completed. Akaitcho, with great good sense, instantly came to have the
matter explained, stating at the same time that he could not credit it. I
then pointed out to him that Mr. Wentzel, with whom they had long been
accustomed to trade, had pledged the credit of his Company for the
stipulated rewards to the party that accompanied us, and that the trading
debts due by Akaitcho and his party had already been remitted, which was
of itself a sufficient proof of our influence with the North-West
Company. I also reminded Akaitcho that our having caused the Esquimaux to
be brought up at a great expense was evidence of our future intentions,
and informed him that I should write to Mr. Smith, the senior trader in
the department, on the subject when I had no doubt that a satisfactory
explanation would be given. The Indians retired from the conference
apparently satisfied, but this business was in the end productive of much
inconvenience to us, and proved very detrimental to the progress of the
Expedition. In conjunction also with other intelligence conveyed in Mr.
Back's letters respecting the disposition of the traders towards us,
particularly a statement of Mr. Weeks that he had been desired not to
assist us with supplies from his post, it was productive of much present
uneasiness to me.

On the 28th St. Germain the interpreter set out with eight Canadian
voyagers and four Indian hunters to bring up our stores from Fort
Providence. I wrote by him to Mr. Smith at Moose-Deer Island and Mr.
Keith at Chipewyan, both of the North-West Company, urging them in the
strongest manner to comply with the requisition for stores which Mr. Back
would present. I also informed Mr. Simpson, principal agent in the
Athabasca for the Hudson's Bay Company who had proffered every assistance
in his power, that we should gladly avail ourselves of the kind
intentions expressed in a letter which I had received from him.

We also sent a number of broken axes to Slave Lake to be repaired. The
dog that came to us on the 22nd of October and had become very familiar
followed the party. We were in hopes that it might prove of some use in
dragging their loads but we afterwards learned that on the evening after
their departure from the house they had the cruelty to kill and eat it
although they had no reason to apprehend a scarcity of provision. A dog
is considered to be delicate eating by the voyagers.

The mean temperature of the air for November was minus 0.