In two hours the whole party
was over, with a comfortable addition to it in the shape of some fine
fish which the Indians had caught: of course we did not forget to take
these friends with us and, after passing several lakes, to one of which
we saw no termination, we halted within eight miles to the fort. The
Great Slave Lake was not frozen.
In crossing a narrow branch of the lake I fell through the ice but
received no injury; and at noon we arrived at Fort Providence and were
received by Mr. Weeks, a clerk of the North-West Company in charge of the
establishment. I found several packets of letters for the officers, which
I was desirous of sending to them immediately but, as the Indians and
their wives complained of illness and inability to return without rest, a
flagon of mixed spirits was given them and their sorrows were soon
forgotten. In a quarter of an hour they pronounced themselves excellent
hunters and capable of going anywhere; however their boasting ceased with
the last drop of the bottle when a crying scene took place which would
have continued half the night had not the magic of an additional quantity
of spirits dried their tears and once more turned their mourning into
joy. It was a satisfaction to me to behold these poor creatures enjoying
themselves for they had behaved in the most exemplary and active manner
towards the party, and with a generosity and sympathy seldom found even
in the more civilised parts of the world, and the attention and affection
which they manifested towards their wives evinced a benevolence of
disposition and goodness of nature which could not fail to secure the
approbation of the most indifferent observer.
The accounts I here received of our goods were of so unsatisfactory a
nature that I determined to proceed, as soon as the lake was frozen, to
Moose-Deer Island or if necessary to the Athabasca Lake, both to inform
myself of the grounds of the unceremonious and negligent manner in which
the Expedition had been treated and to obtain a sufficient supply of
ammunition and other stores to enable it to leave its present situation
and proceed for the attainment of its ultimate object.
November 9.
I despatched to Fort Enterprise one of the men with the letters and a
hundred musket-balls which Mr. Weeks lent me on condition that they
should be returned the first opportunity. An Indian and his wife
accompanied the messenger. Lieutenant Franklin was made acquainted with
the exact state of things, and I awaited with much impatience the
freezing of the lake.
November 16.
A band of Slave Indians came to the fort with a few furs and some bear's
grease.
