SUPERSTITIOUS FANCIES. 203 



at too great a distance to be followed. One 

 poor fellow had not tasted meat for ten days, 

 and, but for the hope of seeing us, must have 

 sunk by the way. Pinched as we were ourselves, 

 little could be bestowed on the wretched sufferers. 

 Amongst other fancies, the Indians began to 

 imagine that the instruments in the observatory, 

 concealed from every one but Mr. King and 

 myself, were the mysterious cause of all their 

 misfortunes : nor were they singular in this opi- 

 nion ; for on one occasion when taking the dip, 

 &c. two of the voyageurs listened, and hearing 

 only a word at intervals, such as Now ! Stop ! 

 always succeeded by a perfect silence, they 

 looked at each other, and with significant shrugs, 

 turning hastily away from the railing, reported 

 to their companions that they verily believed I 

 was " raising the devil." 



Endeavouring to laugh away the whimsical 

 notion of the Yellow-knives, I told them that 

 they had mistaken the thing, for that the mys- 

 terious instruments attracted, not dispersed, the 

 animals ; as they would find when they went to 

 hunt. The assertion, uttered in jest, seemed to 

 be verified in earnest, for an old bear was shot 

 the same day, and, though lean and tough, was 

 greedily devoured. Although, among so many, 

 it was but a taste for each, it excited a slight 

 animation \ soon, however, they relapsed into 



