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CAPT. FRANKLIN’S

JOURNEYS TO THE POLAR SEA.

LONDON -
PRINTED BY C, ROWORTH, BELL YARD,
TEMPLE BAR.

Paunted by T.Plillps, R.A. Engraved by Edw? Fimden .

JORN RICHARDSON, M.D. F.RS. F.L.S.&e.

Published. 1828, by John Murray London.

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JOURNEY ( Zeeceepd ;

TO THE

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SHORES QF THE POLAR SEA,

‘In 1819-20-21-22 :

WITH

A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE SECOND JOURNEY
In 1825-26-27.

BY

JOHN FRANKLIN, Carr. R.N. F.R.S.

AND COMMANDER OF THE EXPEDITION.
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LONDON: 20012
JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET.
MDCCCXXIX.

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CONTENTS
OF

THE SECOND VOLUME.

Se eeeeee laced

CHAPTER IV.—continued.

Departure from Isle a la Crosse—Arrival at
Pom Ciipewyan:- . 2. .. Paget

CHAPTER V.

Transactions at Fort Chipewyan—Arrival of
Dr. Richardson and Mr. Hood—Preparations
for our Journey to the Northward. . . 24

CHAPTER VI.

Mr. Hood’s Journey to the Basquiau Hill—
Sojourns with an Indian Party—His Journey
PNG swe om ol OD

vl CONTENTS.

CHAPTER VII.

Departure from Chipewyan—Diffculties of the
various Navigation of the Rivers and Lakes,
and of the Portages—Slave Lake and Fort
Providence—Scarcity of Provisions, and Dis-
content of the Canadian Voyagers—Difficul-
ties with regard to the Indian Guides—Re-
fusal to proceed—Visit of Observation to the
upper part of Copper-Mine River—Return to
the Winter-Quarters of Fort Enterprise. 125

CHAPTER VIII.

Transactions at Fort Enterprise. . . . 214

roe
SER
e

1OW0,F
Fya2
122g

i oe OF THE POLAR SEA. 9
See the

the object of our expedition had been ex-
plained to them, expressed themselves much
interested in our progress; but they could
not give a particle of information respecting
the countries beyond the Athabasca Lake.
We smoked with them, and gave each per-
son a glass of mixed spirits and some
tobacco. A Canadian servant of the North-
West Company, who was residing with
them, informed us that this family had lost
numerous relatives, and that the destruction
of property, which had been made after
their deaths, was the only cause for the piti-
able condition in which we saw them, as the
whole family were industrious hunters, and,
therefore, were usually better provided with
clothes, and other useful articles, than most
of the Indians. We purchased from them
a pair of snow-shoes, in exchange for some
ammunition. The Chipewyans are cele-
brated for making them good and easy to
walk in; we saw some here upwards of six
feet long, and three broad. With these
unwieldy clogs an active hunter, in the
spring, when there is a crust on the surface

10 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

of the snow, will run down a moose or red
deer. |

We made very slow progress after leaving
this party, on account of the deep snow,
but continued along the river until we
‘reached its junction with the Athabasca or
Elk River. We obtained observations on
an island, a little below the Forks, which
gave, longitude 111° 8’ 42” W., variation
24° 18’ 20" E. Very little wood was seen
during this day's march. The western
shore, near the Forks, is destitute of trees;
it is composed of lofty perpendicular cliffs,
which were now covered with snow. The
eastern shore supports a few pines.

March 18.—Soon after our departure
from the encampment, we met two men
from the establishment at Pierre au Calu-
met, who gave us correct information of its
situation and distance. Having the benefit
of their track, we marched at a tolerably
quick pace, and made twenty-two miles in
the course of the day, though the weather
was very disagreeable for travelling, being
stormy, with constant snow. We kept

OF THE POLAR SEA. 1l

along the river the whole time; its breadth
is about two miles. The islands appear
better furnished with wood than its banks,
the summits of which are almost bare.
Soon after we had encamped our Indian
guide rejoined us; he had remained behind
the day before, without consulting us, to
accompany a friend on a hunting excursion.
On his return he made no endeavour to
explain the reason of his absence, but sat
down coolly, and began to prepare his sup-
per. ‘This behaviour made us sensible that
little dependance is to be placed on the
_ continuance of an Indian guide, when his
inclination leads him away.

Early the next morning we sent forward
the Indian and a Canadian, to apprize the
gentlemen in charge of Pierre au Calumet of
our approach, and, after breakfast, the rest
of the party proceeded along the river for
that station, which we reached in the after-
noon. The senior partner of the North-
West Company in the Athabasca department,
Mr. John Stuart, was in charge of the post.
Though he was quite ignorant until this

12 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

morning of our being in the country, we
found him prepared to receive us with great
kindness, and ready to afford every infor-
mation and assistance, agreeably to the de-
sire conveyed in Mr. Simon M‘Gillivray’s
circular letter. This gentleman had twice
traversed this continent, and reached the
Pacific by the Columbia River; he was,
therefore, fully conversant with the different
modes of travelling, and with the obstacles
that may be expected in passing through
unfrequented countries. His suggestions
and advice were consequently very valuable
tous, but not having been to the northward
of the Great Slave Lake, he had no know-
ledge of that line of country, except what
he had gained from the reports of the In-
dians. He was of opinion, however, that
positive information, on which our course
of proceedings might safely be determined,
could be procured from the Indians that
‘ frequent the north side of the lake, when
they came to the forts in the spring. He
recommended my writing to the partner in
charge of that department, requesting him

OF THE POLAR SEA. 13

to collect all the intelligence he could, and
to provide guides and hunters from the
tribe best acquainted with the country
through which we proposed to travel.

To our great regret, Mr. Stuart ex-
pressed much doubt as to our prevailing
upon any experienced Canadian voyagers
to accompany us to the sea, in consequence
of their dread of the Esquimaux ; who, he
informed us, had already destroyed the
crew of one canoe, which had been sent
under Mr. Livingstone to open a trading
communication with those who reside near

the mouth of the Mackenzie River; and he
also mentioned, that the same tribe had
driven away the canoes under Mr. Clark’s
direction, going to them ona similar object,
to which circumstance I have alluded in my
remarks at Isle & la Crosse.

This was unpleasant information; but
we were comforted by Mr. Stuart’s assu-
rance that himself and his partners would
use every endeavour to remove their fears,
as well as to promote our views in every
other way; and he undertook, as a neces-

14 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

sary part of our equipment in the spring, to
prepare the bark and other materials for
constructing two canoes at this post.

Mr. Stuart informed us that the residents
at Fort Chipewyan, from the recent sick-
ness of their Indian hunters, had been re-
duced to subsist entirely on the produce of
their fishing-nets, which did not then yield .
more than a bare sufficiency for their sup-
port; and he kindly proposed to us to re-
“main with him until the sprmg: but, as we
were most desirous to gain all the informa-
tion we could as early as possible, and Mr.
Stuart assured us that the addition of three
persons would not be materially felt in their
large family at Chipewyan, we determined
on proceeding thither, and fixed on the 22d
for our departure.

Pierre au Calumet receives its name from
the place where the stone is procured, of
which many of the pipes used by the Cana-
dians and Indians are made. It is aclayey
limestone, impregnated with various shells.
The house, which is built on the summit of
a steep bank, rising almost perpendicular to

OF THE POLAR SEA. 15

the height of one hundred and eighty feet,
commands an extensive prospect along this
fine river, and over the plains which stretch
out several miles at the back of it, bounded
by hills of considerable height, and appa-
rently better furnished with wood than the
neighbourhood of the fort, where the trees
grow very scantily. There had been an
establishment belonging to the Hudson’s
Bay Company on the opposite bank of the
river, but it was abandoned in December
last, the residents not being able to procure
provision, from their hunters having been
disabled by the epidemic sickness, which
has carried off one-third of the Indians in
these parts. They belong to the Northern
Crees, a name given them from their re-
siding in the Athabasca department. There
are now but few families of these men, who,
formerly, by their numbers and predatory
habits, spread terror among the natives of
this part of the country.

There are springs of bituminous matter
on several of the islands near these houses ;
and the stones on the river-bank are much

16 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

impregnated with this useful substance. |
There is also another place remarkable for
the production of a sulphureous salt, which
' is deposited on the surface of a round-
backed hill about half a mile from the
beach, and on the marshy ground under-
neath it. We visited these places at a sub-
sequent period of the journey, and de-
scriptions of them will appear in Dr. Ri-
chardson’s Mineralogical Notices. |
The latitude of the North-West Com-
pany’s House is 57° 24 06" N., but this
was the only observation we could obtain, the
atmosphere being cloudy. Mr. Stuart had
an excellent thermometer, which indicated
the lowest state of temperature to be 43°
below zero. He told me 45° was the
lowest temperature he had ever witnessed
at the Athabasca or Great Slave Lake, after
many years’ residence. On the 21st it rose
above zero, and at noon attained the height
of 43°; the atmosphere was sultry, snow
fell constantly, and there was quite an ap-
pearance of a change in the season. On
the 22d we parted from our hospitable

JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

OF

THE POLAR SEA.

CHAPEERR ‘1.

(CONTINUED. )

Departure from Isle & la Crosse-—Arrival at Fort
Chipewyan.

Own the 13th March, 1820, we renewed our
journey and parted from Mr. Clark, to whom
we were much obliged for his hospitality and
kindness. We soon reached the Methye
Portage, and had a very pleasant ride across
it in our carioles. The track was good and
led through groups of pines, so happily
placed that it would not have required a
great stretch of imagination to fancy our-
VOL. II. B

2 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

selves ina well-arranged park. We had now
to cross a small lake, and then gradually
ascended hills beyond it, until we arrived
at the summit of a lofty chain of moun-
tains commanding the most picturesque and
romantic prospect we had yet seen in this
country. ‘Two ranges of high hills run
parallel to each other for several miles, until
the faint blue haze hides their particular
characters, when they slightly change their
course, and are lost to the view. The space
between them is occupied by nearly a level
plain, through which a river pursues a
meandering course, and receives supplies
from the creeks and rills issuing from the
mountains on each side. ‘The prospect was
delightful even amid the snow, and though
marked with all the cheerless characters of
winter; how much more charming must it
be when the trees are in leaf, and the ground
is arrayed in summer verdure! Some faint
idea of the difference was conveyed to my
mind by witnessing the effect of the de-
parting rays of a brilliant sun. The dis-
tant prospect, however, is surpassed in

OF THE POLAR SEA. 3

grandeur by the wild scenery which ap-
peared immediately below our feet. There
the eye penetrates into vast ravines two or
three hundred feet in depth, that are clothed
with trees, and lie on either side of the
narrow pathway descending to the river over
eight successive ridges of hills. At one
spot, termed the Cockscomb, the traveller
stands insulated as it were on a small slip,
where a false step might precipitate him into
the glen. From this place Mr. Back took
an interesting and accurate sketch, to allow
time for which we encamped early, having
come twenty-one miles.

The Methye Portage is about twelve
miles in extent, and over this space the
canoes and all their cargoes are carried,
both in going to and from the Athabasca
department. It is part of the range of
mountains which separates the waters flow-
ing south from those flowing north. Ac-
cording to Sir Alexander Mackenzie, “ this
range of hills continues in a S.W. direction
until its local height is lost between the
Saskatchawan and Elk Rivers, close on the

B2

4. JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

banks of the former, in latitude 53° 36’ N.,
longitude 113° 45° W., when it appears to
take its course due north.” Observations,
taken in the sprnmg by Mr. Hood place
the north side of the portage in latitude 56°
41° 40" N., longitude 109° 52’ 15" W.; vari-
ation, 25° 2: 30°. scdips 6ae age

At daylight on the 14th we began to
descend the range of hills leadmg towards
the river, and no small care was required
to prevent the sledges from beige broken
in going down these almost perpendicular
heights, or being precipitated mto the glens
on each side. As a precautionary measure
the dogs were taken off, and the sledges
guided by the men, notwithstanding which
they descended with amazing rapidity, and
the men were thrown into the most ridicu-
lous attitudes in endeavouring to stop them.
When we had arrived at the bottom I could
not. but feel astonished at the laborious task
which the voyagers have twice in the year
to encounter at this place, in conveying
their stores backwards and forwards. We
went across the Clear Water River, which

OF THE POLAR SEA. 5

runs at the bases of these hills, and followed
an Indian track along its northern bank, by
which we avoided the White Mud and
Good Portages. We afterwards followed
the river as far as the Pine Portage, when
we passed through a very romantic defile of
rocks, which presented the appearance of
Gothic ruins, and their rude characters
were happily contrasted with the softness
of the snow, and the darker foliage of the
pines which crowned their summits. We
next crossed the Cascade Portage, which is
the last on the way to the Athabasca Lake,
and soon afterwards came to some Indian
tents, containing five families, belonging to
the Chipewyan tribe. We ‘smoked the
calumet in the chief’s tent, whose name
was the Thumb, and distributed some
tobacco and a weak mixture of spirits and
water among the men. ‘They received this
civility with much less grace than the
Crees, and seemed to consider it a matter
of course. There was an utter neglect of
cleanliness, and a total want of comfort in
their tents; and the poor creatures were

6 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

miserably clothed. Mr. Frazer, who ac-
companied us from the Methye Lake,
accounted for their being in this forlorn
condition by explaining, that this band of
Indians had recently destroyed everything
they possessed, as a token of their great
grief for the loss of their relatives in the
prevailing sickness. It appears that no
article is spared by these unhappy men
when a near relative dies; their clothes
and tents are cut to pieces, their guns
broken, and every other weapon rendered
useless, if some person do not remove
these articles from their sight, which is
seldom done. Mr. Back sketched one of
the children, which delighted the father very
much, who charged the boy to be very
good, since his picture had been drawn by
a great chief. We learned that they prize
pictures very highly, and esteem any they
can get, however badly executed, as efficient
charms. ‘They were unable to give us any
information respecting the country beyond
the Athabasca Lake, which is the boundary
of their peregrinations to the northward.

OF THE PCLAR SEA. 7

Having been apprized of our coming, they
had prepared an encampment for us; but
we had witnessed too many proofs of their
importunity to expect that we could pass
the night near them in any comfort, whilst
either spirits, tobacco, or sugar remained in
our possession ; and therefore preferred to
go about two miles further along the river,
and to encamp among a cluster of fine pine
trees, after a journey of sixteen miles.

~ On the morning of the 15th, in proceed-
ing along the river, we perceived a strong
smell of sulphur, and on the north shore
found a quantity of it scattered, which
seemed to have been deposited by some
spring in the neighbourhood; it appeared
very pure and good. We continued our
course the whole day along the river, which
is about four hundred yards wide, has some
islands, and is confined between low land,
extending from the bases of the mountains
on each side. We put up at the end of
thirteen miles, and were then joined by
a Chipewyan, who came, as we supposed,
to serve as our guide to Pierre au Calumet,

8 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

but as none of the party could communicate
with our new friend otherwise than by
signs, we waited patiently until the morn-
ing to see what he intended todo. ‘The
wind blew a gale during the night, and the
snow fell heavily. ‘The next day our guide
led us to the Pembina River, which comes
from the southward, where we found traces
of Indians, who appeared to have quitted
this station the day before; we had, there-
fore, the benefit of a good track, which our
dogs much required, as they were greatly
fatigued, having dragged their loads through
very deep snow for the last two days. A
moose-deer crossed the river just before
the party; this animal is plentiful m the
vicinity. We encamped in a pleasant well-
sheltered place, having travelled fourteen
miles.

A short distance on the following morn-
ing brought us to some Indian lodges,
which belonged to an old Chipewyan chief,
named the Sun, and his family, consisting
of five hunters, their wives and children,
They were delighted to see us, and when

OF THE POLAR SEA. 17

friend, and recommenced our journey, but
under the expectation of seeing him again
in May; at which time the partners of the
- Company usually assemble at Fort Chipew-
yan, where we hoped the necessary ar-
rangements for our future proceedings
would be completed. We encamped at
sunset at the end of fourteen miles, having
walked the whole way along the river,
which preserves nearly a true north course,
and is from four hundred to six hundred
yards broad. The banks are high, and
well clothed with the hard, spruce, fir,
alder, birch-tree, and willows. Having
come nineteen miles and a half, on the 23d,
we encamped among pines of a great height
and girth.

Showers of snow fell until noon on the
following day, but we continued our journey
along the river, whose banks and islands
became gradually lower as we advanced,
and less abundantly supplied with wood,
except willows. We passed an old Cana-
dian, who was resting his wearied dogs
during the heat of the sun. He was carry-

VOL. I. ¢

18 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

ing meat from some Indian lodges to Fort
Chipewyan, having a burden exceeding two
hundred and fifty pounds on his sledge,
which was dragged by two miserable dogs.
He came up to our encampment after dark.
We were much amused by the altercation
that took place between him and our Cana-
dian companions as to the qualifications of
their respective dogs. This, however, is
~ such a general topic of conversation among
the voyagers in the encampment, that we
should not probably have remarked it, had
not the old man frequently offered to bet
the whole of his wages that his two dogs,
poor and lean as they were, would drag
their load to the Athabasca Lake in less
time than any three of theirs. Having ex-
pressed our surprise at his apparent teme-
rity, he coolly said that the men from the
lower countries did not understand the ma-
nagement of their dogs, and that he de-
pended on his superior skill in driving;
and we soon gathered from his remarks,
that the voyagers of the Athabasca depart-
ment consider themselves very superior to

OF THE POLAR SEA. 19

any other. ‘The only reasons which he
could assign were, that they had borne their
burdens across the terrible Methye Portage,
and that they were accustomed to live
harder and more precariously.

March 25.—Having now the guidance of
the old Canadian, we sent forward the In-
dian and one of our men, with letters to
the gentlemen of the Athabasca Lake. ‘The
rest of the party set off afterwards, and
kept along the river until ten, when we
branched off by portages into the Embarras
River, the usual channel of communication
in canoes with the lake. It is a narrow and
serpentine stream, confined between alluvial
banks which support pines, poplars, and
willows. We had not advanced far before
we overtook the two men despatched by us
this morning. ‘The stormy weather had
compelled them to encamp, as there was too
much drifting of the snow for any attempt
to cross the lake. We were obliged, though
most reluctantly, to follow their example ;
bit comforted ourselves with the reflection
that this was the first time we had been

= C2
#

t @

90 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

stopped by the weather during our long
journey, which was so near at anend. The
gale afterwards increased, the squalls at
night became very violent, disburdened the
trees of the snow, and gave us the benefit
of a continual fall of patches from them, in
addition to the constant shower. We there-
fore quickly finished our suppers, and re-
tired under the shelter of our blankets.
March 26.—The boisterous weather con-
tinued through the night, and it was not
before six this morning that the wind be-
came apparently moderate, and the snow
ceased. Two of the Canadians were im-
mediately sent off with letters to the gentle-
men at Fort Chipewyan. After breakfast
we also started, but our Indian friend,
having a great indisposition to move in
such weather, remained by the fire. We
soon quitted the river, and after crossing a
portage, a small lake, and a point of land,
came to the borders of the Mamma-wee
Lake. We then found our error as to the
strength of the wind ; and that the gale still
blew violently, and there was so much drift-

OF THE POLAR SEA. 21

ing of the snow as to cover the distant ob-
jects by which our course could be directed.
We fortunately got a glimpse through this
cloud of a cluster of islands in the direction
of the houses, and decided on walking
towards them; but in doing this we suffered
very much from the cold, and were obliged
to halt under the shelter of them, and await
the arrival of our Indian guide. He con-
ducted us between these islands, over a
small lake, and by a swampy river, into the
Athabasca Lake, from whence the establish-
ments were visible. At four P.M. we had
the pleasure of arriving at Fort Chipewyan,
and of being received by Messrs. Keith
and Black, the partners of the North-West
Company in charge, in the most kind and
hospitable manner. Thus terminated a
winter’s journey of eight hundred and fifty-
seven miles, in the progress of which there
was a great intermixture of agreeable and dis-
agreeable circumstances. Could the amount
of each be balanced, I suspect the latter
would much preponderate; and amongst
these the initiation into walking in snow-

a2 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

shoes. must be considered as prominent.
The suffering it occasions can be but faintly
imagined by a person who thinks upon the
inconvenience of marching with a weight of
between two and three pounds constantly
attached to galled feet, and swelled ankles.
Perseverance and practice only will enable
the novice to surmount this pain.

The next evil is the being constantly ex-
posed to witness the wanton and unneces-
sary cruelty of the men to their dogs, espe-
cially those of the Canadians, who beat
them unmercifully, and habitually vent on
them the most dreadful and disgusting 1m-
precations. There are other inconveni-
ences, which, though keenly felt during the
day’s journey, are speedily forgotten when,
stretched out in the encampment before a
large fire, you enjoy the social mirth of
your companions, who usually pass the
evening in recounting their former feats in
travelling. At this time the Canadians are
always cheerful and merry, and the only
bar to their comfort arises from the fre-
quent interruption occasioned by the dogs,

OF THE POLAR SEA. 23

who are constantly prowling about the
circle, and snatching at every kind of food
that happens to be within their reach.
These useful animals are a comfort to them
afterwards, by the warmth they impart,
when lying down by their side or feet, as
they usually do. But the greatest gratifi-
cations a traveller in these regions enjoys,
are derived from the hospitable welcome he
recelves at every trading post, however
poor the means of the host may be; and
from being disrobed even for a short time
of the trappings of a voyager, and experi-
encing the pleasures of cleanliness.

The following are the estimated distances,
in statute miles, which Mr. Back and I had
travelled since our departure from Cumber-

land :

From Cumberland House to Carlton House 263

From Carlton to Isle 4 la Crosse... . 230.
From Isle a la Crosse to north side of the
Methye Pomage sis Gi. es. - 124

From the Methye Portage to Fort Chipew-
YAN vee eee vr eevee sevens 240

857 miles.

9A, JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

CHAPTER V.

Transactions at Fort Chipewyan — Arrival of Dr.
Richardson and Mr. Hood — Preparations for our
Journey to the Northward.

Ow the 27th March, the day after our ar-
rival at Fort Chipewyan, we called upon
Mr. Mac Donald, the gentleman in charge
of the Hudson’s Bay Establishment called.
Fort Wedderburne, and delivered to him
Governor Williams’s circular Letter, which
desired that every assistance should be
given to further our progress, and a state-
ment of the requisitions which we should.
have to make on his post.

Our first object was to obtain some cer-
tain information respecting our future route ;
and accordingly we received from one of
the North-West Company’s interpreters,
named Beaulieu, a half-breed, who had been
brought up amongst the Dog-ribbed and

OF THE POLAR SEA. 95

Copper Indians, some satisfactory informa-
tion, which we afterwards found tolerably
correct, respecting the mode of reaching the
Copper-mine River, which he had descended
a considerable way, as well as of the course
of that river to its mouth. The Copper
Indians, however, he said, would be able
to give us more accurate information as to
the latter part of its course, as they occa-
sionally pursue it to the sea. He sketched
on the floor a representation of the river,
and a line of coast according to his idea of
it. Just as he had finished, an old Chipew-
yan Indian, named Black Meat, unexpect-
edly came in, and instantly recognised the
plan. He then took the charcoal from
Beaulieu, and inserted a track along the
sea-coast, which he had followed in return-
ing from a war excursion, made by his tribe
against the Esquimaux. He detailed seve-
ral particulars of the coast and the sea,
which he represented as studded with well-
wooded islands, and free from ice, close to
the shore, in the month of July, but not to
a great distance. He described two other

96 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

rivers to the eastward of the Copper-mine
River, which also fall mto the Northern
Ocean. The Anatessy, which issues from
the Contway-to or Rum Lake, and the
Thloueea-tessy or Fish River, which rises
near the eastern boundary of the Great
Slave Lake; but he represented both of
them as being shallow, and too much inter-
rupted by barriers for being navigated in
any other than small Indian canoes.

Having received this satisfactory intelli-
gence, | wrote immediately to Mr. Smith,
of the North-West Company, and Mr.
M‘Vicar, of the Hudson’s Bay Company,
the gentlemen in charge of the posts at the
Great Slave Lake, to communicate the ob-
ject of the expedition, and our proposed
route; and to solicit any information they’
possessed, or could collect from the Indians,
relative to the countries we had to pass
through, and the best manner of proceed-
ing. As the Copper Indians frequent the
establishment on the north side of the lake,
I particularly requested them to explain to —
that tribe the object of our visit, and to en-

OF THE POLAR SEA. a4

deavour to procure from them some guides
and hunters to accompany our party. Two
Canadians were sent by Mr. celle with
these letters.

The month of April commenced with
fine and clear, but extremely cold weather;
unfortunately we were still without a ther-
mometer, and could not ascertain the de-
grees of temperature. ‘The coruscations of
the Aurora were very brilliant almost every
evening of the first week, and were gene-
rally of the most variable kind. On the 3d,
they were particularly changeable. The
first appearance exhibited three illuminated
beams issuing from the horizon, in the
north, east, and west points, and directed
towards the zenith; in a few seconds these
disappeared, and a complete circle was dis-
played, bounding the horizon at an eleva-
tion of fifteen degrees. There was a quick
lateral motion in the attenuated beams of
which this zone was composed. Its colour
was a pale yellow, with an occasional tinge
of red.

On the 8th of April the Indians saw some

98 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

geese in the vicinity of this lake, but none
of the migratory birds appeared near the
houses before the 15th, when some swans
flew over. ‘These are generally the first
that arrive; the weather had been very
stormy for the four preceding days, and this
in all probability kept the birds from ven-
turing farther north than where the Indians
had first seen them.

In the middle of the month the snow
began to waste daily, and by degrees it dis-
appeared from the hills and the surface of
the lake. On the 17th and 19th the Au-
rora appeared very brilliant in patches of
light, bearing N. W. An old Cree Indian
having found a beaver-lodge near to the
fort, Mr. Keith, Back, and I, accompanied
him to see the method of breaking into it,
and their mode of taking those interesting
animals. ‘The lodge was constructed on
the side of a rock in a small lake, having
the entrance into it beneath the ice. The
frames were formed of layers of sticks, the
interstices being filled with mud, and the
outside was plastered with earth and stones,

OF THE POLAR SEA. 29

which the frost had so completely consoli-
dated, that to break through required great
labour, with the aid of the ice chisel, and
the other iron instruments which the beaver
hunters use. The chase, however, was
unsuccessful, as the beaver had previously
vacated the lodge.

On the 21st we observed the first geese

that flew near the fort, and some were
brought to the house on the 30th, but they
were very lean. On the 25th flies were
seen sporting in the sun, and on the 26th
the Athabasca River, having broken up,
overflowed the lake along its channel; but
except where this water spread, there was
no appearance of decay in the ice.

May —During the first part of this month,
the wind blew from the N.W., and the sky
was cloudy. It generally thawed during
the day, but froze at night. On the 2d the
Aurora faintly gleamed through very dense
clouds.

We had a long conversation with Mr.
Dease of the North-West Company, who
had recently arrived from his station at the

50 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

bottom of the Athabasca Lake. This gen-
tleman, having passed several winters on the
Mackenzie’s River, and at the posts to the
northward of Slave Lake, possessed consi-
derable information respecting the Indians,
and those parts of the country to which our
inquiries were directed, which he very
promptly and kindly communicated. During
our conversation, an old Chipewyan Indian,
named the Rabbit’s Head, entered the room,
to whom Mr. Dease referred for informa-
tion on some point. We found from his
answer that he was a step-son of the late
chief Matonnabee, who had accompanied
Mr. Hearne on his journey to the sea, and
that he had himself been of the party, but
being then a mere boy, he had forgotten.
many of the circumstances. He confirmed,
however, the leading incidents related by
Hearne, and was positive he reached the
sea, though he admitted that none of the
party had tasted the water. He represented
himself to be the only survivor of that
party. As he was esteemed a good Indian,
I presented him with a medal, which he

OF THE POLAR SEA. 3]

received gratefully, and concluded a long
speech upon the occasion, by assuring me
he should preserve it carefully all his life.
The old man afterwards became more com-
municative, and unsolicited began to relate
the tradition of his tribe, respecting the
discovery of the Copper Mine, which we
thought amusing: and as the subject is
somewhat connected with our future re-
searches, I will insert the translation of it
which was given at the time by Mr. Dease,
though a slight mention of it has been made

by Hearne.

« The Chipewyans suppose the Esqui-
maux originally inhabited some land to the
northward which is separated by the sea
from this country; and that in the earliest
ages of the world a party of these men
came over and stole a woman from their
tribe, whom they carried to this distant
country and kept ina state of slavery. She
was very unhappy in her situation, and
effected her escape after many years resi-
dence among them. The forlorn creature

32 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

wandered about for some days in a state of
uncertainty what direction to take, when
she chanced to fall upon a beaten path,
which she followed and was led to the sea.
At the sight of the ocean her hope of
being able to return to her native country
vanished, and she sat herself down in de-
spair and wept. A wolf now advanced to
caress her, and having licked the tears from
her eyes, walked into the water, and she
perceived with joy that it did not reach up
to the body of the animal; emboldened by
this appearance, she instantly arose, pro-
vided two sticks to support herself, and
determined on following the wolf. The
first and second nights she proceeded on,
without finding any increase in the depth of
the water, and when fatigued rested herself .
on the sticks, whose upper ends she fastened
together for the purpose. She was alarmed
on the third morning by arriving at a deeper
part, but resolved on going forward at any
risk, rather than return; and her daring
perseverance was crowned with success, by
her attaming her native shore on the fifth

OF THE POLAR SEA. 83

day. She fortunately came to a part where
there was a beaten path, which she knew to
be the track made by the rein-deer in their
migrations. Here she halted and prepared
some sort of weapon for killmg them; as
soon as this was completed, she had the
gratification to behold several herds advan-
cing along the road, and had the happiness
of killing a sufficient number for her winter’s
subsistence, which she determined to pass
at that place, and therefore formed a house
for herself, after the manner she had learned
from the Esquimaux. When spring came,
and she emerged from her subterraneous
dwelling, (for such the Chipewyans suppose
it to have been,) she was astonished by ob-
serving a glittering appearance on a distant
hill, which she knew was not produced by
the reflection of the sun, and being at a
loss to assign any other cause for it she re-
solved on going up to the shining object,
and then found the hill was entirely com-
posed of copper. She broke off several
pieces, and finding it yielded so readily to
her beating, it occurred to her that this
VOL. Il. D

34 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

metal would be very serviceable to her
countrymen, if she could find them again.
While she was meditating on what was to
be done, the thought struck her that it would
be advisable to attach as many pieces of
copper to her dress as she could, and then
proceed into the interior, in search of some
inhabitants, who, she supposed, would give
her a favourable reception, on account of
the treasure she had brought.

