DISCOVERY BY ALEXANDER MACKENZIE

held a consultation with his men, the result of which was
that they would return up the river to the stream (Black-
water), whose valley they would follow by land to reach
the coast.

On their way up they divided into two parties. To
lighten their craft, Mackay followed the shore on foot with
the two eastern Indians and one Carrier, who had promised
to guide them to the sea. On getting to the rendezvous
they had agreed upon, Mackenzie and his crew were
greeted by a story from Mackay and the easterners,
which we had better allow the explorer to relate in his
own words.

“They—Mackay and companions—informed us that
they had taken refuge in that place with the determination
to sell their lives, which they considered in the most
imminent danger, as dear as possible. In a very short
time after they had left us, they met a party of Indians
whom we had known at this place, and were probably
those whom we had seen to land from their canoe. They
appeared to be in a state of extreme rage, and their bows
bent with their arrows across them. The guide stopped
to ask them some questions, which my people did not
understand, and then set off with the utmost speed. Mr.
Mackay, however, did not leave him till they were both
exhausted from running. When the young man came up,
he then said that some treacherous design was meditated
against them . . . but refused to name the enemy. The
guide then conducted them through very bad ways, as fast
as they could run; and, when he was desired to slacken
his pace, he answered that they might follow him in any
manner they pleased, but that he was impatient to get to
his family, in order to prepare shoes and other necessaries
for his journey. They did not, however, think it prudent
to quit him, and he would not stop till ten at night.

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