This tribe, unlike the
Chipewyans and Copper Indians, had preserved that useful associate of man
although, from their frequent intercourse with the latter people, they
were not ignorant of the prediction alluded to in a former page. One of
our interpreters was immediately despatched with an Indian to endeavour
to trace out the Dog-Ribs, whom he supposed might be concealed in the
neighbourhood from their dread of the Copper Indians; although we had no
doubt of their coming to us were they aware of our being here. The
interpreter however returned without having discovered any traces of
strange Indians, a circumstance which led us to conclude that the dog had
strayed from his masters a considerable time before.
Towards the end of the month the men completed their house and took up
their abode in it. It was thirty-four feet long and eighteen feet wide,
was divided into two apartments and was placed at rightangles to the
officers' dwelling and facing the storehouse, the three buildings forming
three sides of a quadrangle.
On the 26th Akaitcho and his party arrived, the hunting in this
neighbourhood being terminated for the season by the deer having retired
southward to the shelter of the woods.
The arrival of this large party was a serious inconvenience to us from
our being compelled to issue them daily rates of provision from the
store.
