ly clothed.
Mr. Frazer, who accompanied us from the Methye Lake, accounted for their
being in this forlorn condition by explaining that this band of Indians
had recently destroyed everything they possessed as a token of their
great grief for the loss of their relatives in the prevailing sickness.
It appears that no article is spared by these unhappy men when a near
relative dies; their clothes and tents are cut to pieces, their guns
broken, and every other weapon rendered useless if some person do not
remove these articles from their sight, which is seldom done. Mr. Back
sketched one of the children which delighted the father very much, who
charged the boy to be very good since his picture had been drawn by a
great chief. We learned that they prize pictures very highly and esteem
any they can get, however badly executed, as efficient charms. They were
unable to give us any information respecting the country beyond the
Athabasca Lake which is the boundary of their peregrinations to the
northward. Having been apprised of our coming they had prepared an
encampment for us; but we had witnessed too many proofs of their
importunity to expect that we could pass the night near them in any
comfort whilst either spirits, tobacco or sugar remained in our
possession; and therefore preferred to go about two miles farther along
the river and to encamp among a cluster of fine pine-trees after a
journey of sixteen miles.

On the morning of the 15th, in proceeding along the river, we perceived a
strong smell of sulphur, and on the north shore found a quantity of it
scattered, which seemed to have been deposited by some spring in the
neighbourhood: it appeared very pure and good. We continued our course
the whole day along the river, which is about four hundred yards wide,
has some islands, and is confined between low land extending from the
bases of the mountains on each side. We put up at the end of thirteen
miles and were then joined by a Chipewyan who came, as we supposed, to
serve as our guide to Pierre au Calumet but, as none of the party could
communicate with our new friend otherwise than by signs, we waited
patiently until the morning to see what he intended to do. The wind blew
a gale during the night and the snow fell heavily. The next day our guide
led us to the Pembina River which comes from the southward where we found
traces of Indians who appeared to have quitted this station the day
before; we had therefore the benefit o