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Journey across the barren Grounds - Difficulty and delay in crossing Copper-Mine River -
Melancholy and fatal Results thereof - Extreme Misery of the whole Party - Murder of
Mr. Hood - Death of several of the Canadians - Desolate State of Fort Enterprise -
Distress suffered at that Place - Dr. Richardson's Narrative - Mr. Back's Narrative -
Conclusion.
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                text-align="start">1821. August 17.
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MY original intention, whenever the season should
compel us to relinquish the survey, had been to return by the way
of the Copper-Mine River, and in pursuance of my arrangement
with the Hook to travel to Slave Lake through the line of woods
extending thither by the Great Bear and Marten Lakes, but our
scanty stock of provision and the length of the voyage rendered it
necessary to make for a nearer place. We had already found that
the country, between Cape Barrow and the Copper-Mine River,
would not supply our wants, and this it seemed probable would now
be still more the case ; besides, at this advanced season, we expected
the frequent recurrence of gales, which would cause great detention,
if not danger in proceeding along that very rocky part of the coast.
I determined, therefore, to make at once for Arctic Sound, where
we had found the animals more numerous than at any other place ;
and entering Hood's River, to advance up that stream as far as it
was navigable, and then to construct small canoes out of the
materials of the larger ones, which could be carried in crossing the
barren grounds to Fort Enterprise.
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            text-align="start">August 19.
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We were almost beaten out of our comfortless abodes
by rain during the night, and this morning the gale continued
without diminution. The thermometer fell to 33 deg. Two men were
sent with Junius to search for the deer which Augustus had killed.
Junius returned in the evening bringing part of the meat, but owing
to the thickness of the weather, his companions parted from him
and did not make their appearance. Divine service was read. On
the 20th we were presented with the most chilling prospect, the
small pools of water being frozen over, the ground being covered
with snow, and the thermometer at the freezing point at mid-day.
Flights of geese were passing to the southward. The wind however
was more moderate, having changed to the eastward. Considerable
anxiety prevailing respecting Belanger and Michel, the two men
who strayed from Junius yesterday, the rest were sent out to look
for them. The search was successful, and they all returned in the
evening. The stragglers were much fatigued, and had suffered
severely from the cold, one of them having his thighs frozen, and
what under our present circumstances was most grievous, they had
thrown away all the meat. The wind during the night returned to
the north-west quarter, blew more violently than ever, and raised a
very turbulent sea. The next day did not improve our condition,
the snow remained on the ground, and the small pools were frozen.
Our hunters were sent out, but they returned after a fatiguing
day's march without having seen any animals. We made a scanty
meal off a handful of pemmican, after which only half a bag
remained.
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The wind abated after midnight, and the surf diminished rapidly,
which caused us to be on the alert at a very early hour on the 22d,
but we had to wait until six A.M. for the return of Augustus who
had continued out all night on an unsuccessful pursuit of deer.
It appears that he had walked a few miles farther along the coast,
than the party had done on the 18th, and from a sketch he drew on
the sand, we were confirmed in our former opinion that the shore
inclined more to the eastward beyond Point Turnagain. He also
drew a river of considerable size, that discharges its waters into
Walker's Bay; on the banks of which stream he saw a piece of
wood, such as the Esquimaux use in producing fire, and other marks
so fresh that he supposed they had recently visited the spot. We
therefore left several iron materials for them. Our men, cheered by
the prospect of returning, embarked with the utmost alacrity; and,
paddling with unusual vigour, carried us across Riley's and Walker's
Bays, a distance of twenty miles before noon, when we landed on
Slate-Clay Point, as the wind had freshened too much to permit us
to continue the voyage. The whole party went to hunt, but returned
without success in the evening, drenched with the heavy rain which
commenced soon after they had set out. Several deer were seen,
but could not be approached in this naked country; and as our
stock of pemmican did not admit of serving out two meals, we went
dinnerless to bed.
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Soon after our departure to-day, a sealed tin-case, sufficiently
buoyant to float, was thrown overboard, containing a short account of
our proceedings, and the position of the most conspicuous points.
