﻿334 INDIANS. Sept. 



67° IV 30'' N., and the sun's bearing at noon 

 S. 50° E. These Indians informed us that James 

 Hope and his companions had been with them five 

 days previously, and that he had then been two 

 days absent from the fort. 



The site of their encampment was selected for 

 the commanding view it possessed of the neigh- 

 bouring country, so that they could mark the 

 movements of the herds of rein-deer and musk- 

 oxen that at this season were numerous. Their 

 chase was successful, and their condition and that 

 of their dogs showed that they were revelling in 

 abundance. No doubt this party might now have 

 laid up a sufficiency of venison to feed them, 

 with due economy, all the winter ; but such is not 

 the habit of the nation. When the pressure of 

 want ceases to be felt their exertions flag, and 

 they consider it useless to store up provision which, 

 according to their custom, is at the mercy of every 

 idle and hungry person of the tribe. 



They gladly sold us some meat for ammunition, 

 and would readily have parted with their whole 

 stock on hand, but I had no desire to load my 

 party again. We agreed, however, with one of the 

 young men to accompany us to the fort, that he 

 might lead us by the best paths, and waited for an 

 hour until he had prepared a heavy load of half- 

 dried meat, to carry with him as an article of trade. 



