S70 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



that he had been always told by us, to consider 

 the traders in the same light as ourselves ; and 

 that, for his part, he looked upon both as equally 

 respectable. This assurance, made in the pre^ 

 sence of Mr. Weeks, was particularly gratifying 

 to us, as it completely disproved the defence that 

 had been set up, respecting the injurious reports 

 that had been circulated against us amongst the 

 Indians in the spring ; namely, that they were in 

 retaliation for our endeavours to lower the traders 

 in the eyes of the Indians. I take this oppor- 

 tunity of stating my opinion, that Mr. Weeks, in 

 spreading these reports, was actuated by a mis- 

 taken idea that he was serving the interest of his 

 employers. On the present occasion, we felt 

 indebted to him for the sympathy he displayed 

 for our distresses, and the kindness with which 

 he administered to our personal wants. After 

 tliis conference, such Indians as were indebted 

 to the Company were paid for the provision they 

 had given us, by deducting a corresponding sum 

 from their debts 5 in the same way we gave a 

 reward of sixteen skins of beaver to each of the 

 persons who had come to our relief at Fort Enter- 

 prise. As the debts of Akaitcho and his hunters 

 had been effaced at tlie time of his engagement 

 with us, we placed a sum equal to the amount of 

 provision they had recently supplied, to their 



