OF THE POLAR SEA. 



249 



much for travelling with comfort ; we there- 

 fore stayed and dined with Mr. Bethune, 

 who promised to render every assistance in 

 getting pemmican conveyed to us from the 

 Saskatchawan, to be in readiness for our 

 canoes, when they might arrive in the 

 spring ; Mr. Clark also engaged to pro- 

 cure six bags for us, and to furnish our 

 canoes with any other supplies which might 

 be w r anted, and could be spared from his 

 post, and to contribute his aid in forwarding 

 the pemmican to the Athabasca, if our canoes 

 could not carry it all. 



I feel greatly indebted to this gentleman 

 for much valuable information respecting 

 the country and the Indians residing to the 

 north of Slave Lake, and for furnishing me 

 with a list of stores he supposed we should 

 require. He had resided some years on 

 Mackenzie's River, and had been once so 

 far towards its mouth as to meet the Esqui- 

 maux in great numbers. But they assumed 

 such a hostile attitude, that he deemed it 

 unadvisable to attempt opening any commu- 



