In the Arctic Regions. 387 
In a subsequent conversation he stated to me; that 
the two Indians, who were actually with him at Fort 
Enterprize, whilst he remained there altering his 
canoe, were prevented from hunting, one by an acci- 
dental lameness, the other by the-fear of meeting 
alone some of the Dog-Rib Indians. 
crossed Point Lake at the Crow’s Nest, where Humpy had prom- 
ised to meet his brother Ekehcho* with the families, but did not fulfill, 
nor did any of my party of Indians know where to find them : for we 
had frequently made fires to apprize them of our approach, yet none 
appeared in return as answers. This disappointment, as might be ex- 
pected, served to increase the ill-humor of ‘the Leader and party, the 
brooding of which (agreeably to Indian custom,) was liberally dis- 
charged on me in bitter reproach for having led them from their fam- 
ilies, and exposed them to dangers and hardships, which but 
for my influence, they said, they might have spared themselves, 
Nevertheless, they still continued to profess the sincerest desire of 
meeting your wishes in making caches of provisions, and remaining 
until a late season on the road that leads from Fort Enterprize to 
Fort Providence, through which the Expedition-men had traveled so 
often the year before—remarking, however, at the same time, that 
they had not the least hopes of ever seeing one person return from 
the Expedition. These alarming fears I never could persuade them 
to dismiss from their miuds; they always sneered at what they called 
‘my credulity,’ If,’ said the Gros Pied, ‘ the Great Chief (meaniig 
Captain Franklin,) or any of his party, should pass at my tents, he or 
they shall be welcome to all my provisions, or any thing else that I 
may have.’ AndI am sincerely happy to understand, by your com- 
municaticn, that in this he had kept his word—in sending you with 
* Akaitcho the Leader, - fAlso Akhaitcho, 
