190 Thirty Years 



I had much difficulty even in obtaining their promise 

 to wait at the Copper Mountains for Mr. Wentzel and 

 the four men, whom I intended to discharge at the 

 sea. 



The fears which our interpreters, St. Germain and 

 Adam, entertained respecting the voyage, were now 

 greatly increased, and both of them came this evening 

 to request their discharges, urging that their services 

 could be no longer requisite, as the Indians were going 

 from us. St. Germain even said that he had under- 

 stood he was only engaged to accompany us as long as 

 the Indians did, and persisted in this falsehood until 

 his agreement to go with us throughout the voyage 

 had been twice read to him. As these were the only 

 two of the party on whose skill in hunting we could 

 rely, 1 was unable to listen for a moment to their de- 

 sire of quitting us, and lest they should leave us by 

 stealth, their motions were strictly watched. This 

 was not an unnecessary precaution, as I was informed 

 that they bad, actually laid a plan lor eloping ; but the 

 i' the in. mi knowing thai their own safety would 

 have been compromised had they succeeded, kepi a 



watchful eye over them, We knew that the dread of 



the Esquimaux would prevent thesemenfrom leaving 



us as soon as the Indians were al a distance, and we 



trusted to their becoming reconciled to the journey 

 when once the novelty of a Bea voyage had worn oil'. 



