272 A JOURNEY TO THE 



1772. our course in the South East quarter, and proceeded at a 

 e ruary. j^^^|^ greater rate than we had lately done, as little or no 

 time was now lost in hunting. The next day we saw the 

 tracks of some strangers ; and though I did not perceive any 

 of them myself, some of my companions were at the trouble 

 of searching for them, and finding them to be poor inoffensive 

 people, plundered them not only of the few furrs which they 

 had, but took also one of their young women from them. 



Every additional act of violence committed by my com- 

 panions on the poor and distressed, served to increase my 

 indignation and dislike ; this last act, however, displeased me 

 more than all their former actions, because it was committed 

 on a set of harmless creatures, whose general manner of life 

 renders them the most secluded from society of any of the 

 human race. 



[274] Matonabbee assured me, that for more than a genera- 

 tion past one family only, as it may be called, (and to which the 

 young men belonged who were plundered by my companions,) 

 have taken up their Winter abode in those woods,^ which are 



{} The reference here and on the following pages is certainly to the belt of 

 forest which occurs on the banks of Thelon River and its tributary above its 

 junction with the Dubawnt River. J. W. Tyrrell, who explored and surveyed 

 this river in 1900, refers to it as follows : — 



" The investigations of the present expedition have, however, established 

 both the existence and location of such an oasis ; but, as predicted by Hearne, 

 the primitive settlers have long since departed, although for some other 

 reasons than lack of fuel. 



" In support of Hearne's story, and my belief that his reference was to the 

 valley of the Thelon, it may be noted that some very old choppings were 

 observed, as well as the decayed, moss-grown remains of some very old camps, 

 whilst scarcely any recent signs of habitation exist. 



" The wooded, or partially-wooded, banks of the Thelon extend for a 

 distance of about one hundred and seventy miles below the forks of the 

 Hanbury. This distance is not to be understood as a continuous stretch of 

 timber, but over that distance many fine spruce groves, as well as more or less 

 continuous thinly-scattered trees are found. The largest trees measured from 

 twelve to fifteen inches in diameter, but the average diameter would be about 

 six inches." (Append. 26, Pt. III. Annual Report, Department of the 

 Interior, Canada, 1901, pp- 7, 27.)] 



