of the Expedition were perfectly correct.” I next
pointed out to him the necessity of our proceeding with as little
delay as possible during the short period of the year that was fit for
our operations, and that to do so it was requisite we should have a
large supply of provisions at starting. He instantly admitted the
force of these osbervations, and promised that he and his young men
should do their utmost to comply with our desires: and afterwards,
in answer to my questions, informed us that he would accompany the
Expedition to the mouth of the Copper-Mine River, or if we did not
meet with Esquimaux there, for some distance along the coast; he
was anxious, he said, to have an amicable interview with that people;
and he further requested, that, in the' evént of our meeting with Dog-
ribs on the Gopper-Mine River, we should use our influence to persuade
them to live ort friendly terms with his tribe. We were highly
pleased to find his sentiments so favourablé to our views, and, after
making some minor arrangements, we parted, mutually content.
He left us on the morning of the 31st, accompanied by Augustus,
who at his request, went to reside for a few days at his lodge.
On the 4th of April our men arrived with the last supply of goods-
from Fort Providence, the fruits of Mr. Back’s arduous journey to
the Athabasca Lake; and on the 17th Belanger le gros and Belanger
le rouge, for so our men discriminated them, set out for Slave Lake,
with a box containing the journals of the officers, charts, drawings,
observations, and letters addressed to the Secretary of State for Colonial
Affairs. Thèy also conveyed a letter for Governor Williams, in
which I requested that he would, if possible, send a schooner to
Wager Bay with provisions and clothing to meet the exigencies of
the party, should they succeed in reaching that part of the coast.
Connoyer, who was much tormented with biliary calculi, and had
done little or no duty all the winter, was discharged at the same time,
and sent down in company with an Indian named the Belly.
The commencement of April was fine, and for several days a considerable
thaw took place in the heat of the sun, which laying bare
some of the lichens on the sides of the hills, produced a consequent
movement of the rein-deer to the northward, and induced the Indians
to believe that the spring was already commencing. Many of them
therefore quitted the woods, and set their snares on the barren
grounds near Fort Enterprise. Two or three days of cold weather,
however, towards the middle of the month, damped their hopes, and
they began to say that another moon must elapse before the arrival
s Q