OF THE POLAR SEA. 



185 



with him at Fort Enterprise, whilst he re- 

 mained there altering his canoe, were pre- 



travelled 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 

 minds ; they always sneered at what they called 

 ' my credulity/ — < If/ said the Gros Pied,* ' the 

 Great Chief (meaning 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/ And I am sincerely 

 happy to understand, by your communication, 

 that in this he had kept his word —in sending 

 you with such promptitude and liberality the 

 assistance your truly dreadful situation required. 

 But the party of Indians, on whom I had placed 

 the utmost confidence and dependance, was 

 Humpy and the White Capot Guide, with their 

 sons, and several of the discharged hunters from 

 the Expedition. This party was well-disposed, 

 and readily promised to collect provisions for 

 the possible return of the Expedition, provided 

 they could get a supply of ammunition from 

 Fort Providence ; for when I came up with 



* Also Akaitcho. 



