258 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 
this, as Dr. Richardson and Mr. Hood had taken 
the very judicious precaution of bringing up ten 
men from Cumberland, who were engaged to 
proceed forward if their services were required. 
The Canadians, whom they brought, were most 
desirous of being continued, and we felt sincere 
pleasure in being able to keep men who were so 
zealous in the cause, and who had given proofs of 
their activity on their recent passage to this place, 
by discharging those men who were less willing 
to undertake the journey; of these, three were 
Englishmen, one American, and three Canadians. 
When the numbers were completed, which we 
had been recommended by the traders to take as 
a protection against the Esquimaux, we had six- 
teen Canadian-voyagers, and our worthy and only © 
English attendant John Hepburn, besides the two 
interpreters whom we were to receive at the 
Great Slave Lake; we were also accompanied 
by a Chipewyan woman. An equipment of 
goods was given to each of the men who had 
been engaged at this place, similar to what had 
been furnished to the others at Cumberland ; and 
when this distribution had been made, the fe- 
mainder were made up into bales, preparatory t0 
our departure, on the following day. We wefe 
cheerfully assisted in these and all our occupa 
