INDIAN ENCAMPMENT. 91 



The weather was squally and threatening, and a 

 heavy swell, which sometimes rose into crested 

 waves, warned us to avoid the open lake, and 

 seek the protection of the windward islands. 

 The canoe shipped much water, but the men 

 kept on their work, and, after crossing an exposed 

 bay, we soon reached the muddy entrance of 

 the Little Channel. This took us to the Slave 

 River, which we traversed, and discovered, on 

 the eastern bank, a large party of Indians, who 

 proved to be the same we had seen at Salt 

 River. They were assembled in little groups, 

 thinking that, according to the general custom 

 of the traders, we should land ; but perceiving 

 that it was not our intention to do so, they called 

 out, " What ! does the great chief go past, with- 

 out even offering us a pipe of tobacco ? " How- 

 ever, on we passed, and entered a very narrow 

 channel, where I began the survey, and shortly 

 after another, called Cha-bilka, which is said to 

 come from some lakes not far distant. Near to 

 this was an Indian encampment, the occupants 

 of which were busily and noisily employed in 

 drying the meat of three recently killed moose. 

 The successful hunters, apparently not a little 

 vain of their prowess, were either lying at full 

 length on the grass, whiffing the cherished pipe, 

 or lounging on their elbows, to watch the frizzling 

 of a rich marrow bone, the customary perquisite 



