e induced to comply with this man's
desire of leaving us, as he proved to be too weak to perform the duty of
bowman which he had undertaken.

Four dogs were brought up by this party, and proved a great relief to
our wood-haulers during the remainder of the season.

By the arrival of Mr. Wentzel, who is an excellent musician, and
assisted us (_con amore_) in our attempts to amuse the men, we were
enabled to gratify the whole establishment with an occasional dance. Of
this amusement the voyagers were very fond, and not the less so, as it
was now and then accompanied by a dram as long as our rum lasted.

On the 5th of February, two Canadians came from Akaitcho for fresh
supplies of ammunition. We were mortified to learn that he had received
some further unpleasant reports concerning us from Fort Providence, and
that his faith in our good intentions was somewhat shaken. He expressed
himself dissatisfied with the quantity of ammunition we had sent him,
accused us of an intention of endeavouring to degrade him in the eyes of
his tribe, and informed us that Mr. Weeks had refused to pay some notes
for trifling quantities of goods and ammunition that had been given to
the hunters who accompanied our men to Slave Lake.

Some powder and shot, and a keg of diluted spirits were sent to him with
the strongest assurances of our regard.

On the 12th, another party of six men was sent to Fort Providence, to
bring up the remaining stores. St. Germain went to Akaitcho for the
purpose of sending two of his hunters to join this party on its route.

On comparing the language of our two Esquimaux with a copy of St. John's
Gospel, printed for the use of the Moravian Missionary Settlements on
the Labrador coast, it appeared that the Esquimaux who resort to
Churchill speak a language essentially the same with those who frequent
the Labrador coast. The Red Knives, too, recognise the expression
_Teyma_, used by the Esquimaux when they accost strangers in a friendly
manner, as similarly pronounced by Augustus, and those of his race who
frequent the mouth of the Copper-Mine River.

The tribe to which Augustus belongs resides generally a little to the
northward of Churchill. In the spring, before the ice quits the shores,
they kill seal, but during winter they frequent the borders of the large
lakes near the coast, where they obtain fish, rein-deer, and musk-oxen.

There are eighty-four grown men in the tribe, only seven of whom are
aged. Six