‘It happened that she met her own rela-
tions, and the young men, elated with the
account she had given of the hill, made her
instantly return with them: which she was
enabled to do, havmg taken the precaution
of putting up marks to indicate the path.
The party reached the spot in safety, but
the story had a melancholy catastrophe.
These youths, overcome by excess of joy,
‘gave loose to their passions, and offered the
grossest insults to their benefactress. She
powerfully resisted them for some time, and
when her strength was failing, fled to the
point of the mountain, as the only place of
security. [he moment she had gained the

OF THE POLAR SEA. 35

summit, the earth opened and ingulphed
both herself and the mountain, to the utter
dismay of the men, who were not more
astonished at its sudden disappearance, than
sorrowful for this just punishment of their
wickedness. Ever since this event, the
copper has only been found in small de-
tached pieces on the surface of the earth.”

On the 10th of May we were gratified
by the appearance of spring, though the ice
remained firm on the lake. The anemone
(pulsatilla, pasque flower,) appeared this
day in flower, the trees began to put forth
their leaves, and the musquitoes visited the
warm rooms. On the 17th and 18th there
were frequent showers of rain, and much
thunder and lightning. This moist weather
caused the ice to waste so rapidly, that by
the 24th it had entirely disappeared from
the lake. The gentlemen belonging to

both the Companies quickly arrived from

the different posts in this department,

brmging their winter’s collection of furs,
D2

36 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

which are forwarded from these establish-
ments to the depdts.

I immediately waited on Mr. Colin
Robertson, the agent of the Hudson’s Com-
pany, and communicated to him, as I had
done before to the several partners of the
North-West Company, our plan, and the
requisitions we should have to make on
each Company, and I requested of all the
gentlemen the favour of their advice and
suggestions. As I perceived that the
arrangement of their winter accounts, and
other business, fully occupied them, I for-
bore further pressing the subject of our
concerns for some days, until there was an
appearance of despatching the first brigade
of canoes. It then became necessary to
urge their attention to them; but it was
evident, from the determined commercial
opposition, and the total want of intercourse
between the two Companies, that we could
not expect to receive any cordial advice, or
the assurance of the aid of both, without
devising some expedient to bring the par-

OF THE POLAR SEA. 37

ties together. I therefore caused a tent to
be pitched at a distance from both esta-
blishments, and solicited the gentlemen of
both Companies to meet Mr. Back and
myself there, for the purpose of affording
us their combined assistance.

With this request they immediately com-
plied; and on May 25th we were joined at
the tent by Mr. Stuart and Mr. Grant, of
the North-West Company, and Mr. Colin
Robertson, of the Hudson’s Bay Company,
all of whom kindly gave very satisfactory
answers to a series of questions which we
had drawn up for the occasion, and promised
all the aid in their power.

Furnished with the information thus ob-
tained, we proceeded to make some arrange-
ments respecting the obtaining of men, and
the stores we should require for their
equipment, as well as for presents to the
Indians; and on the following day a requi-
sition was made on the Companies for eight
men each, and whatever useful stores they
could supply. We learned with regret,
that, in consequence of the recent lavish

38 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

expenditure of their goods in support of the
opposition, their supply to us would, of
necessity, be very limited. The men, too,
were backward in offering their services,
especially those of the Hudson’s Bay Com-
pany, who demanded a much higher rate of
wages than I considered it proper to grant.

June 3.—Mr. Smith, a partner of the
North-West Company, arrived from the
Great Slave Lake, bearing the welcome
news that the principal Chief of the Copper
Indians had received the communication of
our arrival with joy, and given all the intel-
ligence he possessed respecting the route to
the sea-coast by the Copper-Mine River;
and that he and a party of his men, at the
instance of Mr. Wentzel, a clerk of the
North-West Company, whom they wished
might go along with them, had engaged to
accompany the expedition as guides and

hunters. They were to wait our arrival at

Fort Providence, on the north side of the
Slave Lake. Their information coincided
with that given by Beaulieu. They had no
doubt of our being able to obtain the means

OF THE POLAR SEA. 39

of subsistence in travelling to the. coast.
This agreeable intelligence had a happy
effect upon the Canadian voyagers, many
of their fears being removed: several of
them seemed now disposed to volunteer ;
and indeed, on the same evening, two men
from the North-West Company offered
themselves and were accepted.

June 5.—This day Mr. Back and I went
over. to Fort Wedderburne, to see Mr.
Robertson respecting his quota of men.
We learned from him that, notwithstanding
his endeavours to persuade them, his most
experienced voyagers still declined engaging
without very exorbitant wages. After
some hesitation, however, six men engaged
with us, who were represented to be active
and steady; and I also got Mr. Robertson’s
permission for St. Germain, an interpreter
belonging to this Company, to accompany
us from Slave Lake if he should choose.
The bow-men and steers-men were to re-
ceive one thousand six hundred livres
Halifax per annum, and the middle men
one thousand two hundred, exclusive of

4.0 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES |

their necessary equipments; and they sti-
pulated that their wages should be con-
tinued until their arrival in Montreal, or
their rejoining the service of their present
employers. ,

I delivered to Mr. Robertson an official
request, that the stores we had left at York
Factory and the Rock Depot, with some
other supplies, might be forwarded to Slave
Lake by the first brigade of canoes which
should come in. He also took charge of
my letters addressed to the Admiralty.
Five men were afterwards engaged from
the North-West Company for the same
wages, and under the same stipulations as
the others, besides an interpreter for the
Copper Indians; but this man required
three thousand livres Halifax currency,
which we were obliged to give him, as his
services were indispensable.

The extreme scarcity of provision at the
posts rendered it necessary to despatch all
our men to the Mammawee Lake, where
they might procure their own subsistence
by fishing. The women and children

OF THE POLAR SEA. 4]

_ resident at the fort were also sent away for
the same purpose; and no other families
were permitted to remain at the houses
after the departure of the canoes, than those
belonging to the men who were required to
carry on the daily duty.

The large party of officers and men,
which had assembled here from the different
posts in the department, was again quickly
dispersed. The first brigade of canoes,
laden with furs, was despatched to the
depot on May 30th, and the others fol-
lowed in two or three days afterwards.
Mr. Stuart, the senior partner of the North-
West Company, quitted us for the same
destination on June 4th; Mr. Robertson for
his depdt on the next day, and on the 9th
we parted with our friend Mr. Keith, to
whose unremitting kindness we felt much
indebted. I intrusted to his care a box
containing some drawings by Mr. Back,
the map of our route from Cumberland
House, and the skin of a black beaver,
(presented to the expedition by Mr. Smith, )
with my official letters, addressed to the

42 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

Under Secretary of State. I wrote by each
of these gentlemen to inform Dr. Richard-
son and Mr. Hood of the scarcity of stores
at these posts, and to request them to pro-
cure all they possibly could on their route.
* Mr. Smith was left in charge of this post
during the summer; this gentleman soon
evinced his desire to further our progress by
directing a new canoe to be built for our
use, which was commenced immediately.
June 21.— This day an opportunity
offered of sending letters to the Great
Slave Lake; and I profited by it, to request
Mr. Wentzel would accompany the expedi-
tion agreeably to the desire of the Copper
Indians, communicating to him that I had
received permission for him to do so from
the partners of the North-West Company.
Should he be disposed to comply with my
invitation, I desired that he would go over
to Fort Providence, and remain near the
Indians whom he had engaged for our ser-
vice. I feared lest they should become
impatient at our unexpected delay, and,
with the usual fickleness of the Indian cha-

OF THE POLAR SEA. 43

racter, remove from the establishment be-
fore we could arrive. It had been my
intention to go to them myself, could the
articles, with which they expected to be
presented on my arrival, have been pro-
vided at these establishments; but as they
could not be procured, I was compelled to
defer my visit until our canoes should arrive.
Mr. Smith supposed that my appearance
amongst them, without the means of satis-
fying any of their desires, would give them
an unfavourable impression respecting the
expedition, which would make them indif-
ferent to exertion, if it did not even cause
them to withdraw from their engagements.

The establishments at this place, Forts
Chipewyan and Wedderburne, the chief
posts of the Companies in this department,
are conveniently situated for communicating
with the Slave and Peace Rivers, from
whence the canoes assemble in the spring
and autumn; on the first occasion they
bring the collection of furs which has been
made at the different out-posts during the
winter ; and at the latter season they receive

A, 4, JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

a supply of stores for the equipment of the
Indians in their vicinity. Fort Wedder-
burne 1s a small house, which was con-
structed on Coal Island about five years
ago, when the Hudson’s Bay Company
recommenced trading in this part of the
country. Fort Chipewyan has been built
many years, and is an establishment of very
considerable extent, conspicuously situated
on a rocky point of the northern shore ; it
has a tower, which can be seen at a consi-
derable distance. This addition was made
about eight years ago to watch the motions
of the Indians, who intended, as it was then
reported, to destroy the house and all its
inhabitants. They had been instigated to
this rash design by the delusive stories of
one among them, who had acquired great
influence over his companions by his sup-
posed skill in necromancy. This fellow
had prophesied that there would soon be
a complete change in the face of their
country; that fertility and plenty would
succeed to the present sterility; and that
the present race of white inhabitants, unless

OF THE POLAR SEA. 4,5

they became subservient to the Indians,
would be removed, and their place be filled
by other traders, who would supply their
wants in every possible manner. ‘The poor
deluded wretches, imagining they would
hasten this happy change by destroying
their present traders, of whose submission
there was no prospect, threatened to extir-
pate them. None of these menaces, how-
ever, were put in execution. They were
probably deterred from the attempt by per-
ceiving that a most vigilant guard was kept
against them. |
The portion of this extensive lake which
is near the establishments, is called “* The
Lake of the Hills,” not improperly, as the
northern shore and the islands are high and
rocky. The south side, however, is quite
level, consisting of alluvial land, subject to
be flooded, lying betwixt the different
mouths of the Elk River, and much inter-
sected by water. ‘The rocks of the northern
shore are composed of sienite, over which
the soil is thinly spread; it is, however,
sufficient to support a variety of firs and

46 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

poplars, and many shrubs, lichens, and
mosses. ‘The trees were now in full foliage,
the plants generally in flower, and the
whole scene quite enlivening. ‘There can
scarcely be a higher gratification than that
which is enjoyed in this country in witness-
ing the rapid change which takes place in
the course of a few days in the spring;
scarcely does the snow disappear from the
ground, before the trees are clothed with
thick foliage, the shrubs open their leaves,
and put forth their variegated flowers, and
the whole prospect becomes animating.
The spaces between the rocky hills, being
for the most part swampy, support willows
and a few poplars. These spots are the
favourite resort of the musquitoes, which
incessantly torment the unfortunate persons
who have to pass through them.

- Some of the hills attain an elevation of
five or six hundred feet, at the distance of
a mile from the house; and from their
summits a very picturesque view is com-
manded of the lake, and of the surrounding
country. The land above the Great Point

OF THE POLAR SEA. 47

at the confluence of the main stream of the
Elk River is six or seven hundred feet
high, and stretches in a southern direction
behind Pierre au Calumet. Opposite to
. that establishment, on the west side of the
river, at some distance in the interior, the
Bark Mountain rises and ranges to the
N.W., until it reaches Clear Lake, about
thirty miles to the southward of these forts,
and then goes to the south-westward. The
Cree Indians generally procure from this
range their provision, as well as the bark
for making their canoes. There is another
range of hills on the south shore, which
runs towards the Peace River.

The residents of these establishments
depend for subsistence almost entirely on
the fish which this lake affords; they are
usually caught in sufficient abundance
throughout the winter, though at the dis-
tance of eighteen miles from the houses ;
on the thawing of the ice, the fish remove
into some smaller lakes, and the rivers on
the south shore. Though they are nearer
to the forts than in winter, it frequently

4.8 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

happens that high winds prevent the canoes
from transporting them thither, and the
residents are kept in consequence without a
supply of food for two or three days toge-
ther. ‘The fish caught in the net are the
attihawmegh, trout, carp, methye and pike.
The traders also get supplied by the
hunters with buffalo and moose deer meat,
(which animals are found at some distance
from the forts,) but the greater part of it is
either in a dried state, or pounded ready
for making pemmican ; and 1s required for
the men whom they keep travelling during
the winter to collect the furs from the
Indians, and for the crews of the canoes on
their outward passage to the depéts in
spring. ‘There was a great want of pro-
vision this season, and both the Companies
had much difficulty to provide a bare suf-
ficiency for their different brigades of canoes.
Mr. Smith assured me that after the canoes
had been despatched he had only five hun-
dred pounds of meat remaining for the use
of the men who might travel from the post
during the summer, and that five years pre-

OF THE POLAR SEA. 4.9

ceding there had been thirty thousand
pounds in store under similar circumstances.
He ascribed this amazing difference more
‘to the indolent habits which the Indians had
acquired since the commercial struggle
commenced, than to their recent sickness,
mentioning, in confirmation of his opinion,
that they could now, by the produce of little
exertion, obtain whatever they demanded
from either establishment.

At the opening of the water in spring,
the Indians resort to the establishments to
settle their accounts with the traders, and
to procure the necessaries they require for
the summer. ‘This meeting is generally a
scene of much riot and confusion, as the
hunters receive such quantities of spirits as
to keep them in a state of intoxication for
several days. This spring, however, owing
to the great deficiency of spirits, we had the
gratification of seeing them generally sober.
They belong to the great family of the
Chipewyan, or Northern Indians; dialects
of their language being spoken in the Peace
and Mackenzie’s Rivers, and by the popu-

VOL. Il. E

50 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

lous tribes in New Caledonia, as ascertained
by Sir Alexander Mackenzie in his journey
to the Pacific. They style themselves
generally Dinneh men, or Indians, but each
tribe, or horde, adds some distinctive epithet
taken from the name of the river, or lake,
on which they hunt, or the district from
which they last migrated. Those who
come to Fort Chipewyan term themselves
Saw-eessaw-dinneh, (Indians from the rising
sun, or Eastern Indians,) their original
hunting grounds being between the Atha-
basca and Great Slave Lakes, and Churchill
River. This district, more particularly
termed the Chipewyan lands, or barren
country, 1s frequented by numerous herds
of rein-deer, which furnish easy subsistence
and clothing to the Indians; but the traders
endeavour to keep them in the parts to the
westward where the beavers resort. ‘There
are about one hundred and sixty hunters
who carry their furs to the Great Slave
Lake, forty to Hay River, and two hundred
and forty to Fort Chipewyan. <A few
Northern Indians also resort to the posts at

See

OF THE POLAR SEA. 51

the bottom of the Lake of the Hills, on Red
Deer Lake, and to Churchill. The distance,
however, of the latter post from their hunt-
ing grounds, and the sufferings to which
they are exposed in going thither from
want of food, have induced those, who were
formerly accustomed to visit it, to convey
their furs to some nearer station.

These people are so minutely described
by Hearne and Mackenzie, that little can
be added by a passing stranger, whose
observations were made during short inter-
views, and when they were at the forts,
where they lay aside many of their distin-
guishing characteristics, and strive to imitate
the manners of the voyagers and traders.

The Chipewyans are by no means pre-
possessing in appearance: they have broad
faces, projecting cheek-bones and wide
nostrils; but they have generally good
teeth, and fine eyes. When at the fort they
imitate the dress of the Canadians, except
that, instead of trowsers, they prefer the
Indian stockings, which only reach from the
thigh to the ancle, and in place of the

E2

o2 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

waistband they have a piece of cloth round
the middle which hangs down loosely before
and behind. ‘Their hunting dress consists —
of a leathern shirt and stockings, over which
a blanket is thrown, the head being covered
with a fur cap or band. ‘Their manner is |
reserved, and their habits are selfish ; they
beg with unceasing importunity for every
thing they see. I never saw men who .
either received or bestowed a gift with such
bad grace; they almost snatch the thing
from you in the one instance, and throw it
at you in the other. It could not be
expected that such men should display in
their tents the amiable hospitality which
prevails generally amongst the Indians of
this country. A stranger may go away
hungry from their lodges, unless he possess
sufficient impudence to thrust, uninvited,
his knife into the kettle, and help himself.
‘The owner, indeed, never deigns to take
any notice of such an act of rudeness,
except by a frown, it being beneath the
dignity of a hunter to make disturbance —
about a piece of meat.

OF THE POLAR SEA. 53

As some relief to the darker shades of
their character it should be stated that in-
stances of theft are extremely rare amongst
them. They profess strong affection for
their children, and some regard for their
relations, who are often numerous, as they
trace very far the ties of consanguinity. A
curious instance of the former was men-
tioned to us, and so well authenticated, that
I shall venture to give it in the words of
Dr. Richardson’s Journal.

« A young Chipewyan had _ separated
from the rest of his band for the purpose
of trenching beaver, when his wife, who
was his sole companion, and in her first
pregnancy, was seized with the pains of
labour. She died on the third day after
she had given birth toa boy. ‘The hus-
band was inconsolable, and vowed in his
anguish never to take another woman to
wife, but his grief was soon in some degree
absorbed in anxiety for the fate of his
infant son. ‘’o preserve its life he de-
scended to the office of nurse, so degrading
in the eyes of a Chipewyan, as partaking of

54 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

the duties of a woman. He swaddled it
in soft moss, fed it with broth made from
the flesh of the deer, and to still its cries
applied it to his breast, praying earnestly to
the great Master of Life, to assist his en-
deavours. The force of the powerful pas-
sion by which he was actuated produced
the same effect in his case, as it has done n
some others which are recorded: a flow of
milk actually took place from his breast.
He succeeded in rearing his child, taught
him to be a hunter, and when he attained
the age of manhood, chose him a wife from
the tribe. The old man kept his vow in
never taking a second wife himself, but he
delighted in tending his son’s children, and
when his daughter-in-law used to interfere,
saying, that it was not the occupation of a
man, he was wont to reply, that he had
promised to the great Master of Life, if his
child were spared, never to be proud, like
the other Indians. He used to mention,
too, as a certain proof of the approbation of
Providence, that, although he was always
obliged to carry his child on his back while

OF THE POLAR SEA, . 55

hunting, yet that it never roused a moose by
its cries, being always particularly still at
those times. Our informant* added, that he
had often seen this Indian in his old age,
and that his left breast, even then, retained
the unusual size it had acquired in his oc-
cupation of nurse.”

We had proof of their sensibility towards
their relations, in their declining to pitch
_ their tents where they had been accustomed
for many years, alleging a fear of being re-
minded of the happy hours they had for-
merly spent there, in the society of the
affectionate relatives whom the sickness
had recently carried off. The change of
situation, however, had not the effect of
relieving them from sorrowful umpressions,
and they occasionally indulged in very loud
lamentations, as they sat in groups, within
and without their tents. Unfortunately,
the spreading of a severe dysentery amongst
them, at this time, gave occasion for the
renewal of their grief. The medicinal

* Mr. Wentzel.

56 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

charms of drumming and singing were
-plentifully applied, and once they had re-
course to conjuring over a sick person. I
was informed, however, that the Northern
Indians do not make this expedient for the
cure of a patient so often as the Crees; but
when they do, the conjuror is most assi-
duous, and suffers great personal fatigue.
Particular persons only are tramed in the -
mysteries of the art of conjuring, to procure.
the recovery of the sick, or to disclose
future events. : :

On extraordinary occasions the man re-
mains in his narrow conjuring tent, for
days, without eating, before he can deter-
mine the matter to his satisfaction. When
he is consulted about the sick, the patient
is shut up with him; but on other occa-
sions he is alone, and the poor creature
often works his mind up to a pitch of illu-
sion that can scarcely be imagined by one
who has not witnessed it. His deluded
companions seat themselves round his tent,
and await his communication with earnest
anxiety, yet during the progress of his

OF THE POLAR SEA. OF

manoeuvres, they often venture to question
him, as to the disposition of the Great Spirit.

These artful fellows usually gain com-
plete ascendancy over the minds of their
companions. ‘They are supported by volun-
tary contributions of provision, that their
‘minds may not be diverted, by the labour
of hunting, from the peculiar duties of their
profession.

The Chiefs among the Chipewyans are
now totally without power. ‘The presents
of a flag, and a gaudy dress, still bestowed
on them by the traders, do not procure for
them any respect or obedience, except from
the youths of their own families. This is —
to be attributed mainly to their living at
peace with their neighbours, and to the
facility which the young men find in getting
their wants supplied independent of the
recommendation of the chiefs, which was
formerly required. In war excursions,
boldness and intrepidity would still com-
mand respect and procure authority; but
the influence thus acquired would, pro-
bably, cease with the occasion that called it

al

58 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

forth. The traders, however, endeavour
to support their authority by continuing
towards them the accustomed marks of re-
spect, hoisting the flag and firing a salute of
musketry on their entering the fort.

The chief halts at a distance from the
house, and despatches one of his young
men to announce his approach, and to bring
his flag, which is carried before him when
he arrives. ‘The messenger carries back to
him some vermilion to ornament the faces
of his party, together with a looking-glass
and comb, some tobacco, and a few rounds
of ammunition, that they may return the
salute. ‘These men paint round the eyes,
the forehead, and the cheek-bones.

The Northern Indians evince no little
vanity, by assuming to themselves the com-
prehensive title of “ The People,” whilst
they designate all other nations by the name
of their particular country. If men were
seen at a distance, and a Chipewyan was
asked who those persons were, he would
answer, I'he People, if he recognised them
to belong to his tribe, and never Chipew-

OF THE POLAR SEA. 59

yans; but he would give them their re-
spective names, if they were Europeans,
Canadians, or Cree Indians.

As they suppose their ancestors to come
originally from the east, those who happen
to be born in the eastern part of their terri-
tory, are considered to be of the purest
race. I have been informed, that all the
Indians who trade at the different posts in
the north-west parts of America, imagine
that their forefathers came from the east,
except the Dog-ribs, who reside between the
Copper Indian Islands and the Mackenzie’s
River, and who deduce their origin from
the west, which is the more remarkable, as
they speak a dialect of the Chipewyan lan-
guage. I could gather no information re-
specting their religious opinions, except
that they have a tradition of the deluge.

The Chipewyans are considered to be
less expert hunters than the Crees, which
probably arises from their residing much
on the barren lands, where the rein-deer
are so numerous that little skill is requisite.
A good hunter, however, is highly esteemed

60 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

among them. ‘The facility of procuring
goods, since the commercial opposition
commenced, has given great encouragement
to their native indolence of disposition, as
is manifested by the difference in the amount
of their collections of furs and provision
between the late and former years. From
six to eight hundred packs of furs used
formerly to be sent from this department,
now the return seldom exceeds half that
amount. The decrease in the provision has
been already mentioned.

The Northern Indians suppose that they
originally sprang from a dog; and about
five years ago, a superstitious fanatic so
strongly pressed upon their minds the im-_
propriety of employing these animals, to
which they were related, for purposes of
labour, that they universally resolved against
using them any more, and, strange as it
may seem, destroyed them. They have now
to drag every thing themselves on sledges.
This laborious task falls most heavily on
the women; nothing can more shock the
feelings of a person accustomed to civilized

OF THE POLAR SEA. 61

life, than to witness the state of their de-
gradation. When a party is on a march
the women have to drag the tent, the meat,
-and whatever the hunter possesses, whilst
he only carries his gun and medicine case.
In the evening they form the encampment,
cut wood, fetch water, and prepare the
supper; and then, perhaps, are not per-
mitted to partake of the fare until the men
have finished. A successful hunter some-
times has two or three wives; whoever
happens to be the favourite assumes autho-_
rity over the others, and has the manage-
ment of the tent. ‘These men usually treat
their wives unkindly, and even with harsh-
ness; except, mdeed, when they are about
to increase the family, and then they show
them much indulgence.

Hearne charges the Chipewyans, with
the dreadful practice of abandoning, in ex-
tremity, their aged and sick people. ‘The
only instance that came under our personal
notice was attended with some palliating
circumstances :—An old woman arrived at
Fort Chipewyan, during our residence, with

62 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

her son, a little boy, about ten years old,
both of whom had been deserted by their
relations, and left in an encampment, when
much reduced by sickness: two or three
days after their departure the woman gained
a little strength, and with the assistance of
the boy, was enabled to paddle a canoe to
the fishing station of this post, where they
were supported for some days, until they
were enabled to proceed in search of some
other relations who, they expected, would
treat them with more kindness. I learned,
that the woman bore an extremely bad cha-
racter, having even been guilty of infanti-
cide, and that her companions considered
her offences merited the desertion.

This tribe, since its present intimate con-
nexion with the traders, has discontinued
its war excursions against the Esquimaux,
but they still speak of that nation in terms
of the most inveterate hatred. We have
only conversed with four men who have
been engaged in any of those expeditions ;
all these confirm the statements of Black-
meat respecting the sea-coast. Our obser-

OF THE POLAR SEA. 63

vations concerning the half-breed popula-
tion in this vicinity, coincided so exactly
with those which have been given of' simi-
lar persons in Dr. Richardson’s account of
the Crees, that any statement respecting
them at this place is unnecessary. Both
the Companies have wisely prohibited their
servants from intermarrying with pure In-
dian women, which was formerly the cause
of many quarrels with the tribes.

The weather was extremely variable
during the month of June; we scarcely
had two clear days in succession, and the
showers of rain were frequent; the winds
were often strong, and generally blowing
from the north-east quarter. On the
evening of the 16th the Aurora Borealis
was visible, but after that date the nights
were too light for our discerning it.

The musquitoes swarmed in great num-
bers about the house, and tormented us so
incessantly by their irritating stings, that
we were compelled to keep our rooms con-
stantly filled with smoke, which is the only
means of driving them away: the weather

6 4: JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

indeed was now warm. Having received
one of Dollond’s eighteen-inch spirit ther-
mometers from Mr. Stuart, which he had
the kindness to send us from his post at
Pierre au Calumet, after he had learned
that ours had been rendered useless, I ob-
served the temperature, at noon, on the
25th of June, to be 63°.

On the following morning we made an
excursion, accompanied Lip Mr. Smith,
round the fishing stations on the south side
of the lake, for the purpose of visiting our
men; we passed several groups of women
and children belonging to both the forts,
posted wherever they could find a sufh-
ciently dry spot for an encampment. «At
length we came to our men, pitched upon
a narrow strip of land, situated between
two rivers. Though the portion of dry
ground did not exceed fifty yards, yet they
appeared to be living very comfortably,
having formed huts with the canoe’s sail
and covering, and were amply supported by
the fish their nets daily furnished. They
sometimes had a change in their fare, by

OF THE POLAR SEA, 65

procuring a few ducks and other water-
fowl, which resort in great abundance to
the marshes, by which they were sur-
rounded.

July 2—The canoe, which was ordered
to be built for our use, was finished. As it
was constructed after the manner described
by Hearne, and several of the American
travellers, a detail of the process will be
unnecessary. Its extreme length was thirty-
two feet six inches, including the bow and
stern pieces, its greatest breadth was four
feet ten inches, but it was only two feet
nine inches forward where the bowman sat,
and two feet four inches behind where the
steersman was placed; and its depth was
one foot eleven and a quarter inches. ‘There
were seventy-three hoops of thin cedar, and
a layer of slender laths of the same wood
within the frame. ‘These feeble vessels of
bark will carry twenty-five pieces of goods,
each weighing ninety pounds, exclusive of
the necessary provision and baggage for the
crew of five or six men, amounting in the
whole to about three thousand three hun-

VOL, Il. F

66 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

dred pounds’ weight. This great lading
they annually carry between the depéts and
the posts, in the interior; and it rarely
happens that any accidents occur, if they
be managed by experienced bowmen and.
steersmen, on whose skill the safety of the
canoe entirely depends in the rapids and
difficult places. When a total portage is
made, these two men carry the canoe, and
they often run with it, though its weight is
estimated at about three hundred pounds,
exclusive of the poles and oars, which are
occasionally left in where the distance is
short.

On the 5th, we made an excursion for
the purpose of trying our canoe. A heavy
gale came on in the evening, which caused
a great swell in the lake, and in crossing
the waves we had the satisfaction to find
that our birchen vessel proved an excellent
sea-boat. iy
July 7.—This morning some men and
their families, who had been sent off to
search for Indians with whom they intended
to pass the summer, returned to the fort

OF THE POLAR SEA. 67

in consequence of a serious accident having”
befallen their canoe inthe Red Deer River;
when they were in the act of hauling up a
strong rapid, the line broke, the canoe was
overturned, and two of the party narrowly
escaped drowning; fortunately the women
and children happened to be on shore, or,
in all probability, they would have perished
in the confusion of the scene. Nearly all
their stores, their guns, and fishing nets,
were lost, and they could not procure any
other food for the last four days than some
unripe berries.

