NORTHERN OCEAN 119 



continued our course for many days toward the West by 1771. 

 South and West South West ; when deer were so plentiful, ^^^^^"7- 

 and the Indians killed such vast numbers, that notwith- 

 standing we frequently remained three, four, or five days in 

 a place, to eat up the spoils of our hunting, yet at our 

 departure we frequently left great quantities of good meat 

 behind us, which we could neither eat nor carry with us. 

 [77] This conduct is the more excusable among people 

 whose wandering manner of life and contracted ideas make 

 every thing appear to them as the effect of mere chance. 

 The great uncertainty of their ever visiting this or that 

 part a second time, induces them to think there is nothing 

 either wrong or improvident in living on the best the 

 country will afford, as they are passing through it from 

 place to place ; and they seem willing that those who 

 come after them should take their chance, as they have 

 done. 



On the twenty-first, we crossed The-whole-kyed Whole, 21st. 

 or Snowbird Lake,^ which at that part was about twelve or 

 thirteen miles wide, though from North to South it is much 

 larger. As deer were as plentiful as before, we expended 

 much time in killing and eating them. This Matonabbee 

 assured me was the best way we could employ ourselves, 

 as the season would by no means permit us to proceed in 

 a direct line for the Copper-mine River ; but when the Spring 

 advanced, and the deer began to draw out to the barren 

 ground, he would then, he said, proceed in such a manner 

 as to leave no room to doubt of our arrival at the Copper- 

 mine River in proper time. 



On the second of March, we lay by the side of March. 



2d. 



[* The-whole-kyed (Whoie) or Snowbird Lake, known to the Indians of 

 Lake Athabasca as Thel-wel-ky Lake. The course from Kasba Lake is given 

 in the text as W. by S. and W.S.W., and the time occupied in travelling it as 

 thirteen days, while on Hearne's map the course is shown as westward and the 

 distance twenty miles.] 



