ble us to
cross a river which was not even frozen at the edges. It was soon
finished, and three of us embarked, being seated up to the ankles in
water. We each took a pine branch for a paddle, and made an effort to
gain the opposite shore, in which, after some time, (and not without
strong apprehensions of drifting into the Slave Lake,) we succeeded. In
two hours the whole party was over, with a comfortable addition to it in
the shape of some fine fish, which the Indians had caught: of course we
did not forget to take these friends with us, and after passing several
lakes, to one of which we saw no termination, we halted within eight
miles to the fort. The Great Slave Lake was not frozen.

"In crossing a narrow branch of the lake I fell through the ice, but
received no injury; and at noon we arrived at Fort Providence, and were
received by Mr. Weeks, a clerk of the North-West Company, in charge of
the establishment. I found several packets of letters for the officers,
which I was desirous of sending to them immediately; but as the Indians
and their wives complained of illness and inability to return without
rest, a flagon of mixed spirits was given them, and their sorrows were
soon forgotten. In a quarter of an hour they pronounced themselves
excellent hunters, and capable of going any where; however, their
boasting ceased with the last drop of the bottle, when a crying scene
took place, which would have continued half the night, had not the magic
of an additional quantity of spirits dried their tears, and once more
turned their mourning into joy. It was a satisfaction to me to behold
these poor creatures enjoying themselves, for they had behaved in the
most exemplary and active manner towards the party, and with a
generosity and sympathy seldom found even in the more civilized parts of
the world: and the attention and affection which they manifested towards
their wives, evinced a benevolence of disposition and goodness of nature
which could not fail to secure the approbation of the most indifferent
observer.

"The accounts I here received of our goods were of so unsatisfactory a
nature, that I determined to proceed, as soon as the lake was frozen, to
Moose-Deer Island, or if necessary to the Athabasca Lake; both to
inform myself of the grounds of the unceremonious and negligent manner
in which the Expedition had been treated, and to obtain a sufficient
supply of ammunition and other stores, to enable it to leave its p