I Therefore Felt The Duty Incumbent On Me To Address Them In
The Strongest Manner On The Danger Of Insubordination
And to assure them
of my determination to inflict the heaviest punishment on any that should
persist in their refusal
To go on, or in any other way attempt to retard
the Expedition. I considered this decisive step necessary, having learned
from the gentlemen most intimately acquainted with the character of the
Canadian voyagers that they invariably try how far they can impose upon
every new master and that they will continue to be disobedient and
intractable if they once gain any ascendancy over him. I must admit
however that the present hardships of our companions were of a kind which
few could support without murmuring, and no one could witness without a
sincere pity for their sufferings.
After this discussion we went forward until sunset. In the course of the
day we crossed seven lakes and as many portages. Just as we had encamped
we were delighted to see four of the hunters arrive with the flesh of two
reindeer. This seasonable supply, though only sufficient for this
evening's and the next day's consumption, instantly revived the spirits
of our companions and they immediately forgot all their cares. As we did
not after this period experience any deficiency of food during this
journey they worked extremely well and never again reflected upon us as
they had done before for rashly bringing them into an inhospitable
country where the means of subsistence could not be procured.
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