OF THE POLAR SEA. 



141 



Company having no settlement to the north- 

 ward of Great Slave Lake. We found 

 Mr. Wentzel and our interpreter Jean Bap- 

 tiste Adam here, with one of the Indian 

 guides ; but the chief of the tribe and his 

 hunters were encamped with their families, 

 some miles from the fort, in a good situa- 

 tion for fishing. Our arrival was announced 

 to him by a fire on the top of a hill, and 

 before night a messenger came to commu- 

 nicate his intention of seeing us next morn- 

 ing. The customary present, of tobacco 

 and some other articles, was immediately 

 sent to him. 



Mr. Wentzel prepared me for the first 

 conference with the Indians by mentioning 

 all the information they had already given 

 to him. The duties allotted to this gentle- 

 man were, the management of the Indians, 

 the superintendence of the Canadian voy- 

 agers, the obtaining and the general distri- 

 bution of the provision, and the issue of 

 the other stores. These services he was 

 well qualified to perform, having been ac- 

 customed to execute similar duties during 



