THE YELLOW-KNIVES. 447 



tered by the recent loss of one of his sons. 

 The unfortunate custom of destroying all their 

 clothes and property, at whatever cost of time 

 and labour obtained, had been most rigidly 

 observed by the whole family; so that they 

 had no other covering at this bleak season (the 

 thermometer being 24°), than a loose and un- 

 fashioned reindeer skin, thrown carelessly and 

 almost uselessly over the shoulders. 



Mr. King, with much good feeling, went across 

 the country during the night, accompanied by the 

 interpreter, to see the old man, and administer 

 to his relief. Some of the children also, who 

 were slightly affected with singular complaints, 

 were attended to. Having run the rapid, we 

 called at the tents for several parcels of meat 

 which were ready prepared for us ; and I took 

 that opportunity of asking " Old Obstinate," 

 who, with the exception of another aged man, 

 was the only person conversant with the coun- 

 try northward, whether, to his knowledge, there 

 was any chance of getting either to Cont-woy-to 

 Lake or Bathurst's Inlet, from any part of the 

 Thlew-ee-choh ; but he declared himself unable 

 to answer my question farther than this, that 

 there existed small lakes and innumerable 

 streams that ran towards the Thlew-ee-choh, 

 all of which, however, were rapid, and too 

 shoal for anything larger than one of their 



