The Indians Became
Desponding At The Non-Arrival Of The Supply And Would Neither Go To Hunt
Nor Fish.
They frequently expressed their fears of some misfortune having
befallen Boudel-kell, and in the evening went off suddenly without
apprising us of their intention, having first given to each of us a
handful of pounded meat which they had reserved.
Their departure at first
gave rise to a suspicion of their having deserted us, not meaning to
return, especially as the explanations of Adam, who appeared to be in
their secret, were very unsatisfactory. At length by interrogations we
got from him the information that they designed to march night and day
until they should reach Akaitcho's encampment whence they would send us
aid. As we had combated their fears about Boudell-kell they perhaps
apprehended that we should oppose their determination and therefore
concealed it. We were now left a second time without food, and with
appetites recovered and strongly excited by recent indulgence.
On the following day the Doctor and Hepburn resumed their former
occupation of collecting wood and I was able to assist a little in
bringing it into the house. Adam, whose expectation of the arrival of the
Indians had been raised by the fineness of the weather, became towards
night very desponding and refused to eat the singed skin. The night was
stormy and there was a heavy fall of snow. The next day he became still
more dejected. About eleven Hepburn, who had gone out for the wood, came
in with the intelligence that a party appeared upon the river. The room
was instantly swept and, in compliance with the prejudices of the
Indians, every scrap of skin was carefully removed out of sight, for
these simple people imagine that burning deer-skin renders them
unsuccessful in hunting. The party proved to be Crooked-Foot,
Thooeeyorre, and the Fop, with the wives of the two latter dragging
provisions. They were accompanied by Benoit, one of our own men.
We were rejoiced to learn by a note from Mr. Back dated November 11 that
he and his companions had so recruited their strength that they were
preparing to proceed to Fort Providence. Adam recovered his spirits on
the arrival of the Indians and even walked about the room with an
appearance of strength and activity that surprised us all. As it was of
consequence to get amongst the reindeer before our present supply should
fail we made preparations for quitting Fort Enterprise the next day and
accordingly, at an early hour on the 16th, having united in thanksgiving
and prayer, the whole party left the house after breakfast. Our feelings
on quitting the fort where we had formerly enjoyed much comfort, if not
happiness, and latterly experienced a degree of misery scarcely to be
paralleled, may be more easily conceived than described. The Indians
treated us with the utmost tenderness, gave us their snowshoes, and
walked without themselves, keeping by our sides that they might lift us
when we fell. We descended Winter River and about noon crossed the head
of Round-Rock Lake, distant about three miles from the house, where we
were obliged to halt as Dr. Richardson was unable to proceed. The
swellings in his limbs rendered him by much the weakest of the party. The
Indians prepared our encampment, cooked for us, and fed us as if we had
been children, evincing humanity that would have done honour to the most
civilised people. The night was mild and fatigue made us sleep soundly.
From this period to the 26th of November we gradually improved through
their kindness and attention, and on that day arrived in safety at the
abode of our chief and companion Akaitcho. We were received by the party
assembled in the leader's tent with looks of compassion and profound
silence which lasted about a quarter of an hour and by which they meant
to express their condolence for our sufferings. The conversation did not
begin until we had tasted food. The chief Akaitcho showed us the most
friendly hospitality and all sorts of personal attention, even to cooking
for us with his own hands, an office which he never performs for himself.
Annoethaiyazzeh and Humpy, the chief's two brothers, and several of our
hunters, with their families were encamped here together with a number of
old men and women. In the course of the day we were visited by every
person of the band, not merely from curiosity, but a desire to evince
their tender sympathy in our late distress. We learned that Mr. Back with
St. Germain and Belanger had gone to Fort Providence and that, previous
to his departure, he had left a letter in a cache of pounded meat which
we had missed two days ago. As we supposed that this letter might
acquaint us with his intentions more fully than we could gather from the
Indians, through our imperfect knowledge of their language, Augustus, the
Esquimaux, whom we found here in perfect health, and an Indian lad were
despatched to bring it.
We found several of the Indian families in great affliction for the loss
of three of their relatives who had been drowned in the August preceding
by the upsetting of a canoe near Fort Enterprise. They bewailed the
melancholy accident every morning and evening by repeating the names of
the persons in a loud singing tone which was frequently interrupted by
bursts of tears. One woman was so affected by the loss of her only son
that she seemed deprived of reason and wandered about the tents the whole
day, crying and singing out his name.
On the 1st of December we removed with the Indians to the southward.
On the 4th we again set off after the Indians about noon, and soon
overtook them, as they had halted to drag from the water and cut up and
share a moose-deer that had been drowned in a rapid part of the river,
partially covered with ice.
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