78 Mackenzie’s Voyages

the west to be Cook’s River, and that the body of water or
sea into which this river discharges itself at Whale Island
communicates with Norton Sound. I made an advantageous
proposition to this man to accompany me across the moun-
tains to the other river, but he refused it.”

Mackenzie then proceeded to an Indian camp to which
he had been referred for more authentic information. On
arriving there he found that his young men in attempting
to land had their canoe seized and broken and were on the
point of revenging this insult when he intervened.

The interpreter was instructed to harangue the people
assembled in council for the purpose of obtaining further
geographical information, but met with little success. Aside
from the statement that the tributaries of both great rivers !
take their rise in the western mountains, their information
was a strange medley of folk-lore and fact. They themselves
never went beyond the mountains, where they hunted the
little white buffalo? and what they stated about the river
was hearsay and fabulous speculation.

Mackenzie, however, suspected that his interpreter, who
was tired of the voyage, was not anxious to obtain, or to
communicate to him, information which would be likely
to induce him to follow new routes, or extend his quest over
another season.

The assembled Indians then entertained the explorers
with a series of dances. “In this pastime old and young,
male and female, continued their exertions till their strength
was exhausted. This exercise was accompanied by loud
imitations of the various noises produced by the reindeer,
the bear, and the wolf.”

1 It is difficult to say whether these Indians had any knowledge of
the Yukon, or whether they were referring to Peel River.
2 Qyis dalli, a white variety of mountain sheep.