The wind blew off the land, the water was smooth, and as the sea
is in this part more free from islands than in any other, there was
every probability of its being driven off the shore into the current ;
which, as I have before mentioned, we suppose, from the circumstance
of Mackenzie's River being the only known stream that
brings down the wood we have found along the shores, to set to the
eastward.
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A severe frost caused us to pass a comfortless night.
At two P.M. we set sail, and the men voluntarily launched out to
make a traverse of fifteen miles across Melville Sound, before a
strong wind and heavy sea. The privation of food, under which
our voyagers were then labouring, absorbed every other terror;
otherwise the most powerful persuasion could not have induced
them to attempt such a traverse. It was with the utmost difficulty
that the canoes were kept from turning their broadsides to the
waves, though we sometimes steered with all the paddles. One of
them narrowly escaped being overset by this accident, happening
in mid-channel, where the waves were so high that the mast-head
of our canoe was often hid from the other, though it was sailing
within hail. The annexed plate, from Mr. Back's sketch, will convey
to the reader an accurate idea of the peril of our situation.
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The traverse, however, was made;we were then near a high
rocky lee shore, on which a heavy surf was beating. The wind
being on the beam, the canoes drifted fast to leeward; and, on
rounding a point, the recoil of the sea from the rocks was so great
that they were with difficulty kept from foundering. We looked in
vain for a sheltered bay to land in ; but, at length, being unable to
weather another point, we were obliged to put ashore on the open
beach, which, fortunately, was sandy at this spot. The debarkation
was effected in the manner represented in the plate; and, fortunately,
without further injury than the splitting of the head of
the second canoe, which was easily repaired.
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Our encampment being near to the place where we killed the deer
on the 11th, almost the whole party went out to hunt, but they
returned in the evening without having seen any game. The
berries, however, were ripe and plentiful, and, with the addition
of some country tea, furnished a supper. There were some showers
in the afternoon,and the weather was cold, the thermometer
being 42 deg, but the evening and night were calm and fine. It may be
remarked that the mosquitoes disappeared when the late gales
commenced.
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            text-align="start">August 25.
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Embarking at three A. M., we stretched across
the eastern entrance of Bathurst's Inlet, and arrived at an island,
which I have named after Colonel Barry, of Newton Barry. Some
deer being seen on the beach, the hunters went in pursuit of
them, and succeeded in killing three females, which enabled us to
save our last remaining meal of pemmican. They saw also some
fresh tracks of musk oxen on the banks of a small stream, which
flowed into a lake in the centre of the island. These animals must
have crossed a channel, at least, three miles wide, to reach the nearest
of these islands. Some specimens of variegated pebbles and jasper
were found here imbedded in the amygdaloidal rock.
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Re-embarking at two P.M., and continuing through what was
supposed to be a channel between two islands, we found our passage
barred by a gravelly isthmus of only ten yards in width ; the canoes
and cargoes were carried across it, and we passed into Bathurst's Inlet
through another similar channel, bounded on both sides by steep
rocky hills. The wind then changing from S.E. to N.W. brought
heavy rain, and we encamped at seven P.M., having advanced
eighteen miles.
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Starting this morning with a fresh breeze in our favour,
we soon reached that part of Barry's Island where the canoes were
detained on the 2d and 3rd of this month, and contrary to what we
then experienced, the deer were now plentiful. The hunters killed
two, and we were relieved from all apprehension of an immediate
want of food. One would suppose the deer were about to retire to
the main shore from their assembling at this time in such numbers
on the islands nearest to the coast. Those we saw were generally
females with their young, and all of them very lean.
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The wind continued in the same direction until we had rounded
Point Wollaston, and then changed to a quarter, which enabled us
to steer for Hood's River, which we ascended as high as the first
rapid and encamped. Here terminated our voyage on the Arctic
sea, during which we had gone over six hundred and fifty geographical
miles. Our Canadian voyagers could not restrain their expressions
of joy at having turned their backs on the sea, and
they passed the evening talking over their past adventures with
much humour and no little exaggeration. The consideration that
the most painful, and certainly the most hazardous, part of the
journey was yet to come, did not depress their spirits at all. It is
due to their character to mention that they displayed much courage
in encountering the dangers of the sea, magnified to them by their
novelty.
