keeping by our sides that they might lift us when we fell.  We descended Winter River and about noon crossed the head of Round-Rock Lake, distant about three miles from the house, where we were obliged to halt as Dr. Richardson was unable to proceed.  The swellings in his limbs rendered him by much the weakest of the party.  The Indians prepared our encampment, cooked for us, and fed us as if we had been children, evincing humanity that would have done honour to the most civilised people.  The night was mild and fatigue made us sleep soundly.

From this period to the 26th of November we gradually improved through their kindness and attention, and on that day arrived in safety at the abode of our chief and companion Akaitcho.  We were received by the party assembled in the leader’s tent with looks of compassion and profound silence which lasted about a quarter of an hour and by which they meant to express their condolence for our sufferings.  The conversation did not begin until we had tasted food.  The chief Akaitcho showed us the most friendly hospitality and all sorts of personal attention, even to cooking for us with his own hands, an office which he never performs for himself.  Annoethaiyazzeh and Humpy, the chief’s two brothers, and several of our hunters, with their families were encamped here together with a number of old men and women.  In the course of the day we were visited by every person of the band, not merely from curiosity, but a desire to evince their tender sympathy in our late distress.  We learned that Mr. Back with St. Germain and Belanger had gone to Fort Providence and that, previous to his departure, he had left a letter in a cache of pounded meat which we had missed two days ago.  As we supposed that this letter might acquaint us with his intentions more fully than we could gather from the Indians, through our imperfect knowledge of their language, Augustus, the Esquimaux, whom we found here in perfect health, and an Indian lad were despatched to bring it.

We found several of the Indian families in great affliction for the loss of three of their relatives who had been drowned in the August preceding by the upsetting of a canoe near Fort Enterprise.  They bewailed the melancholy accident every morning and evening by repeating the names of the persons in a loud singing tone which was frequently interrupted by bursts of tears.  One woman was so affected by the loss of her only son that she seemed deprived of reason and wandered about the tents the whole day, crying and singing out his name.

On the 1st of December we removed with the Indians to the southward.

On the 4th we again set off after the Indians about noon, and soon overtook them, as they had halted to drag from the water and cut up and share a moose-deer that had been drowned in a rapid part of the river, partially covered with ice.  These operations detained us a long time which was the more disagreeable as the weather was extremely unpleasant from cold low fogs.  We were all much fatigued at the hour of encampment, which was after dark, though the day’s journey did not exceed four miles.  At every halt the elderly men of the tribe made holes in the ice and put in their lines.  One of them shared the produce of his fishery with us this evening.