OF THE POLAR SEA. 107 



he charged Mr. Wentzel with having advised the 

 distribution of all our goods to the Canadians, 

 and thus defrauding the Indians of what was in- 

 tended for them. Mr. Wentzel, of course, im- 

 mediately repelled this injurious accusation, and 

 reminded Akaitcho again, that he had been told, 

 on engaging to accompany us, that he was not 

 to expect any goods until his return. This he 

 denied with an effrontery that surprised us all, 

 when Humpy, who was present at our first inter- 

 view at Fort Providence, declared that he heard 

 us say, that no goods could be taken for the sup- 

 ply of the Indians on the voyage ; and the first 

 guide added, " I do not expect any thing here, 

 I have promised to accompany the white people 

 to the sea, and I will, therefore, go, confidently 

 relying upon receiving the stipulated reward on 

 my return." Akaitcho did not seem prepared to 

 hear such declarations from his brothers, and in- 

 stantly changed the subject, and began to descant 

 upon the treatment he had received from the 

 traders in his concerns with them, with an as- 

 perity of language that bore more the appearance 

 of menace than complaint. I immediately re- 

 fused to discuss this topic, as foreign to our pre- 

 sent business, and desired Akaitcho to recall to 

 his memory, that he had told me on our first 

 meeting, that he considered me the father of every 



