5S JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



ment. I found several packets of letters for the 

 officers, which I was desirous of sending to them 

 immediately ; but as the Indians and their wives 

 complained of illness and inability to return be- 

 fore they had rested, a flagon of mixed spirits 

 was given them, and their sorrows were soon for- 

 gotten, and in a quarter of an hour, they pro- 

 nounced themselves excellent hunters, and capa- 

 ble of going any where ; however, their boasting 

 ceased with the last drop of the bottle, when a 

 crying scene took place, which would have con- 

 tinued half the night, had not the magic of an ad- 

 ditional quantity of spirits dried their tears, and 

 once more turned their mourning into joy. It was 

 a satisfaction to me to behold these poor creatures 

 enjoying themselves, for they had behaved in the 

 most exemplary and active manner towards the 

 party, and with a generosity and sympathy sel- 

 dom found even in the more civilized parts of the 

 world ; and the attention and affection which they 

 manifested towards their wives, evinced a bene- 

 volence of disposition and goodness of nature 

 which could not fail to secure the approbation of 

 the most indifferent observer. 



" The accounts I here received of our goods were 

 of so unsatisfactory a nature, that I determined to 

 proceed, as soon as the lake was frozen, to Moose- 

 Deer Island, or if necessary to the Athabasca 