Some gentlemen arrived in the evening
with a party of Chipewyan Indians, from
Hay River, a post between the Peace River,
and the Great Slave Lake. These men
gave distressing accounts of sickness among
their relatives, and the Indians in general
along the Peace River, and they said many
of them have died. ‘The disease was de-
scribed as dysentery. On the 10th and
11th we had very sultry weather, and were
dreadfully tormented by musquitoes. ‘The
highest temperature was 73°.

F2

68 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

July 13.—This morning Mr. Back and
I had the sincere gratification of welcoming
our long-separated friends, Dr. Richardson
and Mr. Hood, who arrived in perfect
health with two canoes, having made a very
expeditious journey from Cumberland, not-
withstanding they were detained near three
days in consequence of the melancholy loss
of one of their bowmen, by the upsetting of
a canoe in a strong rapid; but, as the oc-
currences of this journey, together with the
mention of some other circumstances that
“ happened previous to their departure from
Cumberland, which have been extracted
from Mr. Hood’s narrative, will appear in
the following chapter, it will be unnecessary
to enter farther into these points now.

The zeal and talent displayed by Dr.
Richardson and Mr. Hood, in the discharge
of their several duties since my separation
from them, drew forth my highest appro-
bation. These gentlemen had brought all
the stores they could procure from the
establishments at Cumberland and Isle a la
Crosse; and at the latter place they had

OF THE POLAR SEA. 69

received ten bags of pemmican from. the
North-West Company, which proved to be
- mouldy, and so totally unfit for use, that it
was left at the Methye Portage. They
got none from the Hudson’s Bay Post.
The voyagers belonging to that Company,
being destitute of provision, had eaten what
was intended for us. In consequence of
these untoward circumstances, the canoes -
arrived with only one day’s supply of this
most essential article. The prospect of
having to commence our journey from
hence, almost destitute of provision, and -
scantily supplied with stores, was distress-
ing to us, and very discouraging to the
men. It was evident, however, that any
unnecessary delay here would have been.
very imprudent, as Fort Chipewyan did
not, at the present time, furnish the means
of subsistence for so large a party, much
less was there a prospect of our receiving
any supply to carry us forward. We,
therefore, hastened to make the necessary
arrangements for our speedy departure.
All the stores were demanded that could

70 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

possibly be spared from both the establish-
ments; and we rejoiced to find, that when
this collection was added to the articles that
had been brought up by the canoes, we had
a sufficient quantity of clothing for the
equipment of the men who had been en-
gaged here, as well as to furnish a present
to the Indians, besides some few goods for
the winter’s consumption; but we could not
procure any ammunition, which was the
most essential article, or spirits, and but
little tobacco.

We then made a final arrangement re-
specting the voyagers, who were to accom-
pany the party; and, fortunately, there was
no difficulty in doing this, as Dr. Richard-
son and Mr. Hood had taken the very
judicious precaution of bringing up ten men
from Cumberland, who were engaged to
proceed forward if their services were re-
quired. The Canadians, whom they brought,
were most desirous of being continued, and ©
we felt sincere pleasure in being able to
keep men who were so zealous in the cause,
and who had given proofs of their activity

. OF THE POLAR SEA. 71

on their recent passage to this place, by
_ discharging those men who were less will-
ing to undertake the journey; of these,
three were Englishmen, one American, and
three Canadians. When the numbers were
completed, which we had been recom-
mended by the traders to take as a protec-
tion against the Esquimaux, we had sixteen
Canadian-voyagers, and our worthy and
only English attendant John Hepburn, be-
sides the two interpreters whom we were
to receive at the Great Slave Lake; we
were also accompanied by a Chipewyan
woman. Anequipment of goods was given
to each of the men who had been engaged
at this place, similar to what had been fur-
nished to the others at Cumberland; and
when this distribution had been made, the
remainder were made up into bales, pre-
paratory to our departure, on the following
day. We were cheerfully assisted in these
and all our occupations by Mr. Smith, who
evinced an anxious desire to supply our
wants as far as his means permitted.

Mr. Hood having brought up the dipping

iz JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

needle from Cumberland House, we ascer-
tained the dip to be 85° 23° 42", and the dif-
ference produced by reversing the face of
the instrument was 6° 210°. The inten-
sity of the magnetic force was also observed.
Several observations had been procured on
both sides of the moon during our residence
at Fort Chipewyan, the result of which
gave for its longitude 111° 18 20” W., its
latitude was observed to be 58° 42’ 38” N.,
and the variation of the compass 22° 49° 32”
E. Fresh rates were procured for the
chronometers and their errors determined
for Greenwich time, by which the survey
to the northward was carried on.

OF THE POLAR SEA. 13

CHAPTER VI.

Mr. Hood’s Journey to the Basquiau Hill—Sojourns
with an Indian Party—His Journey to Chipewyan.

Beine desirous of obtaining a drawing of a
-moose-deer, and also of making some ob-
servation on the height of the Aurora, I
set out on the 23d March, to pass a few
days at the Basquiau Hill. ‘Two men ac-
companied me, with dogs and sledges, who
were going to the hill for meat. We found
the Saskatchawan open and were obliged
to follow it several miles to the eastward.
We did not then cross it without wading in
water, which had overflowed the ice; and
our snow shoes were encumbered with a
heavy weight for the remainder of the day.
On the south bank of the Saskatchawan
were some poplars ten or twelve feet in
circumference at the root. Beyond the
Yiver we traversed an extensive swamp,

74: JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

bounded by woods. In the evening we
crossed the Swan Lake, about six miles in
breadth, and eight in length, and halted on
its south side for the night, twenty-four
miles S.S.W. of Cumberland House.

At four in the morning of the 24th, we
continued the journey, and crossed some
creeks in the woods, and another large
swamp. ‘These swamps are covered with
water in summer, to the depth of several
feet, which arises from the melted snow
from the higher grounds. The tracks of
foxes, wolves, wolverenes, and martens,
were very numerous. The people employed
in carrying meat, set traps on their way
out, and take possession of their captures
at their return, for which they receive a
sum from the Company, proportioned to
the value of the fur.

In the evening we crossed the Goose
Lake, which is a little longer than Swan
Lake, and afterwards the River Sepanach,
a branch of the Saskatchawan, forming an
island extending thirty miles above, and
forty below Cumberland House. We

OF THE POLAR SEA. 15

turned to the westward on the Root River,
which enters the Sepanach, and halted on
its banks having made in direct distance
not more than twenty miles since the 23d.
We passed the Shoal Lake on the 25th,
and then marched twelve miles through
woods and swamps to a hunting tent of the
Indians. It was situated in a grove of large
poplars, and would have been no unpleasant
residence, if we could have avoided the
smoke. A heavy gale from the westward,
with snow, confined us for several days to
this tent. On the 30th two Indians ar-
rived, one of whom, named the Warrior,
was well known at the house. We endea-
voured to prevail upon them to set out in
quest of moose, which they agreed to do on
receiving some rum. Promises were of no
avail; the smallest present gratification is
preferred to the certainty of ample reward
at another period; an unfailing indication
of strong animal passions, and a weak un-
derstanding. On our compliance with their
demand. they departed.
_ The next day I went to the Warrior’s

76 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

tent, distant about eleven miles. ‘The coun-
try was materially changed, the pine had
disappeared, and gentle slopes, with clumps
of large poplars, formed some pleasing
groups; willows were scattered over the
swamps. When I entered the tent, the
Indians spread a buffalo robe before the
fire, and desired me to sit down. Some
were eating, others sleeping, many of them
without any covering except the breech
cloth and a blanket over the shoulders; a
state in which they love to indulge them-
selves, till hunger drives them forth to the
chase. Besides the Warrior’s family, there
was that of another hunter named Long-
legs, whose bad success in hunting had re-
duced him to the necessity of feeding on
moose leather for three weeks, when he was
-compassionately relieved by the Warrior.
I was an unwilling witness of the preparation
of my dinner by the Indian women. They
cut into pieces a portion of fat meat, using
for that purpose a knife and their teeth.
It was boiled in a kettle, and served in a
platter made of birch-bark, from which,

OF THE POLAR SEA. £E

being dirty, they had peeled the surface.
However, the flavour of good moose meat
will survive any process that it undergoes
in their hands, except smoking.

Having provided myself with some draw-
ing materials, | amused the Indians with a
sketch of the interior of the tent and its in-
habitants. An old woman, who was rela-
ting with great volubility an account of
some quarrel with the traders at Cumber-
land House, broke off from her narration
when she perceived my design; supposing
perhaps, that I was employing some charm
against her; for the Indians have been
taught a supernatural dread of particular
pictures. One of the young men drew,
with a piece of charcoal, a figure resem-
bling a frog, on the side of the tent, and by
significantly pointing at me, excited peals
of merriment from his companions. The
caricature was comic; but I soon fixed
their attention, by producing my pocket
compass, and affecting it with a knife.
They have great curiosity, which might
easily be directed to the attainment of

78 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

useful knowledge. As the dirt accumu-
lated about these people was visibly of a
communicative nature, I removed at night
into the open air, where the thermometer
fell to 15° below zero, although it was the
next day 60° above it.

In the morning the Warrior and his com-
panion arrived; I found that, instead of
hunting, they had passed the whole time in
a drunken fit, at a short distance from the
tent. In reply to our angry questions, the
Warrior held out an empty vessel, as if to
demand the payment of a debt, before he
entered into any new negociation. Not
being inclined to starve his family, we set
out for another Indian tent, ten miles to the
southward, but we found only the frame, or
tent poles, standing when we reached the
spot. The men, by digging where the fire
place had been, ascertained that the Indians
had quitted it the day before; and as their
marches are short, when encumbered with —
the women and baggage, we sought out
their track and followed it. At an abrupt
angle of it, which was obscured by trees,

OF THE POLAR SEA. 79

_ the men suddenly disappeared; and_has-
tening forward to discover the cause, I per-
ceived them both still rolling at the foot of
a steep cliff, over which they had been
dragged while endeavouring to stop the
descent of their sledges. The dogs were
gazing silently, with the wreck of their har-
ness about them, and the sledges deeply
buried in the snow. The effects of this
accident did not detain us long, and we
proceeded afterwards with greater caution.

The air was warm at noon, and the soli-
tary, but sweet notes of the jay, the earliest
spring bird, were in every wood. Late in
the evening we descried the ravens wheeling
im circles round a small grove of poplars,
and, according to our expectations, found
the Indians eneamped there.

The men were absent hunting, and re-
turned unsuccessful. They had been several
days without provisions, and thinking that
I could depend upon the continuance of
their exertions, I gave them a little rum;
the next day they set out, and at midnight

80 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

they swept by us with their dogs in close
pursuit.

In the morning we found that a moose
had eaten the bark of a tree near our fire.
The hunters, however, again failed; and
they attributed the extreme difficulty of
approaching the chase, to the calmness of
the weather, which enabled it to hear them
at a great distance.

They concluded as usual, when labouring
under any affliction, that they were tor-
mented by the evil spirit; and assembled
to beat a large tambourine, and sing an
address to the Manito or deity, praying for
relief, according to the explanation which I
received; but their prayer consisted of only
three words, constantly repeated. One of
the hunters yet remained abroad; and as
the wind rose at noon, we had hopes that
he was successful. In the evening he
made his appearance, and announcing that
he had killed a large moose, immediately
secured the reward which had been pro-
mised.

OF THE POLAR SEA, 8]

The tidings were received with apparent
indifference, by people whose lives are al-
ternate changes from the extremity of want
to abundance. But as their countenances
seldom betray their emotions, it cannot be
determined whether their apathy is real or
affected. However, the women prepared
their sledges and dogs, with the design of
dismembering, and bringing home, the car-
Cass; a proceeding to which, in their neces-
sitous condition, I could have had neither
reasonable nor available objections, without
giving them a substitute. By much solici-
tation I obtained an audience, and offered
them our own provisions, on condition of
their suspending the work of destruction
till the next day. They agreed to the pro-
position, and we set out with some Indians
for the place where the animal was lying. ~
The night advancing, we were separated by
a show storm, and not being skilful enough
to follow tracks which were so speedily
filled up, I was bewildered for several hours
mn the woods, when I met with an Indian,’
who led me back at such a pace that I was

VOL. Il. G

82 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

always in the rear, to his infinite diversion.
The Indians are vain of their local know-
ledge, which is certainly very wonderful.
Our companions had taken out the entrails
and young of the moose, which they buried
in the snow.

The Indians then returned to the tents,
and one of my men accompanied them; he
was the person charged with the manage-
ment of the trade at the hunting tent; and
he observed, that the opportunity, of
making a bargain with the Indians, while
they were drinking, was too advantageous
to be lost.

It remained for us to prevent the wolves
from mangling the moose; for which pur-
pose we wrapped ourselves in_ blankets
between its feet, and placed the hatchets
within our reach. The night was stormy,
and apprehension kept me long awake; but
finding my companion in so deep a sleep
that nothing could have roused him except
the actual gripe of a wolf, I thought it ad-
visable to imitate his example, as much as
was in my power, rather than bear the bur-

OF THE POLAR SEA. 85

then of anxiety alone. At day-light we
shook off the snow which was heaped upon
us, and endeavoured to kindle a fire; but
the violence of the storm defeated all our
attempts. At length two Indians arrived,
with whose assistance we succeeded, and
they took possession of it, to show their
sense of our obligations to them. We were
ashamed of the scene before us; the en-
trails of the moose and its young, which
had been buried at our feet, bore testimony
— to thefnocturnal revel of the wolves, during
the time we had slept. This was a fresh
subject of derision for the Indians, whose
appetites, however, would not suffer them
to waste long upon us a time so precious.
They soon finished what the wolves had
begun, and with as little aid from the art
of cookery, eating both the young moose,
and the contents of the paunch, raw.

I had scarcely secured myself by a lodge
of branches from the snow, and placed the
moose in a position for my sketch, when we
were stormed by a troop of women and
children, with their sledges and dogs. We

G2

84. JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

obtained another short respite from the In-
dians, but our blows could not drive, nor —
their caresses entice, the hungry dogs from
the tempting feast before them.

I had not finished my sketch before the
impatient crowd tore the moose to pieces,
and loaded their sledges with meat. On
our way to the tent, a black wolf rushed
out upon an Indian, who happened to pass
near its den. It was shot, and the Indians
carried away three black whelps, to improve
the breed of their dogs. I purchased ome
of them, intending to send it to England,
but it perished for want of proper nourish-
ment. 7

The latitude of these tents, was 53° 12
46” N., and longitude by chronometers 103°
13°10" W. On the 5thof April we set out
for the hunting tent by our former track,
and arrived there in the evening.

As the increasing warmth of the weather
had threatened to interrupt communication
by removing the ice, orders had been sent
from Cumberland House to the people at
the tent, to quit it without delay; which

a

OF THE POLAR SEA, 85

we did on the 7th. Some altitudes of the
_ Aurora were obtained.
We had a fine view, at sun-rise, of the
Basquiau Hill,’ skirting half the horizon
with its white sides, chequered by forests
of pine. It is seen from Pine Island Lake,
at the distance of fifty miles; and cannot,
therefore, be less than three-fourths of a
mile in perpendicular height; probably the
greatest elevation between the Atlantic
Ocean, and the Rocky Mountains.

A small stream runs near the hunting
tent, strongly impregnated with salt. There
are several salt springs about it, which are
not frozen during the winter.

The surface of the snow, thawing in the
sun, and freezing at night, had become a
strong crust, which sometimes gave way in
acircle round our feet, immersing us in the
soft snow beneath. The people were af-
flicted with snow blindness; a kind of oph-
thalmia occasioned by the reflection of the
-sun’s rays in the spring. :

The miseries endured during the first
journey of this nature, are so great, that

86 ' JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

nothing could induce the sufferer to under-
take a second, while under the influence of
present pain. He feels his frame crushed
by unaccountable pressure, he drags a gal-
ling and stubborn weight at his feet, and
his track is marked with blood. The daz-
zling scene around him affords no rest to
his eye, no object to divert his attention
from his own agonizing sensations. When
he arises from sleep, half his body seems
dead, till quickened into feeling by the ir-
ritation of his sores. But fortunately for
him, no evil makes an impression so evanes-
cent as pain. It cannot be wholly banished,
nor recalled with the force of reality, by
any act of the mind, either to affect our de-
terminations, or to sympathise with another.
The traveller soon forgets his sufferings,
and at every future journey their recur-
rence is attended with diminished acute-
ness.

It was not before the 10th or 12th of
April, that the return of the swans, geese,
and ducks, gave certain indications of the
advance of spring. The juice of the maple-

OF THE POLAR SEA. 87

tree began to flow, and the women repaired
to the woods for the purpose of collecting
it. This tree, which abounds to the south-
ward, is not, I believe, found to the north-
ward of the Saskatchawan. The Indians
obtain the sap by making incisions into the
tree. ‘They boil it down, and evaporate
the water, skimming off the impurities.
They are so fond of sweets that, after this
simple process, they set an extravagant
price upon it.

On the 15th fell the first shower of rain
we had seen for six months, and on the
17th the thermometer rose to 77° in the
shade. ‘The whole face of the country was
deluged by the melted snow. All the
nameless heaps of dirt, accumulated in the
winter, now floated over the very thresholds,
and the long-imprisoned scents dilated into
vapours so penetrating, that no retreat was
any security from them. The flood de-
scended into the cellar below our house,
and destroyed a quantity of powder and
tea; a loss irreparable in our situation.

The noise made by the frogs which this

88 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

inundation produced, is almost incredible.
There is strong reason to believe that they
outlive the severity of winter. ‘They have
often been found frozen and revived by
warmth, nor is it possible that the mul-
titude, which incessantly filled our ears
with its discordant notes, could have been
matured in two or three days.

The fishermen at Beaver Lake, and the
other detached parties, were ordered to
return to the post. The expedients to
which the poor people were reduced, to
cross a country so beset with waters, pre-
sented many uncouth spectacles. The in-
experienced were glad to compromise, with
the loss of property, for the safety of their
persons, and astride upon ill-balanced rafts,
with which they struggled to be uppermost,
exhibited a ludicrous picture of distress.
Happy were they who could patch up an
old canoe, though obliged to bear it half
the way on their shoulders, through miry
bogs and interwoven willows. But the
veteran trader, wedged in a box of skin,
with his wife, children, dogs, and furs,

OF THE POLAR SEA. 89

wheeled triumphantly through the current,
and deposited his heterogeneous cargo
safely on the shore. The woods re-echoed
with the return of their exiled tenants. An
hundred tribes, as gaily dressed as any
burnished natives of the south, greeted our
eyes in our accustomed walks, and their
voices, though unmusical, were the sweetest
that ever saluted our ears.

From the 19th to the 26th the snow once
more blighted the resuscitating verdure,
but a single day was sufficient to remove it.
On the 28th the Saskatchawan swept away
_ the ice which had adhered to its banks, and
on the morrow a boat came down from
Carlton House with provisions. We re-
ceived such accounts of the state of vegeta-
tion at that place, that Dr. Richardson
determined to visit it, in order to collect
botanical specimens, as the period at which
the ice was expected to admit of the con-
tinuation of our journey was still distant.
Accordingly he embarked on the Ist of
May.

In the course of the month the ice gra-

90 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

dually wore away from the south side of
the lake, but the great mass of it still hung
to the north side with some snow visible on
its surface. By the: 21st the elevated
grounds were perfectly dry, and teeming
with the fragrant offspring of the season.
When the snow melted, the earth was
covered with the fallen leaves of the last
year, and already it was green with the
strawberry plant, and the bursting buds of
the gooseberry, raspberry, and rose bushes,
soon variegated by the rose and the blossoms
of the choke cherry. The gifts of nature
are disregarded and undervalued till they
are withdrawn, and in the hideous regions
of the Arctic Zone, she would make a con-
vert of him for whom the gardens of Europe
had no charms, or the mild beauties of a
southern climate had bloomed in vain.

Mr. Williams found a delightful occupa-
tion in his agricultural pursuits. ‘The horses
were brought to the plough, and fields of
wheat, barley, and Indian corn, promised to.
reward his labours. His dairy furnished
us with all the luxuries of an English farm.

OF THE POLAR SEA. 91

On the 25th the ice departed from Pine
Island Lake. We were, however, informed
that Beaver Lake, which was likewise in
our route, would not afford a passage before
the 4th of June. According to directions
left by Mr. Franklin, applications were
made to the chiefs of the Hudson’s Bay and
North-West Companies’ Posts, for two
canoes, with their crews and a supply of
stores, for the use of the expedition. They
were not in a condition to comply with this
request till the arrival of their respective
returns from Isle 4 la Crosse and the Sas-
_katchawan Departments. Of the six men
whom we brought from England, the most
serviceable, John Hepburn, had accom-
panied Mr. Franklin, and only one other
desired to prosecute the journey with us.
Mr. Franklin had made arrangements with
Mr. Williams for the employment of the
remaining five men in bringing to Cumber-
land House the ammunition, tobacco, &c.
left at York Fort, which stores were, if
possible, to be sent after us in the summer.
On the 30th Dr. Richardson returned from

92 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

Carlton House, and on the 31st the boats
arrived belonging to the Hudson’s Bay
Company’s Saskatchawan Department. We
obtained a canoe and two more volunteers.
On the Ist of June the Saskatchawan,
swelled by the melting of the snow near the
Rocky Mountains, rose twelve feet, and the
current of the little rivers bounding Pine
Island ran back into the lake, which it filled
with mud.

On the 5th the North-West Company’s
people arrived, and Mr. Conolly furnished
us with a canoe and five Canadians. They
were engaged to attend us till Mr. Franklin
should think fit to discharge them, and
bound under the usual penalties in case of
disobedience, or other improper conduct.
These poor people entertained such dread
of a ship of war, that they stipulated not to
be embarked in Lieutenant Parry’s vessels,
if we should find them on the coast; a
condition with which they would gladly
have dispensed, had that desirable event
taken place. As we required a Canadian
foreman and steersman for the other canoe,

OF THE POLAR SEA. 93

we were compelled to wait for the appear-
ance of the Isle a la Crosse canoes under
Mr. Clark.

On the 8th Mr. Williams embarked for
York Fort. He gave us a circular letter
addressed to the chiefs of the Hudson’s
Bay Company’s Posts, directing them to
afford us all possible assistance on our
route, and he promised to exert every
endeavour to forward the Esquimaux inter-
preter, upon whom the success of our
journey so much depended. He was ac-
companied by eight boats. With him we
sent our collections of plants, minerals,
charts, and drawings, to be transmitted to
England by the Hudson’s Bay ships. After
this period, our detention, though short,
cost us more vexation than the whole time
we had passed at Cumberland House, be-
cause every hour of the short summer was
invaluable to us. On the 11th Mr. Clark
arrived, and completed our crews. — He
brought letters from Mr. Franklin, dated
March 28th, at Fort Chipewyan, where he
was engaged procuring hunters and inter-

94, JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

preters. A heavy storm of wind and rain
from the north-east again delayed us till the
morning of the 13th. ‘The account we had
received at York Factory of the numerous
stores at Cumberland House proved to be
very erroneous. ‘The most material stores
we received did not amount, in addition to
our own, to more than two barrels of
powder, a keg of spirits, and two pieces of
tobacco, with pemmican for sixteen days.
The crew of Dr. Richardson’s canoe con-
sisted of three Englishmen and three Cana-
dians, and the other carried five Canadians ;
both were deeply laden, and the waves ran
high on the lake. No person in our party
being well acquainted with the rivers to the
northward, Mr. Conoily gave us a pilot,
on condition that we should exchange him
when we met with the Athabasca brigade
of canoes. At four A.M. we embarked.
We soon found that birchen-bark canoes
were not calculated to brave rough weather
on a large lake, for we were compelled to
land on the opposite border, to free them
from the water which had already saturated

OF THE POLAR SEA, 95

their cargoes. The wind became more
moderate, and we were enabled, after tra-
versing a chain of smaller lakes, to enter
the mouth of the Sturgeon River at sunset,
where we encamped. |

The lading of the canoes is always, if
possible, carried on shore at night, and the
canoes taken out of the water. The fol-
lowing evening we reached Beaver Lake,
and landed to repair some damages sus-
tained by the canoes. A round stone will
displace the lading of a canoe without doing
any injury, but a slight blow against a sharp
corner penetrates the bark. For the pur-
pose of repairing it, a small quantity of gum
or pitch, bark and pine roots, are embarked,
and the business is so expeditiously per-
formed, that the speed of the canoe amply
compensates for every delay. The Sturgeon
River is justly called by the Canadians La
Riviere Maligne, from its numerous and
dangerous rapids. Against the strength of
a rapid it is impossible to effect any progress
by paddling, and the canoes are tracked, or
if the bank will not admit of it, propelled

96 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

with poles, in the management of which the
Canadians show great dexterity. Their
simultaneous motions were strongly con-
trasted with the awkward confusion of the
inexperienced Englishmen, deafened by the
torrent, who sustained the blame of every
accident which occurred.

At sunset we encamped on an island in
Beaver Lake, and at four A.M. the next
morning passed the first portage in the
Ridge River. Beaver Lake is twelve miles
in length, and six in breadth. The flat
limestone country rises into bold rocks on
its banks, and at the mouth of the Ridge
River the limestone discontinues. The
lake is very deep, and has already been
noticed for the number and excellence of its
fish. The Ridge River is rapid and shallow.
We had emerged from the muddy channels
through an alluvial soil, and the primitive |
rocks interrupted our way with frequent
portages through the whole route to Isle a
la Crosse Lake. At two P.M. we passed
the mouth of the Hay River, running from
the westward; and the ridge above its con-

OF THE POLAR SEA. 97

fluence takes the name of the Great River,
which rises at the height of land called the
Frog Portage.

The thermometer was this day 100° in
the sun, and the heat was extremely op-
pressive, from our constant exposure to it.
‘We crossed three portages in the Great
River, and encamped at the last; here we
met the director of the North-West Com-
pany’s affairs in the north, Mr. Stuart, on
his way to Fort William, in a light canoe.
He had left the Athabasca Lake only thir-
teen days, and brought letters from Mr.
Franklin, who desired that we would endea-
your to collect stores of every kind at Isle
a la Crosse, and added a favourable account
of the country to the northward of the
Slave Lake.

On the 16th, at three A. M., we continued
our course, the river Increasing to the
breadth of half a mile, with many rapids
between the rocky islands. The banks
were luxuriantly clothed with pines, poplars,
and birch trees, of the largest size; but the
different shades of green were undistin-

i H

98 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

guishable at a distance, and the glow of
autumnal colours was wanting to render
the variety beautiful.

Having crossed two portages at the dif-
ferent extremities of the Island Lake, we
ran under sail through two extensive sheets
of water, called the Heron and Pelican
Lakes ; the former of which is fifteen miles
in length, and the latter five; but its extent
to the southward has not been explored.
An intricate channel, with four small port-
ages, conducted us to the Woody Lake.
Its borders were, indeed, walls of pines,
hiding the face of steep and high rocks;
and we wandered in search of a landing-
place till ten P.M., when we were forced
to take shelter from an impending storm
on a small island, where we wedged our-
selves between the trees. But though we
secured the canoes, we incurred a personal
evil of much greater magnitude im the tor-
ments inflicted by the musquitoes, a plague
which had grown upon us since our depar-
ture from Cumberland House, and which
infested us during the whole summer; we

OF THE POLAR SEA. 99

found no relief from their attacks by ex-
posing ourselves to the utmost violence of
the wind and rain. Our last resource was
to plunge ourselves in the water, and from
this uncomfortable situation we gladly es-
caped at day-light, and hoisted our sails.

The Woody Lake is thirteen miles m
length, and a small grassy channel at its
north-western extremity leads to the Frog
Portage, the source of the waters descend-
ing by Beaver Lake to the Saskatchawan.
The distance to the Missinippi, or Churchill
River, is only three hundred and eighty
yards; and, as its course crosses the height
nearly at right angles to the direction of the
Great River, it would be superfluous to
compute the elevation at this place. The
portage is in latitude 55° 26’ 0” N., and
longitude 103° 34° 50” W. Its name, ac-
cording to Sir Alexander Mackenzie, is
derived from the Crees having left sus-
pended a stretched frog’s skin, in derision
of the Northern Indian mode of dressing
the beaver.

The part of the Missinippi, in which we

H 2

100 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

embarked, we should have mistaken for a
lake, had it not been for the rapidity of the
current against which we made our way.
At four P.M. we passed a long portage
occasioned by a ledge of rocks, three hun-
dred yards in length, over which the river
falls seven or eight feet. After crossing
another portage we encamped.

On the 18th we had rain, wind, and
thunder, the whole day; but this weather
was much preferable to the heat we had
borne hitherto. We passed three portages,
and at six P.M. encamped on the north
bank. Below the third portage is the
mouth of the Rapid River, flowing from a
large lake to the southward, on which a
post was formerly maintained by the North-
West Company. Next morning we found
ourselves involved in a confused mass of
islands, through the openings of which we
could not discern the shore. The guide’s
knowledge of the river did not extend
beyond the last portage, and our perplexity
continued till we observed some foam float-
ing on the water, and took the direction:

OF THE POLAR SEA, 101

from which it came. The noise of a heavy
fall at the Mountain Portage reached our
ears at the distance of four miles, and we
arrived there at eight A.M. The portage
was a difficult ascent over a rocky island,
between which and the main shore were
two cataracts, and a third in sight above
them, making another portage. We sur-
prised a large brown bear, which immedi-
ately retreated into the woods. To the
northward of the second portage we again
found the channels intricate, but the shores
being sometimes visible, we ventured -to
proceed. ‘The character of the country
was new, and more interesting than before.
The mountainous and strong elevations
receded from the banks, and the woods
crept through their openings to the valleys
behind ; the adventurous pine alone ascend-
ing their bases, and braving storms unfelt
below.

