. She
fortunately came to a part where there was a beaten path which she knew
to be the track made by the reindeer in their migrations. Here she halted
and prepared some sort of weapon for killing them; as soon as this was
completed she had the gratification to behold several herds advancing
along the road, and had the happiness of killing a sufficient number for
her winter's subsistence, which she determined to pass at that place, and
therefore formed a house for herself after the manner she had learned
from the Esquimaux. When spring came and she emerged from her
subterraneous dwelling (for such the Chipewyans suppose it to have been)
she was astonished by observing a glittering appearance on a distant hill
which she knew was not produced by the reflection of the sun and, being
at a loss to assign any other cause for it, she resolved on going up to
the shining object and then found the hill was entirely composed of
copper. She broke off several pieces and, finding it yielded so readily
to her beating, it occurred to her that this metal would be very
serviceable to her countrymen if she should find them again. While she
was meditating on what was to be done the thought struck her that it
would be advisable to attach as many pieces of copper to her dress as she
could and then proceed into the interior in search of some inhabitants
who, she supposed, would give her a favourable reception on account of
the treasure she had brought.

It happened that she met her own relations and the young men, elated with
the account she had given of the hill, made her instantly return with
them, which she was enabled to do, having taken the precaution of putting
up marks to indicate the path. The party reached the spot in safety but
the story had a melancholy catastrophe. These youths, overcome by excess
of joy, gave loose to their passions and offered the grossest insults to
their benefactress. She powerfully resisted them for some time and, when
her strength was failing, fled to the point of the mountain as the only
place of security. The moment she had gained the summit the earth opened
and ingulphed both herself and the mountain to the utter dismay of the
men who were not more astonished at its sudden disappearance than
sorrowful for this just punishment of their wickedness. Ever since this
event the copper has only been found in small detached pieces on the
surface of the earth.

...

On the 10th of May we were gratified by the a