e small pieces of Russian copper coin once
made their way thither across the continent from the westward. Blue or
white beads are almost the only articles of European manufacture coveted
by the Loucheux. They perforate the septum of the nose and insert in the
opening three small shells which they procure at a high price from the
Esquimaux.

On the west bank of Mackenzie's River there are several tribes who speak
dialects of the Chipewyan language that have not hitherto been mentioned.
The first met with on tracing the river to the southward from Fort
Good-Hope are the Ambawtawhootdinneh, or Sheep Indians. They inhabit the
Rocky Mountains near the sources of the Dawhootdinneh River which flows
into Mackenzie's and are but little known to the traders. Some of them
have visited Fort Good-Hope. A report of their being cannibals may have
originated in an imperfect knowledge of them.

Some distance to the southward of this people are the Rocky Mountain
Indians, a small tribe which musters about forty men and boys capable of
pursuing the chase. They differ but little from the next we are about to
mention, the Edchawtawhootdinneh, Strong-bow, Beaver, or Thickwood
Indians who frequent the Riviere aux Liards or south branch of
Mackenzie's River. The Strong-bows resemble the Dog-Ribs somewhat in
their disposition; but when they meet they assume a considerable degree
of superiority over the latter who meekly submit to the haughtiness of
their neighbours. Until the year 1813 when a small party of them, from
some unfortunate provocation, destroyed Fort Nelson on the Riviere aux
Liards and murdered its inmates, the Strong-bows were considered to be a
friendly and quiet tribe and esteemed as excellent hunters. They take
their names in the first instance from their dogs. A young man is the
father of a certain dog but when he is married and has a son he styles
himself the father of the boy. The women have a habit of reproving the
dogs very tenderly when they observe them fighting: "Are you not
ashamed," say they, "are you not ashamed to quarrel with your little
brother?" The dogs appear to understand the reproof and sneak off.

The Strong-bows and Rocky Mountain Indians have a tradition in common
with the Dog-Ribs that they came originally from the westward, from a
level country where there was no winter, which produced trees and large
fruits now unknown to them. It was inhabited also by many strange
animals, amongst which there was a