/. •'•' ' Arctic Hegi 1 L3 



violent bursts of laughter. In return for the gratifi- 

 cation Akaitcho had enjoyed, he desired his young men 

 to exhibit the Dog-Rib [ndian dance ; and immediate- 

 ly they ranged themselves in a circle, and i heir 



i widely separated, began to jump simultaneously 

 Bideways ; their bodies were bent, their hands placed 

 en their hips, and they uttered forcibly the interjec- 

 tion tsa at each jump. Devoid as were their attitu 

 of grace, and their music of harmony, we were much 

 amused by the novelty of tne exhibition. 



In the midst of this scene an untoward accidei 

 curred, which for a time interrupted our amue 



tent in which Dr. Richardson and I lodged hav- 



4 



ing caughl fire from some embers that hud been placed 

 in it to expel the musquitoes, was entirely burnt. 

 Hepburn, who was sleeping within it, close to some 

 powder, most providentially awoke in time to throw it 

 clear of the flame, and rescue the . beforeany 



material injury had been received. We dreaded the 



consequences of this disaster upon the fickle mind 

 the Indians, and wished it not to be communicated to 

 them. The chief, however, was soon informed of it 

 by one of his people, and expressed his desire that 



future misfortune should be concealed from him. We 

 found he was in led to hear that the flag had 



been burnt, but we removed his anxiety on that point 

 by the assurance that it could easily be repaired. We 



