186 



JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



vented from hunting ; one by an accidental 

 lameness, the other by the fear of meeting 

 alone some of the Dog-Rib Indians. 



them they were actually starving, and converting 

 old axes into ball, having no other substitute; — 

 this was unlucky. Yet they were well inclined, 

 and I expected to find means at Fort Providence 

 to send them a supply, in which I was, however, 

 disappointed, for 1 found that establishment 

 quite destitute of necessaries ; and then, shortly 

 after I had left them, they had the misfortune of 

 losing three of their hunters, who were drowned 

 in Marten Lake. This accident was, of all 

 others, the most fatal that could have happened 

 — a truth which no one, who has the least know- 

 ledge of the Indian character, will deny ; and as 

 they were nearly connected by relationship to 

 the Leader, Humpy, and White Capot Guide, 

 the three leading men of this part of the Copper 

 Indian Tribe, it had the effect of unhinging (if I 

 may use the expression) the minds of all these 

 families, and finally destroying all the fond hopes 

 I had so sanguinely conceived of their assisting 

 the Expedition, should it come back by the An- 

 nadesse River, of which they were not certain. 

 " As to my not leaving a letter at Fort Enter- 



