OF THE POLAR SEA. 89 
will make any sacrifice to obtain it. They are 
esteemed good hunters, and are generally as- 
Siduous in the occupation. Having laid the bow 
and arrow altogether aside, and the use of snares, 
except for rabbits and partridges, they depend 
entirely on the Europeans for the means of gain- 
ing their subsistence, as they require guns, and 
a constant supply of powder and shot; so that 
these Indians are probably more cohapletely. 
under the power of the trader than any of the 
other tribes. As I only saw a few straggling 
parties of them during short intervals, and under 
unfavourable circumstances of sickness and fa- 
mine, Iam unable to give, from personal obser- 
vation, any account of their manners and customs ; 
I must refer the reader, therefore, to Dr. Richard- 
son’s account of them, which will be found in the 
following chapter. That gentleman, during his 
longer residence at the post, had many oppor- 
tunities of seeing the natives, and made consi- 
derable progress in their language. 
January 17, —This morning the sporting ait 
of our society had rather a novel diversion: in- 
telligence having been brought that a wolf had 
borne away a steel trap, in which he had been 
caught, a party went in search of the marauder, 
and took two English bull dogs and a terrier, 
‘which had been brought into the country this 
