JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



CHAPTER IX. 



Continuation of Procecdinsfs at Fort Enterprise-Some Account of the 

 Copper Indians-Preparations for the Journey to the Northward. 



1S2I. I SHALL now give a brief account of the 

 March IS. Copper Indians, termed by the Chipe- 

 wyans, Tantsawhot-dinneh, or Birch-rind Indians. 

 They were originaUy a tribe of the Chipewyans, 

 and, according to their own account, inhabited 

 the south side of Great Slave Lake, at no very 

 distant period. Tlieir language, traditions, and 

 customs, are essentially the same with those of 

 the Chipewyans, but in personal character they 

 have greatly the advantage of that people ; a cir- 

 cumstance which is to be attributed, probably, to 

 local causes, perhaps to their procuring their food 

 more easily and in greater abundance. They hold 

 women m the same low estimation as the Chipe- 

 ^vyans do, looking upon them as a kind of pro- 

 perty, which the stronger may take from the 

 weaker, whenever there is just reason for quar- 

 relhng, if the parties are of their o;vn nation, or 

 whenever they meet, if the weaker party are 

 i^og-ribs or other strangers. They suffer, how- 