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The shores between Cape Barrow and Cape Flinders, including
the extensive branches of Arctic and Melville Sounds, and Bathurst's
Inlet, may be comprehended in one great gulf, which I have distinguished
by the appellation of George IV.'s Coronation Gulf, in
honour of His Most Gracious Majesty, the latter name being added
to mark the time of its discovery. The Archipelago of islands which
fringe the coast from Copper-Mine River to Point Turnagain, I have
named in honour of His Royal Highness the Duke of York.
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It may be deserving of notice that the extremes in temperature
of the sea water during our voyage were 53 deg and 35 deg, but its general
temperature was between 43 deg and 48 deg. Throughout our return from
Point Turnagain we observed that the sea had risen several feet
above marks left at our former encampments. This may, perhaps,
be attributed to the north-west gales.
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Previous to our departure this morning, an assortment
of iron materials, beads, looking-glasses, and other articles
were put up in a conspicuous situation for the Esquimaux, and the
English Union was planted on the loftiest sand-hill, where it might
be seen by any ships passing in the offing. Here also, was deposited
in a tin bow a letter containing an outline of our proceedings, the
latitude and longitude of the principal places, and the course we
intended to pursue towards Slave Lake.
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Embarking at eight A.M. we proceeded up the river, which is full
of sandy shoals, but sufficiently deep for canoes in the channels. It is
from one hundred to two hundred yards wide, and is bounded by high
and steep banks of clay. We encamped at a cascade of eighteen or
twenty feet high, which is produced by a ridge of rock crossing the
river, and the nets were set. A mile below this cascade Hood's
River is joined by a stream half its own size, which I have called
James' Branch. Bear and deer tracks had been numerous on the
banks of the river when we were here before, but not a single recent
one was to be seen at this time. Credit, however, killed a small
deer at some distance inland, which, with the addition of berries,
furnished a delightful repast this evening. The weather was remarkably
fine, and the temperature so mild, that the mosquitoes again
made their appearance, but not in any great numbers. Our distance
made to-day was not more than six miles.
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      John Franklin - Journey to the Shores of the Polar Sea
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        p. <fo:page-number/>
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The next morning the net furnished us with ten white fish
and trout. Having made a further deposit of iron work for the
Esquimaux we pursued our voyage up the river, but the shoals and
rapids in this part were so frequent, that we walked along the banks
the whole day, and the crews laboured hard in carrying the canoes
thus lightened over the shoals or dragging them up the rapids, yet
our journey in a direct line was only about seven miles. In the
evening we encamped at the lower end of a narrow chasm through
which the river flows for upwards of a mile. The walls of this
chasm are upwards of two hundred feet high, quite perpendicular,
and in some places only a few yards apart. The river precipitates
itself into it over a rock, forming two magnificent and picturesque
falls close to each other. The upper fall is about sixty feet high, and
the lower one at least one hundred, but perhaps considerably more,
for the narrowness of the chasm into which it fell prevented us from
seeing its bottom, and we could merely discern the top of the spray
far beneath our feet. The lower fall is divided into two, by an
insulated column of rock which rises about forty feet above it. The
whole descent of the river at this place probably exceeds two
hundred and fifty feet. The rock is very fine felspathose sandstone.
It has a smooth surface and a light red colour. I have named these
magnificent cascades Wilberforce Falls, as a tribute of my respect
for that distinguished philanthropist and Christian. Messrs. Back and
Hood took beautiful sketches of this majestic scene, which are
combined in the annexed plate.
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The river being surveyed from the summit of a hill, above these
falls, appeared so rapid and shallow, that it seemed useless to
attempt proceeding any farther in the large canoes. I therefore
determined on constructing out of their materials two smaller ones
of sufficient size to contain three persons, for the purpose of crossing
any river that might obstruct our progress. This operation was
accordingly commenced, and by the 31st both the canoes being
finished, we prepared for our departure on the following day.
