aitcho, 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 22d 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 -0 deg..7. The greatest
heat observed was 25 deg. above, and the least 31 deg. 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 apparen