In the Arctic Regions. 351 
from me to Mr. Back, requesting another supply of 
meat as soon as possible. The two others, “ Crooked- 
Foot and the Rat,” remained to take care of us, until 
we should be able to move forward. 
The note I received by the Indians from Mr. Back, 
communicated a tale of distress with regard to him- 
self and his party, as painful as that which we had 
suffered ; as will be seen hereafter, by his own narra- 
tive. 
November 8.—The Indians this morning requested 
us to remove to an encampment on the banks of the 
river, as they were unwilling to remain in the house 
in which the bodies of our deceased companions were 
lying exposed to view. We agreed to remove but the 
day proved too stormy, and Dr. Richardson and Hep- ~ 
burn having dragged the bodies to a short distance, and 
covered them with snow, the objections of the Indians 
to remain in the house were removed, and they began 
to clear our room of the accumulation of dirt and 
fragments of pounded bones. The improved state of our 
apartment, and the large and cheerful fires they kept 
up, produced in us a sensation of comfort to which we 
had long been strangers. In the evening they brought 
in a pile of dried wood, which was lying on the river 
side, and on which we had often cast a wishful eye, 
being unable to drag it up the bank. ‘The Indians set 
about every thing with an activity that amazed us, 
