They were most astonished at our knowing the time at which this event should happen, and remarked that this knowledge was a striking proof of the superiority of the whites over the Indians.
We took advantage of this occasion to speak to them respecting the Supreme Being, who ordered all the operations of nature, and to impress on their minds the necessity of paying strict attention to their moral duties, in obedience to his will.

They readily assented to all these points, and Akaitcho assured us that both himself and his young men would exert themselves in obtaining provision for us, in return for the interesting communications we had just made to them.
Having received a supply of dried meat from the Indian lodges, we were enabled to equip the party for the Copper-Mine River, and at nine A.M., on the 29th, Mr.Back and Mr.Hood embarked on that service in a light canoe, with St.Germain, eight Canadians and one Indian.

We could not furnish them with more than eight days' provision, which, with their blankets, two tents, and a few instruments, composed their lading.

Mr.
Back, who had charge of the party, was directed to proceed to the river, and if, when he arrived at its banks, the weather should continue to be mild, and the temperature of the water was not lower than 40 deg., he might embark, and descend the stream for a few days to gain some knowledge of its course, but he was not to go so far as to risk his being able to return to this place in a fortnight with the canoe.

But, if the weather should be severe, and the temperature of the water below 40 deg., he was not to embark, but return immediately, and endeavour to ascertain the best track for our goods to be conveyed thither next spring.
We had seen that the water decreases rapidly in temperature at this season, and I feared that, if he embarked to descend the river when it was below 40 deg., the canoe might be frozen in, and the crew have to walk back in very severe weather.
As soon as the canoes had started, Akaitcho and the Indians took their departure also, except two of the hunters, who staid behind to kill deer in our neighbourhood, and old Keskarrah and his family, who remained as our guests.
The fishing-nets were this day transferred from the river in which they had been set since our arrival, to Winter Lake, whither the fish had removed, and the fishermen built a log-hut on its borders to reside in, that they might attend more closely to their occupation.
The month of September commenced with very disagreeable weather.