Page:Narrative of the Discoveries on the North Coast of America.djvu/273

Rh the ice to its mouth, to be in readiness for the moment that the ascent of the stream should become practicable. A messenger having arrived from a lake about a day's journey to the northward, reporting an abundant fishery under the ice, we despatched the whole of the lately-starving Hare Indians thither. The Dog-ribs and our Chipewyan hunters at the same time prepared to separate and disperse themselves for the summer over the best hunting-grounds to the eastward. Their departure in the beginning of June was a twofold relief to us, as we had some preparations to make for our approaching voyage. I must not close this part of the narrative without bestowing a just encomium on the generally docile character of the natives of Great Bear Lake. They soon become attached to white men, and are fond of imitating their manners. In our little hall I have repeatedly seen the youngsters, who were most about us, get up from their chairs, and politely hand them to any of our people who happened to enter; some of them even learned to take off their caps in the house, and to wash instead of greasing their faces. Their indulgent treatment of their women (who indeed possess the mastery) was noticed by Sir John Franklin; I wish I could speak as favourably of their honesty and veracity. R 2