Tracking: Up-Stream | _ 79

Mackenzie was determined to extract every possible item
of information, and instructed English Chief to renew his
inquiries, which he did without success. Mackenzie then
resorted to threats, which only made them one and all very
sick at the same moment, and they answered in a faint tone
that they had told all they knew, and would die if taken away
on such a journey beyond the mountains into the land of
magicians and monsters. They endeavoured to win English
Chief away from Mackenzie, in which they were aided and
abetted by the solicitations of the chief’s women. Finding
it fruitless to remain, Mackenzie looked forward to obtain-
ing a better account from the Indians at Bear Lake River
where, he now recalled, some of the natives had mentioned
this river to him when he passed that way.

Some beaver skins were purchased, and abundant supplies
of fish and berries. A marauding dog had to be shot, “‘as we
could not keep those animals from our baggage. ‘he people
hearing the report and seeing the dog dead were seized with
great alarm. The women took their children on their backs
and ran into the woods. They were reassured, but the woman
who owned the dog was loud in her sorrow, declaring that
the loss of five children the preceding winter had not affected
her so much as the death of this animal. But her grief was
not of long duration, and a few beads soon assuaged her
sorrow.

“When we arrived this morning we found the women in
tears from an apprehension that we were come to take them
away. Io the eye of a European they certainly were objects
of disgust, but there were those among my party who
observed some hidden charms in these females which ren-
dered them objects of desire, and means were found, I
believe, that very soon dissipated their alarms and sub-
dued their coyness.”