At noon we landed at the Otter Portage,
where the river ran with great velocity for
half a mile, among large stones. Having
carried across the principal part of the

102 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

cargo, the people attempted to track the
canoes along the edge of the rapid. With
the first they succeeded, but the other, in
which were the foreman and steersman, was
overset and swept away by the current.
An account of this misfortune was speedily
conveyed to the upper end of the portage,
and the men launched the remaining canoe
into the rapid, though wholly unacquainted
with the dangers of it. ‘he descent was
quickly accomplished, and they perceived
the bottom of the lost canoe above water in
a little bay, whither it had been whirled by
the eddy. One man had reached the bank,
but no traces could be found of the fore-
man, Louis Samt Jean. We saved the
canoe, out of which two guns and a case of
preserved meats had been thrown. into the
rapid.* So early a disaster deeply affected
the spirits of the Canadians, and their
natural vivacity gave way to melancholy

* Mr. Hood himself was the first to leap into the
canoe and incite the men to follow him, and shoot the
rapid to save the lives of their companions.—Dr.
Ricuarpson’s Journal.

OF THE POLAR SEA. 103

forebodings, while they erected a wooden
cross in the rocks near the spot where their
- companion perished.

The loss of this man’s services, and the
necessity of procuring a guide, determined
us to wait for the arrival of the North-
West Company’s people from Fort Chipew-
yan, and we encamped accordingly. The
canoe was much shattered, but as the gun-
wales were not broken, we easily repaired
it. In the evening a north-west canoe
arrived, with two of the partners. They
_ gave us an account of Mr. Franklin’s pro-
ceedings, and referred us to the brigade
following them for a guide.

During the 20th it rained heavily, and
we passed the day in anxious suspense con-
fined to our tents. A black bear came to
the bank on the opposite side of the river,
and on seeing us glided behind the trees.

Late on the 21st Mr. Robertson, of the
Hudson’s Bay Company, arrived, and fur-
nished us with a guide, but desired that he
might be exchanged when we met the
northern canoes. We took advantage of

104. JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

the remainder of the day to cross the next
portage, which was three-fourths of a mile
in length.

On the 22d we crossed three small port-
ages, and encamped at the fourth. At one
of them we passed some of the Hudson’s
Bay Company’s canoes, and our application
to them was unsuccessful. We began to
suspect that Isle a la Crosse was the nearest
place at which we might hope for assistance.
However, on the morning of the 23d, as we
were about to embark, we encountered the
last brigades of canoes belonging to both
the Companies, and obtained a guide and
foreman from them. Thus completely
equipped, we entered the Black Bear Island
Lake, the navigation of which requires a
very experienced pilot. Its length is
twenty-two miles, and its breadth varies
from three to five, yet it is so choked with
islands, that no channel is to be found through
it exceeding a mile in length. At sunset we
landed, and encamped on an island, and at
six A.M. on the 24th left the lake, and
crossed three portages into another, which

OF THE POLAR SEA. 105

has, probably, several communications with
the last, as that by which we passed is too
narrow to convey the whole body of the
Missinippi. At one of these portages called
the Pin Portage is a rapid, about ten yards
in length, with a descent of ten or twelve
feet, and beset with rocks. — Light canoes
sometimes venture down this fatal gulf, to
avoid the portage, unappalled by the warn-
ing crosses which overhang the brink, the
mournful records of former failures.

The Hudson’s Bay Company’s people
whom we passed on the 23d, going to the
rock house with their furs, were badly pro-
vided with food, of which we saw distress-
ing proofs at every portage behind them.
They had stripped the birch trees of their
rind to procure the soft pulpy vessels in
contact with the wood, which are sweet,
but very insufficient to satisfy a craving ap-
petite.

The lake to the westward of the Pin
Portage, is called Sandfly Lake; it is seven
miles long; and a wide channel connects it
with the Serpent Lake, the extent of which

106 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

to the southward we could not discern.
There is nothing remarkable in this chain
of lakes, except their shapes, being rocky
basins filled by the waters of the Missinippi,
insulating the massy eminences, and mean-
dering with almost imperceptible current
between them. From the Serpent to the
Sandy Lake, it is again confined in a nar-
row space by the approach of its winding
banks, and on the 26th we were some hours
employed in traversing a series of shallow
rapids, where it was necessary to lighten
the canoes. Eiaving missed the path through
the woods, we walked two miles in the
water upon sharp stones, from which some
of us were incessantly slipping imto deep
holes, and floundering in vain for footing at
the bottom; a scene highly diverting, not-
withstanding our fatigue. We were de-
tained in Sandy Lake, till one P.M., by a
strong gale, when the wind becoming mo-
derate we crossed five miles to the mouth
of the river, and at four P.M. left the main
branch of it, and entered a little rivulet
called the Grassy River, running through

OF THE POLAR SEA, 107

an extensive reedy swamp. It is the nest
of imnumerable ducks, which rear their
young, among the long rushes, in security
from beasts of prey. At sunset we en-
camped on the banks of the main branch.

At three A.M., June 28th, we embarked
in a thick fog occasioned by a fall of the
temperature of the air ten degrees below
that of the water. Having crossed Knee
Lake, which is nine miles in length, and a
portage at its western extremity, we entered
Primeau Lake, with a strong and favour-
able wind, by the aid of which we ran nine-
teen miles through it, and encamped at the
river's mouth. It is shaped like the barb
of an arrow, with the point towards the
north, and its greatest breadth is about four
miles.

During the night, a torrent of rain
washed us from our beds, accompanied with
the loudest thunder I ever heard. ‘This
weather continued during the 29th, and
often compelled us to land, and turn the
‘€anoes up, to prevent them from filling.
We passed one portage, and the confluence

e

108 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

of a river, said to afford, by other rivers
beyond a height of land, a shorter but more
difficult route to the Athabasca Lake than
that which is generally pursued.

On the 28th we crossed the last portage,
and at ten A.M. entered the Isle a la
Crosse Lake. Its long succession of woody
points, both banks stretching towards the
south, till their forms were lost m the haze
of the horizon, was a grateful prospect to
us, after our bewildered and interrupted
voyage in the Missinippi. The gale wafted
us with unusual speed, and as the lake in-
creased in breadth, the waves swelled to a
dangerous height. A canoe running before
the wind is very liable to burst asunder,
when on the top of the wave, so that part
of the bottom is out of the water; for there
is nothing to support the weight of its heavy
cargo but the bark, and the slight gunwales
attached to it.

On making known our exigencies to the
gentlemen in charge of the Hudson’s Bay
and North-West Companies’ Forts, they
made up an assortment of stores, amounting

OF THE POLAR SEA. 109

to five bales; for four of which we were
indebted to Mr. Mac Leod of the North-
West Company who shared with us the
ammunition absolutely required for the sup-
port of his post; receiving m exchange an
order for the same quantity upon the cargo
which we expected to follow us from York
Factory. We had heard from Mr. Stuart
that Fort Chipewyan was too much im-
poverished to supply the wants of the ex-
pedition, and we found Isle a la Crosse
in the same condition; which, indeed, we
might have foreseen, from the exhausted
state of Cumberland House, but could not
have provided against. We never had heard
before our departure from York, that the
posts in the interior only received annually
the stores necessary for the consumption of
asingle year. It was fortunate for us that
Mr. Franklin had desired ten bags of pemmi-
can to be sent from the Saskatchawan across
the plains to Isle a la Crosse for our use.
This resource was untouched, but we could
not embark more than five pieces in our own
canoes. However, Mr. Mac Leod agreed

110 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

to send a canoe after us to the Methye
Portage, with the pemmican, and we calcu-
lated that the diminution of our provision
would there enable us to receive it.

The Beaver River enters this lake on the
S.E. side, and another river which has not
been named, on the S.W. Both these rivers
are branches of the Missinippi, as it is the
only outlet from the lake. The banks ap-
peared to be rocky, and the beach in many
places sandy, but its waters are yellow and
muddy. It produces a variety of fish,
among which its white-fish are esteemed
the best in the country. The only birds
visible at this season, are common to every
part of the Missinippi; gulls, ducks, pi-
geons, goatsuckers, and the raven; and
geese and swans pay a momentary visit in
passsing to the north and returning.

There was little in the forts differing
from the establishments that we had before
seen. The ground on which they are
erected is sandy, and favourable to cultiva-
tion. Curiosity, however, was satisfied by
the first experiment, and utility alone has

OF THE POLAR SEA. Tk}

been unable to extend it. Isle a la Crosse
is frequented by the Crees and Chipewyans.

It is not the dread of the Indians, but of
one another, that has brought the rival
Companies so close together at every trad-
ing post; each party seeking to prevent the
other from engaging the affections of the
natives, and monopolizing the trade. When-
ever a settlement is made by the one, the
other immediately follows, without consi-
dering the eligibility of the place; for it
may injure its opponent, though it cannot
benefit itself, and that advantage which is
the first object of all other commercial
bodies, becomes but the second with the fur
traders.

On the evening of the 30th we embarked,
and entered a wide channel to the north-
ward of the forts, and extending towards
the north-west. It gradually decreased in
breadth till it became a river, which is the
third fork of the Missinippi, and its current
being almost insensible, we entered the
Clear Lake at ten A.M. on the Ist of J uly.
Of this lake, which is very large, no part is

bua JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

known except the south border, but its ex-
tent would lead us to conclude, that its
evaporation must be supplied by another
river to the northward, especially as the
small channel that communicates with Buf-
falo Lake is motionless. The existence of
such a river 1s asserted by the Indians, and
a shorter passage might be found by it
across the height of land to Clear Water
River, than the portage from the Meth
Lake.

In Buffalo Lake, the wind was too strong
for us to proceed, and we therefore en-
camped upon a gravel beach thrown up by
the waves. We embarked at three A.M.
July 2d, and at four P.M. entered the
mouth of the Methye River. The lake is
thirty-four miles in length, and fourteen in
breadth. It is probably very deep, for we
saw no islands on this wide expanse, ex-
cept the borders. On the south-west side
were two forts, belonging to the Companies,
and near them a solitary hill, seven or eight
hundred feet high. At eight P.M. we en-
camped in the Methye River, at the conflu:

OF THE POLAR SEA. 113

ence of the river Pembina. A route has
been explored by it to the Red Willow
River, across the height of land, but the
difficulties of it were so great, that the ordi-
nary route is preferred.

On the 3d we passed through the Methye
River, and encamped on the borders of the
Methye Lake. The soil from Isle a la
Crosse to this place is sandy, with some
portion of clay, and the trees numerous;
but the Methye River is stony, and so
shallow, that to lighten the canoes, we made
two portages of five and two miles. The
paths were overflowed with cold spring
water, and barricadoed by fallen trees;
we should have been contented to immerse
ourselves wholly had the puddle been suf- |
ficiently deep, for the musquitoes devoured
every part that was exposed to them.

On the 4th we crossed the Methye Lake,
and landed at the portage on the north-west
side, in one of the sources of the Missinippi.
The lake is seventeen miles in length, with
a large island inthe middle. We proceeded
to the north side of the portage with two
i VOL, U. I

114 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

men carrying a tent and some instruments,
leaving the canoes and cargoes to be trans-~
ported by daily journeys of two or three
miles. ‘The distance is fourteen statute
miles, and there are two small lakes about
five miles from the north side. Several
species of fish were found in them, though
they have no known communication with
any other body of water, being situated on
the elevation of the height. The road was
a gentle ascent, miry from the late rainy
weather, and shaded by pines, poplars,
birches, and cypresses, which terminated
our view. On the north side we discovered
through an opening in the trees, that we
were on a hill eight or nine hundred feet
high, and at the edge of a steep descent.
We were prepared to expect an extensive
prospect, but the magnificent scene before
us was so superior to what the nature of
the country had promised, that it banished
even our sense of suffering from the mus-
quitoes, which hovered in clouds about our
heads. Two parallel chains of hills ex-
tended towards the setting sun, their va-

OF THE POLAR SEA. 115

rious projecting outlines exhibiting the se-
veral gradations of distance, and the opposite
bases closing at the horizon. On the near-
est eminence, the objects were clearly de-
fined by their dark shadows; the yellow
rays blended their softening hues with bril-
liant green on the next, and beyond it all
distinction melted into gray and purple. In
the long valley between, the smooth and
colourless Clear Water River wound its
spiral course, broken and shattered by en-
ecroaching woods. An exuberance of rich
herbage covered the soil, and lofty trees
climbed the precipice at our feet, hiding its
brink with their summits. Impatient as
we were, and blinded with pain, we paid a
tribute of admiration, which this beautiful
landscape is capable of exciting, unaided
by the borrowed charms of a calm atmos-
phere, glowing with the vivid tints of even-
ing.

_ We descended to the banks of the Clear
Water River, and having encamped, the
two men returned to assist their compa-
nions. We had sometimes before procured

12

116 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

a little rest, by closmg the tent and burn-
ing wood or flashing gunpowder within,
the smoke driving the musquitoes into
the crannies of the ground; but this re-
medy was now ineffectual, though we em-
ployed it so perseveringly, as to hazard
suffocation: they swarmed under our blan-
kets, goring us with their envenomed trunks,
and steeping our clothes in blood. We
rose at daylight in a fever, and our misery
was unmitigated during our whole stay.
The musquitoes of America resemble, in
shape, those of Africa and Europe, but
differ essentially in size and other particu-
lars. There are two distinct species, the
largest of which is brown, and the smallest
black. Where they are bred cannot easily
be determined, for they are numerous in
every soil. ‘They make their first appear-—
ance in May, and the cold destroys them in
September; in July they are most vora-
cious; and fortunately for the traders, the
journeys from the trading posts to the fac-
tories are generally concluded at that period.
The food of the musquito is blood, which it |

OF THE POLAR SEA, LIZ

can extract by penetrating the hide of a
buffalo; and if it is not disturbed, it gorges
itself so as to swell its body into a trans-
parent globe. The wound does not swell,
like that of the African musquito, but it is
infinitely more painful; and when multi-
plied an hundred-fold, and continued for so
Many successive days, it becomes an evil of
such magnitude, that cold, famine, and every
other concomitant of an inhospitable cli-
mate, must yield the pre-eminence to it.
It chases the buffalo to the plains, irritating
him to madness; and the rein-deer to the
sea-shore, from which they do not return
till the scourge has ceased.

_ On the 6th the thermometer was 106° in
the sun, and on the 7th 110°. The mus-
quitoes sought the shade in the heat of the
day. It was some satisfaction to us to see
the havoc made among them by a large and
beautiful species of dragon-fly, called the
musquito hawk, which wheeled through
their retreats, swallowing its prey without a
momentary diminution of its speed, But
the temporary relief that we had hoped for

118 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

was only an exchange of tormentors: our
new assailant, the horse-fly, or bull-dog,
ranged in the hottest glare of the sun, and
carried off a portion of flesh at each attack.
Another noxious insect, the smallest, but
not the least formidable, was the sand-fly,
known in Canada by the name of the brulot.
To such annoyance all travellers must sub-
mit, and it would be unworthy to complain
of that grievance in the pursuit of know-
ledge, which is endured for the sake of
profit. This detail of it has only been as
an excuse for the scantiness of our observa-
tions on the most interesting part of the
country through which we passed.

The north side of the Methye Portage is
in latitude 56° 41° 40° N. and longitude
109° 52°0" W. It is, by our course, one
hundred and twenty-four miles from Isle &
la Crosse, and, considered as a branch of
the Missinippi, five hundred and ninety-two
miles from the Frog Portage. The Clear
Water River, passmg through the valley
described above, evidently rises not far to

the eastward. The height, computed by

OF THE POLAR SEA. 119

the same mode as that of the Echiamamis,
by allowing a foot for each mile of distance,
and six feet on an average for each fall
and rapid, is two thousand four hundred
and sixty seven feet above the level of the
sea, admitting it to be nine hundred feet
above the Clear Water River. ‘The coun-
try, in the line between it and the mouth of
Mackenzie’s River, is a continual descent,
although to the eastward of that line there
may be several heights between it and the
Arctic Sea. ‘To the eastward, the lands
descend to Hudson’s Bay; and to the
westward also, till the Athabasca River
cuts through it, from whence it ascends to
the Rocky Mountains. Daring was the
spirit of enterprise that first led Commerce,
with her cumbrous train, from the waters
of Hudson’s Bay to those of the Arctic Sea,
across an obstacle to navigation so stupen-
dous as this; and persevering has been the
industry which drew riches from a source
so remote.

On the 8th two men arrived, and in-
formed us, that they had brought us our

120 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

ten bags of pemmican, from Isle a la
Crosse, but that they were found to be
rotten. ‘Thus were we unexpectedly de-
prived of the most essential of our stores,
for we knew Fort Chipewyan to be destitute
of provisions, and that Mr. Franklin de-
pended upon us for a supply, whereas
enough did not remain for our own use.
On the 9th the canoes and cargoes reached
the north side of the portage. Our people
had selected two bags of pemmican less
mouldy than the rest, which they left on the
beach. Its decay was caused by some
defect in the mode of mixing it.

On the 10th we embarked in the Clear
Water River, and proceeded down the
current. The hills, the banks, and bed of
the river, were composed of fine yellow
sand, with some limestone rocks. The
surface soil was alluvial. At eight A.M.
we passed a portage on which the limestone
rocks were singularly scattered through the
woods, bearing the appearance of houses
and turrets overgrown with moss. The
earth emitted a hollow sound, and the river —

OF THE POLAR SEA. 12%

was divided by rocks into narrow crooked
channels, every object indicating that some
convulsion had disturbed the general order
of nature at this place. We had passed a
portage above it, and after two long portages
below it we encamped. Near the last was
a small stream so strongly impregnated
with sulphur, as to taint the air to a great
distance around it. We saw two brown
bears on the hills in the course of the day.

At daylight on the 11th we embarked.
The hills continued on both sides to the
mouth of the river, varying from eight
hundred to one thousand feet in height.
They declined to the banks in long green
slopes, diversified by woody mounds and
copses. ‘he pines were not here in thick
impenetrable masses, but perched aloft in
single groups on the heights, or shrouded
by the livelier hues of the poplar and willow.
_ We passed the mouth of the Red Willow
River on the south bank, flowing through a
deep ravine. It is the continuation of. the
route by the Pembina, before mentioned.
At noon we entered the majestic Athabasca

122 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

or Elk River. Its junction with the Clear
Water River is called the Forks. Its banks
were inaccessible cliffs, apparently of clay
and stones, about two hundred feet high,
and its windings in the south were encircled
by high mountains. Its breadth exceeded
half a mile, and was swelled to a mile in
many places by long muddy islands in the
middle covered with trees. No more port~
ages interrupted our course, but a swift
current hurried us towards the quarter in
which our anticipated discoveries were to
commence. ‘The passing cliffs returned a
loud confusion of echoes to the sprightly
canoe song and the dashing paddles; and
the eagles, watching with half-closed eyes
on the pine-tops, started from their airy
rest, and prepared their drowsy pinions for
the flight.

About twenty miles from the Forks are
some salt pits and plains, said to be very
extensive. The height of the banks was
reduced to twenty or thirty feet, and the
hills ranged themselves at an increased dis-
tance from the banks in the same variety as

OF THE POLAR SEA. 123

those of the Clear Water River. At sunset
we encamped on a small sandy island, but
the next morning made a speedy retreat to
the canoes, the water having nearly over-
flown our encampment. We passed two
deserted settlements of the fur traders on
opposite banks, at a place called Pierre au
Calumet. Beyond it the hills disappeared,
and the banks were no longer visible above
the trees. The river carries away yearly
large portions of soil, which increases its
breadth, and diminishes its depth, rendering
the water so muddy as to be scarcely
drinkable. Whole forests of timber are
drifted down the stream, and choke up the
channels between the islands at its mouth.
We observed the traces of herds of bufta-
loes, where they had crossed the river, the
trees being trodden dewn and strewed, as
if by a whirlwind.

At four P.M. we left the main branch of
the Athabasca, entering a small river called
the Embarras. It is narrow and muddy,
with pines of an enormous size on its banks.
Some of them are two hundred feet high,

Be

124 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

and three or four feet in diameter. At
nine P.M. we landed and encamped; but
finding ourselves in a nest of musquitoes,
we continued our journey before daybreak,
and at eight A.M. emerged into the Atha-
basca Lake. <A strong wind agitated this
sea of fresh water, which, however, we
crossed without any accident, and landed
on the north side of it, at Fort Chipewyan;
where we had the satisfaction of finding our
companions in good health, and of expe-
riencing that sympathy in our anxiety on
the state of affairs, which was only to be
expected from those who were to share our
future fortunes.

OF THE POLAR SEA. 125

CHAPTER VIi.

Departure from Chipewyan— Difficulties of the various
_ Navigations of the Rivers and Lakes, and of the Port-
—ages—Slave Lake and Fort Providence—Scarcity of
_ Provisions, and Discontent of the Canadian Voyagers
_ —Difficulties with regard io the Indian Guides—
_ Refusal to proceed— Visit of Observation to the upper
part of Copper-Mine River—Return to the Winter-
Quarters of Fort Enterprise.

Earzy on the morning of the 18th July the
stores were distributed to the three canoes.
Our stock of provision unfortunately did
not amount to more than sufficient for one
day’s consumption, exclusive of two barrels
of flour, three cases of preserved meats,
some chocolate, arrow-root, and portable
soup, which we had brought from England,
and intended to reserve for our journey to
the coast the next season. Seventy pounds
of moose meat and a little barley were all

126 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

that Mr. Smith was enabled to give us. It
was gratifying, however, to perceive that
this scarcity of food did not depress the
spirits of our Canadian companions, who
cheerfully loaded their canoes, and embarked
in high glee after they had received the
customary dram. At noon we bade fare- —
well to our kind friend Mr. Smith. The
crews commenced a lively paddling song on -
quitting the shore, which was continued
until we had lost sight of the houses. We
soon reached the western boundary of the
lake, and at two entered the Stony River,
one of the discharges of the Athabasca
Lake into the Slave River, and having a
favouring current passed swiftly along.
This narrow stream is confined between
low swampy banks, which support willows,
dwarf birch, and alder. At five we passed
its conflux with the Peace River. The
Slave River, formed by the union of these
streams, 1s about three quarters of a mile
wide. We descended this magnificent river
with much rapidity, and after passing
through several narrow channels, formed

OF THE POLAR SEA. _ 127

by an assemblage of islands, crossed a spot
where the waters had a violent whirling
motion, which, when the river is low, is said
‘to subside into a dangerous rapid ; on the
present occasion no other inconvenience was
felt than the inability of steering the canoes,
which were whirled about in every direction
by the eddies, until the current carried them
beyond their influence. We encamped at
seven on the swampy bank of the river, but
had scarcely pitched the tents before we
were visited by a terrible thunder-storm ;
the rain fell in torrents, and the violence of .
the wind caused the river to overflow its
banks, so that we were completely flooded.
Swarms of musquitoes succeeded the storm,
and their tormenting stings, superadded to
other inconveniences, induced us to embark,
and, after taking a hasty supper, to pursue
our voyage down the stream during the
night.

_ Atsix on the following morning we ey
the Rein-Deer Islands, and at ten reached
the entrance of the Dog River, where we
Yalted to set the fishmg nets. ‘These were

128 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

examined in the evening, but to our morti-
fication we obtained only four small trout,
and were compelled to issue part of our
preserved meats for supper. ‘The latitude
of the mouth of Dog River was observed
moro? 16 oN.

The nets were taken up at daylight, but
they furnished only a solitary pike. We
lost no time in embarking, and crossed the
crooked channel of the Dog Rapid, when
two of the canoes came in such violent
contact with each other, that the sternmost
had its bow broken off. We were fortu-
nately near the shore, or the disabled canoe
would have sunk. The injury being re-
paired in two hours, we again embarked,
and having descended another rapid, arrived
at the Cassette Portage of four hundred and
sixty paces, over which the cargoes and
canoes were carried in about twenty-six
minutes. We next passed through a narrow
channel full of rapids, crossed the portage
d’ Embarras of seventy yards, and the portage
of the Little Rock, of three hundred yards,
at which another accident happened to one

OF THE POLAR SEA. 129

of the canoes, by the bowman slipping and
letting it fall upon a rock, and breaking it
in two. Two hours were occupied in sewing
the detached pieces together, and covering
the seam with pitch; but this being done,
it was as effective as before. After leaving
this place we soon came to the next portage,
of two hundred and seventy-three paces ;
and shortly afterwards to the Mountain
Portage, of one hundred and twenty; which
is appropriately named, as the path leads
over the summit of a high hill. This ele-
vated situation commands a very grand and
picturesque view, for some miles along the
river, which at this part is about a mile
wide.

We next crossed a portage of one hun-
dred and twenty yards; and then the Peli-
can Portage, of eight hundred paces. Mr.
Back took an accurate sketch of the inte-
resting scenery which the river presents at
this place. After descending six miles
further, we came to the last portage on the
route to Slave Lake, which we crossed, and
encamped in its lower end. It is called

VOL. 11. K

130 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

“ The Portage of the Drowned,” and it
received that name from a melancholy
accident which took place many years ago.
T'wo canoes arrived at the upper end of the
portage, in one of which there was an ex-.
perienced guide. ‘This man, judging from
the height of the river, deemed it practicable
to shoot the rapid, and determined upon
trying it. He accordingly placed himself
in the bow of his canoe, having previously —
agreed, that if the passage was found easy,
he should, on reaching the bottom of the
rapid, fire a musket, as a signal for the
other canoe to follow. ‘The rapid proved
dangerous, and called forth all the skill of
the guide, and the utmost exertion of his
erew, and they narrowly escaped destruc-
tion. Just as they were landing, an unfor-
tunate fellow, seizing the loaded fowling-
piece, fired at a duck which rose at the
instant. ‘The guide, anticipating the con-
sequences, ran with the utmost haste to the
other end of the portage, but he was too
late; the other canoe had pushed off, and
he arrived only to witness the fate of his

OF THE POLAR SEA. 131

comrades. They got alarmed in the middle
of the rapid, the canoe was upset, and every
man perished.

The various rapids we passed this day
are produced by an assemblage of islands
and rocky ledges, which obstruct the river,
and divide it into many narrow channels.
Two of these channels are rendered still
more difficult by accumulations of drift
timber ; a circumstance which has given a
name to one of the portages. The rocks
which compose the bed of the river, and
the numerous islands, belong to the granite
formation. ‘The distance made to-day was
thirteen miles.

July 21.—We embarked at four A.M.
and pursued our course down the river.
The rocks cease at the last portage; and
below it the banks are composed of alluvial
‘soil, which is held together by the roots of
trees and shrubs that crown their summits.
The river is about a mile wide, and the
current is greatly diminished. At eight we
landed at the mouth of the Salt River, and
pitched our tents, intending to remain there

K 2

132 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

that and the next day for the purpose of
fishing. After breakfast, which made ano-
ther mroad on our preserved meats, we
proceeded up the river in a light canoe, to
visit the salt springs, leaving a party behind
to attend the nets. This river is about one
- hundred yards wide at its mouth. Its
waters did not become brackish until we
had ascended it seven or eight miles; but
when we had passed several rivulets of
fresh water which flowed in, the main
stream became very salt, at the same time
contracting its width to fifteen or twenty
yards. Ata distance of twenty-two miles,
including the windings of the river, the
plains commence. Having pitched the tent
at this spot, we set out to visit the principal
springs, and had walked about three miles,
when the musquitoes compelled us to give
up our project. We did not see the termi-
nation of the plains toward the east, but on
the north and west they are bounded by an
even ridge, about six or seven hundred feet
in height. Several salt springs issue from
the foot of this ridge, and spread their

OF THE POLAR SEA. 133

waters over the plain, which consists of
tenacious clay. During the summer much
evaporation takes place, and large heaps of
salt are left behind crystallized in the form
of cubes. Some beds of grayish compact
gypsum were exposed on the sides of. the
hills.

The next morning, after filling some
asks with salt for our use during winter,
we embarked to return, and had descended
the river a few miles, when, turning round
a point, we perceived a buffalo plunge mto
the river before us. Eager to secure so
valuable a prize, we instantly opened a fire
upon him from four muskets, and in a few
minutes he fell, but not before he had re-
ceived fourteen balls. The carcass was
towed to the bank, and the canoe speedily
laden with meat. After this piece of good
fortune, we descended the stream merrily,
our voyagers chanting their liveliest songs.
On arrival at the mouth of the river, we
found that our nets had not produced more
than enough to supply a scanty meal to the
~men whom we had left behind, but this was

ee JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

now of little importance, as the acquisition
of meat we had made would enable us to
proceed without more delay to Slave Lake.
The poisson inconnu, mentioned by Mac-
kenzie, is found here. It is a species of
the genus Salmo, and is said by the In-
dians to ascend from the Arctic Sea, but
being unable to pass the cascade of the
Slave River is not found higher than this
place. In the evening a violent thunder-
storm came on with heavy rain, thermome-
ter VO

At a very early hour on the following
morning we embarked, and continued to
paddle against a very strong wind and high ©
waves, under the shelter of the bank of the
rivers, until two P.M., when having ar-
rived at a more exposed part of the stream,
the canoes took in so much water that we
were obliged to disembark on a small is-
land. The river here is from one mile and
a quarter to one mile and three quarters
wide. Its banks are of moderate hog |
sandy, and well wooded.

