[Footnote 3:  When the Israelites were ordered to provide straw for their bricks, the material could be procured in Egypt, although at the expense of great additional toil;—­not so the supplies for the Indian trade; in the event of a deficiency, neither money nor labour can procure them.]

The Company also make it appear by their standing rules, that we are directed to instruct the children, to teach the servants, &c.; but where are the means of doing so?  A few books, I have been told, were sent out for this purpose, after the coalition; what became of them I know not.  I never saw any.  The history of commercial rule is well known to the world; the object of that rule, wherever established, or by whomsoever exercised, is gain.  In our intercourse with the natives of America no other object is discernible, no other object is thought of, no other object is allowed.

CHAPTER XVI.

ARRIVAL OF MR. LEFROY—­VOYAGE TO THE LOWER POSTS OF THE MACKENZIE—­AVALANCHE—­INCIDENTS OF THE VOYAGE—­VOYAGE TO PORTAGE LA LOCHE—­ARBITRARY AND UNJUST CONDUCT OF THE GOVERNOR—­DESPOTISM—­MY REPLY TO THE GOVERNOR.

In the early part of this winter several Indians came in, complaining that they were starving for want of food; and their emaciated forms proved that they did not complain without cause.  Our means, however, were too limited to afford them any effectual relief.  We were glad to learn afterwards, that although many suffered, none died from actual want; and the rabbits soon afterwards appearing in greater numbers than had been seen for years past, relief was obtained.

Towards the latter end of March, I was gratified by the arrival of Mr. Lefroy.  This gentleman seems equal to all the hardships and privations of a voyageur’s life, having performed the journey from Athabasca hither, a distance of at least six hundred miles, on snow-shoes, without appearing to have suffered any inconvenience from it; thus proving himself the ablest mangeur de lard we have had in the country for a number of years:  there are many of our old winterers who would have been glad to excuse themselves if required to undertake such a journey.

The winter passed without any remarkable occurrence; and on the breaking up of the river, I set off for the lower posts, on the 23d of May, accompanied by Mr. Lefroy, whose zeal for scientific discovery neither cold, nor hunger, nor fatigue, seems to depress.  We arrived at Fort Norman on the 27th of May; and after a few hours’ delay, embarked, proceeding down stream, night and day.

We reached Fort Good Hope on the 29th, late in the evening; but evening, morning, midnight, and noon-day, are much the same here:  I wrote at midnight by the clear light of heaven.  The scientific reader need not be informed, that within the arctic circle the sun is but a very short time beneath the horizon, during the summer solstice.  The people of Fort Good Hope see him rising and setting behind the same hill; and in clear weather his rays shed a light above the horizon even after he is set; while during the winter solstice the same hill nearly conceals him from view.  Yet the gentleman in charge of this post has passed two years without an inch of candle to light himself to bed; and his predecessor did the same; so that he has no reason to complain.