362 Thirty Years 
as equally respectable. This assurance, made in the 
presence of Mr. Weeks, was particularly gratifying to 
us, as it completely disproved the defence that had 
been set up, respecting the injurious reports that had 
been circulated against us, amongst the Indians in 
the spring ; namely, that they were in retaliation for 
our endeavors to lower the traders in the eyes of the 
Indians, I take this opportunity of stating my 
opinion, that Mr, Weeks, in spreading these reports, 
was actuated by a mistaken idea that he was serving 
the interest of his employers. On the present occasion, 
we felt indebted to him for the sympathy he displayed 
for our distresses, and the kindness with which he ad- 
ministered to our personal wants. After this con- 
ference, such Indians as were indebted to the Com- 
pany were paid for the provision they had given us, 
by deducting a corresponding sum from their-debts ; 
in the same way we gave a reward of sixteen skins of 
beaver to each of the persons who had come to our re- 
lief at Fort Enterprize. As the debts of Akaitcho 
and his hunters had been effaced at the time of his 
engagement with us, we placed a sum, equal to the 
amount of provision they had recently supplied, to 
their credit on the Company’s books. These things 
being, through the moderation of the Indians, adjust- 
ed with an unexpected facility, we gave them a keg 
of mixed liquors, (five parts water,) and distributed 
