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Journal of a Voyage through the 



was so often repeated, I sent my interpreter to inquire into 

 the cause of it, when he was informed by the man himself, 

 that it was a common custom with them on the death of a 

 near relation, and was a warning to their friends not to ap- 

 proach, or intrude upon them, as they were, in consequence 

 of their loss, become careless of life. The Chief, to whom 

 the deceased person was also related, appeared with his 

 war-cap on his head, which is only worn on these solemn 

 occasions, or when preparing for battle, and confirmed to 

 me this singular custom of firing guns, in order to express 

 their grief for the death of relations and friends.* The 

 women alone indulge in tears on such occasions ; the men 

 considering it as a mark of pusillanimity and a want of for* 

 titude to betray any personal tokens of sensibility or sorrow. 



The Indians informed me, that they had been to hunt at 

 a large lake, called by the Knistenaux, the Slave Lake, 

 which derived its name from that of its original inhabit* 

 ants, who were called Slaves. They represented it as a 

 large body of water, and that it lies about one hundred and 

 twenty miles due East from this place. It is well known 

 to the Knistenaux, who are among the inhabitants of the 

 plains on the banks of the Saskatchiwine river; for for- 

 merly, when they used to come to make war in this coun- 

 try, they came in their canoes to that lake, and left them 

 there ; from thence there is a beaten path all the way to 

 the Fork, or East branch of this river, which was their 

 war-road. 



January 10. Among the people who were now here, 

 there were two Rocky Mountain Indians, who declared, 

 that the people to whom we had given that denomination, 

 are by no means entitled to it, and that their country has 

 ever been in the vicinity of our present situation. They 

 said, in support of their assertion, that these people were 

 entirely ignorant of those parts which are adjacent to the 

 mountain, as well as the navigation of the river; that the 

 Beaver Indians had greatly encroached upon them, and 

 would soon force them to retire to the foot of these moun- 

 tains. They represented themselves as the only real na- 

 tives of that country then with me : and added, that the 



* When they are drinking together, they frequently present their guns 

 to each other, when any of the parties have not other means of procur- 

 ing rum. On such an occasion they always discharge their pieces, as a 

 proof, I imagine, of their being in good order, and to determine the 

 quantity of liquor they may propose to get in exchange for them. 



