NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA.
tains to the South-Welt, which falls into the Belhoullay Toe, or White-

man’s Lake, in comparifon of which that on whofe banks we then were,
was but a {mall ftream; that the natives were very large, and very wicked,
and kill common men with their eyes; that they make canoes larger
than ours; that thofe who inhabit the entrance of it kill a kind of beaver,
the fkin of which is almoft red; and that large canoes often frequent it.
As there isno known,communication by water with this river, the na-

tives who faw it went over the mountains.

As he mentioned that there were fome beavers in this part of the
country, I told him to hunt it, and defire the others to do the fame, as
well as the martens, foxes, beaver-eater or wolvereen, &c. which they
might carry to barter for iron with his own nation, who are fupplied
with goods by us, near their country. He was anxious to know whe-
ther we fhould return that way: at the fame time he informed us that
we fhould fee but few of the natives along the river, as all the young men
were engaged in killing rein-deer, near the Efquimaux Lake, which, he
alfo faid, was at no great diftance. The latter he reprefented as very
treacherous, and added, that they had killed one of his people. He told
us likewile, that fome plan of revenge was meditating, unlefs the offend-

ing party paid a fufficient price for the body of the murdered perfon.

My Indians were very anxious to poffefs themfelves of a woman that
was with the natives, but as they were not willing to part with her, I
interfered, to prevent her being taken by force: indeed I was obliged to
exercife the utmoft vigilance, as the Indians who accompanied me were ever
ready to take what they could fromthe natives, without making them any

M2 return.