119 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



learned from him, that his brother the Hook was 

 by this time on the Copper-Mine River with his 

 party ; and that, although he had little ammuni- 

 tion, yet it was possible he might have some pro- 

 vision collected before our arrival at his tents. I 

 then decorated him with a medal similar to those 

 given to the other chiefs. He was highly pleased 

 with this mark of our regard, and promised to do 

 every thing for us in his power. Akaitcho came 

 in during the latter part of our conversation, with 

 a very cheerful countenance. Jealousy of the 

 Hook, and a knowledge of the sentiments of the 

 young men being different from his own, with 

 respect to the recent discussions, had combined 

 to produce this change in his conduct, and next 

 morning he took an opportunity of telling me 

 that I must not think the worse of him for his 

 importunities. It was their custom, he said, to 

 do so, however strange it might appear to us, 

 and that he, as the leader of his party, had to 

 beg for them aU ; but as he saw that we had not 

 deceived him by concealing any of our goods, 

 and that we really had nothing left, he should ask 

 for no more. He then told me that he would set 

 out for the river as soon as the state of the coun- 

 try admitted of their travelling. The snow, he 

 remarked, was still too deep for sledges to the 

 northward, and the moss too wet to make fires. 



