In the Arctic. Regions. 361 
traders appear to be poor, I and my party are poor, 
likewise ; and since the goods have not come in, we 
cannot, have them. I do not regret having supplied 
you with provisions, for a Copper Indian can never 
permit white men to suffer from want of food on his 
lands, without flying to their aid. I trust, however, 
that we shall, as you say, receive what is due next 
autumn ; and at all events,” he added, in a tone of 
good humor, “it is the first time that the white peo- 
ple have been indebted to the Copper Indians.” We 
assured him the supplies should certainly be sent to 
him by the autumn, if not before. He then cheerfully 
received the small present we made to himself 3 and, 
although we could give a few things only to those 
who had been most active in our service, the others 
who, perhaps, thought themselves equally deserving, 
did not murmur at being left out in the distribution. 
Akaitcho afterwards expressed a strong desire, that we 
should represent the character of his nation in a favor- 
able light to our countrymen. “TI know,” he said, 
‘you write down every occurrence in your books; but 
probably you have only noticed the bad things we 
have said and done, and have omitted to mention the 
good.” In the course of the desultory conversation 
which ensued, he said, that he had been always told 
by us, to consider the traders in the same light as 
ourselves ; and that for ee he looked upon both 