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The leather which had been preserved for making shoes was
equally divided among the men, two pairs of flannel socks were given
to each person, and such articles of warm clothing as remained, were
issued to those who most required them. They were also furnished
with one of the officers' tents. This being done, I communicated to
the men my intention of proceeding in as direct a course as possible
to the part of Point Lake, opposite to our spring encampment
which was only distant one hundred and forty-nine miles in a
straight line. They received the communication cheerfully, considered
the journey to be short, and left me, in high spirits, to
arrange their own packages. The stores, books, &amp;c., which were not
absolutely necessary to be carried, were then put up in boxes to be
left en cache here, in order that the men's burdens might be as light
as possible.
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The next morning was warm, and very fine. Every one was on
the alert at an early hour, being anxious to commence the journey.
Our luggage consisted of ammunition, nets, hatchets, ice chisels,
astronomical instruments, clothing, blankets, three kettles, and
the two canoes, which were each carried by one man. The
officers carried such a portion of their own things as their strength
would permit;the weight carried by each man was about ninety
pounds, and with this we advanced at the rate of about a mile an
hour, including rests. In the evening the hunters killed a lean cow,
out of a large drove of musk-oxen; but the men were too much
laden to carry more than a small portion of its flesh. The alluvial
soil, which towards the mouth of the river spreads into plains,
covered with grass and willows, was now giving place to a more
barren and hilly country; so that we could but just collect sufficient
brush wood to cook our suppers. The part of the river we skirted
to-day was shallow, and flowed over a bed of sand ; its width about
one hundred and twenty yards. About midnight our tent was blown
down by a squall, and we were completely drenched with rain before
it could be re-pitched.
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In the morning of the 1st of September a fall of snow took
place; the canoes became a cause of delay, by the difficulty of
carrying them in a high wind, and they sustained much damage
from the falls of those who had charge of them. The face of the
country was broken by hills of moderate elevation, but the ground
was plentifully strewed with small stones, which, to men bearing
heavy burthens, and whose feet were protected only by soft moose
skin shoes, occasioned great pain. At the end of eleven miles we
encamped, and sent for a musk-ox and a deer, which St. Germain
and Augustus had killed. The day was extremely cold, the ther-mometer
varying between 34 deg and 36 deg. In the afternoon a heavy
fall of snow took place, on the wind changing from north-west to
south-west. We found no wood at the encampment, but made a
fire of moss to cook the supper, and crept under our blankets for
warmth. At sun-rise the thermometer was at 31 deg, and the wind
fresh from north-west; but the weather became mild in the course
of the forenoon, and the snow disappeared from the gravel. The
afternoon was remarkably fine, and the thermometer rose to 50 deg.
One of the hunters killed a musk-ox. The hills in this part are
lower and more round-backed than those we passed yesterday, and
exhibited but little naked rock; they were covered with lichens.
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Having ascertained from the summit of the highest hill near the
tents, that the river continued to preserve a west course; and fear-ing
that by pursuing it further we might lose much time, and un-necessarily
walk over a great deal of ground, I determined on
quitting its banks the next day, and making as directly as we could for
Point Lake. We accordingly followed the river on the 3d, only to
the place where the musk-ox had been killed last evening, and after
the meat was procured, crossed the river in our two canoes lashed
together. We now emerged from the valley of the river, and entered
a level, but very barren, country, varied only by small lakes and
marshes, the ground being covered with small stones. Many old tracks
of rein-deer were seen in the clayey soil, and some more recent
ones of the musk-ox. We encamped on the borders of Wright's
River, which flows to the eastward; the direct distance walked to-day
being ten miles and three-quarters. The next morning was
very fine, and,as the day advanced, the weather became quite
warm. We set out at six A. M., and, having forded the river,
walked over a perfectly level country, interspersed with small lakes,
which communicated with each other, by streams running in various
directions. No berry-bearing plants were found in this part, the
surface of the earth being thinly covered in the moister places with
a few grasses, and on the drier spots with lichens.
