and the hunters left us. We issued
thirty balls to the leader and twenty to each of the hunters and guides
with a proportionate quantity of powder, and gave them directions to make
all the provision they could on their way to Point Lake. I then desired
Mr. Wentzel to inform Akaitcho in the presence of the other Indians that
I wished a deposit of provision to be made at this place previous to next
September as a resource should we return this way. He and the guides not
only promised to see this done but suggested that it would be more secure
if placed in the cellar or in Mr. Wentzel's room. The Dog-Ribs, they
said, would respect anything that was in the house as knowing it to
belong to the white people. At the close of this conversation Akaitcho
exclaimed with a smile, "I see now that you have really no goods left
(the rooms and stores being completely stripped) and therefore I shall
not trouble you any more but use my best endeavours to prepare provision
for you, and I think if the animals are tolerably numerous we may get
plenty before you can embark on the river."

Whilst the Indians were packing up this morning one of the women
absconded. She belongs to the Dog-Rib tribe and had been taken by force
from her relations by her present husband who treated her very harshly.
The fellow was in my room when his mother announced the departure of his
wife and received the intelligence with great composure as well as the
seasonable reproof of Akaitcho. "You are rightly served," said the chief
to him, "and will now have to carry all your things yourself instead of
having a wife to drag them." One hunter remained after the departure of
the other Indians.

On the 5th the Dog-Rib woman presented herself on a hill at some distance
from the house, but was afraid to approach us until the interpreter went
and told her that neither we nor the Indian who remained with us would
prevent her from going where she pleased. Upon this she came to solicit a
fire-steel and kettle. She was at first low-spirited from the non-arrival
of a countrywoman who had promised to elope with her, but had probably
been too narrowly watched. The Indian hunter however, having given her
some directions as to the proper mode of joining her own tribe, she
became more composed and ultimately agreed to adopt his advice of
proceeding at once to Fort Providence instead of wandering about the
country all summer in search of them at the imminent hazard of being
starved.