e them to dismiss from their minds;
they always sneered at what they called 'my credulity.'--'If,'
said the Gros Pied[16b], 'the Great Chief (meaning Captain
Franklin), or any of his party, should pass at my tents, he or
they shall be welcome to all my provisions, or any thing else
that I may have.' And I am sincerely happy to understand, by
your communication, that in this he had kept his word--in sending
you with such promptitude and liberality the assistance your
truly dreadful situation required. But the party of Indians, on
whom I had placed the utmost confidence and dependance, was Humpy
and the White Capot Guide, with their sons, and several of the
discharged hunters from the Expedition. This party was
well-disposed, and readily promised to collect provisions for the
possible return of the Expedition, provided they could get a
supply of ammunition from Fort Providence; for when I came up
with them they were actually starving, and converting old axes
into ball, having no other substitute--this was unlucky. Yet they
were well inclined, and I expected to find means at Fort
Providence to send them a supply, in which I was, however,
disappointed, for I found that establishment quite destitute of
necessaries; and then, shortly after I had left them, they had
the misfortune of losing three of their hunters, who were drowned
in Marten Lake: this accident was, of all others, the most fatal
that could have happened--a truth which no one, who has the least
knowledge of the Indian character, will deny; and as they were
nearly connected by relationship to the Leader, Humpy, and White
Capot Guide, the three leading men of this part of the Copper
Indian Tribe, it had the effect of unhinging (if I may use the
expression) the minds of all these families, and finally
destroying all the fond hopes I had so sanguinely conceived of
their assisting the Expedition, should it come back by the
Anna-desse River, of which they were not certain.

[16a] Akaitcho the Leader.

[16b] Also Akaitcho.

"As to my not leaving a letter at Fort Enterprise, it was
because, by some mischance, you had forgot to give me paper when
we parted[16c].

[16c] I certainly offered Mr. Wentzel some p