When he had sent him a message saying that he wished to do so if he was
sure of being well received at Fort Providence.
We mentioned the contents of the letter to the Indians who were at the
house at the time, when one of the hunters, who had attended the men on
their journey, stated that he had heard many of the reports against us
from Mr. Weeks himself and expressed his surprise that he should venture
to deny them. St. Germain soon afterwards arrived from Akaitcho and
informed us that he left him in good humour and apparently not harbouring
the slightest idea of quitting us.
On the 12th we sent four men to Fort Providence, and on the 17th Mr. Back
arrived from Fort Chipewyan, having performed since he left us a journey
of more than one thousand miles on foot. I had every reason to be much
pleased with his conduct on this arduous undertaking, but his exertions
may be best estimated by the perusal of the following narrative.
MR. BACK'S NARRATIVE OF HIS JOURNEY TO CHIPEWYAN, AND RETURN.
On quitting Fort Enterprise with Mr. Wentzel and two Canadians,
accompanied by two hunters and their wives, our route lay across the
barren hills. We saw during the day a number of deer and occasionally a
solitary white wolf, and in the evening halted near a small knot of
pines.
