NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA.

which cannot, in a dire€t line, be very far from us; the diftance being
fo fhort, that though they pafs over mountains covered with fnow, there

is not time for them to cool.

There being feveral of the natives at the houfe at this time, one of
them, who had received an account of the death of his father, proceeded
in filence to his lodge, and began to fire off his gun. As it was night,
and fuch a noife being fo uncommon at fuch an hour, efpecially when
it was fo often repeated, I {ent my interpreter to inquire into the caufe
of it, when he was informed by the man himfelf, that this was a common
cuftom with them on the death of a near relation, and was a warning to
their friends not to approach, or intrude upon them, as they were, in
confequence of their lofs, become carelefs of life. The chief, to whom
the deceafed perfon was alfo related, appeared with his war-cap on his
head, which is only worn on thefe folemn occafions, or when preparing
for battle, and confirmed to me this fingular cuftom of firing guns, in
order to exprefs their grief for the death of relations and friends.* The
women alone indulge in tears on fuch occafions; the men confidering it
as a mark of pufillanimity and a want of fortitude to betray any per-

fonal tokens of fenfibility or forrow.

The Indians informed me, that they had been to hunt at a large lake,
called by the Knifteneaux, the Slave Lake, which derived its name from
that of its original inhabitants, who were called Slaves. They repre-

* When they are drinking together, they frequently prefent their guns to each other, when any of
the parties have not other means of procuring rum. On fuch an occafion they always difcharge
their pieces, as a proof, I imagine, of their being in good order, and to determine the quantity of
liquor the may propofe to get in exchange for them.

Te fented

139

1793-
January.
UH