268 A JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



A good many ptarmigan were seen at this time, and the women 

 caught some in snares, but not in sufficient quantity to make any 

 further alteration in the rations of deers' meat that were daily 

 issued. They had already been reduced from eight, to the short 

 allowance of five pounds. 



Many wolves prowled nightly about the house, and even ven- 

 tured upon the roof of the kitchen, which is a low building, in 

 search of food. Keskarrah shot a very large white one, of which 

 a beautiful and correct drawing was made by Mr. Hood. 



The temperature in February was considerably lower than in 

 the preceding month, although not so low as in December, the 

 mean being — 25.3°. The greatest temperature was 1° above zero, 

 and the lowest 5 1° below. 



On the 5 th of March the people returned from Slave Lake, 

 bringing the remainder of our stores, consisting of a cask of flour, 

 thirty-six pounds of sugar, a roll of tobacco, and forty pounds of 

 tobacco. I received a letter from Mr. Weeks, wherein he denied 

 that he had ever circulated any reports to our disadvantage ; and 

 stated, that he had done every thing in his power to assist us, and 

 even discouraged Akaitcho from leaving us, when he had sent him 

 a message, saying, that he wished to do so, if he was sure of being 

 well received at Fort Providence. 



We mentioned the contents of the letter to the Indians, who 

 were at the house at the time, when one of the hunters, who had 

 attended the men on their journey, stated, that he had heard many 

 of the reports against us from Mr. Weeks himself, and expressing 

 his surprise that he should venture to deny them. St. Germain 

 soon afterwards arrived from Akaitcho, and informed us, that he left 

 him in good humour, and, apparently, not harbouring the slightest 

 idea of quitting us. 



On the 12th, we sent four men to Fort Providence ; and, on the 



17th, Mr. Back arrived from Fort Chipewyan, having performed, 



