not fail to urge
the same obligations on the Dog-Ribs. A silver royal medal, such as is
given to the Indian chiefs in Upper Canada, was likewise left with Mr.
M'Vicar, to be presented to Akaitcho, as a further mark of our regard
for his former services and present good wishes.

[Sidenote: Sunday, 31st.] The party was detained at Fort Resolution
until this morning by a strong south-west gale; and even when we
embarked, the wind and waves were still high, but time was too precious
to allow of our waiting when there was a prospect of making any advance.
As our future course inclined to the westward, we now quitted the track
of the former journey to Fort Enterprise, along which we had been
travelling from Lake Winipeg. We first steered for the Buffalo River,
and then along the south shore of Slave Lake, obtained the latitude 61
degrees 1 minute N. at noon, and afterwards the longitude 114 degrees
18-1/2 minutes W. at the Isle of the Dead. The islands and shores of
this part of the lake are composed of horizontal beds of limestone,
containing pitch and shells.

A small party of Chipewyan Indians, with their principal chief, joined
us at the encampment, from whom we learned that they had supplied Dr.
Richardson with dried meat the preceding noon, at Hay River. The Chief
was very importunate for rum, but I steadily adhered to the
determination I had formed this time, on my entering the Fur Country, of
not giving spirits to any Indian. A share of our supper and tea, and
some tobacco, were offered to him, and accepted, though with a bad
grace. The Fur Company ceased the following season to bring any rum to
this quarter, and I learned that this man was one of the few natives who
were highly displeased at this judicious change.

[Sidenote: Monday, 1st.] We coasted this day along the low shore of the
lake, steering from point to point to avoid the sinuosities of several
deep bays, and passed the mouth of the Sandy and Hay Rivers, whose
positions we settled by astronomical observations.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, 2nd.] On the 2nd we came to the narrow part between
the Big Island of Mackenzie, and the main shore, and perceived that a
gentle current was setting towards the Mackenzie river. The water in
this strait is very shallow, and also in many places near the south
shore, though we know, from trial, on the former Expedition, that the
depth of the east end of the lake, at a distance from the land, exceeds
sixty and seventy fathoms. T