SUPPLIES AGAIN FAIL. QOJ 



and towards the end of the month our supplies 

 again failed ; distress was prevalent, and the din 

 and screeching of women and children too plainly 

 indicated the acuteness of their suffering. The 

 opportune appearance of my old acquaintance, 

 Akaitcho, with a little meat, enabled us to 

 relieve and quiet the confusion, and some of 

 them went away with the chief, who promised 

 that we should not want as long as he had any 

 thing to send to the fort. He did not directly 

 inquire about Sir John Franklin, or Doctor 

 Richardson ; but his satisfaction was very visible, 

 when I gave him some little presents in their 

 names, and pointed to the silver medal presented 

 to him at Fort Enterprise, which he was then 

 wearing as a proof that he had not forgotten 

 them. An additional trifle or two made him 

 quite happy, and he left us to all appearance the 

 determined friend of the expedition. 



Among those who accompanied him was an 

 old man, who gave us information of a lake 

 about thirty miles to the S. E., where on pressing 

 occasions he resorted to fish ; and, willing to 

 catch at the smallest chance of saving the pem- 

 mican, I prevailed on him to act as guide to a 

 small party selected to make the trial ; the result 

 of which, if favourable, was to be communicated 

 without delay. Accordingly on the third day 

 La Charite, one of the party, reached the house 



