To
the serious consequences that might result to us from the want of them.
The Indians, who assembled at the opening of the packet and sat in
silence watching our countenances, were necessarily made acquainted with
the non-arrival of our stores and bore the intelligence with unexpected
tranquillity. We took care however in our communications with them to
dwell upon the more agreeable parts of our intelligence, and they seemed
to receive particular pleasure on being informed of the arrival of two
Esquimaux interpreters at Slave Lake, on their way to join the party. The
circumstance not only quieted their fears of opposition from the
Esquimaux on our descent to the sea next season, but also afforded a
substantial proof of our influence in being able to bring two people of
that nation from such a distance.
Akaitcho, who is a man of great penetration and shrewdness, duly
appreciated these circumstances; indeed he has often surprised us by his
correct judgment of the character of individuals amongst the traders of
our own party, although his knowledge of their opinions was in most
instances obtained through the imperfect medium of interpretation. He was
an attentive observer however of every action, and steadily compared
their conduct with their pretensions.
By the newspapers we learned the demise of our revered and lamented
sovereign George III and the proclamation of George IV. We concealed this
intelligence from the Indians lest the death of their Great Father might
lead them to suppose that we should be unable to fulfil our promises to
them.
The Indians who had left Fort Providence with Belanger arrived the day
after him and, amongst other intelligence, informed Akaitcho of some
reports they had heard to our disadvantage. They stated that Mr. Weeks,
the gentleman in charge of Fort Providence, had told them that, so far
from our being what we represented ourselves to be, the officers of a
great King, we were merely a set of dependent wretches whose only aim was
to obtain subsistence for a season in the plentiful country of the Copper
Indians, that out of charity we had been supplied with a portion of goods
by the trading Companies, but that there was not the smallest probability
of our being able to reward the Indians when their term of service was
completed. Akaitcho, with great good sense, instantly came to have the
matter explained, stating at the same time that he could not credit it. I
then pointed out to him that Mr. Wentzel, with whom they had long been
accustomed to trade, had pledged the credit of his Company for the
stipulated rewards to the party that accompanied us, and that the trading
debts due by Akaitcho and his party had already been remitted, which was
of itself a sufficient proof of our influence with the North-West
Company. I also reminded Akaitcho that our having caused the Esquimaux to
be brought up at a great expense was evidence of our future intentions,
and informed him that I should write to Mr. Smith, the senior trader in
the department, on the subject when I had no doubt that a satisfactory
explanation would be given. The Indians retired from the conference
apparently satisfied, but this business was in the end productive of much
inconvenience to us, and proved very detrimental to the progress of the
Expedition. In conjunction also with other intelligence conveyed in Mr.
Back's letters respecting the disposition of the traders towards us,
particularly a statement of Mr. Weeks that he had been desired not to
assist us with supplies from his post, it was productive of much present
uneasiness to me.
On the 28th St. Germain the interpreter set out with eight Canadian
voyagers and four Indian hunters to bring up our stores from Fort
Providence. I wrote by him to Mr. Smith at Moose-Deer Island and Mr.
Keith at Chipewyan, both of the North-West Company, urging them in the
strongest manner to comply with the requisition for stores which Mr. Back
would present. I also informed Mr. Simpson, principal agent in the
Athabasca for the Hudson's Bay Company who had proffered every assistance
in his power, that we should gladly avail ourselves of the kind
intentions expressed in a letter which I had received from him.
We also sent a number of broken axes to Slave Lake to be repaired. The
dog that came to us on the 22nd of October and had become very familiar
followed the party. We were in hopes that it might prove of some use in
dragging their loads but we afterwards learned that on the evening after
their departure from the house they had the cruelty to kill and eat it
although they had no reason to apprehend a scarcity of provision. A dog
is considered to be delicate eating by the voyagers.
The mean temperature of the air for November was minus 0.7 degrees. The
greatest heat observed was 25 degrees above and the least 31 degrees
below zero.
On the 1st of December the sky was clear, a slight appearance of stratus
only being visible near the horizon, but a kind of snow fell at intervals
in the forenoon, its particles so minute as to be observed only in the
sunshine. Towards noon the snow became more apparent and the two limbs of
a prismatic arch were visible, one on each side of the sun near its place
in the heavens, the centre being deficient. We have frequently observed
this descent of minute icy spiculae when the sky appears perfectly clear,
and could even perceive that its silent but continued action added to the
snowy covering of the ground.
