Indians at Esquimaux Bay, whither I had sent them, and forwarded to me
by Mr. Erlandson's two men. By his letters I was grieved to learn that
starvation stared him in the face; the fishing, that promised so well
when I passed, having entirely failed, and no deer were to be found.
He wrote me, however, that he would maintain his post while a piece of
parchment remained to gnaw!

The Governor's letters conveyed the thanks of the Governor and
Committee for my "laudable exertions;" while his Excellency intimated,
in language not to be misunderstood, that my promotion depended on my
successful management of the affairs of Ungava, "which he regretted to
find were still in an unpromising state."

What effect this announcement had on my feelings need not be
mentioned--after a painful servitude of eighteen years thus to
be compelled to make renewed, and even impossible exertions ere I
obtained the reward of my toil, while many others had reached the
goal in a much shorter time without experiencing either hardship or
privation,--the injustice I had suffered, or the deceit that had been
practised on _me_. As a balm to my wounded feelings, my correspondents
in the north informed me that seven clerks had been promoted since I
left Norway House.

Many of the Esquimaux referred to in a preceding page passed the
winter in this quarter, not daring to return in consequence of an
hostile rencontre they had had with some of their own tribes on their
way hither. The quarrel, like most Indian quarrels, originated in an
attempt to carry off women: both parties had recourse to arms, and
a desperate struggle ensued, in which our visitors were completely
defeated, with the loss of several lives.