324 RETURN TO FORT NORMAN. 



were unavailing ; in ten days she died, after frequently 

 asking for " Be-cah-dre-ahzee," or the " little Master," 

 meaning myself, whom she well recollected. The 

 Indians who were near, deserted the locality imme- 

 diately on her decease ; and the men, headed by Taylor 

 the fisherman, a good-hearted and dry specimen of 

 the Orkney Islands, who' had been fourteen years in 

 the country, proceeded to make a " cache " on the 

 brow of the hill behind the hut, wherein they 

 deposited the emaciated corpse, and, as customary, 

 the few articles she possessed. The worthy fellows 

 now took the children under their care ; the poor little 

 creatures had been frightfully burned, having several 

 times fallen into the fire, and from their tender age 

 been unable to extricate themselves ; but they were 

 with attention restored, and the little girl was 

 consigned to an Indian family, the boy remaining 

 with the men until their departure.* After a stay of 

 two days, I started on return to Fort Norman, the 

 journey occupying this time only two and a half days 

 with loaded sledges. We had hidden some dried 

 meat in the snow on our journey to the lake, but the 

 ravens had discovered and appropriated it ; they are 



* I Lave since learned with great regret that tliese children perished in 

 the winter of 1851-2, during a scarcity of provision. This sad occurrence 

 was prognosticated at the time of my visit by Le Canard, who certainly 

 was well qualified to give an opinion on this subject. 



