322 



A JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



represented to Akaitcho that we had been greatly disappointed by 

 his conduct, which was so opposite to the promise of exertion he had 

 made, on quitting Fort Enterprise. He offered many excuses, but 

 finding they were not satisfactory, he admitted that the greater part 

 of the ammunition had been given to those who accompanied the 

 women to the Beth-see-to, and promised to behave better in future, 

 I then told him, that I intended in future to give them ammuni- 

 tion only in proportion to the meat which was brought in, and that 

 we should commence upon that plan, by supplying him with fifteen 

 balls, and the hunters with ten each. 



The number of our hunters was now reduced to five, as two of 

 the most active declined going any further, their father, who 

 thought himself dying, having solicited them to remain and close 

 his eyes. These five were furnished with ammunition, and sent 

 forward to hunt on the south border of the lake, with directions to 

 place any meat they might procure near to the edge of the lake, 

 and set up marks to guide us to the spots. Akaitcho, his brother, 

 the guide, and three other men, remained to accompany us. We 

 were much surprised to perceive an extraordinary difference in cli- 

 mate in so short an advance to the northward as fifty miles. The 

 snow here was lying in large patches on the hills. The dwarf-birch 

 and willows were only just beginning to open their buds, which 

 had burst forth at Fort Enterprise many days previous to our de- 

 parture. Vegetation seemed to be three weeks or a month later 

 here than at that place. We had heavy showers of rain through the 

 night of the 22d, which melted the snow, and visibly wasted the ice. 



On the 23d, the men were busily employed in making their 

 trains, and in pounding the meat for pemmican. The situation of 

 the encampment was ascertained, latitude 65° 12' 40" N., longitude 

 113° 8' 25" W., and the variation 43° 4' 20" E. The arrangements 

 being completed, we purposed commencing our journey next morn- 

 ing, but the weather was too stormy to admit of our venturing upon 



