OF THE POLAR SEA. 



31 



received gratefully, and concluded a long 

 speech upon the occasion, by assuring me 

 he should preserve it carefully all his life. 

 The old man afterwards became more com- 

 municative, and unsolicited began to relate 

 the tradition of his tribe, respecting the 

 discovery of the Copper Mine, which we 

 thought amusing: and as the subject is 

 somewhat connected with our future re- 

 searches, I will insert the translation of it 

 which was given at the time by Mr. Dease, 

 though a slight mention of it has been made 

 by Hearne. 



" The Chipewyans suppose the Esqui- 

 maux originally inhabited some land to the 

 northward which is separated by the sea 

 from this country ; and that in the earliest 

 ages of the world a party of these men 

 came over and stole a woman from their 

 tribe, whom they carried to this distant 

 country and kept in a state of slavery. She 

 was very unhappy in her situation, and 

 effected her escape after many years resi- 

 dence among them. The forlorn creature 



