NORTHERN OCEAN 223 



[208] One of those strangers had about forty beaver skins, 1771- 

 with which he intended to pay Matonabbee an old debt ; but 

 one of the other Indians seized the whole, notwithstanding he 

 knew it to be in fact Matonabbee's property. This treatment, 

 together with many other insults, which he had received 

 during my abode with him, made him renew his old resolu- 

 tion of leaving his own country, and going to reside with the 

 Athapuscow Indians. 



As the most interesting part of my journey was now over, 

 I did not think it necessary to interfere in his private affairs ; 

 and therefore did not endeavour to influence him either one 

 way or the other : out of complaisance, therefore, rather than 

 any thing else, I told him, that I thought such behaviour very 

 uncourteous, especially in a man of his rank and dignity. As 

 to the reason of his determination, I did not think it worth 

 while to enquire into it ; but, by his discourse with the other 

 Indians, I soon understood that they all intended to make an 

 excursion into the country of the Athapuscow Indians, in 

 order to kill moose and beaver. The former of those animals 

 are never found in the Northern Indian territories ; and the 

 latter are so scarce in those Northern parts, that during the 

 whole Winter of one thousand seven hundred and seventy, 

 [209] I did not see more than two beaver houses. Martins are 

 also scarce in those parts ; for during the above period, I do not 

 think that more than six or eight were killed by all the Indians 

 in my company. This exceedingly small number, among so 

 many people, may with great truth be attributed to the 

 indolence of the Indians, and the wandering life which they 

 lead, rather than to the great scarcity of the martins. It is 

 true, that our moving so frequently from place to place, did 

 at times make it not an object worth while to build traps ; but 

 had they taken the advantage of all favourable opportunities, 

 and been possessed of half the industry of the Company's 

 servants in the Bay, they might with great ease have caught 

 as many hundreds, if not some thousands ; and when we 