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Having walked twelve miles and a half, we encamped at seven P.M.,
and distributed our last piece of pemmican, and a little arrow-root
for supper, which afforded but a scanty meal. This evening was
warm, but dark clouds overspread the sky. Our men now began to
find their burdens very oppressive, and were much fatigued by this
day's march, but did not complain. One of them was lame from an
inflammation in the knee. Heavy rain commenced at midnight, and
continued without intermission until five in the morning, when it
was succeeded by snow on the wind changing to north-west, which
soon increased to a violent gale. As we had nothing to eat, and
were destitute of the means of making a fire, we remained in our
beds all the day ; but the covering of our blankets was insufficient to
prevent us from feeling the severity of the frost, and suffering in-convenience
from the drifting of the snow into our tents. There
was no abatement of the storm next day ; our tents were completely
frozen, and the snow had drifted around them to a depth of three
feet, and even in the inside there was a covering of several inches on
our blankets. Our suffering from cold, in a comfortless canvass tent
in such weather, with the temperature at 20 deg, and without fire,
will easily be imagined;it was, however, less than that which we
felt from hunger.
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The morning of the 7th cleared up a little, but the wind was still
strong, and the weather extremely cold. From the unusual con-tinuance
of the storm, we feared the winter had set in with all its
rigour, and that by longer delay we should only be exposed to an
accumulation of difficulties; we therefore prepared for our journey,
although we were in a very unfit condition for starting, being weak
from fasting, and our garments stiffened by the frost. We had no
means of making a fire to thaw them, the moss, at all times difficult
to kindle, being now covered with ice and snow. A considerable
time was consumed in packing up the frozen tents and bed clothes,
the wind blowing so strong that no one could keep his hands long
out of his mittens.
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Just as we were about to commence our march, I was seized with
a fainting fit, in consequence of exhaustion and sudden exposure to
the wind; but after eating a morsel of portable soup, I recovered, so
far as to be able to move on. I was unwilling at first to take this
morsel of soup, which was diminishing the small and only remaining
meal for the party; but several of the men urged me to it, with
much kindness. The ground was covered a foot deep with snow,
the margin of the lakes was incrusted with ice, and the swamps over
which we had to pass were entirely frozen; but the ice not being
sufficiently strong to bear us, we frequently plunged knee-deep in
water. Those who carried the canoes were repeatedly blown down
by the violence of the wind, and they often fell, from making an
insecure step on a slippery stone; on one of these occasions, the
largest canoe was so much broken as to be rendered utterly unser-viceable.
This was felt as a serious disaster, as the remaining canoe
having through mistake been made too small, it was doubtful
whether it would be sufficient to carry us across a river. Indeed
we had found it necessary in crossing Hood's River, to lash the two
canoes together. As there was some suspicion that Benoit, who
carried the canoe, had broken it intentionally, he having on a former
occasion been overheard by some of the men to say, that he would
do so when he got it in charge, we closely examined him on the
point; he roundly denied having used the expressions attributed to
him, and insisted that it was broken by his falling accidentally; and
as he brought men to attest the latter fact, who saw him tumble, we
did not press the matter further. I may here remark that our
people had murmured a good deal at having to carry two canoes,
though they were informed of the necessity of taking both, in case
it should be deemed advisable to divide the party; which it had
been thought probable we should be obliged to do, if animals proved
scarce, in order to give the whole the better chance of procuring
subsistence, and also for the purpose of sending forward some of the
best walkers to search for Indians, and to get them to meet us with
supplies of provision. The power of doing this was now at an end.
As the accident could not be remedied we turned it to the best
account by making a fire of the bark and timbers of the broken
vessel, and cooked the remainder of our portable soup and arrow-root.
This was a scanty meal after three days' fasting, but it served
to allay the pangs of hunger, and enabled us to proceed at a quicker
pace than before. The depth of the snow caused us to march in
Indian file, that is in each other's steps; the voyagers taking it in
turn to lead the party. A distant object was pointed out to this
man in the direction we wished to take, and Mr. Hood followed
immediately behind him, to renew the bearings, and keep him from
deviating more than could be helped from the mark. It may be
here observed, that we proceeded in this manner throughout our
route across the barren grounds.
