JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE

toms and manners of the Knifleneaux. As I have already obferved,
they are paflionately fond of liquor, and in the moments of their fefti-
vity will barter any thing they have in their poffeffion for it.

Though the Beaver Indians made their peace with the Knifteneaux,,
at Peace Point, as already mentioned, yet they did not fecure a flate of
amity from others of the fame nation, who had driven away the natives.
of the Safkatchiwine and Miffinipy Rivers, and joined at the head water of
the latter, called the Beaver River: from thence they proceeded Welt by
the Slave Lake juft deferibed, on their war excurfions, which they often.
repeated, even till the Beaver Indians had procured arms, which was in
the year 1782. If it fo happened that they mifled them, they proceeded
Weitward till they were certain of wreaking their vengeance on thofe
of the Rocky Mountain, who being without arms, became an eafy prey.
to their blind and favage fury. All the European articles they pof-
fefled, previous to the year 1780, were obtained from the Knifteneaux
and Chepewyans, who brought them from Fort Churchill, and for which
they were made to pay an extravagant price.

As late as the year +786, when the firft traders from Canada arrived on

_ the banks of this river, the natives employed bows and fnares, but at

prefent very little ufe is made of the former, and the latter are no longer
known, They ftill entertain a great dread of their natural enemies, but
they are fince become fo well armed, that the others now call them their
allies. ‘The men are in general of a comely appearance, and fond of per-
fonal decoration. The women are ofa contrary difpofition, and the flaves
of the men. in common with all the Indian tribes. polygamy is allowed

among