and would, doubtless,
have been speedily frozen had they been kept in contact with it; yet
each of the voyagers swallowed his dram without experiencing the
slightest inconvenience, or complaining of tooth-ache.

After the men had retired, an Indian, who had accompanied them from
Fort Providence, informed me that they had broached the cask on their
way up and spent two days in drinking. This instance of breach of trust
was excessively distressing to me; I felt for their privations and
fatigues, and was disposed to seize every opportunity of alleviating
them, but this, combined with many instances of petty dishonesty with
regard to meat, shewed how little confidence could be put in a Canadian
voyager when food or spirits were in question. We had been indeed made
acquainted with their character on these points by the traders; but we
thought that when they saw their officers living under equal if not
greater privations than themselves, they would have been prompted by
some degree of generous feeling to abstain from those depredations
which, under ordinary circumstances, they would scarcely have blushed to
be detected in.

As they were pretty well aware that such a circumstance could not long
be concealed from us, one of them came the next morning with an artful
apology for their conduct. He stated, that as they knew it was my
intention to treat them with a dram on the commencement of the new year,
they had helped themselves to a small quantity on that day, trusting to
my goodness for forgiveness; and being unwilling to act harshly at this
period, I did forgive them, after admonishing them to be very
circumspect in their future conduct.

The ammunition, and a small present of rum, were sent to Akaitcho.

On the 18th Vaillant, the woodman, had the misfortune to break his axe.
This would have been a serious evil a few weeks sooner, but we had just
received some others from Slave Lake.

On the 27th Mr. Wentzel and St. Germain arrived with the two Esquimaux,
Tattannoeuck and Hoeootoerock, (the belly and the ear.) The English
names, which were bestowed upon them at Fort Churchill in commemoration
of the months of their arrival there, are Augustus and Junius. The
former speaks English.

We now learned that Mr. Back proceeded with Beauparlant to Fort
Chipewyan, on the 24th of December, to procure stores, having previously
discharged J. Belleau from our service at his own request, and according
to my directions. I was the mor