DOWN THE MACKENZIE I2 g 



steamer. I harnessed the team that afternoon, scarcely hoping 

 that they could haul. They had not been able to ascend the 

 bank the day before and had had nothing to eat for three days, 

 during which they had been almost continuously in harness. 

 Much to my surprise they moved off on the ice at a fair pace. 

 The river was flowing in an open channel along the shore, but 

 the greater portion of the ice had not yet broken up, though it 

 was in a very unsafe condition. After traveling about eight 

 miles I reached the lower end of Big Island, but the only land 

 which I could reach with my load was a small island below, 

 which was covered with willows and poplars. I spent the night 

 there and as I could not proceed further with the sled I cached 

 it upon a scaffold. 



I was depending upon ducks and grouse for food. I had 

 left Rae with a few pounds of bread and dried meat, beside 

 seven candles of deer's tallow which proved to be a very ac- 

 ceptable addition to the dry meat. 



I started next morning toward Providence, carrying a blanket 

 and shot gun, intending to send for the sled as soon as the river 

 opened. After traveling a few miles I met a party of Slavey 

 Indians, who were coming up the river with two sleds, having 

 high runners, made especially for use on overflowed ice. They 

 were the filthiest and most degraded looking Indians that I met 

 in the North. They knew no English, but seemed to under- 

 stand the few words of the Dog Rib dialect which I could com- 

 mand. They directed me to Jackfish Point, a short distance 

 below, from which they had just come, where a small band of 

 Slaveys were encamped. As usual, they asked for tobacco, and 

 as usual, they thought my tongue was crooked when I told 

 them that I had none, as no Indian would believe, so universal 

 is the habit, that a man did not smoke, especially a master able 

 to carry such weapons as I possessed, and to drive good dogs. 

 I should like to know whether it was a kindly feeling which 

 prompted one of them to call to me to wait, after they had gone 

 some distance, while he brought me a piece of dried meat, 

 which he might have thought that I needed; or whether his 

 generosity was due to a last attempt to get the coveted tobacco. 

 At any rate I gave him some shot and divided the meat among 

 my dogs. 



At the low marsh\- point I found an open channel two to 



9 



