320 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 
River, and to cross the Great Bear Lake from the 
eastern side of which, Boileau informed me, there 
is a communication with the Copper-Mine River 
by four small lakes and portages; but, under our 
present circumstances, this course could not be 
followed, because it would remove us too far from 
the establishments at the Great Slave Lake, to 
receive the supplies of ammunition and some 
other stores in the winter which were absolutely 
necessary for the prosecution of our journey, oF 
to get the Esquimaux interpreter, whom we ex- 
pected. IfI had not deemed these circumstances 
paramount I should have preferred the route by 
Bear Lake. 
Akaitcho and the guides having communicated 
all the information they possessed on the different 
points to which our questions had been directed, 
I placed my medal round the neck of the chief, 
and the officers presented theirs to an elder bro- 
ther of his and the two guides, communicating to 
them that these marks of distinction were given 
as tokens of our friendship and as pledges of the 
sincerity of our professions. Being conferred in 
the presence of all the hunters their acquisition 
was highly gratifying to them, but they studiously 
avoided any great expression of joy, because 
such an exposure would have been unbecoming 
the dignity which the senior Indians assume 
