276 



A JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



sometimes accompanied them himself. They had four feathers in 

 each hand. When one commenced moving in a circular form, lifting 

 both feet at the same time, similar to jumping sideways. After a 

 short time a second and a third joined, and afterwards the whole 

 band was dancing, some in a state of nudity, others half dressed, 

 singing an unmusical wild air with (I suppose,) appropriate words ; 

 the particular sounds of which were, ha ! ha ! ha ! uttered voci- 

 ferously, and with great distortion of countenance, and peculiar 

 attitude of body, the feathers being always kept in a tremulous 

 motion. The ensuing day I made the chief acquainted with the 

 object of our mission, and recommended him to keep at peace with 

 his neighbouring tribes, and to conduct himself with attention and 

 friendship towards the whites. I then gave him a medal, telling 

 him it was the picture of the King, whom they emphatically term 

 " their Great Father." 



November 18. — We observed two mock moons at equal distances 

 from the central one ; and the whole were encircled by a halo : the 

 colour of the inner edge of the large circle was a light red, in- 

 clining to a faint purple. 



November. 20 — Two parhelia were observable with a halo ; the 

 colours of the inner edge of the circle were a bright carmine and 

 red lake, intermingled with a rich yellow, forming a purplish orange; 

 the outer edge was pale gamboge. 



December 5. — A man was sent some distance on the lake, to see if 

 it was sufficiently frozen for us to cross. I need scarcely mention 

 my satisfaction, when he returned with the pleasing information that 

 it was. 



December 7. — I quitted Fort Providence, being accompanied by 

 Mr. Wentzel, Eeauparlant, and two other Canadians, provided with 

 dogs and sledges. We proceeded along the borders of the lake, 

 occasionally crossing deep bays ; and at dusk encamped at the Gros 

 Cap, having proceeded a distance of twenty-five miles. 



