k, or horn; and vessels in
which they cook their food, narrow at the top, and wide at the bottom.
The latter are formed of roots of the spruce fir-tree, so closely
interwoven as to hold water. This people have also small leather bags,
to hold their embroidered work, their lines, and fishing-nets. They
twist the fibres of willow-bark, and the sinews of rein-deer, into
fishing-lines; and they make fishing-hooks of horn, wood, or bone. Their
weapons for hunting are bows and arrows, spears, daggers, and clubs.
They kindle fire, by striking together a piece of white or yellow
pyrites and a flint-stone, over a piece of touchwood.

Their canoes are small, pointed at both ends, flat-bottomed, and covered
in the fore part. They are made of the bark of the birch-tree, and of
fir-wood; but are so light, that the man whom one of these vessels bears
on the water, is able to carry it overland, without any difficulty.

On the 9th of July the voyagers had an interview with a party of
Indians, who were more pleasing, both in appearance and manners, than
any they had hitherto seen. They were stout, healthy, and clean in their
persons; and their utensils and weapons resembled those of the Slave and
Dog-rib Indians. They obtained iron, in small pieces, from the
Esquimaux. Their garments were bordered with a kind of fringe; and their
shirts tapered to a point, from the belt downward. One of the men whom
Mr. Mackenzie saw, was clad in a shirt made of the skins of musk-rats.
These Indians tie their hair in a very singular manner. That which grows
on the temples, or on the fore part of the head, is formed into two
queues, which hang down before the ears: and that on the crown of the
head, is fashioned, in the same manner, towards the back of the neck,
and is tied, with the rest of the hair, at some distance from the head.
The women, and indeed some of the men, suffer their hair to hang loose
on their shoulders.

Mr. Mackenzie prevailed with one of these Indians to accompany him on
his voyage; and this man, who was one of the most intelligent Indians he
had seen, stated that it would be requisite to sleep ten nights before
they could reach the sea; and that, after three nights, the voyagers
would reach a settlement of Esquimaux, with whom his nation had formerly
made war.

He accompanied Mr. Mackenzie in a canoe; and two of his companions
followed in two other canoes. The latter sung their native songs; and
this new guide was so much enlive