On the subject when I had no doubt that a satisfactory
explanation would be given. The Indians retired from the conference
apparently satisfied, but this business was in the end productive of much
inconvenience to us, and proved very detrimental to the progress of the
Expedition. In conjunction also with other intelligence conveyed in Mr.
Back's letters respecting the disposition of the traders towards us,
particularly a statement of Mr. Weeks that he had been desired not to
assist us with supplies from his post, it was productive of much present
uneasiness to me.
On the 28th St. Germain the interpreter set out with eight Canadian
voyagers and four Indian hunters to bring up our stores from Fort
Providence. I wrote by him to Mr. Smith at Moose-Deer Island and Mr.
Keith at Chipewyan, both of the North-West Company, urging them in the
strongest manner to comply with the requisition for stores which Mr. Back
would present. I also informed Mr. Simpson, principal agent in the
Athabasca for the Hudson's Bay Company who had proffered every assistance
in his power, that we should gladly avail ourselves of the kind
intentions expressed in a letter which I had received from him.
We also sent a number of broken axes to Slave Lake to be repaired. The
dog that came to us on the 22nd of October and had become very familiar
followed the party. We were in hopes that it might prove of some use in
dragging their loads but we afterwards learned that on the evening after
their departure from the house they had the cruelty to kill and eat it
although they had no reason to apprehend a scarcity of provision. A dog
is considered to be delicate eating by the voyagers.
The mean temperature of the air for November was minus 0.7 degrees. The
greatest heat observed was 25 degrees above and the least 31 degrees
below zero.
On the 1st of December the sky was clear, a slight appearance of stratus
only being visible near the horizon, but a kind of snow fell at intervals
in the forenoon, its particles so minute as to be observed only in the
sunshine. Towards noon the snow became more apparent and the two limbs of
a prismatic arch were visible, one on each side of the sun near its place
in the heavens, the centre being deficient. We have frequently observed
this descent of minute icy spiculae when the sky appears perfectly clear,
and could even perceive that its silent but continued action added to the
snowy covering of the ground.
Having received one hundred balls from Fort Providence by Belanger we
distributed them amongst the Indians, informing the leader at the same
time that the residence of so large a party as his at the house,
amounting with women and children to forty souls, was producing a serious
reduction in our stock of provision.
