ALTERATION OF PLANS. 247 



with, and allowed a part of his hunt to go in 

 another direction. The fact that a portion of the 

 meat had been so diverted was substantiated, 

 and laid to the charge of a free-man ; but the 

 quantity taken by him was too inconsiderable to 

 be of any consequence, and afforded merely a 

 pretext for Akaitcho, to cover some little in- 

 fidelities of which, I fear, he had been guilty. 

 A month before, such intelligence would have 

 caused the bitterest sorrow ; but now, when I 

 knew of Captain Ross's safety, it was compar- 

 atively of little moment ; and I determined at 

 once on going with one boat instead of two 

 along the coast, selecting the best men for my 

 crew. This, in fact, was the only means left by 

 which I could execute my instructions, and dis- 

 charge the duty that I owed to the public ; for 

 though the enthusiasm that had before animated 

 us was now of course much abated, it still set 

 with a strong, because concentrated, stream, 

 towards the region of discovery. The provision 

 that we had still in reserve was, or could be 

 made, equal to the expenditure of three months 

 for ten persons. The smallness of the party 

 would be more than compensated by the cha- 

 racters of the individuals who composed it — 

 every man in himself a host — experienced 

 voyageurs, good hunters, equal to the most try- 

 ing situations. There was, therefore, no rational 



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