.

"_March 5_.--I took leave of the gentlemen at the forts, and, in the
afternoon, got to the fisheries near Stony Island, where I found Mr.
McVicar, who was kind enough to have a house ready for my reception; and
I was not a little gratified at perceiving a pleasant-looking girl
employed in roasting a fine joint, and afterwards arranging the table
with all the dexterity of an accomplished servant.

"_March 6_.--We set out at daylight, and breakfasted at the Rein-Deer
Islands. As the day advanced, the heat became so oppressive, that each
pulled off his coat and ran till sunset, when we halted with two men,
who were on their return to Moose-Deer Island. There was a beautiful
Aurora Borealis in the night; it rose about N.b.W., and divided into
three bars, diverging at equal distances as far as the zenith, and then
converging until they met in the opposite horizon; there were some
flashes at right angles to the bars.

"_March 7_.--We arrived at Fort Providence, and found our stores safe
and in good order. There being no certainty when the Indian, who was to
accompany me to our house, would arrive, and my impatience to join my
companions increasing as I approached it, after making the necessary
arrangements with Mr. Weeks respecting our stores, on March the 10th I
quitted the fort, with two of our men, who had each a couple of dogs and
a sledge laden with provision. On the 13th we met the Indian, near Icy
Portage, who was sent to guide me back. On the 14th we killed a deer,
and gave the dogs a good feed; and on the 17th, at an early hour, we
arrived at Fort Enterprise, having travelled about eighteen miles a-day.
I had the pleasure of meeting my friends all in good health, after an
absence of nearly five months, during which time I had travelled one
thousand one hundred and four miles, on snow-shoes, and had no other
covering at night, in the woods, than a blanket and deer-skin, with the
thermometer frequently at -40 deg., and once at -57 deg.; and sometimes passing
two or three days without tasting food."

CHAPTER IX.

Continuation of Proceedings at Fort Enterprise--Some Account of the
Copper Indians--Preparations for the Journey to the Northward.

1821. March 18.

I shall now give a brief account of the Copper Indians, termed by the
Chipewyans, Tantsawhot-dinneh, or Birch-rind Indians. They were
originally a tribe of the Chipewyans, and, according to their own
account, inhabited the south side of