The leader left his aged mother and two female
attendants to our care, requesting that if she died during his absence
she might be buried at a distance from the fort that he might not be
reminded of his loss when he visited us.
Keskarrah the guide also remained behind with his wife and daughter. The
old man has become too feeble to hunt and his time is almost entirely
occupied in attendance upon his wife who has been long affected with an
ulcer on the face which has nearly destroyed her nose.
Lately he made an offering to the water spirits whose wrath he
apprehended to be the cause of her malady. It consisted of a knife, a
piece of tobacco, and some other trifling articles which were tied up in
a small bundle and committed to the rapid with a long prayer. He does not
trust entirely however to the relenting of the spirits for his wife's
cure, but comes daily to Dr. Richardson for medicine.
Upon one occasion he received the medicine from the Doctor with such
formality and wrapped it up in his reindeer robe with such extraordinary
carefulness that it excited the involuntary laughter of Mr. Hood and
myself. The old man smiled in his turn and, as he always seemed proud of
the familiar way in which we were accustomed to joke with him, we thought
no more upon the subject. But he unfortunately mentioned the circumstance
to his wife who imagined in consequence that the drug was not productive
of its usual good effects and they immediately came to the conclusion
that some bad medicine had been intentionally given to them. The distress
produced by this idea was in proportion to their former faith in the
potency of the remedy and the night was spent in singing and groaning.
Next morning the whole family were crying in concert and it was not until
the evening of the second day that we succeeded in pacifying them. The
old woman began to feel better and her faith in the medicine was renewed.
While speaking of this family I may remark that the daughter, whom we
designated Green-stockings from her dress, is considered by her tribe to
be a great beauty. Mr. Hood drew an accurate portrait of her although her
mother was averse to her sitting for it. She was afraid she said that her
daughter's likeness would induce the Great Chief who resided in England
to send for the original. The young lady however was undeterred by any
such fear. She has already been an object of contest between her
countrymen and, although under sixteen years of age, has belonged
successively to two husbands and would probably have been the wife of
many more if her mother had not required her services as a nurse.
