understand that a
certain merit would attach to the rescue of Hearne from his
predicament. Moreover, the chief had himself been to the Coppermine
river, and it was partly owing to his account of it that Governor {50}
Norton had sent Hearne into the barren grounds.

[Illustration: Fort Churchill or Prince of Wales. Drawn by Samuel
Hearne.]

Matonabbee hastened to relieve the young explorer's sufferings. He
provided him with warm deer-skins and, from his ample supplies,
prepared a great feast for the good cheer of his new acquaintance. An
orgy of eating followed, dear to the Indian heart, and after this,
without fire-water to drink, the Indians sang and danced about the
fires of the bivouac. Matonabbee and Hearne travelled together for
several days towards the fort, making only about twelve miles a day.
The Indian then directed Hearne to go eastward to a little river where
wood enough could be found for snow-shoes and sledges, while he himself
went forward at such a slow pace as to allow Hearne and his party to
overtake him. This was done and Hearne, now better equipped, rejoined
Matonabbee, after which they continued together for a fortnight, making
good progress over the snow. As they drew near the fort their
ammunition was almost spent and the game had almost disappeared. By
Matonabbee's advice, Hearne, accompanied by four Indians, left the main
party in order to hasten ahead as rapidly as possible. The daylight
was now exceedingly short, but the moon and the aurora borealis {51}
illuminated the brilliant waste of snow. The weather was intensely
cold. One of Hearne's dogs was frozen to death. But in spite of
hardship the advance party reached Fort Prince of Wales safe and sound
on November 25, 1770. Matonabbee arrived a few days later.

Strange as it may seem, Hearne was off again in less than a fortnight
on his third quest of the Coppermine. The time that he had spent in
Matonabbee's company had given him a great opinion of the character of
the chief; 'the most sociable, kind, and sensible Indian I have ever
met'--so Hearne described him. The chief himself had offered to lead
Hearne to the great river of the north. Governor Norton willingly
furnished ammunition, supplies, and a few trading goods. The
expedition started in the depth of winter. But this time, with better
information to guide them, the travellers made no attempt to strike
directly northward. Instead, they moved towards the west so a