OF THE POLAR SEA. 341 



woods on tlie Copper-Mine River, and hunt for 

 deer instead of going to the Fort. In the after- 

 noon a flock of partridges coming near the tent, 

 he killed several which he shared with us. 



Thick snowy weather and a head wind prevent- 

 ed us from starting the following day, but on the 

 morning of the 23d we set out, carrying with us 

 the remainder of the singed robe. Hepburn and 

 Michel had each a gun, and I carried a small 

 pistol, which Hepburn had loaded for me. In 

 the course of the march Michel alarmed us much 

 by his gestures and conduct, was constantly 

 muttering to himself, expressed an unwillingness 

 to go to trie Fort, and tried to persuade me to go 

 to the southward to the woods, where he said he 

 could maintain himself all the winter by killing 

 deer. In consequence of this behaviour, and the 

 expression of his countenance, I requested him 

 to leave us; and to go to the southward by him- 

 self. This proposal increased his ill-nature, he 

 threw out some obscure hints of freeing himself 

 from all restraint on the morrow ; and I overheard 

 him muttering threats against Hepburn, whom he 

 openly accused of having told stories against him. 

 He also, for the first time, assumed such a tone 

 of superiority in addressing me, as evinced that 

 he considered us to be completely in his power, 

 and he gave vent to several expressions of hatred 



