OF THE POLAR SEA. 251 



by his correct judgment of the character of individuals amongst the 

 traders or of our own party, although his knowledge of their opinions 

 was, in most instances, obtained through the imperfect medium of 

 interpretation. He was an attentive observer, however, of every 

 action, and steadily compared their conduct with their pretensions. 



By the newspapers we learnt the demise of our revered and 

 lamented sovereign George III., and the proclamation of George IV. 

 We concealed this intelligence from the Indians, lest the death of 

 their great Father might lead them to suppose that we should be 

 unable to fulfil our promises to them. 



The Indians who had left Fort Providence with Belanger arrived 

 the day after him, and, amongst other intelligence, informed Akait- 

 cho of some reports they had heard to our disadvantage. They 

 stated that Mr. Weeks, the gentleman in charge of Fort Provi- 

 dence, had told them, that so far from our being what we repre- 

 sented ourselves to be, the officers of a great King, we were merely 

 a set of dependant wretches, whose only aim was to obtain subsist- 

 ence for a season in the plentiful country of the Copper Indians ; 

 that, out of charity, we had been supplied with a portion of goods 

 by the trading Companies, but that there was not the smallest pro- 

 bability of our being able to reward the Indians when their term of 

 service was completed. Akaitcho, with great good sense, instantly 

 came to have the matter explained, stating at the same time, that 

 he could not credit it. I then pointed out to him that Mr. Wentzel, 

 with whom they had long been accustomed to trade, had pledged 

 the credit of his Company for the stipulated rewards to the party 

 that accompanied us, and that the trading debts due by Akaitcho 

 and his party had already been remitted, which was of itself a suffi- 

 cient proof of our influence with the North- West Company. I also 

 reminded Akaitcho, that our having caused the Esquimaux to be 

 brought up at a great expense, was evidence of our future inten- 

 tions, and informed him that I should write to Mr. Smith, the 



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