The number of the Copper Indians may be one hundred and ninety souls namely eighty men and boys and one hundred and ten women and young children.  There are forty-five hunters in the tribe.  The adherents of Akaitcho amount to about forty men and boys; the rest follow a number of minor chiefs.

For the following notices of the nations on Mackenzie’s River we are principally indebted to Mr. Wentzel who resided for many years in that quarter.

The Thlingchadinneh or Dog-Ribs or as they are sometimes termed after the Crees, who formerly warred against them, Slaves, inhabit the country to the westward of the Copper Indians as far as Mackenzie’s River.  They are of a mild, hospitable, but rather indolent disposition; spend much of their time in amusements and are fond of singing and dancing.  In this respect and in another they differ very widely from most of the other aborigines of North America.  I allude to their kind treatment of the women.  The men do the laborious work whilst their wives employ themselves in ornamenting their dresses with quill-work and in other occupations suited to their sex.  Mr. Wentzel has often known the young married men to bring specimens of their wives’ needlework to the forts and exhibit them with much pride.  Kind treatment of the fair sex being usually considered as an indication of considerable progress in civilisation it might be worthwhile to inquire how it happens that this tribe has stepped so far beyond its neighbours.  It has had undoubtedly the same common origin with the Chipewyans, for their languages differ only in accent, and their mode of life is essentially the same.  We have not sufficient data to prosecute the inquiry with any hope of success but we may recall to the reader’s memory what was formerly mentioned, that the Dog-Ribs say they came from the westward, whilst the Chipewyans say that they migrated from the eastward.

When bands of Dog-Ribs meet each other after a long absence they perform a kind of dance.  A piece of ground is cleared for the purpose, if in winter of the snow, or if in summer of the bushes; and the dance frequently lasts for two or three days, the parties relieving each other as they get tired.  The two bands commence the dance with their backs turned to each other, the individuals following one another in Indian file and holding the bow in the left hand and an arrow in the right.  They approach obliquely after many turns and, when the two lines are closely back to back, they feign to see each other for the first time and the bow is instantly transferred to the right hand and the arrow to the left, signifying that it is not their intention to employ them against their friends.  At a fort they use feathers instead of bows.  The dance is accompanied with a song.  These people are the dancing-masters of the country.  The Copper Indians have neither dance nor music but what they borrow from them.  On our first interview with Akaitcho at Fort Providence he treated us as has already been mentioned with a representation of the Dog-Rib Dance; and Mr. Back during his winter journey had an opportunity of observing it performed by the Dog-Ribs themselves.