en over, and a flock of geese passed to
the southward. In the afternoon, however, a fog came on, which
afterwards changed into rain, and the ice quickly disappeared. We
suffered great anxiety all the next day respecting John Hepburn, who had
gone to hunt before sunrise on the 25th, and had been absent ever since.
About four hours after his departure the wind changed, and a dense fog
obscured every mark by which his course to the tents could be directed,
and we thought it probable he had been wandering in an opposite
direction to our situation, as the two hunters, who had been sent to
look for him, returned at sunset without having seen him. Akaitcho
arrived with his party, and we were greatly disappointed at finding they
had stored up only fifteen rein-deer for us. St. Germain informed us,
that having heard of the death of the chief's brother-in-law, they had
spent several days in bewailing his loss, instead of hunting. We learned
also, that the decease of this man had caused another party of the
tribe, who had been sent by Mr. Wentzel to prepare provision for us on
the banks of the Copper-Mine River, to remove to the shores of the Great
Bear Lake, distant from our proposed route. Mortifying as these
circumstances were, they produced less painful sensations than we
experienced in the evening, by the refusal of Akaitcho to accompany us
in the proposed descent of the Copper-Mine River. When Mr. Wentzel, by
my direction, communicated to him my intention of proceeding at once on
that service, he desired a conference with me upon the subject, which
being immediately granted, he began, by stating, that the very attempt
would be rash and dangerous, as the weather was cold, the leaves were
falling, some geese had passed to the southward, and the winter would
shortly set in; and that, as he considered the lives of all who went on
such a journey would be forfeited, he neither would go himself, nor
permit his hunters to accompany us. He said there was no wood within
eleven days' march, during which time we could not have any fire, as the
moss, which the Indians use in their summer excursions, would be too wet
for burning, in consequence of the recent rains; that we should be forty
days in descending the Copper-Mine River, six of which would be expended
in getting to its banks, and that we might be blocked up by the ice in
the next moon; and during the whole journey the party must experience
great suffering for want of food, as the r