■246 



A JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



considerable 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 

 might be inclined to deny to our necessities. I forwarded by them 

 letters to the Colonial Office and Admiralty, detailing the proceed- 

 ings of the Expedition up to this period. 



On the 22d we were surprised by a visit from a dog ; the poor 

 animal was in low condition, and much fatigued. Our Indians dis- 

 covered, by marks on his ears, that he belonged to the Dog-ribs. 

 This tribe, unlike the Chipewyans and Copper Indians, had pre- 

 served that useful associate of man, although from their frequent 

 intercourse with the latter people, they were not ignorant of the 

 prediction alluded to in a former page. One of our interpreters 

 was immediately despatched, with an Indian, to endeavour to trace 

 out the Dog-ribs, whom he supposed might be concealed in the 

 neighbourhood from their dread of the Copper Indians ; although 

 we had no doubt of their coming to us, were they aware of our 

 being here. The interpreter, however, returned without having 

 discovered any traces of strange Indians ; a circumstance which led 

 us to conclude, that the dog had strayed from his masters a consi- 

 derable time since. 



Towards the end of the month the men completed their house, 

 and took up their abode in it. It was thirty-four feet long and 

 eighteen feet wide ; was divided into two apartments, and was 

 placed at right angles to the officers' dwelling, and facing the store- 

 house : the three buildings forming three sides of a quadrangle. 



On the 26th Akaitcho and his party arrived, the hunting in this 



