62 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



her son, a little boy, about ten years old, 

 both of whom had been deserted by their 

 relations, and left in an encampment, when 

 much reduced by sickness : tw T o or three 

 days after their departure the woman gained 

 a little strength, and with the assistance of 

 the boy, was enabled to paddle a canoe to 

 the fishing station of this post, where they 

 were supported for some days, until they 

 were enabled to proceed in search of some 

 other relations who, they expected, would 

 treat them with more kindness. I learned, 

 that the woman bore an extremely bad cha- 

 racter, having even been guilty of infanti- 

 cide, and that her companions considered 

 her offences merited the desertion. 



This tribe, since its present intimate con- 

 nexion with the traders, has discontinued 

 its war excursions against the Esquimaux, 

 but they still speak of that nation in terms 

 of the most inveterate hatred. We have 

 only conversed with four men who have 

 been engaged in any of those expeditions ; 

 all these confirm the statements of Black- 

 meat respecting the sea-coast. Our obser- 



