322 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 
however, did not leave us on the next day, as 
the chief was desirous of being present, with his 
party, at the dance, which was given in the even- 
ing to our Canadian voyagers. They were 
highly entertained by the vivacity and agility 
displayed by our companions in their singing 
and dancing: and especially by their imitating 
the gestures of a Canadian, who placed himself 
in the most ludicrous postures; and, whenever 
this was done, the gravity of the chief gave way 
to violent bursts of laughter. In return for the 
gratification Akaitcho had enjoyed, he desired 
his young men to exhibit the Dog-Rib Indian 
dance; and immediately they ranged themselves 
in a circle, and, keeping their legs widely sepa- 
rated, began to jump simultaneously sideways ; 
their bodies were bent, their hands placed on 
their hips, and they uttered forcibly the interjec- 
tion tsa at each jump. Devoid as were their 
attitudes of grace, and their music of harmony, 
we were much amused by the novelty of the 
exhibition. 
In the midst of this scene an untoward accident 
occurred, which for a time interrupted our amuse- 
ments. The tent in which Dr. Richardson and I 
lodged having caught fire from some embers that 
had been placed in it to expel the musquitoes, 
was entirely bumt. Hepburn, who was sleeping 
