OF THE POLAR SEA. 



229 



Akaiyazza and Thoolezzeh, with their wives, 

 the Little Forehead, and the Smiling Mar- 

 ten. Mr. Back had volunteered to go and 

 make the necessary arrangements for trans- 

 porting the stores we expected from Cumber- 

 land House, and to endeavour to obtain some 

 additional supplies from the establishments 

 at Slave Lake. If any accident should have 

 prevented the arrival of our stores, and the 

 establishments at Moose-Deer Island should 

 be unable to supply the deficiency, he was, 

 if he found himself equal to the task, to 

 proceed to Chipewyan. Ammunition was 

 essential to our existence, and a consider- 

 able supply of tobacco was also requisite, 

 not only for the comfort of the Canadians, 

 who use it largely, and had stipulated for it 

 in their engagements, but also as a means 

 of preserving the friendship of the Indians. 

 Blankets, cloth, and iron- work, were scarcely 

 less indispensable to equip our men for the 

 advance next season. 



Mr. Wentzel accompanied Mr. Back, to 

 assist him in obtaining from the traders, on 

 the score of old friendship, that which they 