July 24,.—We made more progress, not-

- OF THE POLAR SEA. 135

withstanding the continuance of the wind.
The course of the river is very winding,
making in one place a circuit of seven or
eight miles round a peninsula, which is
joined to the west bank by a narrow isth-
mus. Near the foot of this elbow, a long
island occupies the centre of the river,
which it divides into two channels. The lon-
gitude was obtained near to it 113° 25’ 36”,
and variation 27° 25’ 14” N., and the lati-
tude 60° 54’ 52” N., about four miles far-
ther down. We passed the mouth of a
broad channel leading to the north-east,
termed La Grande Riviére de Jean, one of
the two large branches by which the river
pours its waters into the Great Slave Lake;
the flooded delta at the mouth of the river
is intersected by several smaller channels,
through one of which, called the Channel
of the Scaffold, we pursued our voyage on
the following morning, and by eight A.M.
reached the establishment of the North-
West Company on Moose-Deer Island.
We found letters from Mr. Wentzel, dated
Fort Providence, a station on the north side

136 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

of the lake, which communicated to us that
there was an Indian guide waiting for us at
that post; but, that the chief and the
hunters, who were to accompany the party,
had gone to a short distance to hunt, having
become impatient at our delay.

Soon after landing, I visited the Hud-
son’s Bay Post on the same island, and en-
gaged Pierre St. Germain, an interpreter
for the Copper Indians. We regretted to
find the posts of both the Companies ex-
tremely bare of provision; but as the gen-
tlemen in charge had despatched men on
the preceding evening to a band of Indians,
in search of meat, and they promised to
furnish us with whatever should be brought,
it was deemed advisable to wait for their
return, as the smallest supply was now of
importance to us. Advantage was taken of
the delay to repair effectually the canoe,
which had been broken in the Dog Rapid.
On the next evening the men arrived with
the meat, and enabled Mr. M‘Cleod, of
the North-West Company, to furnish us
with four hundred pounds of dried provi-

OF THE POLAR SEA. 137

sions. Mr. M‘Vicar, of the Hudson’s Bay
Company, also supplied one hundred and
fifty pounds. This quantity we considered
would be sufficient, until we could join the
hunters. We also obtained three fishing-
nets, a gun, and a pair of pistols, which
were all the stores these posts could furnish,
although the gentlemen in charge were
much disposed to assist us.

Moose-Deer Island is about a mile in
diameter, and rises towards the centre about
three hundred feet above the lake. Its soil
is in general sandy, in some parts swampy.
The varieties of the northern berries grow
abundantly on it. The North-West Com-
pany’s Fort is in latitude 61° 11’ 8’N.;
longitude 113° 51’ 37" W., being two hun-
dred and sixty statute miles distant from
Fort Chipewyan, by the river course. The
variation of the compass is 25° 40’ 47” E.
The houses of the two Companies are small,
and have a bleak northern aspect. ‘There
are vast accumulations of drift wood on the
Shores of the lake, brought down by the
river, which afford plenty of fuel. The in-

138 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

habitants live principally on the fish, which
the lake at certain seasons furnishes in great
abundance; of these, the white fish, trout,
and poisson inconnu are considered the best.
They also procure moose, buffalo, and rein-
deer meat occasionally from their hunters;
but these animals are generally found at the
distance of several days’ walk from the
forts. The Indians who trade here are
Chipewyans. Beavers, martens, foxes, and
musk-rats, are caught in numbers in the
vicinity of this great body of water. The
musquitoes here were still a serious annoy-
ance to us, but less numerous than before.
They were in some degree replaced by a
small sandfly, whose bite is succeeded by
a copious flow of blood, and considerable
swelling, but is attended with incomparably
less irritation, than the puncture of the
musquito.

On the 27th of July we embarked at four
A.M., and proceeded along the south shore
of the lake, through a narrow channel,
formed by some islands, beyond the conflu-
ence of the principal branch of the Slave

- OF THE POLAR SEA. 139

River, and as far as Stony Island, where
we breakfasted. This island is merely a
rock of gneiss, that rises forty or fifty feet
above the lake, and is precipitous on the
north side. As the day was fine, and the
lake smooth, we ventured upon paddling
across to the Reim-Deer Islands, which
were distant about thirteen miles in a
northern direction, instead of pursuing the
usual track by keeping further along the
south shore which imclines to the eastward
from this point. These islands are nume-
rous, and consist of granite, rising from one
hundred to two hundred feet above the
water. They are for the most part naked ;
but towards the centres of the larger ones,
there is a little soil, and a few groves of
pines. At seven in the evening we landed
upon one of them and encamped. On the
following morning we ran before a strong
breeze and a heavy swell for some hours,
but at length were obliged to seek shelter
on a large island adjoining to Isle 4 la
Cache of Mackenzie, where the following
observations were obtained: latitude 61°

140 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

50’ 18" N., longitude 113° 21’ 40” W., and
variation 31° 2’ 06" E.

The wind and swell having subsided in
the afternoon, we re-embarked and steered
towards the western point of the Big-Island
of Mackenzie, and, when four miles distant
from it, had forty-two fathoms soundings.
Passing between this island and a promon-
tory of the main shore, termed Big Cape,
we entered into a deep bay, which receives
the waters from several rivers that come
from the northward; and we immediately
perceived a decrease in the temperature of
the waters from 59° to 48°. We coasted
along the eastern side of the bay, its western
shore being always visible, but the canoes
were exposed to the hazard of being broken |
by the numerous sunken rocks, which were
scattered in our track. We encamped for
the night on a rocky island, and by eight
A.M. on the followmg morning arrived at
Fort Providence, which is situated twenty-
one miles from the entrance of the bay.
The post is exclusively occupied by the
North-West Company, the Hudson’s Bay

OF THE POLAR SEA. 141

Company having no settlement to the north-
ward of Great Slave Lake. We found
Mr. Wentzel and our interpreter Jean Bap-
‘tiste Adam here, with one of the Indian
guides; but the chief of the tribe and his
hunters were encamped with their families,
some miles from the fort, in a good situa-
tion for fishing. Our arrival was announced
to him by a fire on the top of a hill, and
before night a messenger came to commu-
nicate his intention of seeing us next morn-
ing. ‘The customary present, of tobacco
and some other articles, was immediately
sent to him.

Mr. Wentzel prepared me for the first
conference with the Indians by mentioning
all the information they had already given
tohim. The duties allotted to this gentle-
man were, the management of the Indians,
the superintendence of the Canadian voy-
agers, the obtaining and the general distri-
bution of the provision, and the issue of
the other stores. ‘These services he was
well qualified to perform, having been ac-
customed to execute similar duties during

142 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

a residence of upwards of twenty years in
this country. Wealso deemed Mr. Wentzel
to be a great acquisition to our party, as a
check on the interpreters, he being one of
the few traders who speak the crews
language.

As we were informed that oghendl ap-
pearances made lasting impressions on the
Indians, we prepared for the interview by
decorating ourselves in uniform, and sus-
pending a medal round each of our necks.
Our tents had been previously pitched and
over one of them a silken union flag was
hoisted. Soon after noon, on July 30th,
several Indian canoes were seen advancing
in a regular line, and on their approach, the
chief was discovered in the headmost, which
was paddled by two men. On landing at_
the fort, the chief assumed a very grave
aspect, and walked up to Mr. Wentzel with
a measured and dignified step, looking nei-
ther to the right nor to the left, at the per-
sons who had assembled on the beach to
witness his debarkation, but preserving the
same immoveability of countenance until he

OF THE POLAR SEA. 143

reached the hall, and was introduced to the
officers. When he had smoked his pipe,
drank a small portion of spirits and water
himself, and issued a glass to each of his
companions, who had seated themselves on
the floor, he commenced his harangue, by
mentioning the circumstances that led to
his agreeing to accompany the Expedition,
an engagement which he was quite prepared
to fulfil. He was rejoiced, he said, to see
such great chiefs on his lands; his tribe
was poor, but they loved white men, who
had been their benefactors; and he hoped
that our visit would be productive of much
good to them. ‘The report which pre-
ceded our arrival, he said, had caused much
grief to him. It was at first rumoured that
a great medicine chief accompanied us, who
was able to restore the dead to life; at this
he rejoiced; the prospect of again seeing
his departed relatives had enlivened his
spirits, but his first communication with
Mr. Wentzel had removed these vain hopes,
and he felt as if his friends had a second
time been torn from him. He now wished

144 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

to be informed exactly of the nature of our
expedition.

In reply to this speech, which I under-
stood had been prepared for many days, I
endeavoured to explain the objects of our
mission in a manner best calculated to en-
sure his exertions in our service. With
this view, I told him that we were sent out
by the greatest chief in the world, who was
the sovereign also of the trading companies
in the country; that he was the friend of
peace, and had the interest of every nation
at heart. Having learned that his children
in the north were much in want of articles
of merchandize, in consequence of the ex-
treme length and difficulty of the present
route; he had sent us to search for a pas~
sage by the sea, which, if found, would
enable large vessels to transport great
quantities of goods more easily to their
lands. That we had not come for the pur-—
pose of traffic, but solely to make discove-
ries for their benefit, as well as that of
every other people. That we had been
directed to inquire into the nature of all

OF THE POLAR SEA. 145

the productions of the countries we might
pass through, and particularly respecting
their inhabitants. That we desired the as-
sistance of the Indians in guiding us, and
providing us with food; finally, that we
were most positively enjoined by the great
chief to recommend that hostilities should
cease throughout this country; and espe-
cially between the Indians and the Esqui-
-maux, whom he considered his children, in
common with other natives; and by way
of enforcing the latter point more strongly,
I assured him that a forfeiture of all the
advantages which might be anticipated from
the expedition would be a certain conse-
quence if any quarrel arose between his
party and the Esquimaux. I also commu-
nicated to him that owing to the distance
we had travelled, we had now few more
‘stores than was necessary for the use of our
own party, a part of these, however, should
be forthwith presented to him; on his re-
turn, he and his party should be remuner-
ated with cloth, ammunition, tobacco, and
some useful iron materials, besides having
VOL, II. L

146 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

their debts to the North-West Company
discharged.

The chief, whose name is Akaitcho or
Big-foot, replied by a renewal of his assu-
rances, that he and his party would attend
us to the end of our journey, and that they
would do their utmost to provide us with
the means of subsistence. He admitted
that his tribe had made war upon the Es-
quimaux, but said they were now desirous
of peace, and unanimous in their opinion as
to the necessity of all who accompanied us
abstaining from every act of enmity against
that nation. He added, however, that the
Esquimaux were very treacherous, and
therefore recommended that we should ad-
vance towards them with caution.

The communications which the chief and
the guides then gave respecting the route
to the Copper-Mine River and its course
to the sea, coincided in every material point
with the statements which were made by
Boileau and Blackmeat at Chipewyan, but
they differed in their descriptions of the
coast. The information, however, collected

OF THE POLAR SEA. 147

from both sources was very vague and un-
satisfactory. None of his tribe had been
more than three days’ march along the sea-
coast to the eastward of the river’s mouth.
As the water was unusually high this
season, the Indian guides recommended our
going by a shorter route to the Copper-
Mine River than that they had first pro-
posed to Mr. Wentzel, and they assigned
as a reason for the change, that the rein-
deer would be sooner found upon this
track. They then drew a chart of the pro-

posed route on the floor with charcoal, ex-

hibiting a chain of twenty-five small lakes
extending towards the north, about one
half of them connected by a river which
flows into Slave Lake near Fort Provi-
dence. One of the guides, named Kes-
karrah, drew the Copper-Mine River, run-
ning through the Upper Lake, in a westerly
direction towards the Great Bear Lake, and
then northerly to the sea. The other guide
drew the river in a straight line to the sea
from the above-mentioned place, but, after
some dispute, admitted the correctness of
: L2

148 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

the first delineation. The latter was elder
brother to Akaitcho, and he said that he
had accompanied Mr. Hearne on his journey,
and though very young at the time, still
remembered many of the circumstances, and
particularly the massacre committed by the
Indians on the Esquimaux.

They pointed out another lake to the
southward of the river, about three days’
journey distant from it, on which the chief
proposed the next winter’s establishment
should be formed, as the rein-deer would
pass there in the autumn and spring. Its
waters contained fish, and there was a suf-
ficiency of wood for building as well as for
the winter’s consumption. ‘These were m-
portant considerations, and determined me
in pursuing the route they now proposed.
They could not inform us what time we
should take in reaching the lake, until they
saw our manner of travelling in the large
canoes, but they supposed we might be about
twenty days, in which case I entertained the
hope that if we could then procure provision
we should have time to descend the Copper-

OF THE POLAR SEA. 149

Mine River for a considerable distance, if
not to the sea itself, and return to the lake
before the winter set in.

It may here be proper to mention that it
had been my original plan to descend the
Mackenzie’s River and to cross the Great
Bear Lake, from the eastern side of which,
Boileau informed me, there is a communi-
eation with the Copper-Mine River by four
small lakes and portages; but under our
present circumstances, this course could not
be followed, because it would remove us
too far from the establishments at the
Great Slave Lake to receive the supplies
of ammunition and some other stores in the
winter, which were absolutely necessary for
the prosecution of our journey, or to get the
Esquimaux interpreter, whom we expected.
If I had not deemed these circumstances
paramount I should have preferred the
route by Bear Lake.

Akaitcho and the guides having commu-
nicated all the information they possessed
on the different points to which our ques-
tions had been directed, I placed my medal

150 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

round the neck of the chief, and the officers
presented theirs to an elder brother of his
and the two guides, communicating to them
that these marks of distinction were given
as tokens of our friendship and as pledges
of the sincerity of our professions. Being
conferred in the presence of all the hunters
their acquisition was highly gratifying to
them, but they studiously avoided any great
expression of joy, because such an exposure
would have been unbecoming the dignity
which the senior Indians assume during a
conference. ‘They assured us, however, of
their being duly sensible of these tokens of
our regard, and that they should be pre-
served during their lives with the utmost
care. The chief evinced much penetration
and intelligence during the whole of this
conversation, which gave us a favourable
opinion of his intellectual powers. He
made many inquiries respecting the Disco-
very ships, under the command of Captain’
Parry, which had been mentioned to him, and
asked why a passage had not been disco-
vered long ago, if one existed. It may be

OF THE POLAR SEA. 151

stated that we gave a faithful explanation to
all his inquiries, which policy would have
prompted us to do if a love of truth had
not; for whenever these northern nations
detect a falsehood in the dealings of the
traders, they make it an unceasing subject
of reproach, and their confidence is irre-
coverably lost.

We presented to the chief, the two guides,
and the seven hunters, who had engaged to
accompany us, some cloth, blankets, to-
bacco, knives, daggers, besides other useful
iron materials, and a gun to each; also a
keg of very weak spirits and water, which
they kept until the evening, as they had to
try their guns before dark, and make the
necessary preparations for commencing the
journey on the morrow. They, however,
did not leave us so soon, as the chief was
desirous of being present with his party at
the dance, which was given in the evening
to our Canadian voyagers. They were
highly entertained by the vivacity and agi-
lity displayed by our companions in their
singing and dancing, and especially by their

152 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

imitating the gestures of a Canadian, who
placed himself in the most ludicrous pos-
tures; and, whenever this was done, the
gravity of the chief gave way to violent
bursts of laughter. In return for the grati-
fication Akaitcho had enjoyed, he desired
his young men to exhibit the Dog-Rib
Indian dance; and immediately they ranged
themselves in a circle, and, keeping their
legs widely separated, began to jump simul-
taneously sideways ; their bodies were bent,
their hands placed on their hips, and they
uttered forcibly the mterjection tsa at each
jump. Devoid as were their attitudes of
grace, and their music of harmony, we were
much amused by the novelty of the exhibi-
tion. —

In the midst of this scene an untoward
accident occurred, which for a time inter-
rupted our amusements. The tent in which
Dr. Richardson and I lodged, having caught
fire from some embers that had been placed
in it to expel the musquitoes, was entirely
burnt. Hepburn, who was sleeping within
it close to some powder, most providentially

OF THE POLAR SEA. 153

awoke in time to throw it clear of the
flame, and rescue the baggage before any
material injury had been received. We
dreaded the consequences of this disaster
upon the fickle minds of the Indians, and
wished it not to be communicated to them.
The chief, however, was soon informed of
it by one of his people, and expressed his
desire that no future misfortune should be
concealed from him. We found he was
most concerned to hear that the flag had
been burnt, but we removed his anxiety on
that point by the assurance that it could
easily be repaired. We were advised by
Mr. Wentzel to recommence the dancing
after this event, lest the Indians should
imagine, by our putting a stop to it, that
we considered the circumstance as an unfa-~
vourable commencement of our under-
taking. We were, however, deeply im-
pressed with a grateful sense of the Divine
Providence, in averting the threatened de-
struction of our stores, which would have
been fatal to every prospect of proceeding
forward this season.

154 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

August 1.—This morning the Indians set
out, intending to wait for us at the mouth
of the Yellow-Knife River. We remained
behind to pack our stores in bales of eighty
pounds each, an operation which could not
be done in the presence of these Indians, as
they are in the habit of begging for every
thing they see. Our stores consisted of
two barrels of gunpowder, one hundred and
forty pounds of ball and small shot, four
fowling-pieces, a few old trading guns, eight
pistols, twenty-four Indian daggers, some
packages of knives, chisels, axes, nails, and
fastenings for a boat; a few yards of cloth,
some blankets, needles, looking-glasses, and
beads; together with nine fishing-nets, hav-
ing meshes of different sizes. “Our provision —
was two casks of flour, two hundred dried
rein-deer tongues, some dried moose-meat,
portable soup, and arrow-root, sufficient in
the whole for ten days’ consumption, besides
two cases of chocolate and two canisters of
tea. We engaged another Canadian voyager
at this place, and the expedition then con-
sisted of twenty-eight persons, including.

OF THE POLAR SEA. 155

the officers and the wives of three of our
voyagers, who were brought for the pur-
pose of making shoes and clothes for the
men at the winter establishment; there
were also three children, belonging to two
of these women.* |

* The following is the list of the officers and men
who composed the expedition on its departure from
Fort Providence :

John Franklin, Lieutenant of the Royal Navy and
Commander.

John Richardson, M.D. Surgeon of the Royal
Navy.

Mr. George Back, of the Royal Navy, Admiralty
Midshipman."

Mr. Robert Hood, of the Royal Navy, Admiralty
Midshipman.

Mr. Frederick Wentzel, Clerk to the North-West
Company.

John Hepburn, English seaman.

CANADIAN VOYAGERS.

Joseph Peltier, Gabriel Beauparlant,
Matthew Pelonquin, dit Vuincenza Fontano,
Crédit, Registe Vaillant,
Solomon Belanger, Jean Baptiste Parent,
Joseph Benoit, Jean Baptiste Belanger,

Joseph Gagné, Jean Baptiste Belleau,

156 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

Our observations place Fort Providence
in latitude 62° 17’ 19” N., longitude 114°
9° 28" W.; the variation of the compass is
33° 35’ 55” E., and dip of the needle 86°
38° 02". It is distant from Moose-Deer
Island sixty-six geographic miles. This is
the last establishment of the traders in this
direction, but the North-West Company
have two to the northward of it on the
Mackenzie River. It has been erected for
the convenience of the Copper and Dog-
Rib Indians, who generally bring such a
quantity of rein-deer meat, that the resi-
dents are enabled, out of their superabun-
dance, to send annually some provision to
the fort at Moose-Deer Island. They also
occasionally procure moose and_ buffalo

Pierre Dumas, Emanuel Cournoyée,
Joseph Forcier, Michel Teroahauté, an
Ignace Perrault, Troquois.

Francois Samandré.

INTERPRETERS,
Pierre St. Germain, Chipewyan Bois Brulés.
Jean Baptiste Adam,

OF THE POLAR SEA. Lo¥

meat, but these animals are not numerous
on this side of the lake. Few furs are col-
lected. Les poissons inconnus, trout, pike,
carp, and white-fish, are very plentiful, and
on these the residents principally subsist.
Their great supply of fish is procured in the
latter part of September and the beginning
of October, but there are a few taken daily
in the nets during the winter. The sur-
rounding country consists almost entirely of
coarse-grained. granite, frequently enclosing
large“inasses of reddish felspar. These
rocks form hills which attain an elevation
of three hundred or four hundred feet, about
a mile behind the house; their surface is
generally naked, but in the valleys between
them grow a few spruce, aspen, and birch
trees, together with a variety of shrubs and
berry-bearing plants.

On the afternoon of the 2d of August we
commenced our journey, having, in addition
to our three canoes, a smaller one to convey
the women; we were all in high spirits,
being heartily glad that the time had at
length arrived when our course was to be

198 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

directed towards the Copper-Mine River,
and through a line of country which had
not been previously visited by any European.
We proceeded to the northward, along the
eastern side of a deep bay of the lake, pass-
ing through various channels, formed by
an assemblage of rocky islands, and at
sunset encamped on a projecting point of
the north main shore, eight miles from Fort
Providence. To the westward of this arm
or bay of the lake, there is another deep
bay, that receives the waters of a river
which communicates with Great Marten
Lake, where the North-West Company had
once a post established. The eastern
shores of the Great Slave Lake are very
imperfectly known; none of the traders
have visited them, and the Indians give
such loose and unsatisfactory accounts, that
no estimation can be formed of its extent in
that direction. These men say there is a
communication from its eastern extremity |
by a chain of lakes, with a shallow river,
which discharges its waters into the sea.
This stream they call the Thlouee-tessy,

OF THE POLAR SEA. 159

and report it to be navigable for Indian
canoes only. The forms of the south and
western shores are better known from the
survey of Sir Alexander Mackenzie, and in
consequence of the canoes having to pass
and repass along these borders annually
between Moose-Deer Island and Mac-
kenzie’s River. Our observations made
the breadth of the lake, between Stony
Island and the north main shore, sixty miles
less than it is laid down in Arrowsmith’s
map; and there is also a considerable dif-
ference in the longitude of the eastern side
of the bay, which we entered.

This lake, owing to its great depth, is
seldom completely frozen over before the
last week in November, and the ice, which
is generally seven feet thick, breaks up
about the middle of June, three weeks later
than that “of the Slave River. The only
known outlet to this vast body of water,
which receives so many streams on its
north and south shores, is the Mackenzie’s
River.

August 3.—We embarked at three A.M.

an
al

160 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

and proceeded to the entrance of the Yel-
low-Knife River of the traders, which is
called by the natives Beg-ho-lo-dessy; or,
River of the Toothless Fish. We found
Akaitcho, and the hunters with their fami-
lies, encamped here. There were also
several other Indians of his tribe, who
intended to accompany us some distance
into the interior. This party was quickly
in motion after our arrival, and we were
soon surrounded by a fleet of seventeen
Indian canoes. In company with them we
paddled up the river, which is one hundred
and fifty yards wide, and in an hour came
to a cascade of five feet, where we were
compelled to make a portage of one hun-
dred and fifty-eight yards. We next crossed
a dilatation of the river, about six miles m
length, upon which the name of Lake
Prosperous was bestowed. Its shores,
though scantily supplied with wood, are
very picturesque.

Akaitcho caused himself to be paddled
by his slave, a young man of the Dog-Rib
nation, whom he had taken by force from:

IVAN

i
HAA

== ——— —S
Drawn by Iieut.-Hood.RN-

EXPEDITION CROSSING LAKE

PROSPEROMS .

OF THE POLAR SEA. 161

his friends; when he thought himself, how-
ever, out of reach of our observation, he
laid aside a good deal of his state, and
assisted in the labour; and, after a few
days further acquaintance with us, he did
not hesitate to paddle in our presence, or
even carry his canoe on the portages. Se-
veral- of the canoes were managed by
women, who proved to be noisy compa-
nions, for they quarrelled frequently, and
the weakest was generally profuse in her
lamentations, which were not at all dimi-
nished when the husband attempted to settle
the difference by a few blows with his
paddle. :

An observation, near the centre of the
lake, gave 114° 13’ 39" W., and 33° 8’ 06”
E., variation.

_ Leaving the lake, we ascended a very
strong rapid, and arrived at a range of three
‘steep cascades, situated in the bend of the
river. Here we made a portage of one
thousand three hundred yards over a rocky
hill, which received the name of the Bow-
string Portage, from its shape. We found

OL, I. M

162 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

that the Indians had greatly the advantage
of us in this operation; the men carried —
their small canoes, the women and children
the clothes and provisions, and at the end
of the portage they were ready to embark ;
whilst it was necessary for our people to
return four times, before they could trans-
port the weighty cargo with which we
were burdened. After passing through
another expansion of the river, and over the
Steep Portage of one hundred and fifteen
yards, we encamped on a small rocky isle,
just large enough to hold our party, and
the Indians took possession of an adjoining
rock. We were now thirty miles from
Fort Providence. |

As soon as the tents were pitched, the
officers and men were divided into watches
for the night; a precaution intended to be
taken. throughout the journey, not merely
to prevent our being surprised. by strangers,
but also to show our companions that we
were constantly on our guard. The chief,
-who suffered nothing to escape his observa-
tion, remarked, “ that he should sleep with-

OF THE POLAR SEA. 163

out anxiety among the Esquimaux, for he
perceived no enemy could surprise us.”

After supper we retired to rest, but our
sleep was soon interrupted by the Indians
joining in loud lamentations over a sick
child, whom they supposed to be dying.
Dr. Richardson, however, immediately went
to the boy, and administered some medicine
which relieved his pain, and put a stop to
their mourning. The temperatures this
day were at four A.M. 54°, three P.M. 72°,
at seven P.M. 65°.

On the 4th we crossed a small lake, and
passed in succession over the Blue Berry
Cascade, and Double Fall Portages, where
‘the river falls over ridges of rocks that
completely obstruct the passage for canoes.
We came to three strong rapids beyond
these barriers, which were surmounted by
the aid of the poles and lines, and then to a
bend of the river in which the cascades
were so frequent, that to avoid them we
carried the canoes into a chain of small
lakes. We entered them by a portage of
nine hundred and fifty paces, and during

M 2

164 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

the afternoon traversed three other grassy
lakes, and encamped on the banks of the
river at the end of the Yellow-Knife Port-
age, of three hundred and fifty paces. This
day’s work was very laborious to our men.
Akaitcho, however, had directed his party
to assist them in carrying their burdens on
the portages, which they did cheerfully.
This morning Mr. Back caught several fish
with a fly, a method of fishing entirely new
te the Indians; and they were not more
delighted than astonished at his skill and.
success. ‘The extremes of temperature to-
day were 54° and 65°. |

On August 5th we continued the ascent
of the river, which varied much in breadth,
as did the current in rapidity. It flows
between high rocky banks, on which there
is sufficient soil to support pines, birch, and
poplars. Five portages were crossed, then
the Rocky Lake, and we finished our labours
at the end of the sixth portage. The issue
of dried meat for breakfast this morning
had exhausted all oux stock; and no other
provision remained but the portable soups,

OF THE POLAR SEA. 165

and a few pounds of preserved meat. At
the recommendation of Akaitcho, the hunters
were furnished with ammunition, and de-
sired to go forward as speedily as possible
to the part where the rein-deer were ex-
pected to be found; and to return to us
with any provision they could procure. He
also assured us, that in our advance towards
them we should come to lakes abounding in
fish. Many of the Indians being likewise
in distress for food, decided on separating
from us, and going on at a quicker pace
than we could travel.

Akaitcho himself was always furnished
with a portion at our meals, as a token of
regard which the traders have taught the
chiefs to expect, and which we willingly
paid. |

The next morning we crossed a small
lake and a portage before we entered the
river; shortly afterwards, the canoes and
cargoes were carried a mile along its banks,
to avoid three very strong rapids, and over
another portage into a narrow lake; we
encamped on an island in the middle of it

166 . JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

to set the nets; but they only yielded a few
fish, and we had a very scanty supper, as it
was necessary to deal out our provision
sparingly. The longitude, 114° 27° 03° W.,
and variation, 33° 04” E., were observed.
We had the mortification of finding the
nets entirely empty next morning, an un-
toward circumstance that discouraged our
voyagers very much; and they complained
of being unable to support the fatigue to
which they were daily exposed, on their
present scanty fare. We had seen with
regret that the portages were more frequent
as we advanced to the northward, and
feared that their strength would fail, if pro-
vision were not soon obtained. We em-
barked at six, proceeded to the head of the
lake, and crossed a portage of two thousand
five hundred paces, leading over ridges of
sand-hills, which nourished pines of a larger
size than we had lately seen. This con-
ducted us to Mossy Lake, whence we re-
gained the river, after traversing another
portage. The Birch and Poplar Portages
next followed, and beyond these we came

*S rom | .

OF THE POLAR SEA. 167

to a part where the river takes a great cir-
cuit, and its course is interrupted by seve-
ral heavy falls. The guide, therefore, ad-
vised us to quit it, and proceed through a
chain of nine lakes extending to the north-
east, which we did, and encamped on Icy
Portage, where the nets were set. The
bottom of the valley, through which the
track across this portage led, was covered
with ice four or five feet thick, the remains
of a large iceberg, which is annually formed
there, by the snow drifting into the valley,
and becoming consolidated into ice by the
overflowing of some springs that are warm
enough to resist the winter’s cold. The
latitude is 63° 22° 15” N., longitude
114° 15° 30° W.

