The Chief Evinced Much Penetration And Intelligence
During The Whole Of This Conversation, Which Gave Us A Favourable Opinion
Of His Intellectual Powers.
He made many inquiries respecting the
Discovery ships under the command of Captain Parry which had been
mentioned to him, and asked why a passage had not been discovered long
ago, if one existed.
It may be stated that we gave a faithful explanation
to all his inquiries, which policy would have prompted us to do if a love
of truth had not; for whenever these northern nations detect a falsehood
in the dealings of the traders they make it an unceasing subject of
reproach, and their confidence is irrecoverably lost.
We presented to the chief, the two guides, and the seven hunters who had
engaged to accompany us some cloth, blankets, tobacco, knives, daggers,
besides other useful iron materials, and a gun to each; also a keg of
very weak spirits and water which they kept until the evening as they had
to try their guns before dark and make the necessary preparations for
commencing the journey on the morrow. They however did not leave us so
soon, as the chief was desirous of being present with his party at the
dance which was given in the evening to our Canadian voyagers. They were
highly entertained by the vivacity and agility displayed by our
companions in their singing and dancing, and especially by their
imitating the gestures of a Canadian who placed himself in the most
ludicrous postures and, whenever this was done, the gravity of the chief
gave way to violent bursts of laughter. In return for the gratification
Akaitcho had enjoyed he desired his young men to exhibit the Dog-Rib
Indian dance; and immediately they ranged themselves in a circle and,
keeping their legs widely separated, began to jump simultaneously
sideways; their bodies were bent, their hands placed on their hips, and
they uttered forcibly the interjection tsa at each jump. Devoid as were
their attitudes of grace and their music of harmony we were much amused
by the novelty of the exhibition.
In the midst of this scene an untoward accident occurred which for a time
interrupted our amusements. The tent, in which Dr. Richardson and I
lodged having caught fire from some embers that had been placed in it to
expel the mosquitoes, was entirely burnt. Hepburn, who was sleeping
within it close to some powder, most providentially awoke in time to
throw it clear of the flame and rescue the baggage before any material
injury had been received. We dreaded the consequences of this disaster
upon the fickle minds of the Indians and wished it not to be communicated
to them. The chief however was soon informed of it by one of his people
and expressed his desire that no future misfortune should be concealed
from him. We found that he was most concerned to hear that the flag had
been burnt, but we removed his anxiety on that point by the assurance
that it could easily be repaired.
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