186 ANNOYANCES SUFFERED BY MR. KING. 



good state of preservation. He had suffered, as 

 was to be expected, the usual impositions which 

 the old voyageurs consider themselves entitled 

 to practise on the uninitiated, and had, conse- 

 quently, been exposed to frequent personal incon- 

 veniences. Between Cumberland House and 

 Isle a la Crosse, he met some Cree Indians, 

 " who passed," said Mr. King, " in their canoes, 

 in seeming high spirits ; but in a short time the 

 old man of the family returned, with a request 

 that I would extract a tooth, claiming me, at the 

 same time, as a brother ' medicine man.' The 

 difference in his first and second appearance 

 was truly ludicrous, — then active and cheerful, 

 now, diseased and dejected : he acted his part 

 admirably, and, at his earnest entreaty, I gave 

 him a few harmless mixtures, which might assist 

 him in maintaining his professional respect- 

 ability." The negligence of the men had caused 

 his passing the pitch springs in the Elk River 

 without taking in a supply ; and, on reaching 

 Chipewyan, he had to send back for some. 

 Fortunately, during the delay so occasioned, 

 Mr. Charles, the chief factor of the district, 

 arrived, and relieved him from another embarrass- 

 ing situation with regard to provisions. He had 

 my directions to supply his party with enough 

 for thirty days' consumption, but was informed 

 by the clerk in charge that he could not have 



