It Generally Thawed During The Day But Froze At
Night.
On the 2nd the Aurora Borealis faintly gleamed through very dense
clouds.
We had a long conversation with Mr. Dease of the North-West Company who
had recently arrived from his station at the bottom of the Athabasca
Lake. This gentleman, having passed several winters on the Mackenzie's
River and at the posts to the northward of Slave Lake, possessed
considerable information respecting the Indians and those parts of the
country to which our inquiries were directed, which he very promptly and
kindly communicated. During our conversation an old Chipewyan Indian
named the Rabbit's Head entered the room, to whom Mr. Dease referred for
information on some point. We found from his answer that he was a stepson
of the late chief Matonnabee who had accompanied Mr. Hearne on his
journey to the sea, and that he had himself been of the party but, being
then a mere boy, he had forgotten many of the circumstances. He confirmed
however the leading incidents related by Hearne and was positive he
reached the sea, though he admitted that none of the party had tasted the
water. He represented himself to be the only survivor of that party. As
he was esteemed a good Indian I presented him with a medal which he
received gratefully and concluded a long speech upon the occasion by
assuring me he should preserve it carefully all his life. The old man
afterwards became more communicative and unsolicited began to relate the
tradition of his tribe respecting the discovery of the Copper-Mine, which
we thought amusing:
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