We were alarmed in the night by our
fire communicating to the dry moss, which,
spreading by the force of a strong wind,
encircled the encampment and threatened
destruction to our canoes and baggage.
The watch immediately aroused all the
men, who quickly removed whatever could

168 - JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

be injured to a distant part, and afterwards
succeeded in extinguishing the flame.
August 8.—During this day we crossed
five portages, passing over a very bad road.
The men were quite exhausted with fatigue
by five P.M., when we were obliged to en-
camp on the borders of the fifth lake, in
which the fishing nets were set. We began
this evening to issue some portable soup
and arrow-root, which our companions re~
lished very much; but this food is too un-
substantial to support their vigour under
their daily exhausting labour, and we could
not furnish them with a sufficient quantity
even of this to satisfy their desires. We
commenced our labours on the next day in
a very wet uncomfortable state, as it had
rained through the night until four A.M.
The fifth grassy lake was crossed, and four
others, with their intervening portages, and
we returned to the river by a portage of
one thousand four hundred and _ fifteen
paces. The width of the stream here is
about one hundred yards, its banks are mo-

OF THE POLAR SEA. 169

derately high and scantily covered with
wood. We afterwards twice carried the
cargoes along its banks to avoid a very
stony rapid, and then crossed the first Carp ©
Portage in longitude 114° 2’ 01” W., varia-
tion of the compass 32° 30° 40° E., and
encamped on the borders of Lower Carp
Lake. |

The chief having told us that this was a
good lake for fishing, we determined on
halting for a day or two to recruit our men,
of whom three were lame, and Several
others had swelled legs. The chief himself
went forward to look after the hunters, and
promised to make a fire as a signal if they
had killed any rein-deer. All the Indians
had left us in the course of yesterday and
to-day to seek these animals, except the
guide Keskarrah.

August 10.—The nets furnishing only
four carp, we embarked for the purpose of
searching for a better spot, and encamped
again on the shores of the same lake. The
spirits of the men were much revived by
seeing some recent traces of rein-deer at

170 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

this place, which circumstance caused them
to cherish the hope of soon getting a sup-
ply of meat from the hunters. They were
also gratified by finding abundance of blue
berries near the encampment, which made
an agreeable and substantial addition to
their otherwise scanty fare. We were
teased by sand-flies this evening, although
the thermometer did not rise above 45°.
The country through which we had tra-
velled for some days consists principally. of
granite, intermixed in some spots with mica-
slate, often passing into clay-slate. “But
the-borders of Lower Carp ‘Lake, where the
gneiss formation prevails, are composed ol
hills, having less altitude, fewer precipices,
and more rounded summits. The valleys
are less fertile, contaming a gravelly soil
and fewer trees; so that the country has
throughout a more barren aspect.

August 11.— Having caught sufficient
trout, white-fish, and carp, yesterday and
this morning, to afford the party two hearty
meals, and the men having recovered then
fatigue, we proceeded on our journey,

OF THE POLAR SEA. 171

crossed the Upper Carp Portage, and em-
barked on the lake of that name, where we
had the gratification of paddling for ten
miles. We put up at its termination to
fish, by the advice of our guide, and the
following observations were then taken:
longitude 113° 46° 35” W., variation of the -
compass 36° 45’ 30° E., dip 87° 11° 48", .
At this place we first perceived the north
end of our dipping-needle to pass the per-
pendicular line when the instrument was
faced to the west.

We had scarcely quitted the encampment
next day before an Indian met us, with the
agreeable communication, that the hunters
had made several fires, which were certain
indications of their having killed rein-deer.
This intelligence inspired our companions
with fresh energy, and they quickly traversed
the next portage, and paddled through the
Rein-Deer Lake; at the north side of it we
found the canoes of our hunters, and learned
from our guide, that the Indians usually
leave their canoes here, as the water com-
unication on their hunting grounds is bad.

172 JOURNEY TO THE SHGRES

The Yellow-Knife River had now dwindled
into an insignificant rivulet, and we could
not trace it beyond the next lake, except as
a mere brock. The latitude of its source
64° 1’ 30” N., longitude 113° 36° W., and
its length is one hundred and fifty-six sta-
tute miles. Though this river is of suffi-
cient breadth and depth for navigating in
canoes, yet I conceive its course is too
much interrupted by cascades and rapids
for its ever being used as a channel for the
conveyance of merchandise. Whilst the
crews were employed in making a portage
over the foot of Prospect Hill, we ascended
to the top of it, and as it is the highest
ground in the neighbourhood, its summit,
which is about five hundred feet above the
water, commands an extensive view.
Akaitcho, who was here with his family.
pointed out to us the smoke of the distant
fires which the hunters had made. The
prospect is agreeably diversified by an in-
termixture of hill and valley, and the ap-
pearance of twelve lakes in different direc:
tions. On the borders of these lakes a few

OF THE POLAR SEA. 173

thin pine groves occur, but the country in
general is destitute of almost every vege-
table, except a few berry-bearimg shrubs _
and lichens, and has a very barren ; aspect.
The hills are composed of gneiss, but their
acclivities are covered with a coarse gra-
velly soil. There are many large loose
stones both on their sides and summits,
composed of the same materials as the solid
rock.

We crossed another lake i in the evening,
encamped and set the nets. The chief
made a large fire to announce our situation
to the hunters.

August 13.—We onal ek oh ihis
morning, but they were small, and furnished
but a scanty breakfast for the party. Whilst
this meal was preparing, our Canadian voy-
agers, who had been for some days past
murmuring at their meagre diet, and striv-
ing to get the whole of our little provision
to consume at once, broke out into open
discontent, and several of them threatened
they would not proceed forward, unless
more food was given to them. This con-

ehh gee taem

f pA

174 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

duct was the more unpardonable, as they
saw we were rapidly approaching the fires
of the hunters, and that provision might
soon be expected. I, therefore, felt the
duty incumbent on me to address them in
the strongest manner on the danger of in-
subordination, and to assure them of my
determination to inflict the heaviest punish-
ment on any that should persist in their re-
fusal to go on, or in any other way attempt
to retard the Expedition: I considered this
decisive step necessary, having learned from
the gentlemen most intimately acquainted
with the character of the Canadian voyagers,
that they mvariably try how far they can
impose upon every new master, and. that
they will continue to be disobedient and in-
tractable if they once gain any ascendency
over him. I must admit, however, that the
“Ypresent hardships of our companions were
of a kind which few could support without
murmuring, and no one could witness with-
out a sincere pity for their sufferings.
After this discussion we went forward
until sunset. In the course of the day we

OF THE POLAR SEA. bts

crossed seven lakes and as many portages.
Just as we had encamped we were delighted
to see four of the hunters arrive with the
flesh of two rein-deer. This seasonable
supply, though only sufficient for this even-
ing’s and the next day’s consumption, in-
stantly revived the spirits of our compa-
nions, and they immediately forgot all their

cares. As we did ‘noty~efter“this period, ie

experience any deficiency of food during
this journey, they worked extremely well,
and never again reflected upon us, as they
had done before, for rashly bringing them
into an inhospitable country, where the
means of subsistence could not be pro-
cured.

Several blue fish, resembling the ee
were caught in a stream which flows out of
Hunter’s Lake. It is remarkable for the
largeness of the dorsal fin and the beauty
of its colours.
> August 14.— Having crossed the Hunter’s
Portage, we entered the lake of the same
name, in latitude 64° 6° 47” N., longitude
113° 25' 00" W.; but soon quitted it by

beach dell

176 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

desire of the Indian guide, and diverged
more to the eastward, that we might get
into the line upon which our hunters had
gone. ‘This was the only consideration that
could have induced us to remove to a chain
of small lakes, connected by long portages.
We crossed three of these, and then were
obliged to encamp to rest the men. The
country is bare of wood except a few dwarf
birch bushes, which grow near the borders
of the lakes, and here and there a few
stunted pines; and our fuel principally con-
sisted of the roots of decayed pines, which
we had some difficulty to collect in suffi-
cient quantity for cooking. When this ma-
terial is wanting, the rein-deer lichen and
other mosses that grow in profusién on the
gravelly-acclivities of the hills are used as
substitutes. Three more of the hunters
arrived with meat this evening, which sup-
ply came very opportunely, as our nets
were unproductive. At eight P.M., a faint
Aurora Borealis appeared to the southward,
the night was cold, the wind strong from
N.W.

OF THE POLAR SEA.- 177

We were detained some time in the fol-
lowing morning before the fishing nets,
which had sunk in the night, could be re-
covered. : |
_ After starting we first crossed the Orkney
Lake, then a portage which brought us to
Sandy Lake, and here we missed one of our
barrels of powder, which the steersman of
the canoe then recollected had been left the
day before. He and two other men were
sent back to search for it, in the small canoe.
The rest of the party proceeded to the
portage on the north side of the Grizzle-
Bear Lake, where the hunters had made a
deposit of meat, and there encamped to
await their return, which happened at nine
P.M., with the powder. We perceived,
from the direction of this lake, that consi-
derable labour would have been spared if
we had continued our course yesterday
instead of striking off at the guide’s sug-
gestion, as the bottom of this lake cannot
be far separated from either Hunter’s Lake
or the one to the westward of it. The chief
and all the Indians went off to hunt, accom-

VOL. II. N

178 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

panied by Pierre St. Germain, the inter-
preter. They returned at night, bringing
some meat, and reported that they had put
the carcasses of several rein-deer en cache.
These were sent for early next morning,
and as the weather was unusually warm,
the thermometer at noon being 77°,, we
remained stationary all day, that the women
might prepare the meat for keeping, by
stripping the flesh from the bones, and
drying itin the-sun-over’a slow fire. The
hunters were again successful, and by the
evening we had collected the carcasses of
seventeen deer. As this was a sufficient
store to serve us until we arrived at Winter
Lake, the chief proposed that he and his
hunters should proceed to that place and
collect some provision against our arrival.
He also requested that we would allow him
to be absent ten days to provide his family
with clothing, as the skin of the rein-deer
is unfit for that purpose after the month of
September. We could not refuse to grant
such a reasonable request, but caused St.
Germain to accompany him, that his absence.

OF THE POLAR SEA. 179

might not exceed the appomted time. Pre-
vious to his departure the chief warned us
to be constantly on our guard against the
grizzly bears, which he described as being
_wuierous | in this vicinity, and very Rernigiotts ;
one had been seen this day by an Indian,
to which circumstance the lake owes its
appellation. We afterwards learned that
the only bear in this part of the country is
the brown bear, and that this by no means
possesses the ferocity which the Indians,
with their usual love of exaggeration, ascribe
to it. ‘The fierce grizzly bear, which fre-
quents the sources of the Missouri, is not
found on the barren grounds. .

The shores of this lake and the neigh-
bouring hills are principally composed of
sand and gravel; they are much varied in
their outline, and present some picturesque
scenery.

The following observations were taken
here: latitude 64° 15’ 17” N., longitude
113° 2’ 39" W.; variation of the compass
86° 50°47" E.; and dip of the needle 87°.
20 35°. |

N 2

180 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

On August the 17th, having finished dry-
ing the meat, which had been retarded by
the heavy showers of rain that fell in the
morning, we embarked at one P.M., and ~
crossed two lakes and two portages. ‘The
last of these was two thousand and sixty-six
paces long, and very rugged, so that the
men were much fatigued. On the next day
we received the flesh of four rein-deer by
the small canoe which had been sent for it,
and heard that the hunters had killed several
more deer on our route. We saw many of
these animals as we passed along; and our
companions, delighted with the prospect of
having food in abundance, now began to
accompany their paddling with _Singing,
which they had discontinued eVér since our
provisions became scarce. We passed from
one small lake to another over four port-
ages, then crossed a lake about six miles in
diameter, and encamped on its border,
where, finding pines, we enjoyed the luxury
of a good fire, which we had not done for —
some days. At ten P.M. the Aurora
Borealis appeared very brilliant in an arch —

OF THE POLAR SEA, 181

across the zenith, from north-west to south-
east, which afterwards gave place to a beau-
tiful corona borealis.

August 19.— After crossing a portage of
five hundred and ninety-five paces, a small
lake and another portage of two thousand
paces, which occupied the crews seven
hours, we embarked on a small stream,
running towards the north-west, which
carried us to the lake, where Akaitcho
proposed that we should pass the winter.
The officers ascended several of the loftiest
hills in the course of the day, prompted by
a natural anxiety to examine the spot which
was to be their residence for many months.
The prospect, however, was not then the
most agreeable, as the borders of the lake
seemed to be scantily furnished with wood,
and that of a kind too small for the purposes
of building.

We perceived the smoke of a distant fire
which the Indians suppose had been made
by some of the Dog-ribbed tribe, who occa-
sionally visit this part of the country.

Embarking at seven next morning, we

182 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

paddled to the western extremity of the
lake, and there found a small river, which
flows out of it to the S.W. ‘To avoid a
strong rapid at its commencement, we made
a portage, and then crossed to the north
bank of the river, where the Indians recom-
mended that the winter establishment should
be erected, and we soon found that the
situation they had chosen possessed all the
advantages we could desire. The trees
were numerous, and of-a far greater size
than we had supposed them to be in a dis-
tant view, some of the pines being thirty or
forty feet high, and two feet in diameter at
the root. We determined on placing the
house on the summit of the bank, which
commands a beautiful prospect of the sur-
rounding country. The view in the front
is bounded at the distance of three miles by
round-backed hills; to the eastward and
westward lie the Winter and Round-rock ©
Lakes, which are connected by the Winter
River, whose banks are well clothed with
pines, and ornamented with a profusion of
mosses, lichens, and shrubs.

OF THE POLAR SEA. 183

In the afternoon we read divine service,
and offered our thanksgiving to the Almighty
for his goodness in having brought us thus
far on our journey; a duty which we never
neglected when stationary on the sabbath.

The united length of the portages we had
crossed, since leaving Fort Providence, is
twenty-one statute miles and a half; and as
our men had to traverse each portage four
times, with a load of one hundred and eighty
pounds, and return three times light, they
walked in the whole upwards of one hun-
dred and fifty miles. The total length of
our voyage from Chipewyan is five hundred
and fifty-three miles.*

.. A fire was made on the south side of the
river, to inform the chief of our arrival,

Statute Miles.

* Stony and Slave Rivers ............ 260
Brive fame ©. 22500 VIR OM ee. 107
Wellow-Knife: River © if ow) aos ess 156.5

Barren country between the source of the
Yellow-Knife River and Fort Enter-

184 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

which spreading before a strong wind caught
the whole wood, and we were completely
enveloped in a cloud of smoke for the three
following days. 7

On the next morning our voyagers were
divided into two parties, the one to cut the
wood for the building of a store-house, and
the other to fetch the meat as the hunters
procured it. An interpreter was sent with
Keskarrah, the guide, to search for the In-
dians who had made the fire seen on
Saturday, from whom we might obtain some
supplies of provision. An Indian was also
despatched to Akaitcho, with directions for
him to come to this place directly, and bring
whatever provision he had, as we were de-
sirous of proceeding without delay to the
Copper-Mine River. In the evening our
men brought in the carcasses of seven rein-
deer, which two hunters had shot yesterday,
and the women commenced drying the meat
for our journey. We also obtained a good
supply of fish from our nets to-day.

A heavy rain on the 23d, prevented - the
men from working, either at the building,

- OF THE POLAR SEA. 185

or going for meat; but on the next day the
weather was fine, and they renewed their
labours. The thermometer that day did
not rise higher than 42°, and it fell to 31°
before midnight. On the morning of the
25th, we were surprised by some early
symptoms of the approach of winter; the
small pools were frozen over, and a flock of
of geese passed to the southward. In the
afternoon, however, a fog came on, which
afterwards changed into rain, and the ice
quickly disappeared. We suffered great
anxiety all the next day respecting John
Hepburn, who had gone to hunt before sun-
ise on the 25th, and had been absent ever
smce. About four hours after his departure
the wind changed, and a dense fog obscured
every mark by which his course to the
tents could be directed, and we thought it
probable he had been wandering in an op-
posite direction to our situation, as the two
hunters who had been sent to look for him,
returned at sunset without having seen him. |
Akaitcho arrived with his party, and we
were greatly disappointed at finding they

186 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

had stored up only fifteen rein-deer for us.
St. Germain informed us that having heard
of the death of the chief’s brother-in-law,
they had spent several days in bewailing
his loss, instead of hunting. We learned
also, that the decease of this man had caused
another party of the tribe who had been
sent by Mr. Wentzel to prepare provision
for us on the banks of the Copper-Mine
River, to remove to the shores of the Great
Bear Lake, distant from our proposed route.
Mortifying as these circumstances were,
they produced less painful sensations than
we experienced in the evening, by the refusal
of Akaitcho to accompany us in the proposed
descent of the Copper-Mine River. When
Mr. Wentzel, by my direction, communi-
cated to him my intention of proceeding at
once on that service, he desired a conference
with me upon the subject, which being im-
mediately granted, he began, by stating that
the very attempt would be rash and dan-
gerous, as the weather was cold, the leaves’
were falling, some geese had passed to the
southward, and the winter would shortly

OF THE POLAR SEA. 187

set in; and that, as he considered the lives
of all who went on such a journey would be
forfeited, he neither would go himself nor
permit his hunters to accompany us. He
said there was no wood within eleven days’
march, during which time we could not
have any fire, as the moss which the Indians
use in their summer excursions, would be
too wet for burning, in consequence of the
recent rains; that we should be forty days
in descending the Copper-Mine River, six
of which would be expended in getting to
its banks, and that we might be blocked up
by the ice in the next moon; and during
the whole journey the party must experience
great suffering for want of food, as the rein-
deer had already left the river.

He was now reminded that these state-
ments were very different from the account
he had given, both at Fort Providence and
on the route hither; and that up to this
moment, we had been encouraged by his
conversation to expect that the party might
descend the Copper-Mine River, accompa-
nied by the Indians. He replied, that at

188 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

the former place he had been unacquainted
with our slow mode of travelling, and that
the alteration in his opinion arose from the
advance of winter.

We now informed him that we were pro-
vided with mstruments by which we could
ascertain the state of the air and water, and
that we did not imagine the winter to be so
near as he supposed; however, we promised
to return on discovering the first change in
the season. He was also told that all the
baggage being. left behind, our canoes would
now, of course, travel infinitely more expe-
ditiously than any thing he had hitherto
witnessed. Akaitcho appeared to feel hurt
that we should continue to press the matter
further, and answered with some warmth:
** Well, I have said every thing I can urge
to dissuade you from going on this service,
on which it seems you wish to sacrifice your
own lives as well as the Indians who might
attend you; however, if after all I have
said, you are determined to go, some of my
young men shall join the party, because it
shall not be said that we permitted you to

a

OF THE POLAR SEA. 189

die alone after having brought you hither ;
but from the moment they embark in the
canoes, I and my relatives shall lament them
as dead.”

_ We could only reply to this forcible ap-
peal, by assuring him and the Indians who
were seated around him, that we felt the
most anxious solicitude for the safety of
every individual, and that it was far from
our intention to proceed without considering
every argument for and against the proposed
journey. :

We next informed him, that it would be
very desirable to see the river at any rate,
that we might give some positive informa-
tion about its situation and size, in our next
letters to the Great Chief; and that we
were very anxious to get on its banks, for
the purpose of observing an eclipse of the
sun, which we described to him, and said
would happen in a few days. He received
this communication with more temper than
the preceding, though he immediately as-
signed as a reason for his declining to go,
that ‘“‘ the Indians must now procure a suf-

190 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

ficient quantity of deer-skins for winter
clothing for themselves, and dresses for the
Canadians, who would need them if they
had to travel in the winter.” Finding him
so averse to proceed, and feeling at the
same time how essential his continuance
with us was, not only to our future success,
but even to our existence during the winter,
I closed the conversation here, intending to
propose to him next morning, some modifi-
cation of the plan, which might meet his
approbation. Soon after we were gone,
however, he informed Mr. Wentzel, with
whom he was in the habit of speaking con-
fidentially, that as his advice was neglected,
his presence was useless, and he should,
therefore, return to Fort Providence with
his hunters, after he had collected some
winter provision for us. Mr. Wentzel hav-
ing reported this to me, the night was
passed in great anxiety, and after weighing
all the arguments that presented themselves
to my mind, I came reluctantly to the de-
termination of relinquishing the intention 0
going any distance down the river this sea-

OF THE POLAR SEA. 191

son. I had considered, that could we
ascertain what were the impediments to the
navigation of the Copper-Mine River, what
wood grew on its banks, if fit for boat
building, and whether drift timber existed
where the country was naked, our opera-
tions next season would be much facilitated ;
but we had also cherished the hope of
reaching the sea this year, for the Indians
in their conversations with us, had only
spoken of two great rapids as likely to ob-
struct us. This was a hope extremely
painful to give up; for, in the event of suc-
cess, we should have ascertained whether
the sea was clear of ice, and navigable for
canoes; have learned the disposition of the
Esquimaux; and might have obtained other
information that would have had great in-
fluence on our future proceedings.

I must confess, however, that my opinion
of the probability of our being able to attain
so great a desideratum this season had been
somewhat altered by the recent changes in
the weather, although, had the chief been
willing to accompany us with his party, I

192 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

should have made the attempt; with the
intention, however, of returning immedi-
ately upon the first decided appearance of
winter.

On the morning of August 27th, Livin
communicated my sentiments to the officers,
on the subject of the conference last even-
ing, they all agreed that the descent to the
sea this season could not be attempted,
without hazarding a complete rupture with
the Indians; but they thought that a party
should be sent to ascertain the distance and
size of the Copper-mine River. These
opinions being in conformity with my own,
I determined on despatching Messrs. Back
and Hood on that service, in a a light canoe,
as soon as possible.

_We witnessed this Hatha an instance of
the versatility of our Indian companions,
which gave us much uneasiness, as it re-
garded the safety of our faithful attendant
Hepburn. When they heard, on their ar-
rival last night, of his having been so long
absent, they expressed the greatest solici-
tude about him, and the whole party imme-

OF THE POLAR SEA. 193

diately volunteered to go in search of him
as soon as day-light permitted. Their re-
solutions, however, seem to have been
changed, in consequence of the subsequent
conversation we had with the chief, and we
found all of them indisposed to proceed on
that errand this morning; and it was only
by much entreaty, that three of the hunters
and a boy were prevailed upon to go. They
fortunately succeeded in their search, and
we were infinitely rejoiced to see Hepburn
return with them im the afternoon, though
much jaded by the fatigue he had under-
gone. He had got bewildered, as we had
conjectured, in the foggy weather on the
25th, and had been wandering about ever
since, except during half an hour that he
slept yesterday. He had eaten only a par-
tridge and some berries, for his anxiety of
mind had deprived him of appetite; and of
a deer which he had shot, he took only the
tongue, and the skin to protect himself from
the wind and rain. This anxiety, we learned
from him, was occasioned by the fear that

the party which was about to descend the
VOL. Il. 0

194 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

Copper-Mine River, might be detained until
he was found, or that it might have de-
parted without him. He did not entertain
any dread of the white bears, of whose
numbers and ferocious attacks the Indians
had been constantly speaking, since we had
entered the barren grounds. Our fears
for his safety, however, were in a consider-
able degree excited by the accounts we had
received of these animals. Having made a
hearty supper, he retired to rest, slept
soundly, and arose next morning in perfect
health.

On the 28th of August, Akaitcho was
informed of our intention to send a party to
the river, and of the reasons for doing so,
of which he approved, when he found that
I had relinquished the idea of going myself,
in compliance with the desire which he and
the Indians had expressed; and he imme-
diately said two of the hunters should go to —
provide them with food on the journey, and
to serve as guides. During this conversa-
tion we gathered from him, for the first
time, that there might still be some of his

OF THE POLAR SEA. 195

tribe near to the river, from whom the
party could get provision. Our next ob-
ject was to despatch the Indians to their
hunting-ground to collect provision for us,
and to procure the fat of the deer for our
use during the winter, and for making the
pemmican we should require in the spring.
They were therefore furnished with some
ammunition, clothing, and other necessary
articles, and directed to take their departure
as soon as possible.

Akaitcho came into our tent this evening
at supper, and made several pertinent in-
quiries respecting the eclipse, of which we
had spoken last night. He desired to
know the effect that would be produced,
and the cause of it, which we endeavoured
to explain; and having gained this informa-
tion, he sent for several of his companions,
that they might also have it repeated to
them. 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

02

196 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

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 ee 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 Cana-
dians, and one Indian. We could not fur-
nish them with more than eight days’ pro-
vision, 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

OF THE POLAR SEA. 197

temperature of the water was not lower
than 40°, 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°, 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°, 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 depar-
ture also, except two of the hunters, who
staid behind to kill deer in our neighbour-
hood, and old Keskarrah and his family,
who remained as our guests.

_ The fishing-nets were this day transferred

198 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

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. The tempera-
ture of the atmosphere ranged between 39°
and 31° during the first three days, and that
of the water in the river decreased from
49° to 44°. Several rein-deer, and a large
flight of white geese, passed to the south-
ward. These circumstances led us to fear
for the comfort, if not for the safety, of our
absent friends. On the 4th of September
we commenced building our dwelling-house,
having cut sufficient wood for the frame of
it.

In the afternoon of September the 6th,
we removed our tent to the summit of a
hill, about three miles distant, for the better
observing the eclipse, which was calculated
to occur on the next morning. We were
prevented, however, from witnessing it by

OF THE POLAR SEA. 199

a heavy snow-storm, and the only observa-
tion we could then make was to examine
whether the temperature of the atmosphere
altered during the eclipse, but we found
that both the mercurial and spirit thermo-
meters remained steadily at 30° for a
quarter of an hour previous to its com-
mencement, during its continuance, and for
half an hour subsequent to its termination ;
we remarked the wind increased very much,
and. the snow fell in heavier flakes just after
the estimated time of its commencement.
This boisterous weather continued until
three P.M., when the wind abated, and the
snow changed to rain.

As there was now no immediate occasion
for my remaining on the spot, the eclipse
being over, and the Indians having removed
to their hunting-grounds, Dr. Richardson
and I determined on taking a pedestrian
excursion to the Copper-Mine River, leav-
ing Mr. Wentzel in charge of the men, and
to superintend the buildings. On the morn-
ing of September the 9th we commenced
“our journey, under the guidance of old

200 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

Keskarrah, and accompanied by John Hep-
burn and Samandré, who carried our blan-
kets, cooking utensils, hatchets, and a small
supply of dried meat. Our guide led us
from the top of one hill to the top of ano-
ther, making as straight a course to the
northward as the numerous lakes, with
which the country is intersected, would
permit. At noon we reached a remarkable
hill, with precipitous sides, named by the
Copper Indians the Dog-rib Rock, and its
latitude, 64° 34° 52” S., was obtained. The
canoe-track passes to the eastward of this
rock, but we kept to the westward, as being
the more direct course. From the time we
quitted the banks of Winter River we saw
only a few detached clumps of trees; but
after we passed Dog-rib Rock even these
disappeared, and we travelled through a
naked country. In the course of the after-
noon Keskarrah killed a rem-deer, and
loaded himself with its head and skin, and —
our men also carried off a few pounds of its
flesh for supper; but their loads were alto-
gether too great to permit them to take

OF THE POLAR SEA. 201

much additional weight. Keskarrah offered
to us, as a great treat, the raw marrow from
the hind legs of the animal, of which all the
party ate except myself, and thought it very
good. I was also of the same opinion,
when I subsequently conquered my then
too fastidious taste. We halted for the
night on the borders of a small lake, which
washed the base of a ridge of sand-hills,
about three hundred feet high, having
walked in direct distance sixteen miles.
There were four ancient pine-trees here
which did not exceed six or seven feet in
height, but whose branches spread them-
selves out for several yards, and we gladly
eropped a few twigs to make a bed and to
protect us from the frozen ground, still
white from a fall of snow which took place
in the afternoon. We were about to cut
down one of these trees for firewood, but
our guide solicited us to spare them, and
made us understand by signs that they had
been long serviceable to his nation, and that
we ought to content ourselves with a few of
the smaller branches. As soon as we com-

202 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

prehended his request we complied with it,
and our attendants having, with some
trouble, grubbed up a sufficient quantity of
the roots of the dwarf birch to make a fire,
we were enabled to prepare a comfortable
supper of rein-deer’s meat, which we des-
patched with the appetites which travelling
in this country never fails to ensure. We
then stretched ourselves out on the pine
brush, and, covered by a single blanket,
enjoyed a night of sound repose. The
small quantity of bed-clothes we carried
induced us to sleep without undressing.
Old Keskarrah followed a different plan ;
he stripped himself to the skm, and having
toasted his body for a short time over the
embers of the fire, he crept under his deer-
skin and rags, previously spread out as
smoothly as possible, and coiling himself
up in a circular form, fell asleep instantly.
This custom of undressing to the skin, even
when lying in the open air, is common to
all the Indian tribes. The thermometer at
sunset stood at 29°. ae

Resuming our journey next morning, we

OF THE POLAR SEA. 208

pursued a northerly course, but had to
make a considerable circuit round the
western ends of two lakes, whose eastern
extremities were hidden from our view.
The march was very uncomfortable, as the
wind was cold, and there was a constant
fall of snow until noon; our guide, too,
persisted in taking us over the summit of
every hill that lay in the route, so that we
had the full benefit of the breeze.
_ We forded two streams in the afternoon
flowing between small lakes, and being wet,
did not much relish having to halt whilst
Keskarrah pursued a herd of rein-deer;
but there was no alternative, as he set off
and followed them without consulting our
wishes. ‘The old man loaded himself with
the skin and some meat of the animal he
killed, in addition to his former burden;
but after walking two miles, finding his
charge too heavy for his strength, he spread
the skin on the rock, and deposited the
meat under some stones, intending to pick
them up on our return.

