istance below the confluence of Bear Lake River
with Mackenzie's River, and as the traders suppose, within three days'
march of the Arctic Sea. It is the most northern establishment of the
North-West Company, and some small pieces of Russian copper coin once
made their way thither across the continent from the westward. Blue or
white beads are almost the only articles of European manufacture coveted
by the Loucheux. They perforate the septum of the nose, and insert in
the opening three small shells, which they procure at a high price from
the Esquimaux.

On the west bank of Mackenzie's River there are several tribes who speak
dialects of the Chipewyan language, that have not hitherto been
mentioned. The first met with, on tracing the river to the southward
from Fort Good-Hope, are the _Ambawtawhoot-dinneh_, or Sheep Indians.
They inhabit the Rocky Mountains near the sources of the Dawhoot-dinneh
River which flows into Mackenzie's, and are but little known to the
traders. Some of them have visited Fort Good-Hope. A report of their
being cannibals may have originated in an imperfect knowledge of them.

Some distance to the southward of this people are the Rocky Mountain
Indians, a small tribe which musters about forty men and boys capable of
pursuing the chase. They differ but little from the next we are about to
mention, the _Edchawtawhoot-dinneh_, Strong-bow, Beaver, or Thick-wood
Indians, who frequent the _Riviere aux Liards_, or south branch of
Mackenzie's River. The Strong-bows resemble the Dog-ribs somewhat in
their disposition; but when they meet they assume a considerable degree
of superiority over the latter, who meekly submit to the haughtiness of
their neighbours. Until the year 1813, when a small party of them, from
some unfortunate provocation, destroyed Fort Nelson on the _Riviere aux
Liards_, and murdered its inmates, the Strong-bows were considered to be
a friendly and quiet tribe, and esteemed as excellent hunters. They take
their names, in the first instance, from their dogs. A young man is the
father of a certain dog, but when he is married, and has a son, he
styles himself the father of the boy. The women have a habit of
reproving the dogs very tenderly when they observe them fighting.--"Are
you not ashamed," say they, "are you not ashamed to quarrel with your
little brother?" The dogs appear to understand the reproof, and sneak
off.

The Strong-bows, and Rocky-Mountain Indians, have a tradition in c