OF THE POLAR SEA. 115 



intention of picking up such articles as we might 

 deem unnecessary to take. When Akaitcho was 

 made acquainted with my purpose of sending 

 away a party of men, he came to inform me that 

 he would appoint two hunters to accompany them, 

 and at the same time requested that Dr. Richard- 

 son, or as he called him, the Medicine Chief, 

 might be sent with his own band. These Indians 

 set a great value upon medicine, and made many 

 demands upon Dr. Richardson on the prospect of 

 his departure. He had to make up little packets, 

 of the different articles in his chest, not only for 

 the leader, but for each of the minor chiefs, who 

 carefully placed them in their medicine bags, 

 noting in their memories the directions he gave 

 for their use. The readiness with which their 

 requests for medical assistance were complied 

 with, was considered by them as a strong mark of 

 our good intentions towards them ; and the leader 

 often remarked, that they owed much to our kind- 

 ness in that respect ; that formerly numbers had 

 died every year, but that not a life had been lost 

 since our arrival amongst them. In the present 

 instance, however, the leader's request could not 

 be complied with. Dr. Richardson had volun- 

 teered to conduct the first party to the Copper- 

 Mine River, whilst the rest of the officers re- 

 mained with me to the last moment, to complete 



