2-24. A JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



proposed route. Mortifying as these circumstances were, they pro- 

 duced less painful sensations than we experienced in the evening, by 

 the refusal of Akaitcho to accompany us in the proposed descent of 

 the Copper-Mine Kiver. When Mr. Wentzel, by my direction, com- 

 municated to him my intention of proceeding at once on that seiv 

 vice, he desired a conference with me upon the subject, which being 

 immediately granted, he began by stating, that the very attempt 

 would be rash and dangerous, as the weather was cold, the leaves 

 were falling, some geese had passed to the southward, and the winter 

 would shortly set in ; and that, as he considered the lives of all 

 who went on such a journey would be forfeited, he neither would 

 go himself, nor permit his hunters to accompany us. He said there 

 was no wood within eleven days' march, during which time we 

 could not have any fire, as the moss, which the Indians use in their 

 summer excursions, would be too wet for burning, in consequence 

 of the recent rains ; that we should be forty days in descending the 

 Copper-Mine River, six of which would be expended in getting to its 

 banks, and that we might be blocked up by the ice in the next 

 moon; and during the whole journey the party must experience 

 great suffering for want of food, as the rein-deer had already left the 





river. 



i 



He was now reminded that these statements were very different 

 from the account he had given, both at Fort Providence and on 

 the route hither ; and that, up to this moment, we had been en- 

 couraged by his conversation to expect that the party might de- 

 scend the Copper-Mine River, accompanied by the Indians. He 

 replied, that at the former place he had been unacquainted with 

 our slow mode of travelling, and that the alteration, in his opinion, 



arose from the advance of winter. 



We now informed him, that we were provided with instruments 

 by which we could ascertain the state of the air and water, and that 

 we did not imagine the winter to be so near as he supposed; how- 



