, and despatches one of his
young men to announce his approach, and to bring his flag, which is
carried before him when he arrives. The messenger carries back to him
some vermilion to ornament the faces of his party, together with a
looking-glass and comb, some tobacco, and a few rounds of ammunition,
that they may return the salute. These men paint round the eyes, the
forehead, and the cheek-bones.

The Northern Indians evince no little vanity, by assuming to themselves
the comprehensive title of "The People," whilst they designate all other
nations by the name of their particular country. If men were seen at a
distance, and a Chipewyan was asked who those persons were, he would
answer, The People, if he recognised them to belong to his tribe, and
never Chipewyans; but he would give them their respective names, if they
were Europeans, Canadians, or Cree Indians.

As they suppose their ancestors to come originally from the east, those
who happen to be born in the eastern part of their territory, are
considered to be of the purest race. I have been informed, that all the
Indians who trade at the different posts in the north-west parts of
America, imagine that their forefathers came from the east, except the
Dog-ribs, who reside between the Copper Indian Islands and the
Mackenzie's River, and who deduce their origin from the west, which is
the more remarkable, as they speak a dialect of the Chipewyan language.
I could gather no information respecting their religious opinions,
except that they have a tradition of the deluge.

The Chipewyans are considered to be less expert hunters than the Crees,
which probably arises from their residing much on the barren lands,
where the rein-deer are so numerous that little skill is requisite. A
good hunter, however, is highly esteemed among them. The facility of
procuring goods, since the commercial opposition commenced, has given
great encouragement to their native indolence of disposition, as is
manifested by the difference in the amount of their collections of furs
and provision between the late and former years. From six to eight
hundred packs of furs used formerly to be sent from this department, now
the return seldom exceeds half that amount. The decrease in the
provision has been already mentioned.

The Northern Indians suppose that they originally sprang from a dog; and
about five years ago, a superstitious fanatic so strongly pressed upon
their minds the impropriety of emp