OF THE POLAR SEA. 



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an ample stock, to enable us to execute our undertaking ; and his 

 regret, that the unusual scarcity of animals this season, together with 

 the circumstance of his having only just received a supply of am- 

 munition from Fort Providence, had prevented him from collecting 

 the quantity of meat he had wished to do for our use. The amount, 

 indeed," he said, " is very small, but I will cheerfully give you 

 what I have : we are too much indebted to the white people, to 

 allow them to want food on our lands, whilst we have any to give 

 them. Our families can live on fish until we can procure more 

 meat, but the season is too short to allow of your delaying, to gain 

 subsistence in that manner." He immediately desired, aloud, that 

 the women should bring all the meat they had to us ; and we soon 

 collected sufficient to make three bags and a half of pemmicam 

 besides some dried meat and tongues. We were truly delighted by 

 this prompt and cheerful behaviour, and would gladly have rewarded 

 the kindness of himself and his companions by some substantial 

 present, but we were limited by the scantiness of our store to a 

 small donation of fifteen charges of ammunition to each of the 

 chiefs. In return for the provision they accepted notes on the 

 North-West Company, to be paid at Fort Providence ; and to these 

 was subj oined an order for a few articles of clothing, as an additional 

 present. I then endeavoured to prevail upon the Hook to remain in 

 this vicinity with his hunters until the autumn, and to make de- 

 posits of provision in different parts of the course to the sea, as a 

 resource for our party, in the event of our being compelled to re- 

 turn by this route. He required time, however, to consider this 

 matter, and promised to give me an answer next day. I was 

 rej oiced to find him then prepared to meet my wish, and the fol- 

 lowing plan was agreed upon : — As the animals abound, at att times, 

 on the borders of Bear Lake, they promised to remain on the east 

 side of it until the month of November, at that spot which is nearest 



