In the Arctic Regions. 113 
violent bursts of laughter. In return for the gratifi- 
cation Akaitcho had enjoyed, he desired his young men 
to exhibit the Dog-Rib Indian dance ; and immediate- 
ly they ranged themselves ina circle, and keeping their 
legs widely separated, began to jump simultaneously 
sideways ; their bodies were bent, their hands placed 
on their hips, and they uttered forcibly the interjec- 
tion fsa at each jump. Devoid as were their attitudes 
of grace, and their music of harmony, we were much 
amused by the novelty of the exhibition. 
In the midst of this scene an untoward accident oc- 
curred, which for a time interrupted our amusements. 
The tent in which Dr. Richardson and I lodged hay- 
ing caught fire from some embers that had been placed 
in it to expel the musquitoes, was entirely burnt. 
Hepburn, who was sleeping within it, close to some 
powder, most providentially awoke in time to throw it 
clear of the flame, and rescue the baggage, before any 
material injury had been received. We dreaded the 
consequences of this disaster upon the fickle minds of 
the Indians, and wished it not to be communicated to 
them. The chief, however, was soon informed of it 
by one of his people, and expressed his desire that no 
future misfortune should be concealed from him. We 
found he was most concerned to hear that the flag had 
been burnt, but we removed his anxiety on that point 
by the assurance that it could easily be repaired. We 