We put up at sunset on the borders of a

204 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

large lake, having come twelve miles. A
few dwarf birches afforded us but a scanty
fire, yet being sheltered from the wind by a
sandy bank, we passed the night comfort-
ably, though the temperature was 30°. A
number of geese passed over us to the
southward. We set off early next morning,
and marched at a tolerably quick pace.
The atmosphere was quite foggy, and our
view was limited to a short distance. At
noon the sun shone forth for a few minutes,
and the latitude 64° 57’ 7” was observed.
The small streams that we had hitherto
crossed run uniformly to the southward.
At the end of sixteen miles and a half we
encamped amongst a few dwarf pines, and
were much rejoiced at having a good fire,
as the night was very stormy and cold.
The thermometer fluctuated this day be-
tween 31° and 35°. Though the following
morning was foggy and rainy, we were not
sorry to quit the cold and uncomfortable
beds of rock upon which we had slept, and
commence our journey at an early hour.
After walking about three miles, we passed

OF THE POLAR SEA. 205

over a steep sandy ridge, and found the
course of the rivulets running towards the
north and north-west. Our progress was
slow in.the early part of the morning, and
we were detained for two hours on the
summit of a hill exposed to a very cold
wind, whilst our guide went in an unsuc-
cessful pursuit of some rein-deer. After
walking a few miles farther the fog cleared
away, and Keskarrah pointed out the Cop-
per-Mine River at a distance, and we
pushed towards it with all the speed we.
could put forth. At noon we arrived at an
arm of Point Lake, an extensive expansion
of the river, and observed the latitude 65°
9°06" N. We continued our walk along
the south end of this arm for about a mile
farther, and then halted to breakfast amidst
a cluster of pines. Here the longitude,
112° 57’ 25”, was observed. After break-.
fast we set out and walked along the east
side of the arm towards the main body of
the lake, leaving Samandré to prepare an
encampment amongst the pines against our
return. We found the main channel deep,

206 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

its banks high and rocky, and the valleys
on its borders interspersed with clusters of
spruce-trees. ‘The latter circumstance was
a source of much gratification to us. The
temperature of its surface water was 41°,
that of the air being 43°. Having gamed
all the information we could collect from
our guide and from persona! observation,
we retraced our steps to the encampment,
and on the way back Hepburn and Kes-
karrah shot several waveys (anas hyperbo-
rea), which afforded us a seasonable supply,
our stock of provision being nearly ex-
hausted. These birds were feeding in
large flocks on the crow-berries, which
grew plentifully on the sides of the hills.
We reached the encampment after dark,
found a comfortable hut prepared for our
reception, made an excellent supper, and
slept soundly though it snowed hard the
whole night.

The hills in this neighbourhood are
higher than those about Fort Enterprise ;
they stand, however, in the same detached
manner, without forming connected ranges,

OF THE POLAR SEA. 207

and the bottom of every valley is occupied,
either by a small lake or a stony marsh..
On the borders of such of these lakes as
communicate with the Copper-Mine River,
there are a few groves of spruce trees, ge-
nerally growing on accumulations of sand,
on the acclivities of the hills.

We did not quit the encampment on the
morning of 13th September until nine
o clock, in consequence of a constant fall of
snow; but at that hour we set out on our
return to Fort Enterprise, and taking a
route somewhat different from the one by
which we came, kept to the eastward of a
chain of lakes. Soon after noon the weather
became extremely disagreeable; a cold
northerly gale came on, attended by snow
and sleet; and the temperature fell very
soon from 43° to 34°. The waveys, alarmed
at the sudden change, flew over our heads
in great numbers to a milder climate. We
walked as quickly as possible to get to a
place that would furnish some fuel and
shelter; but the fog occasioned us to make
frequent halts, from the inability of our

208 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

guide to trace his way. At length we came
toa spot which afforded us plenty of dwarf
birches, but they were so much frozen, and
the snow fell so thick, that upwards of two
hours were wasted in endeavouring to make
a fire; during which time our clothes were
freezing upon us. At length our efforts were
crowned with success, and after a good
supper we laid, or rather sat, down to sleep;
for the nature of the ground obliged us to
pass the night in a demi-erect position, with
our backs against a bank of earth. ‘The
thermometer was 16° at six P. M.

After enjoying a more comfortable night’s
rest than we had expected, we set off at day-
break; the thermometer then standing at
18°. The ground was covered with snow,.
the small lakes were frozen, and the whole
scene had a wintry appearance. We got
on but slowly at first, owing to an old
sprained ancle, which had been very trouble-
some to me for the last three days, and was
this morning excessively painful. In ford-
ing a rivulet, however, the application of
cold water gave me immediate relief, and I

OF THE POLAR SEA. 209

walked with ease the remainder of the day.
In the afternoon we rejoined our track out-
wards and came to the place where Kes-
karrah had made his deposit of provision,
which proved a very acceptable supply, as
our stock was exhausted. We then crossed
some sand hills, and encamped amidst a
few small pines, having walked thirteen
miles.

_ The comfort of a good fire made us soon
insensible to the fatigue we had experienced
through the day, in marching over the
rugged stones, whose surface was rendered
slippery by the frost. The thermometer
at seven P.M. stood at 27°.

We set off at sun-rise next morning, and
our provision being expended, pushed on as
fast as we could to Fort Enterprise, where |
we arrived at eight P.M., almost exhausted
by a harassing day’s march of twenty-two
miles. A substantial supper of rein-deer
steaks soon restored our vigour. We had
the happiness of meeting our friends Mr.
Back and Mr. Hood, who had returned
from their excursion on the day succeeding
VOL. Il. P

210 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

that on which we sat out; and I received
from them the following account of their
journey.

They proceeded up the Winter Biges to
the north end of the Little Marten Lake,
and then the guide, being unacquainted
with the route by water to the Copper-
Mine River, proposed that the canoe should
be left. Upon this they ascended the lof-
tiest hill in the neighbourhood, to examine
whether they could discover any large’
lakes, or water communication in the direc-
tion where the guide described the river to,
be. They only saw a small rivulet, which;
was too shallow for the canoe, and also
wide of the course; and as they perceived
the crew would have to carry it over @
rugged hilly track, they judiciously decided:
on leaving it, and. proceeding forward: on
foot. .Having deposited the canoe among
a few dwarf birch bushes, they commenced
their march, carrying their tents, blankets,
—_— utensils, anda part of the dried’
meat. . St. Germain, chowever, had pre=
viously delineated with charcoal, a man and

“NEM PooEr qnopy fq MBIT

|

| { i fi.

bepird GAR poe

-, OF. THE. POLAR SEA. ~ » 211

a house on a piece of bark, which he placed
over the canoe and the few things that were
left, to pomt out to the Dog-Ribs that they
belonged to white people.

The party reached the shores of Point
Lake,’ through which the Copper - Mine
River runs, on the Ist of September. The
next day was too stormy for them to march,
but on the 3d, they proceeded along its
shores’ to the westward, round a mountain-
ous promontory, and perceiving the course
of the lake extending to the W.N.W., they
encamped near some pines, and then en-
joyed the luxury of a good fire, for the first
time since their departure from us. The
‘temperature of the water m the lake was
35°, and of the air 32°, but the latter fell to
20° inthe course of that night. As their
principal object was to ascertain whether
any arm of the lake branched nearer to
Fort Enterprise than the part they had fallen
upon, to which the transport of our goods
could ‘be more easily made next spring,
they returned on its borders to the eastward,
being satisfied by the appearance of the
P2

212 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

mountains between south and west, that no
further examination was necessary in that
direction; and they continued their march
until the 6th at noon, without finding any
part of the lake inclining nearer the fort.
They therefore encamped to observe the
eclipse, which was to take place on the fol-
lowing morning; but a violent snow storm
rendering the observation umpossible, they
commenced their return, and after a com-
fortless and laborious march regained their
canoe on the 10th, and embarking in it, ar-
rived the same evening at the house.

Point Lake varied, as far as they traced,
from one to three miles in width. Its main
course was nearly east and west, but several
arms branched off in different directions.
I was much pleased with the able manner
in which these officers executed the service
they had been despatched upon, and was
gratified to learn from them that their
companions had conducted themselves ex~<_
tremely well, and borne the fatigues of their
journey most cheerfully. They scarcely
ever had more than sufficient fuel to boil |

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OF THE POLAR SEA. 913

the kettle; and were generally obliged to
lie down in their wet clothes, and conse-
quently suffered much from cold.

The distance which the parties travelled
in their journey to and from Point Lake,
may be estimated at one hundred and ten
statute miles, which being added to the dis-
tances given in the preceding pages, amounts
to one thousand five hundred and twenty
miles that the expedition travelled in 1820,
up to the time of its residence at Fort En-
terprise. |

|

914. JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

CHAPTER VIII.

Transactions at Fort Enterprise—Mr. Back’s Narra-
_tive of his Journey to Chipewyan and Return.

September, 1820.—Durine our little expe-
dition to the Copper-Mine River, Mr.
Wentzel had made great progress ‘in the
erection of our winter-house, having nearly
roofed it in. But before proceeding to give
an account of a ten month’s residence at
this place, henceforth designated Fort En-
terprise, I may premise, that I shall omit
many of the ordinary occurrences of a
North American winter, as they have been
already detailed im so able and interesting a
manner by Ellis,* and confine myself prin-
cipally to the circumstances which had an.
influence on our progress in» the ensuing

* Voyage to Hudson’s Bay in the Dobbs and Cali-

fornia.

rs * =

OF THE POLAR SEA. 215

summer. ‘The observations on the mag-
netic needle, the temperature of the atmos-
phere, the Aurora Borealis; and other me-.
teorological phenomena, together with the
mineralogical and botanical notices, being
less interesting to the general — > are
omitted in this edition.

The men continued to work diligently at
the house, and by the 30th of September
had nearly completed it for our reception,
when a heavy fall of rain washed the greater
part of ‘the mud off the roof: This rain
was remarked by the Indians’ as unusual,
after. what they had deemed so decided a
commencement of winter in ‘the early part
of the month. The mean temperature for
the month was 333°, but the thermometer
had sunk’as low as 16°, and on one occa-
sion’fose to 53°.

' Besides the party ela 5 ainploged at
the house, two men were appointed to fish,
and others: were occasionally sent for meat,
as the hunters procured it. This latter
employment, although extremely laborious,
was always‘relished by the Canadians, as

916 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

they never failed to use a prescriptive right
of helping themselves to the fattest and
most delicate parts of the deer. Towards
the end of the month, the rein-deer began
to quit the barren grounds, and came into
the vicinity of the house, on their way to
the woods; and the success of the hunters
being consequently great, the necessity of
sending for the meat considerably retarded
the building of the house. In the mean
time we resided in our canvass tents, which
proved very cold: habitations, although we
maintained a fire in front of them, and also
endeavoured to protect ourselves from the
piercing winds by a barricade of pine
branches.

On the 6th of October, the house being
completed, we struck our tents, and re-
moved into it. It was merely a log-build-
ing, fifty feet long, and twenty-four wide,
divided into a hall, three bed rooms, and a
kitchen. ‘The walls and roof were plastered
with clay, the floors laid with planks rudely
squared with the hatchet, and the windows
closed with parchment of deer-skin. The

OF THE POLAR SEA. att

clay, which, from the coldness of the wea- .
ther, required to be tempered before the
fire with hot water, froze as it was daubed
on, and afterwards cracked in such a man-
ner as to admit the wind from every quarter ;
yet, compared with the tents, our new habi-
tation appeared comfortable; and having
filled our capacious clay-built chimney with
fagots, we spent a cheerful evening beforé
the invigorating blaze. The change was
peculiarly beneficial to Dr. Richardson, who,
having, in one of his excursions, incautiously
laid down on the frozen side of a hill when
heated with walking, had caught a severe
inflammatory sore throat, which became
‘daily worse whilst we remained in the tents,
but began to mend soon after he was ena-
bled to confine himself to the more equable
warmth of the house. We took up our
abode at first on the floor, but our working
party, who had shown such skill as house
carpenters, soon proved themselves to be,
with the same tools, (the hatchet and
crooked knife,) excellent cabinet makers,

218 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

and daily added a table, chair, or bedstead,
to the comforts of our establishment.. The
crooked knife, generally made of an old
file, bent and tempered by heat, serves an
Indian or Canadian voyager for plane, chisel,
and auger. With it the snow-shoe and
canoe-timbers are fashioned, the deals of
their sledges reduced to the requisite thin-
ness and polish, and their wooden bowls
and spoons hollowed out. Indeed, though
not quite so requisite for existence as the
hatchet, yet without its aid there would be
little comfort in these wilds. .

On the 7th we were gratified by a sight
of the sun, after it had been obscured for
twelve days. On this and several follow-
ing days the meridian sun melted the light
covering of snow or hoar frost on the lichens,
which clothe the barren grounds, and: ren-
dered them so tender as to attract -great
herds of rein-deer to our neighbourhood.
On the morning of the 10th I estimated the
numbers I saw during a short walk, at up-
wards of two thousand. ‘They form: into

OF THE POLAR SEA. 219

herds of different sizes, from ten to a hun-
dred, according as their fears or accident
induce them to unite or separate.

. The females, being at this time more lean
and active, usually lead the van. The
haunches of the males are now covered to
the depth of two inches or more with fat,
which is begining to get red and high fia-
-voured, and is considered a sure indication
of the commencement of the rutting season.
Their horns, which in the middle of August
were yet tender, have now. attained their
proper size, and are beginning to lose their
hairy covering which hangs from them in
ragged filaments. The horns of the rein-
deer vary; not only with its sex and age,
but are otherwise so uncertain in their
growth, that’ they are never alike in any
two individuals. The old males shed theirs
about the end of December; the females
retain them until the disappearance of the
snow enables them to frequent the barren
grounds, which may be stated to be about
the middle or end of May, soon after which
period they proceed towards the sea-coast

&

920 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

and drop their young. The young males
lose their horns about the same time with
the females, or a little earlier, some of them
as early as April. The hair of the rein-
deer falls in July, and is succeeded by a
short thick coat of mingled clove, deep red-
dish, and yellowish browns; the belly and
under parts of the neck, &c. remaining
white. As the winter approaches, the hair
becomes longer, and lighter in its colours,
and it begins to loosen in May, being then
much worn on the sides, from the animal
rubbing itself against trees and stones. It
becomes grayish and almost white before it
is completely shed. The Indians form their
robes of the skins procured in autumn,
when the hair is short. Towards the spring
the larvee of the cestrus attaining a large
‘size, produce so many perforations in the
skins, that they are good for nothing. The
cicatrices only of these holes are to be seen
in August, but a fresh set of ova have in
the mean time been deposited.*

* Tt is worthy of remark, that in the month of
May a very great number of large larvz exist under

<

OF THE POLAR SEA. 22

The rein-deer retire from the sea-coast in
July and August, rut in October on the
verge of the barren grounds, and shelter
themselves in the woods during the winter.
They are often induced by a few fine days
in winter, to pay a transitory visit to their
favourite pastures in the barren country,
but their principal movement to the north-
ward commences generally in the end of
April, when the snow first begins to melt
on the sides of the hills; and early in May,
when large patches of the ground are visi-
ble, they are on the banks of the Copper-
Mine River. ‘The females take the lead in
this spring migration, and bring forth their
young on the sea-coast, about the end of
May or beginning of June. ‘There are cer-

the mucous membrane at the root of the tongue, and
posterior part of the nares and pharynx. The Indians
consider them to belong to the same species with the
cestrus, that deposits its ova under the skin: to us the
larve of the former appeared more flattened than those
of the latter. Specimens of both kinds, preserved in
spirits, were destroyed by the frequent falls they re-
ceived on the portages.”— Dr. Ricuarpson’s Journal.

29 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

tain spots or passes well known to the In-
dians, through which the deer invariably:
pass in their migrations to and from the
coast, and it has been observed that they
_always travel against the wind. The prin-
cipal food of the~¥ein-deer in the barren
grounds, consists of the cetraria nivalis and
cucullata, cenomyce rangiferina, cornicularia
ochrileuca, and other lichens, and they also
eat the hay or dry grass which is found im
the swamps in autumn. In the woods they
feed on the different lichens which hang
from the trees. They are accustomed to
enaw their fallen antlers, and are said also
to devour mice.

The weight of a full grown barren- conti
deer, exclusive of the offal, varies from
ninety to one hundred and thirty pounds.
There is, however, a much. larger kind
found in the woody parts of the country;
whose ‘carcase weighs from two hundred to
two hundred and oe pounds. This kind
never leaves the woods,. but its skin is as
much perforated by the gad-fly as that of
the others; a presumptive proof that the

OF -THE POLAR SEA. 923

smaller species are not driven to the sea-
coast solely by the attacks of that insect.
There are a few rein-deer occasionally killed
in the spring, whose skins are entire, and
these are always fat, whereas the others are
lean at that season.. This insect likewise
infests the red-deer (wawaskeesh ), but its
ova are not found in the skin of the moose,
or buffalo, nor, as we have been informed,
of the sheep and goat that inhabit the Rocky
Mountains, although the rein-deer found in

those ‘parts, (which are of an unusually _~—

large kind,) are as much tormented byt them
as the barren-ground variety.

The herds of rem-deer are attended in
their migrations by bands of wolves, which
destroy a great many of them. The Copper
Indians kill the rein-deer in the summer
with the gun, or taking advantage of a fa-
vourable disposition of the ground, they
enclose a herd upon a neck of land, and
drive them into a lake, where they fall an.
easy prey; but in the rutting season and in
the spring, when they are numerous on the
skirts of the woods, they catch them in

. 224 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

snares. The snares are simple nooses,
formed in a rope made of twisted sinew,
which are placed in the aperture of a slight
hedge, constructed of the branches of trees.
This hedge is so disposed as to form seve-
ral winding compartments, and although it
is by no means strong, yet the deer seldom
attempt to break through it. The herd is
led into the labyrinth by two converging
rows of poles, and one is generally caught
at each of the openings by the noose placed
there. The hunter, too, lying in ambush,
stabs some of them with his bayonet as they
pass by, and the whole herd frequently be-
comes his prey. Where wood is scarce, a
piece of turf turned up answers the purpose
‘of a pole to conduct them towards the
snares. .
The rein-deer has a quick eye, but the
hunter, by keeping to leeward and using a
little caution, may approach very near;
their apprehensions being much more easily
roused by the smell than the sight of any
unusual object. Indeed their curiosity often
causes them to come close up and wheel |

OF THE POLAR SEA. ’ 225

around the hunter; thus affording him a
good opportunity of singling out the fattest
of the herd, and upon these occasions they
often become so confused by the shouts and
gestures of their enemy, that they run
backwards and forwards with great rapidity,
but without the power of making their
escape.

The Copper Indians find by experience
that a white dress attracts them more rea-
dily, and they often succeed in bringing
them within shot, by kneeling and vibrating
the gun from side to side, in imitation of
the motion of the deer’s horns when he is
in the act of rubbing his head against a
Stone.

The Dog-Rib Indians have a mode of
killing these animals, which, though simple,
is very successful. It was thus described
by Mr. Wentzel, who resided long amongst
that people.—The hunters go in pairs, the
foremost man carrying in one hand the
horns and part of the skin of the head of a
deer, and in the other a small bundle of
twigs, against which he, from time to time, |

VOL. Il. Q

926 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

rubs the horns, imitating the gestures pecu-
liar to the animal. His comrade follows,
treading exactly in his footsteps, and hold-
ing the guns of both in a horizontal posi-
tion, so that the muzzles project under the
arms of him who carries the head. Both
hunters have a fillet of white skin round
their foreheads, and the foremost has a strip
of the same kind round his wrists. ‘They
approach the herd by degrees, raising their
legs very slowly, but setting them down
somewhat suddenly, after the manner of a
deer, and always taking care to lift their
right or left feet simultaneously. If any of
the herd leave off feeding to gaze upon
this extraordinary phenomenon, it instantly
stops, and the head begins to play its part
by licking its shoulders, and performing
other riecessary movements. In this way
the hunters attain the very centre of the
herd without exciting suspicion, and have >
leisure to single out the fattest. The hind-
most man then pushes forward his com-
rade’s gun, the head is dropt, and they both
fire nearly at the same instant. The herd

OF THE POLAR SEA. 2o%

ww

scampers off, the hunters trot after them ;
in a short time the poor animals halt to
ascertain the cause of their terror, their
foes stop at the same instant, and having
loaded as they ran, greet the gazers with a
second fatal discharge. The consternation
of the deer increases, they run to and fro in
the utmost confusion, and sometimes a great
part of the herd is destroyed within the
the space of a few hundred yards.

A party who had been sent to Akaitcho
returned, bringing three hundred and se-
venty pounds of dried meat, and two hun-
dred and twenty pounds of suet, together
with the unpleasant information, that a still
larger quantity of the latter article had been
found and carried off, as he supposed, by
some Dog-ribs, who had passed that way.

The weather becoming daily colder, all
the lakes in the neighbourhood of the house
were completely, and the river partially,
frozen over by the middle of the month.
‘The rein-deer now began to quit us for
more southerly and better-sheltered pas-
tures. Indeed, their longer residence in
Q2

928 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

our neighbourhood would have been of
little service to us, for our ammunition was
almost completely expended, though we
had dealt it of late with a very sparing
hand to the Indians. We had, however,
already secured in the store-house the car-
_cases of one hundred deer, together with
one thousand pounds of suet, and some
dried meat; and had, moreover, eighty
deer stowed up at various distances from
the house. The necessity of employing the
men to build a house for themselves, before
the weather became too severe, obliged us
to put the latter en cache, as the voyagers
term it, instead of adopting the more safe
plan of bringing them to the house. Put-
ting a deer en cache, means merely protect-
ing it against the wolves, and still more
destructive wolverenes, by heavy loads of
wood or stones; the latter animal, however,
sometimes digs underneath the pile, and
renders the precaution abortive.

On the 18th, Mr. Back and Mr. Wentzel
set out for Fort Providence, accompanied
by Beauparlant, Belanger, and two Indians,

OF THE POLAR SEA. 999

Akaiyazza and Thoolezzeh, with their wives,
the Little Forehead, and the Smiling Mar-
ten. Mr. Back had volunteered to go and
make the necessary arrangements for trans-
porting the stores we expected from Cumber-
land House, and to endeavour to obtain some
additional supplies from the establishments
at Slave Lake. If any accident should have
prevented the arrival of our stores, and the
establishments at Moose-Deer Island should
be unable to supply the deficiency, he was,
if he found himself equal to the task, to
proceed to Chipewyan. Ammunition was
essential to our existence, and a consider-
able supply of tobacco was also requisite,
not only for the comfort of the Canadians,
who use it largely, and had stipulated for it
in their engagements, but also as a means
of preserving the friendship of the Indians.
Blankets, cloth, and iron-work, were scarcely
less indispensable to equip our men for the
advance next season.

_ Mr. Wentzel accompanied Mr. Back, to
assist him in obtaining from the traders, on

the score of old friendship, that which they

230 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

might be inclined to deny to our necessities.
I forwarded by them letters to the Colonial
Office and Admiralty, detailing the pro-
ceedings of the Expedition up to this
period.

On the 22d we were suprized by a visit
from a dog; the poor animal was in low
condition, and much fatigued. Our Indians
discovered, by marks on his ears, that he
belonged to the Dog-ribs. This tribe, un-
like the Chipewyans and Copper Indians,
had preserved that useful associate of man,
although from their frequent mtercourse
with the latter people, they were not igno-
rant of the prediction alluded to in a former
page. One of our interpreters was imme-
diately despatched, with an Indian, to en-
deavour to trace out the Dog-ribs, whom
he supposed might be concealed in the
neighbourhood, from the dread of the Cop-
per Indians ; although we had no doubt of
their coming to us, were they aware of our
being here. The interpreter, however, re-
turned without having discovered any traces
of strange Indians; a circumstance which

ATTATITATTT TM
Hil | i tH
Hi i

: Enge by 7H Pinden.

Dram by Lieut Back.RN.

WIN TBR. VIEW OF FORT ENTERPRIMZE.

Snow melting. May 13.1621,

OF THE POLAR SEA. 231

led us to conclude, that the dog had strayed
from his masters a considerable time before.

Towards the end of the month the men
completed their house, and took up their
abode in it. It was thirty-four feet long
and eighteen feet wide; was divided into
two apartments, and was placed at right
angles to the officers’ dwelling, and facing
the store-house; the three buildings form-—
ing three sides of a quadrangle.

On the 26th Akaitcho and his party ar-

rived, the hunting in this neighbourhood
being terminated for the season, by the deer
having retired southward to the shelter of
_ the woods.

The arrival of this large party was a
serious inconvenience to us, from our being
compelled to issue them daily rates of pro-
vision from the store. The want of ammu-
nition prevented us from equipping and
sending them to the woods to hunt; and
although they are accustomed to subsist
themselves for a considerable part of the
year by fishing, or snarmg the deer, with-
out having. recourse to fire-arms, yet, on

932 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

the present occasion, they felt little inclined
to do so, and gave scope to their natural
love of ease, as long as our store-house
seemed to be well stocked. Nevertheless,
as they were conscious of impairing our fu-
ture resources, they did not fail, occasion-
ally, to remind us that it was not their fault,
to express an ardent desire to go hunting,
and to request a supply of ammunition, al-
_ though they knew that it was not in our
power to give it. — |

The summer birds by this time had en-
tirely deserted us, leaving, for our winter
companions, the raven, cinereous crow,
ptarmigan, and snow-bird. ~The last of the
water-fowl that quitted us was a species of
diver, of the same size with the colymbus
arcticus, but differing from it in the arrange-
ment of the white spots on its plumage, and
in having a yellowish white bill. This bird
was occasionally caught in our fishing nets.

The thermometer during the month of
October, at Fort Enterprise, never rose
above 37°, or fell below 5°; the mean tem-
perature for the month was 23°,

OF THE POLAR SEA. 230

In the beginning of October a party had
been sent to the westward to seach for
birch to make snow-shoe frames, and the
Indian women were afterwards employed
in netting the shoes and preparing leather
for winter-clothing to the men. Robes of
rein-deer skin were also obtained from the
Indians, and issued to the men who were to
travel, as they are not only a great deal
lighter than blankets, but also much warmer,
and altogether better adapted for a winter
in this climate. They are, however, unfit
for summer use, as the least moisture causes
the skin to spoil, and lose its hair. It re-
quires the skins of seven deer to make one
robe. ‘The finest are made of the skins of
young fawns.

The fishing, having failed as the weather
became more severe, was given up on the
5th. It had procured us about one thou-
sand two hundred white fish, from two to
three pounds each. There are two other
species of Coregoni in Winter Lake, Back’s
grayling and the round fish; and a few
trout, pike, methye, and red carp, were also

234 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

occasionally obtained from the nets. It
may be worthy of notice here, that the fish
froze as they were taken out of the nets, in
a short time became a solid mass of ice,
and by a blow or two of the hatchet were
easily split open, when the intestines might
be removed in one lump. If in this com-
pletely frozen state they were thawed before
the fire, they recovered their animation.
This was particularly the case with~ the
carp, and we had occasion to observe it re-
peatedly, as Dr. Richardson occupied him-
self m examining the structure of the dif-
ferent species of fish, and was, always in
the winter, under the necessity of thawing
them before he could cut them. We have
seen a carp recover so far as to leap about
with much vigour, after it had been frozen

for thirty-six hours. Po ae Te
~~"“From the 12th to the 16th we had fine,
and for the season, warm weather; and the
deer, which had not been seen since the
26th of October, reappeared in the neigh-
bourhood of the house, to the surprise of
the Indians, who attributed their return to-

OF THE POLAR SEA. 235

the barren grounds to the unusual mildness
of the season. On this occasion, by melt-
ing some of our pewter cups, we managed
to furnish five balls to each of the hunters,
but they were all expended unsuccessfully,
except by Akaitcho, who killed two deer.

~ By the middle of the month Winter River
was firmly frozen over, except the small
rapid at_its commencement, which remained
open all the winter. The ice on the lake
was now nearly two feet thick. After the
16th we had a succession of cold, snowy,
and windy weather. We had become
anxious to hear of the arrival of Mr. Back
and his party at Fort Providence. ‘The
Indians, who had calculated the period at
which a messenger ought to have returned
from thence to be already passed, became
impatient when it had ‘elapsed, and, with
their usual love of evil augury, tormented
us by their melancholy forebodings. At
one time they conjectured that the whole
party had fallen through the ice; at ano-
ther, that they had been way-laid and cut
off by the Dog-ribs. In vain did we urge

936 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

the improbability of the former accident, or
the peaceable character of the Dog-ribs, so
little in conformity with the latter. ‘ The
ice at this season was deceitful,” they said,
“ and the Dog-ribs, though unwarlike, were
treacherous.” ‘These assertions, so often
repeated, had some effect upon the spirits
of our Canadian voyagers, who seldom
weigh any opinion they adopt; but we per-
sisted in treating their fears as chimerical,
for had we seemed to listen to them for a
moment, it is more than probable that the
whole of our Indians would have gone to
Fort Providence in search of supplies, and
we should have found it extremely difficult
to have recovered them.

