OF THE POLAR SEA. 



261 



each of the voyagers swallowed his dram without experiencing the 

 slightest inconvenience, or complaining even of the tooth-ach. 



After the men had retired, an Indian, who had accompanied them 

 from Fort Providence, informed me that they had broached the cask 

 on their way up and spent two days in drinking. This instance of 

 breach of trust was excessively distressing to me ; I felt for their 

 privations and fatigues, and was disposed to seize upon every oppor- 

 tunity of alleviating them, but this, combined with many instances 

 of petty dishonesty with regard to meat, shewed how little confidence 

 could be put in a Canadian voyager when food or spirits were in 

 question. We had been indeed made acquainted with their cha- 

 racter on these points by the traders, but we thought that when 

 they saw their officers living under equal if not greater privations 

 than themselves, they would have been prompted by some degree of 

 generous feeling to abstain from those depredations which, under 

 ordinary circumstances, they would scarcely have blushed to be 

 detected in. 



As they were pretty well aware that such a circumstance could 

 not long be concealed from us, one of them came the next morning 

 with an artful apology for their conduct. He stated, that as they 

 knew it was my intention to treat them with a dram on the com- 

 mencement of the new year, they had helped themselves to a small 

 quantity on that day, trusting to my goodness for forgiveness ; and 

 being unwilling to act harshly at this period, I did forgive them, 

 after admonishing them to be very circumspect in their future 

 conduct. 



The ammunition, and a small present of rum, were sent to 

 Akaitcho. 



On the 18th Vaillant, the woodman, had the misfortune to break 

 his axe. This would have been a serious evil had it occurred a few 

 weeks sooner, but we had just received some others from Slave Lake. 



On the 27th Mr. Wentzel and St. Germain arrived with the 



