d
previously vacated the lodge.

On the 21st we observed the first geese that flew near the fort, and
some were brought to the house on the 30th, but they were very lean. On
the 25th flies were seen sporting in the sun, and on the 26th the
Athabasca River having broken up, overflowed the lake along its channel;
but except where this water spread, there was no appearance of decay in
the ice.

_May_.--During the first part of this month, the wind blew from the
N.W., and the sky was cloudy. It generally thawed during the day, but
froze at night. On the 2nd the Aurora faintly gleamed through very dense
clouds.

We had a long conversation with Mr. Dease of the North-West Company, who
had recently arrived from his station at the bottom of the Athabasca
Lake. This gentleman, having passed several winters on the Mackenzie's
River, and at the posts to the northward of Slave Lake, possessed
considerable information respecting the Indians, and those parts of the
country to which our inquiries were directed, which he very promptly and
kindly communicated. During our conversation, an old Chipewyan Indian,
named the Rabbit's Head, entered the room, to whom Mr. Dease referred
for information on some point. We found from his answer that he was a
step-son of the late Chief Matonnabee, who had accompanied Mr. Hearne on
his journey to the sea, and that he had himself been of the party, but
being then a mere boy, he had forgotten many of the circumstances. He
confirmed however, the leading incidents related by Hearne, and was
positive he reached the sea, though he admitted that none of the party
had tasted the water. He represented himself to be the only survivor of
that party. As he was esteemed a good Indian, I presented him with a
medal, which he received gratefully, and concluded a long speech upon
the occasion, by assuring me he should preserve it carefully all his
life. The old man afterwards became more communicative, and unsolicited
began to relate the tradition of his tribe, respecting the discovery of
the Copper Mine, which we thought amusing: and as the subject is
somewhat connected with our future researches, I will insert the
translation of it which was given at the time by Mr. Dease, though a
slight mention of it has been made by Hearne.

"The Chipewyans suppose the Esquimaux originally inhabited some land to
the northward which is separated by the sea from this country; and that
in the earliest ages of the world a party