OF THE POLAR SEA. 



145 



broken, up ; but except where this water spread, there was no ap- 

 pearance of decay in the ice. 



May. — During the first part of this month, the wind blew from 

 the N.W., and the sky was cloudy. It generally thawed during the 

 day, but froze through the night. On the 2nd the Aurora faintly 

 gleamed through very dense clouds. 



We had a long conversation with Mr. Dease of the North- West 

 Company, who had recently arrived from his station at the bottom 





of the Athabasca Lake. This gentleman, having passed several 





winters on the Mackenzie's River, and at the posts to the northward 

 of Slave Lake, possessed considerable information respecting the 





Indians, and those parts of the country to which our inquiries were 

 directed, which he very promptly and kindly communicated. During 

 our conversation, an old Chipewyan Indian, named the Rabbit's Head, 

 entered the room, to whom Mr. Dease referred for information on 

 some point. We found from his answer that he was a step son of 

 the late Chief Matonnabee, who had accompanied Mr. Hearne on 

 his journey to the sea, and that he had himself been of the party, 

 but being then a mere boy, he had forgotten many of the circum- 

 stances. He confirms, however, the leading incidents related by 

 Hearne, and was positive he reached the sea, though he admitted 

 that none of the party had tasted the water. He represented him- 

 self to be the only survivor of that party. As he was esteemed a 

 good Indian, I presented him with a medal, which he received 

 gratefully, and concluded a long speech upon the occasion, by 

 assuring me he should preserve it carefully all his life. The old 

 man afterwards became more communicative, and unsolicited began 



to relate the tradition of his tribe, respecting the discovery of the 

 Copper Mine, which we thought amusing; and as the subject is 

 somewhat connected with our future researches, I will insert the 

 translation of it which was given at the time by Mr. Dease, though 

 a slight mention of it has been made by Hearne. 



u 



