At this camp, where the canoe had been left behind, many natives arrived both from the upper and lower parts of the river, all of them dressed in beaver robes, which they were ready enough to sell for large knives.

It struck Alexander Mackenzie as being very extraordinary that these people, who had left absolutely untouched the property stored at this place--when anyone passing by could have stolen it and never have been detected--should now be so ready to pilfer articles and utensils from the camp.

So many small things had been picked up and taken away by them, when coming to sell their beaver robes, that he was obliged to take some action.

So, before all these beaver-clad Amerindians had departed on their westward journey, he told the rearguard that he had noticed the thefts, and scarcely thought their relations who were guilty of stealing realized the awful mischief that would result from this dishonesty; that they were on their way now to the sea to procure large quantities of salmon from the rivers, but the salmon, which was absolutely necessary to their existence, came from the sea which belonged to the white men, and it only needed a message from the white men to the powers of nature to prevent the fish coming up from the sea into the rivers; and if this word were spoken they and their children might starve.

He consequently advised them to hurry after their friends, and see that all the stolen articles were sent back.