And to
acquaint them that we fully relied on their fulfilling every part of the
agreement they had made with us. Whenever the Indians, whom he was to
join at the Copper Mountains, killed any animals on their way to Fort
Enterprise, he was requested to put en cache whatever meat could be
spared, placing conspicuous marks to guide us to them, and I particularly
begged he would employ them in hunting in our service immediately after
his arrival at the house.
When Mr. Wentzel's party had been supplied with ammunition our remaining
stock consisted of one thousand balls and rather more than the requisite
proportion of powder. A bag of small shot was missing and we afterwards
discovered that the Canadians had secreted and distributed it among
themselves in order that when provision should become scarce they might
privately procure ducks and geese and avoid the necessity of sharing them
with the officers.
The situation of our encampment was ascertained to be latitude 67 degrees
47 minutes 50 seconds North, longitude 115 degrees 36 minutes 49 seconds
West, the variation of the compass 46 degrees 25 minutes 52 seconds East,
and dip of the needle 88 degrees 5 minutes 07 seconds.
It will be perceived that the position of the mouth of the river given by
our observations differs widely from that assigned by Mr. Hearne, but the
accuracy of his description, conjoined with Indian information, assured
us that we were at the very part he visited.
