[i89] CHAP. VII. 



Remarks from the Time the Women joined us till our 

 Arrival at the Athapuscow Lake. 



Several of the Indians sick — Method used by the conjurers to relieve one many 

 who recovers — Matonabbee and his crew proceed to the South West — 

 Most of the other Indians separate^ and go their respective ways — Pass 

 by White Stone Lake — Many deer killed merely for their skins — 

 Remarks thereon^ and on the deer ^ respecting seasons and places — Arrive 

 at Point Lake — One of the Indian's wives being sick, is left behind to 

 perish above-ground — Weather very bad, but deer plenty — Stay some 

 time at Point Lake to dry meat, &c. — Winter set in — Superstitious 

 customs observed by my companions, after they had killed the Esquimaux 

 at Copper River — A violent gale of wind oversets my tent and breaks 

 my quadrant — Some Copper and Dog-ribbed Indians join us — Indians 

 propose to go to the Athapuscow Country to kill moose — Leave Point 

 Lake, and arrive at the wood's edge — Arrive at Anawd Lake — 

 Transactions there — Remarkable instance of a man being cured of the 

 palsey by the conjurers — Leave Anawd Lake — Arrive at the great 

 Athapuscow Lake. 



SEVERAL of the Indians being very ill, the conjurers, 1771. 

 who are always the doctors, and pretend to perform -^"sust. 

 great cures, began to try their skill to effect their 

 recovery. Here it is necessary to remark, that they use no 

 medicine either for internal or external complaints, but per- 

 form all their cures by charms. In ordinary cases, sucking 

 the part affected, blowing, and singing to it ; [190] haughing, 

 spitting, and at the same time uttering a heap of unintelligible 

 jargon, compose the whole process of the cure. For some in- 

 ward complaints ; such as, griping in the intestines, difficulty 

 of making water, &c., it is very common to see those jugglers 



ao9 Q 



