314 



A JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



versation Akaitcho exclaimed with a smile, " I see now that you 

 have really no goods left, (the rooms and stores being completely 

 stripped,) and therefore I shall not trouble you any more, but use my 

 best endeavours to prepare provision for you, and I think if the 

 animals are tolerably numerous, we may get plenty before you can 

 embark on the river." 



Whilst the Indians were packing up this morning, one of the 

 women absconded. She belongs to the Dog-rib tribe, and had been 

 taken by force from her relations by her present husband, who has 

 treated her very harshly. The fellow was in my room when his 

 mother announced the departure of his wife, and received the in- 

 telligence with great composure as well as the seasonable reproof of 

 Akaitcho. " You are rightly served," said the chief to him, " and 

 will now have to carry all your things yourself, instead of having a 

 wife to drag them." One hunter remained after the departure of 

 the other Indians. 



On the 5th the Dog-rib woman presented herself on a hill at 

 some distance from the house, but was afraid to approach us, until 

 the interpreter went and told her that neither we nor the Indian 

 who remained with us, would prevent her from going where she 

 pleased. Upon this she came to solicit a fire-steel and kettle. She 

 was at first low-spirited, from the non-arrival of a countrywoman, 

 who had promised to elope with her, but had probably been too 

 narrowly watched. The Indian hunter, however, having given her 

 some directions as to the most proper mode of joining her own tribe, 

 she became more composed, and ultimately agreed to adopt his 

 advice of proceeding at once to Fort Providence, instead of wan- 

 dering about the country all summer in search of them, at the 

 imminent hazard of being starved. 



On the 7th the wind changing to the southward, dispersed the 

 clouds which had obscured the sky for several days, and produced 

 a change of temperature under which the snow rapidly disappeared. 

 The thermometer rose to 73°, many flies came forth, musquitoes 