The matter was put to rest by the ap-
pearance of Belanger on the morning of the
23d, and the Indians, now running into the
opposite extreme, were disposed to give us
more credit for our judgment than we
deserved. ‘They had had a tedious and
fatiguing journey to Fort Providence, and
for some days were destitute of provisions.

Belanger arrived alone; he had walked

OF THE POLAR SEA. 237

constantly for the last six-and-thirty hours,
leaving his Indian companions encamped at
the last woods, they being unwilling to
accompany him across the barren grounds
during the storm that had prevailed for
several days, and blew with unusual violence
on the morning of his arrival. His locks
were matted with snow, and he was in-
crusted with ice from head to foot, so that
we scarcely recognised him when he burst
im upon us. We welcomed him with the
usual shake of the hand, but were unable |
to give him the glass of rum which every .
voyager receives on his arrival at a trading |
post.
As soon as his packet was thawed, we —
eagerly opened it to obtain our English —
letters. The latest were dated on the pre- —
ceding April. They came by way of Ca- .
nada, and were brought up in September
to Slave Lake by the North-West Cony)
pany’s canoes. j

We were not so fortunate with regard to
our stores; of ten pieces, or bales of 90 lbs.
weight, which had been sent from York

238 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

Factory by Governor Williams, five of the
most essential had been left at the Grand
Rapid on the Saskatchawan, owing, as far
as we could judge from the accounts that
reached us, to the misconduct of the officer
to whom they were intrusted, and who was
ordered to convey them ‘to Cumberland
House. Being overtaken by some of the
North-West Company’s canoes, he had
insisted on their taking haif of his charge,
as it was intended for the service of govern-
ment. ‘The North-West gentlemen ob-
jected, that their canoes had already got a
cargo in, and that they had been requested.
to convey our stores from Cumberland
House only, where they had a canoe wait-
ing for the purpose. The Hudson’s Bay
officer upon this deposited our ammunition
and tobacco upon the beach, and departed,
without any regard to the serious conse-
quences that might result to us from the
want of them. The Indians, who assembled
at the opening of the packet, and sat in
silence watching our countenances, were
necessarily made acquainted with the non-.

OF THE POLAR SEA. 239

arrival of our stores, and bore the intelli-
gence with unexpected tranquillity. We
took care, however, in our communications
with them, to dwell upon the more agree-
able parts of our intelligence, and_ they
seemed to receive particular pleasure on
being informed of the arrival of two Esqui-
maux interpreters at Slave Lake, on their
way to join the party. The circumstance
not only quieted their fears of opposition
from the Esquimaux on our descent to the
sea next season, but also afforded a sub-
stantial proof of our influence in being able
to bring two people of that nation from
such a distance.

Akaitcho, who is a man of great penetra-
tion and shrewdness, duly appreciated these
circumstances; indeed he has often sur-
prised us by his correct judgment of the
character of individuals amongst the traders
or of our own party, although his know-
ledge of their, opinion was, in most instances,
obtained through the imperfect medium of
interpretation. He was an attentive ob-
server, however, of every action, and stea-

Pe iy xy
Wesco!
tt

240 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

dily compared their conduct with their pre-
tensions.

By the newspapers we learned the demise
of our revered and lamented sovereign
George III., and the proclamation of
George IV. We concealed this intelligence
from the Indians, lest the death of their
Great Father might lead them to suppose
that we should be unable to fulfil our pro-
mises to them. _

The Indians who had left Fort Providence
with Belanger arrived the day after him,
and, amongst other intelligence, informed
Akaitcho of some reports they had heard to
our disadvantage. ‘They stated that Mr.
Weeks, the gentleman in charge of Fort
Providence, had told them, that so far from
our being what we represented ourselves to
be, the officers of a great King, we were
merely a set of dependant wretches, whose
only aim was to obtain subsistence for a
season in the plentiful country of the Cop-
per Indians; that out of charity we had”
been supplied with a portion of goods by
the trading Companies, but that there was

2 SR ee = eae

OF THE POLAR SEA. 241

not the smallest probability of our being
able to reward the Indians when their term
of service was completed. Akaitcho, with
great good sense, instantly came to have the
matter explained, stating, at the same time,
that he could not credit it. I then pointed.
out to him that Mr. Wentzel, with whom
they had long been accustomed to trade,
had pledged the credit of his Company for
the stipulated rewards to the party that
accompanied us, and that the trading debts
due by Akaitcho and his party had already
been remitted, which was of itself a sufficient
proof of our influence with the North-West
Company. I also reminded Akaitcho, that
our having caused the Esquimaux to be
brought up at a great expense, was evidence
of our future intentions, and informed him
that I should write to Mr. Smith, the senior
trader in the department on the subject,
when I had no doubt that a satisfactory
explanation would be given. The Indians
retired from the conference apparently
satisfied, but this business was in the end
productive of much inconvenience to us,
ae R

942 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

and proved very detrimental to the progress
of the Expedition. In conjunction also
with other intelligence conveyed in Mr.
Back’s letters, respecting the disposition of
the traders towards us, particularly a state-_
foment of Mr. Weeks, that he had been de-
é sired not to assist us with supplies from his
post, it was productive of much present
uneasiness to me. |
On the 28th St. Germain, the interpreter,
set out with eight Canadian voyagers and
four Indian hunters to bring up our stores
from Fort Providence. I wrote by him to -
Mr. Smith, at Moose Deer Island, and Mr.
Keith, at Chipewyan, both of the North-—
West Company, urging them in the strongest 3
manner to comply with the requisition for
stores, which Mr. Back would present. i
also informed Mr. Simpson, principal agent
in the Athabasca for the Hudson’s Bay
Company, who had proferred every assist- q
ance in his power, that we should gladly
avail ourselves of the kind intentions ex=_
pressed in a letter which I had receive :
from him. —

OF THE POLAR SEA. 943

We also sent a number of broken axes to
Slave Lake to be repaired. The dog that
came to us on the 22d of October, and had
become very familiar, followed the party.
We were in hopes that it might prove of
some use in dragging their loads, but we
afterwards learned that on the evening after
their departure from the house, they had
the cruelty to kill and eat it, although they
had no reason to apprehend a scarcity of
provision. A dog is considered to be deli-
cate eating by the voyagers.

“The mean temperature of the air for No-
vember was —0°.7. The greatest heat ob-
observed was 25° above, and the least 31°
below, zero.

On the Ist of December the sky was
clear, a slight appearance of stratus only
being visible near the horizon; but a kind
of snow fell at intervals in the forenoon, its
particles so minute as to be observed only
in the sunshine. Towards noon the snow
became more apparent, and the two limbs
of a prismatic arch were visible, one on each
side of the sun near its place in the heavens,

R 2

“DAA JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

the centre being deficient. We have fre-
quently observed this descent of minute icy
spicule when the sky appears perfectly
clear, and could even perceive that its silent
but continued action, added to the snowy
covering of the ground.

Having received one hundred balls from
Fort Providence by Belanger, we distributed
them amongst the Indians, informing the
leader at the same time, that the residence
of so large a party as his at the house,
amounting, with women and children, to
forty souls, was producing a serious reduc-
tion in our stock of provision. He acknow-
ledged the justice of the statement, and
promised to remove as soon as his party —
had prepared snow-shoes and sledges for
themselves. Under one pretext or other,
however, their departure was delayed until
the 10th of the month, when they left us,
having previously received one of our fish-
‘ing nets, and all the ammunition we pos-
sessed. The leader left his aged mother —
and two female attendants to our care, re- _
questing that if she died during his absence —

OF THE POLAR SEA. 24.5.

' she might be buried at a distance from the
fort, that he might not be reminded of his
loss when he visited us.

Keskarrah, the guide, also remained be-
hind, with his wife and. daughter. The
old man has become too feeble to hunt, and
his time is almost entirely occupied in at-
tendance upon his wife, who has been long
afflicted with an ulcer on the face, which has
nearly destroyed her nose.

Lately he made an offering to the water
spirits, whose wrath he apprehended to be
the cause of her malady. It consisted of a
knife, a piece of tobacco, and some other
trifling articles, which were tied up in a
small bundle and committed to the rapid
with a long prayer. He does not trust en-
tirely, however, to the relenting of the spirits
for his wife’s cure, but comes daily to Dr.
Richardson for medicine.

. Upon one occasion he received the medi-
cine from the doctor with such formality,
and wrapped it up in his rein-deer robe
with such extraordinary carefulness, that it
excited the involuntary laughter of Mr.

246 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

Hood and myself. The old man smiled in

his turn, and as he always seemed proud of

the familiar way in which we were accus-.

tomed to joke with him, we thought no more

upon the subject. But he unfortunately

mentioned the circumstance to his wife, who
imagined in consequence that the drug was

not productive of its usual good effects, and’

they immediately came to the conclusion

that some bad medicine had been intention-.

ally given to them. The distress produced
by this idea, was in proportion to their
former faith in the potency of the remedy,
and the night was spent im smging and
groaning. Next morning the whole family
were crying in concert, and it was not until
the evening of the second day that we suc-
ceeded in pacifying them. The old woman
began to feel better, and her faith in the
medicine was renewed. if

While speaking of this. famnily; T may re-
mark that the daughter, whom we designated
Green-stockings from her dress, is consi-
dered by her tribe to be a great beauty.

Mr. Hood drew an accurate portrait of her, —

KES KARR AT» @anpmemam ware on ne sow

OF THE POLAR SEA. 247

although her mother was averse to her sit-
ting for it. She was afraid, she said, that
her daughter’s likeness would induce the
Great Chief who resided in England to
send for the original. The young lady,
however, was undeterred by any such fear.
She has already been an object of contest
between her countrymen, and although under
sixteen years of age, has belonged succes-
sively to two husbands, and would probably
have been the wife of many more, if her
mother had not required her services as a
nurse.

The weather during this month was the
coldest we experienced during our residence
in America. ‘The thermometer sunk on
one occasion to 57° below zero, and never
rose beyond 6° above it; the mean for the
month was —29°.7. During these intense
colds, however, the atmosphere was gene-
rally calm, and the wood-cutters and others
went about their ordinary occupations with-
out using any extraordinary precautions, yet
without feeling any bad effects. They had
their rein-deer shirts on, leathern mittens

248 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

lined with blankets, and furred caps; but
none of them used any defence for the face,
or needed any. Indeed we have already
mentioned that the heat is abstracted most
rapidly from the body during strong breezes,
and most of those who have perished from
cold in this country, have fallen a sacrifice
to their being overtaken on a lake or other
unsheltered place, by a storm of wind. The
‘intense colds were, however, detrimental to
‘us in another way. ‘The trees froze to their
very centres and became as hard as stones,
and more difficult to cut. Some of the
axes were broken daily, and by the end of
the month we had only one left that was fit
for fellmg trees. By entrusting it only to
one of the party who had been ‘bred a car-

penter, and who could use it with dexterity,

it was fortunately preserved until the arrival

of our men with others from Fort Provi-

dence.
A thermometer, hung in our bed-room

at the distance of sixteen feet from the fire, —
but exposed to its direct radiation, stood —

even in the day. time occasionally at 15° —

OF THE POLAR SEA. 249

below zero, and was observed more than
once, previous to the kindling of the fire in
the morning, to be as low as 40° below
zero. On two of these occasions the chro-
nometers 2149 and 2151, which during the
night lay under Mr. Hood’s and Dr. Ri-
chardson’s pillows, stopped while they \ were
dressing themselves.

The siti at the commencement of the
river remained open in the severest weather,
although it was somewhat contracted in
width. Its temperature was 32°, as was
the surface of the river opposite the house,
about a quarter of a mile lower down, tried
at a hole in the ice, through which water
was drawn for domestic purposes. ‘The
river here was two fathoms and a half deep,
and the temperature at its bottom was at
least 42° above zero. ‘This fact was ascer-
tained by a spirit thermometer; in which,
probably from some irregularity in the
tube, a small portion of the coloured liquor
usually remained at 42° when the column
was made to descend rapidly. In the pre-
sent instance the thermometer standing at

250 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

47° below zero, with no portion of the fluid
in the upper part of the tube, was let down
slowly into the water, but drawn cautiously
and rapidly up again, when a red dyop at
+ 42° indicated that the fluid had risen to
that point or above it. At this period the
daily visits of the sun were very short, and
owing to the obliquity of his rays, afforded
us little warmth or light. It is half-past.
eleven before he peeps over a small ridge
of hills opposite to the house, and he sinks
into the horizon at half-past two. On the
28th Mr. Hood, in order to attain an ap-
proximation to the quantity of terrestrial
refraction, observed the sun’s meridian alti-
tude when the thermometer stood at 46°
below zero, at the imminent hazard of hav-
ing his fingers frozen. ;

He found the sextant had changed its
error considerably, and that the glasses had
lost their parallelism from the contraction
of the brass. In measuring the error he
perceived that the diameter of the sun’s
image was considerably short of twice the
semi-diameter; a proof of the uncertainty

OF THE POLAR SEA, gat

of celestial observations made during these
Intense frosts. The results of this and ano-
ther similar observation are given at the
bottom of the page.*

_* © The observed meridian altitude of © upper
limb was 2° 52’ 51”. Temperature of the air—45° 5’.
By comparing this altitude, corrected by the mean
refraction and parallax, with that deduced from the
latitude which was observed in autumn, the increase
of refraction is found to be 6’ 50”, the whole refrac-
tion, therefore, for the altitude 2° 52’ 51” is 21’ 49”.
Admitting that the refraction increases in the same
ratio as that of the atmosphere at a mean state of tem-
perature, the horizontal refraction will be 47’ 22”.
But the diameter of the sun, measured immediately
after the observation, was only 27’.7”, which shows
an increase of refraction at the lower limb of 3’ 29”.
The horizontal refraction calculated with this differ-
énce, and the above-mentioned ratio, is 56’ 3”, at the
temperature — 45° 5’. So that in the parallel 68° 42’,
where, if there was no refraction, the sun would be
invisible for thirty-four days, his upper limb, with the
refraction 56’ 3”, is, in fact, above the horizon at every
noon. |
«The wind was from the westward a moderate
breeze, and the air perfectly clear. January Ist, 1821.
Observed the meridian altitude of © lower limb 2°
35° 20”. © apparent diameter 29° 20’. For ap-

252 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

The aurora appeared with more or less
brilliancy on twenty eight nights in this

parent altitude 2° 35’ 20”, the mean refraction is
16’ 5” (Mackay’s Tables), and the true, found as de-
tailed above, is 20’ 8”: which increasing in the same
ratio as that of the atmosphere, at a mean state of
temperature, is 41’ 19” at the horizon. But the dif-
ference of refraction at the upper and lower limbs,
increasing also in that ratio, gives 55’ 16” for the
horizontal refraction. Temperature of the air —41°%
Wind north, a light breeze, a large halo visible about
the sun. January 15th, 1821.—Observed an appa-
rent meridian altitude © lower limb 4° 2457" ©
apparent diameter 31’ 5”. For apparent altitude
4° 24’ 57”, the mean refraction is 10° 58” (Mackay’s
Tables), and the true, found as detailed above, is
14’ 39”, which, increasing in the same ratio as that of
the atmosphere at a mean. state of temperature, is
43’ 57” at the horizon. But the difference of refrac-
tion between the upper and lower limbs, increasing
also in that ratio, gives 48’ 30” for the horizontal re-
fraction.

‘* Temperature of the air—35°, a light air from the
westward, very clear. 7

“© The extreme coldness of the weather rendered
these operations difficult and dangerous; yet I think
the observations may be depended upon within 30”, as
will appear by their approximate results in calculating:

OF THE POLAR SEA. 953

month, and we were also gratified by the
resplendent beauty of the moon, which for
many days together performed its circle
round the heavens, shinmg with undimi-
nished lustre, and scarcely disappearing be-
low the horizon during the twenty-four
hours.

During many nights there was a halo
round the moon, although the stars shone
brightly, and the atmosphere appeared
otherwise clear. The same phenomenon
was observed round the candles, even in
our bed-rooms; the diameter of the halo
creasing as the observer receded from
the light. These halos, both round the
moon and candles, occasionally exhibited
faintly some of the prismatic colours.

As it may be interesting to the reader to
know how we passed our time at this sea-
son of the year, I shall mention briefly, that
a considerable portion of it was occupied in

the horizontal refraction; for it must be considered
that an error of 30”, in the refraction in altitude,
would make a difference of several minutes in the
horizontal refraction.” —Mr. Hoon’s Journal,

5A JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

writing up our journals. Some newspapers
and magazines, that we had received from
England with our letters, were read again
and again, and commented upon, at our
meals; and we often exercised ourselves
with conjecturing the changes that might
take place in the world before we could
hear from it again. ‘The probability of our
receiving letters, and the period of their
arrival, were calculated to a nicety. We
occasionally paid the woodmen a visit, or
took a walk for a mile or two on the river.

In the evenings we joined the men in the
hall, and took a part in their games, which
generally continued till a late hour; in
short, we never found the time to hang
heavy upon our hands; and the peculiar
occupations of each of the officers afforded
them more employment than might at first
be supposed. I re-calculated the observa=
tions made on our route; Mr. Hood pro-
tracted the charts, and made those cra
ings of birds, plants, and fishes, which can-
not appear in this Work, but which haw re
been the admiration of every one who has~

OF THE POLAR SEA. 255

seen them. Each of the party sedulously
and separately recorded their observations
on the aurora; and Dr. Richardson contrived
to obtain, from under the snow, specimens
of most of the lichens in the neighbour-
hood, and to make himself acquainted with
the mineralogy of the surrounding country.

The Sabbath was always a day of rest
with us; the woodmen were required to
provide for the exigencies of that day on
Saturday, and the party were dressed in
their best attire. Divine service was regu-
larly performed, and the Canadians at-
tended, and behaved with great decorum,
although they were all Roman Catholics,
and but little acquainted with the language
in which the prayers were read. I re-

gretted much that we had not a French
_ Prayer-Book, but the Lord’s Prayer and
Creed were always read to them in their
own language.

Our diet consisted almost entirely of
rein-deer meat, varied twice a week by fish,
and occasionally by a little flour, but we
had no vegetables of any description. On

oe ; Pe
Aircel eed

256 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

the Sunday mornings we drank a cup of
chocolate, but our greatest luxury was tea
(without sugar), of which we regularly par-
took twice a-day. With rein-deer’s fat, and
strips of cotton shirts, we formed candles ;
and Hepburn acquired considerable skill in
the manufacture of soap, from the wood-
ashes, fat and salt. The formation of soap
was considered as rather a mysterious ope-
ration by our Canadians, and, in their hands,
was always supposed to fail if a woman
approached the kettle m which the ley. was
boiling. Such are our simple domestic
details.

On the 30th, two hunters came from the

leader, to convey ammunition to him, as
soon as our men should bring it from Fort
Providence.

The men, at this time, coated the wall

of the house on the outside, with a thin
mixture of clay and water, which formed a
crust of ice, that, for some days, proved

impervious to the air; the dryness of the
atmosphere, nese was such, that the

ice in a short time evaporated, and gave

OF THE POLAR SEA. 254

admission to the wind as before. It is a
general custom at the forts to give this sort
of coating to the walls at Christmas time.
When it was gone, we attempted to remedy
its defect, by peeping up snow against the
walls.

January 1, 1821.—This morning our
men assembled, and greeted us with the
customary salutation on the commencement
of the new year. ‘That they might enjoy
a holyday, they had yesterday collected
double the usual quantity of fire-wood, and
‘we anxiously expected the return of the
men from Fort Providence, with some ad-
ditions to their comforts. We had stronger
hope of their arrival before the evening, as
we knew that every voyager uses his ut-
most endeavour to reach a post upon, or
previous to, the jour de l’an, that he may
partake of the wonted festivities. It forms,
as Christmas is said to have done among
our forefathers, the theme of their conver-
sation for months before and after the pe-
riod of its arrival. On the present occasion
we could only treat them with a little flour

VOL. Il. S

258 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

and fat; these were both considered as
great luxuries, but still the feast was de- |
fective from the want of rum, although we
promised them a little when it should

arrive. |
The early part of January proved mild,
the thermometer rose to 20° above zero,
and we were surprised by the appearance
of a kind of damp fog, approaching very
nearly to rain. The Indians expressed
their astonishment at this circumstance, and
declared the present to be one of the
warmest winters they had ever experienced.
Some of them reported that it had actually
rained in the woody parts of the country.
In the latter part of the month, however,
the thermometer again descended to —49°,
and the mean temperature for the month
proved to be —15°.6. Owing to the fogs.
that obscured the sky, the aurora was visi- _
ble only upon eighteen nights in the month, —
On the 15th seven of our men arrived
from Fort Providence with two kegs of
2

rum, one barrel of powder, sixty pounds of

Bet

ball, two rolls of tobacco, and some cloth-—

OF THE POLAR SEA. 259

ing. They had been twenty-one days on
their march from Slave Lake, and the la-
bour they underwent was sufficiently evinced
by their sledge-collars having worn out the
shoulders of their coats. Their loads
weighed from sixty to ninety pounds each,
exclusive of their bedding and provisions,
which at starting must have been at least
as much more. We were much rejoiced at
their arrival, and proceeded forthwith to
pierce the spirit cask, and issue to each of
the household the portion of rum which had
been promised on the first day of the year.

The spirits, which were proof, were frozen, __

but after standing at the fire for Some time
they flowed out of the consistency of honey.
The temperature of the liquid, even in this
state, was so low as instantly to convert into
ice the moisture which condensed on the
surface of the dram-glass. The fingers also
adhered to the glass, and would doubtless
have been speedily frozen had they been
kept in contact with it; yet each of the
voyagers swallowed his dram without ex- —

82

260 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

periencing the slightest inconvenience, or
complaining of tooth-ache.

After the men had retired, an Indian,
who had accompanied them from Fort Pro-
vidence, informed me that they had broached
the cask on their way up and spent two
days in drinking. This instance of breach
of trust was excessively distressing to me ;
I felt for their privations and fatigues, and
was disposed to seize every opportunity of
alleviating them, but this, combined with
many instances of petty dishonesty with

regard to meat, showed how litle confi-

dence could be put ina Canadian voyager
when food or spirits were in iiéstion. We
had been indeed made acquainted with their
character on these points by the traders ;
but we thought that when they saw their
officers living under equal if not greater
privations than themselves, they would have
been prompted by some degree of generous —
feeling to abstain from those depredations —
which, under ordinary circumstances, they é

.-would scarcely have blushed to be detected

in.

‘ +
on
My

OF THE POLAR SEA. 261

As they were pretty well aware that such
a circumstance could not long be concealed
from us, one of them came the next morn-
ing with an artful apology for their conduct.
He stated, that as they knew it was my in-
tention to treat them with a dram on the
commencement of the new year, they had
helped themselves to a small quantity on
that day, trusting to my goodness for for-
giveness; and being unwilling to act harshly
at this period, I did. forgive them, after
admonishing them to be very circumspect
in their future aarp

The ammunition and a small — of
rum, were sent to Akaitcho.

On the 18th, Vaillant, the woodman, had
the misfortune to break his axe. This
would have been a serious evil a few weeks
sooner, but we had just received some
others from Slave Lake.

On the 27th, Mr. Wentzel and St. Ger-
main arrived with the two Esquimaux,
Tattannceuck and Heeootoerock (the belly
and the ear). The English names, which
were bestowed upon them at Fort Churchill

262 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

in commemoration of the months of their
arrival there, are Augustus and Junius.
The former speaks English.

We now learned that Mr. Back pro-
ceeded with Beauparlant to Fort Chipew-—
yan, on the 24th of December, to procure
stores, having previously discharged J. Bel-
leau from our service at his own request,
and according to my directions. I was the
more induced to comply with this man’s —
desire of leaving us, as he proved to be too
weak to perform the duty of bowman,
which he had undertaken.

Four dogs were brought up by this party,
and proved a great relief to our wood-—
haulers during the remainder of the season.

By the arrival of Mr. Wentzel, who is_
an excellent musician, and assisted us (con
amore) in our attempts to amuse the men,
we were enabled to gratify the whole esta-
blishment with an occasional dance. Of
this amusement the voyagers were very
fond, and not the less so, as it was now and
then accompanied by a dram as long as our
rum lasted.

OF THE POLAR SEA. 263

On the 5th of February two Canadians
came from Akaitcho for fresh supplies of
ammunition. We were mortified to learn
that he had received some further unplea-
sant reports concerning us from Fort Pro-
vidence, and that his faith in our good
intentions was somewhat shaken. He ex-
pressed himself dissatisfied with the quan-
tity of ammunition we had sent him, accused
us of an intention of endeavouring to de-
grade him in the eyes of his tribe, and
informed us that Mr. Weeks had refused
to pay some notes for trifling quantities of
goods and ammunition that had been given
to the hunters who accompanied our men
to Slave Lake.

Some powder and shot, and a keg of
diluted spirits were sent to him, with the
strongest assurances of our regard.

On the 12th another party of six men
was sent to Fort Providence, to bring up
the remaining stores. St. Germain went to
Akaitcho for the purpose of sending two of
his hunters to join this party on its route.

On comparing the language of our two

264 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

Esquimaux with a copy of St. John’s Gos-
pel, printed for the use of the Moravian
Missionary Settlements on the Labrador
coast, it appeared that the Esquimaux who
resort to Churchill speak a language essen-
tially the same with those who frequent the
Labrador coast. The Red Knives too
recognise the expression J'eyma, used by
the Esquimaux when they accost strangers
in a friendly manner, as similarly pronounced
by Augustus, and those of his race who
frequent the mouth of the Copper-Mine
Rver.|

The tribe to which Augustus belongs
resides generally a little to the northward
of Churchill. In the spring, before the ice
quits the shores, they kill seal, but durimg
winter they frequent the borders of the
large lakes near the coast, where they
obtain fish, rein-deer, and musk-oxen.

There are eighty-four grown men in the
tribe, only seven of whom are aged. Six
chiefs have each two wives; the rest of the
men have only one, so that the number of
married people may amount to one hundred.

AY

Da

pote te Pee ‘
2 = Sa eae ig

OF THE POLAR SEA. 265

and seventy. He could give me no certain
data whereby I might estimate the number
of children.
' Two great chiefs, or Ackhaiyoot, have
complete authority in directing the move-
ments of the party, and in distributing pro-
visions. The Attoogawneuck, or lesser
chiefs, are respected principally as senior
men. ‘The tribe seldom suffers from want
of food, if the chief moves to the different
stations at the proper season. They seem
to follow the eastern custom respecting
marriage. As soon as a girl is born, the
young lad who wishes to have her for a
_ wife goes to her father’s tent, and proffers
himself. If accepted, a promise is given
which is considered binding, and the girl is
delivered to her betrothed husband at the
proper age.
_ They consider their progenitors to have
come from the moon. Augustus has no
other idea of a Deity than some confused
notions which he has obtained at Churchill.
When any of the tribe are dangerously
ill, a conjurer is sent for, and the bearer of
VOL. Il, 8

Rite,
as
Cilia 5
ni,
¥
&

266 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES

the message carries a suitable present to
induce his attendance. Upon his arrival he
encloses himself in the tent with the sick
man, and sings over him for days together
without tasting food; but Augustus, as well
as the rest of the uninitiated, are ignorant
of the purport of his songs, and of the
nature of the Being to whom they are
addressed. ‘The conjurers practise a good —
deal of jugglery in swallowing knives, firing
bullets through their bodies, &c. but they
are at these times generally secluded from.
view, and the bystanders believe their
assertions, without requiring to be eye-
witnesses of the fact. Sixteen men and
three women amongst Augustus’s tribe are
acquainted with the mysteries of the art.
The skill of the latter is exerted only on
their own sex. «
Upon the map being spread before Au- —
gustus, he soon comprehended it, and re-
cognized Chesterfield Inlet to be “ the,
opening ito which salt waters enter a e
spring tides, and which receives a river at_
its upper end.” He termed it Kanneeuck

OF THE POLAR SEA. 267

Kleenceuck. He has never been farther
north himself than Marble Island, which he
distinguishes as being the spot where the
large ships were wrecked, alluding to the
disastrous termination of Barlow and
Knight’s Voyage of Discovery.* He says,
however, that Esquimaux of three different
tribes have traded with his countrymen, and
that they described themselves as having
come across land from anorthernsea. One
tribe, who named themselves Ahwhacknan-
helett, he supposes may come from Repulse
Bay; another, designated Ootkooseek-kaling-
meoot, or Stone-Kettle Esquimaux, rontle
more to the westward; and the third, the
Kang-orr-mceoot, or White-Goose Esqui-
maux, describe themselves as coming from
a great distance, and mentioned that a party
of Indians had killed several of their tribe
on the summer preceding their visit. Upon
comparing the dates of this murder with
that of the last massacre which the Copper
Indians have perpetrated on these harmless
and defenceless people, they appear to differ

* See Introduction to Hearnez’s Journey, p. xxiv.

268 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES, &c.

two years; but the lapse of time is so inac-
curately recorded, that this difference in
their accounts is not sufficient to destroy
their identity ; besides the Chipewyans, the
only other Indians who could possibly have
committed the deed have long since ceased
to go to war. If this massacre should be
the one mentioned by the Copper Indians,
the Kang-orr-mceoot must reside near the
mouth of the Anatessy, or River of: Stran-
gers.

END OF VOL, II.

LONDON : PRINTED BY C. ROWORTH, We.
BELL-YARD, TEMPLE-BAR.

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