North-West Continent of America. %75 



tjuarrel with the natives, in this stage of our journey, I 

 told those who remained near us, without any appearance 

 of anger, that their relations who were gone, had no idea 

 of the mischief that would result to them from taking our 

 property. I gravely added, that the salmon, which was 

 not only their favourite food, but absolutely necessary to 

 their existence, came from the sea which belonged to us 

 white men ; and that as, at the entrance of the river, we 

 could prevent those fish from coming up it, we possessed 

 the power to starve them and their children. To avert 

 our anger, therefore, they must return all the articles that 

 had been stolen from us. This finesse succeeded. Mes- 

 sengers were dispatched to order the restoration of every 

 thing that had been taken. We purchased several large 

 salmon of them, and enjoyed the delicious meal which 

 they afforded. 



At noon this day, which I allotted for repose, I got a 

 meridian altitude, which gave 53. 24. 10. I also took 

 time. The weather had been cloudy at intervals. 



Tuesday 6. Every necessary preparation had been made 

 yesterday for us to continue our route to-day ; but before 

 our departure, some of the natives arrived with part of the 

 stolen articles ; the rest, they said, had been taken by peo- 

 ple down the river, who would be here in the course of the 

 morning, and recommended their children tq our commit 

 seration, and themselves to our forgiveness. 



The morning was cloudy, with small rain, nevertheless 

 I ordered the men to load the canoe, and we proceeded in 

 high spirits on finding ourselves once more so comfortably 

 together in it. We landed at an house on the first island, 

 where we procured a few salmon, and four fine beaver- 

 skins. There had been much more rain in these parts 

 than in the country above, as the water was pouring down 

 the hills in torrents. The river consequently rose with 

 great rapidity, and very much impeded our progress. 



The people on this river are generally of the middle size, 

 though I saw many tall men among them. In the clean- 

 liness of their persons they resemble rather the Beaver In- 

 dians than the Chepewyans. They are ignorant of the use 

 of fire arms, and their only weapons are bows and arrows, 

 and spears. They catch the larger animals in snares, but 

 though their country abounds in them, and the rivers and 

 lakes produce plenty of fish, they find a difficulty in sup- 

 porting themselves, and are naver to be seen but in small 



