{17} a sick Indian and his wife, together with
Angelique and Roulante; so that the party amounted to twenty-three
exclusive of children.

The burdens of the men were about eighty pounds each, exclusive of their
personal baggage, which amounted to nearly as much more. Most of them
dragged their loads upon sledges, but a few preferred carrying them on
their backs. They set off in high spirits.

After breakfast the Indians struck their tents, and the women, the boys,
and the old men who had to drag sledges, took their departure. It was
three P.M., however, before Akaitcho and the hunters left us. We issued
thirty balls to the leader, and twenty to each of the hunters and
guides, with a proportionate quantity of powder, and gave them
directions to make all the provision they could on their way to Point
Lake. I then desired Mr. Wentzel to inform Akaitcho, in the presence of
the other Indians, that I wished a deposit of provision to be made at
this place previous to next September, as a resource should we return
this way. He and the guides not only promised to see this done, but
suggested that it would be more secure if placed in the cellar, or in
Mr. Wentzel's room. The Dog-ribs, they said, would respect any thing
that was in the house, as knowing it to belong to the white people. At
the close of this conversation Akaitcho exclaimed with a smile, "I see
now that you have really no goods left, (the rooms and stores being
completely stripped,) and therefore I shall not trouble you any more,
but use my best endeavours to prepare provision for you, and I think if
the animals are tolerably numerous, we may get plenty before you can
embark on the river."

Whilst the Indians were packing up this morning, one of the women
absconded. She belongs to the Dog-rib tribe, and had been taken by force
from her relations by her present husband, who treated her very harshly.
The fellow was in my room when his mother announced the departure of his
wife, and received the intelligence with great composure, as well as the
seasonable reproof of Akaitcho. "You are rightly served," said the chief
to him, "and will now have to carry all your things yourself, instead of
having a wife to drag them." One hunter remained after the departure of
the other Indians.

On the 5th the Dog-rib woman presented herself on a hill at some
distance from the house, but was afraid to approach us, until the
interpreter went and told her that neither we nor the India