NORTH-WEST CONTINENT. OF AMERICA.

they had promifed friendfhip, had lately, and in the moft treacherous
“manner, butchered fome of their people. Asa proof of-this circum-
flance, the relations of the deceafed fhewed us, that they had cut off
their hair on the occafion. They alfo declared their determination to
withdraw all confidence in future from the Efquimaux, and to colle&
themfelves in a formidable body, that they might be enabled to revenge
the death of their friends.

From their account, a flrong party of Efquimaux occafionally afcends
this river, in large canoes, in fearch of flint ftones, which they employ to
point their fpears and arrows. They were now at their lake due Eaft
from the fpot where we then were, which was at no great diftance over
land, where they kill the rein-deer, and that they would foon begin to
catch big fifh for the winter ftock. We could not, however, obtain any
information refpeéting the lake in the dire€tion in which we were. To
the Eaftward and Weftward where they faw it, the ice breaks up, but

foon freezes a gain.

The Efquimaux informed them that they faw large canoes full of
white men to the Weftward, eight or ten winters ago, from whom they
obtained iron in exchange for leather. The lake where they met’ thefe
canoes, is called by them Belhoullay Toe, or White Man’s Lake.
They alfo reprefented the Efquimaux as drefling like themfelves. They
wear their hair fhort, and have two holes perforated, one on each fide
of the. mouth, in a-line with the under lip, in which they place long
beads that they find in. the lake. Their bows are fomewhat different

from thofe ufed by the natives we had feen, and they employ flings from °

Le whence