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 should 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 for us, and to procure the fat of the deer for our use
during the winter, and for making the pemmican we should require in the
spring. They were therefore furnished with some ammunition, clothing, and
other necessary articles, and directed to take their departure as soon as
possible.
Akaitcho 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 all 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.
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 degrees, 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.
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