PROVISIONS NOT INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY. 01 



more active of the fishery party went to join them. 

 Mr. Bell, on two several occasions, fitted out the 

 whole of the residents at Cape Macdonald with 

 provisions enough to take them to the hunting 

 stations ; but their hearts failing them, they con- 

 sumed what was given to them, and came with 

 their daily petitions as before. During this time 

 they were taking trout, and denying that they did 

 so, though they occasionally sold us a few. At 

 length, towards the end of March, two of our fort 

 hunters, who had left their wives at the fishery, 

 coming to fetch them, the desire of the whole 

 party to eat venison became uncontrollable, and 

 they came in en masse to the fort, with their 

 sledges and all their moveables, to receive another 

 fit out. They remained encamped near the house 

 on this occasion for about three weeks before they 

 took their departure, subsisting chiefly on the pro- 

 duce of their trout lines. During this time some 

 of the young men made two excursions to plunder 

 the caches of the hunters employed by us, but were 

 foiled in the attempt, and came back fasting ; for 

 Mr. Bell, taught by former losses, had been very 

 prompt in sending men for the venison, and had 

 secured it before the marauders reached the spot. 



At this time some considerable supplies were 

 brought in by the Martin Lake Indians, and we 

 had several opportunities of observing the way in 



