140 THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE BY LAND. 



Feeling mucli pleased witli the man for liis won- 

 derful honesty in not touching our provisions when 

 he visited our hut during our absence, we consented 

 to present him with the same quantity we had given 

 to the Hunter, extracting a solemn promise from 

 both that they would not ask us for more. And 

 now the revelry waxed furious. They sang and 

 talked, shook hands all round, and lauded us to the 

 skies. And, when the pot was drained, they impor- 

 tuned us for more. We reminded them of the solemn 

 promise they had given to rest content with what 

 they had already received, and " The Wolf" acknow- 

 ledged the justice of our remonstrances. Keena- 

 montiayoo, however, was by this time beyond the 

 reach of argument or reason. He did not seem to 

 understand, indeed, that he had made any such en- 

 gagement, and, tin cup in hand, went from one to 

 the other, marking with his finger on the mug the 

 quantity with which he would be content. We 

 firmly refused to give a drop, and as he found we 

 were obstinate, and perceived his chance of succeed- 

 ing become less and less, his finger descended until 

 at last he vowed that he would be satisfied with the 

 veriest film of liquor which w^ould cover the bottom 

 of the cup. Hours passed by, and he still impor- 

 tuned us unwearyingly, and we as steadily denied 

 him. Cheadle at last rather warmly upbraided him 

 with his want of rectitude, when in a moment he 

 drew his knife from his belt, and seizing Cheadle 

 by the collar, pressed the point of the knife against 

 his breast, exclaiming, *' Ah 1 if I were an Indian of 



