OF THE POLAR SEA. 



59 



anxiously for our passing, as he was unwell, 

 and wished to consult the doctor. 



Several circumstances having come lately 

 to my knowledge that led me to suspect 

 the fidelity of our interpreters, they were 

 examined upon this subject. It appeared 

 that in their intercourse with the Indians 

 they had contracted very fearful ideas of 

 the danger of our enterprise, which aug- 

 mented as the time of our departure drew 

 near, and had not hesitated to express their 

 dislike to the journey in strong terms 

 amongst the Canadians, who are accustomed 

 to pay much deference to the opinions of 

 an interpreter. But this was not all ; I had 

 reason to suspect they had endeavoured to 

 damp the exertions of the Indians, with the 

 hope that the want of provision in the spring 

 would put an end to our progress at once. 

 St. Germain, in particular, had behaved in 

 a very equivocal way, since his journey to 

 Slave Lake. He denied the principal parts 

 of the charge in a very dogged manner, but 

 acknowledged he had told the leader that 



