136 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



cliff, whose base was washed by the river. 

 This chief had with him only three hunters, 

 and a few old men and their families, the 

 rest of his band having remained at their 

 snares in Bear Lake. His brother Long- 

 legs, and our guide, Keskarrah, who had 

 joined him three days before, had commu- 

 nicated to him our want of provision, and 

 we were happy to find that, departing from 

 the general practice of Indian chiefs, he 

 entered at once upon the business, without 

 making a long speech. As an introductory 

 mark of our regard, I decorated him with a 

 medal similar to those which had been 

 given to the other leaders. The Hook 

 began by stating, " that he was aware of 

 our being destitute of provision, and of the 

 great need we had of an ample stock, to 

 enable us to execute our undertaking ; and 

 his regret, that the unusual scarcity of ani- 

 mals this season, together with the circum- 

 stance of his having only just received a 

 supply of ammunition from Fort Providence, 

 had prevented him from collecting the 

 quantity of meat he had wished to do for 