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In the afternoon we got into a more hilly country, where the
ground was strewed with large stones. The surface of these was
covered with lichens of the genus gyrophora, which the Canadians
term tripe de roche. A considerable quantity was gathered, and
with half a partridge each, (which were shot in the course of the
day,) furnished us with a slender supper, which we cooked with a
few willows, dug up from beneath the snow. We passed a comfortless
night in our damp clothes, but took the precaution of sleeping upon
our socks and shoes to prevent them from freezing. This plan was
afterwards adopted throughout the journey.
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At half past five in the morning we proceeded; and after walking
about two miles, came to Cracroft's River, flowing to the westward,
with a very rapid current over a rocky channel. We had much diffi-culty
in crossing this, the canoe being useless, not only from the bot-tom
of the channel being obstructed by large stones, but also from its
requiring gumming, an operation which, owing to the want of wood
and the frost, we were unable to perform. However, after following
the course of the river some way, we effected a passage by means of a
range of large rocks that crossed a rapid. As the current was strong,
and many of the rocks were covered with water to the depth of two
or three feet, the men were exposed to much danger in carrying their
heavy burthens across, and several of them actually slipped into the
stream, but were immediately rescued by the others. Junius went
farther up the river in search of a better crossing place, and did not
rejoin us to-day. As several of the party were drenched from head to
foot, and we were all wet to the middle, our clothes became stiff with
the frost, and we walked with much pain for the remainder of the day.
The march was continued to a late hour, being anxious to rejoin the
hunters who had gone before, but we were obliged to encamp at the
end of ten miles and a quarter, without seeing them. Our only
meal to-day consisted of a partridge each, (which the hunters shot,)
mixed with tripe de roche. This repast although scanty for men,
with appetites such as our daily fatigue created, proved a cheerful
one, and was received with thankfulness. Most of the men had to
sleep in the open air, in consequence of the absence of Credit, who
carried their tent; but we fortunately found an unusual quantity of
roots to make a fire, which prevented their suffering much from the
cold, though the thermometer was at 17 deg.
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We started at six on the 9th, and at the end of two miles re-gained
our hunters, who were halting on the borders of a lake amidst
a clump of stunted willows. This lake stretched to the westward as
far as we could see, and its waters were discharged by a rapid stream
one hundred and fifty yards wide. Being entirely ignorant where
we might be led by pursuing the course of the lake, and dreading
the idea of going a mile unnecessarily out of the way, we deter-mined
on crossing the river if possible; and the canoe was gummed
for the purpose, the willows furnishing us with fire. But we had to
await the return of Junius before we could make the traverse. In
the mean time we gathered a little tripe de roche, and breakfasted
upon it and a few partridges that were killed in the morning.
St. Germain and Adam were sent upon some recent tracks of deer.
Junius arrived in the afternoon, and informed us that he had seen
a large herd of musk-oxen on the banks of Cracroft's River, and had
wounded one of them, but it had escaped. He brought about four
pounds of meat, the remains of a deer that had been devoured by
the wolves. The poor fellow was much fatigued, having walked
throughout the night, but as the weather was particularly favourable
for our crossing the river, we could not allow him to rest. After he
had taken some refreshment we proceeded to the river. The canoe
being put into the water was found extremely ticklish, but it was
managed with much dexterity by St. Germain, Adam, and Peltier,
who ferried over one passenger at a time, causing him to lie flat in its
bottom, by no means a pleasant position, owing to its leakiness, but
there was no alternative. The transport of the whole party was
effected by five o'clock, and we walked about two miles further, and
encamped, having come five miles and three quarters on a south-west
course. Two young alpine hares were shot by St. Germain, which,
with the small piece of meat brought in by Junius, furnished the
supper of the whole party. There was no tripe de roche here. The
country had now become decidedly hilly, and was covered with snow.
The lake preserved its western direction, as far as I could see from
the summit of the highest mountain near the encampment. We
subsequently learned from the Copper Indians, that the part at
which we had crossed the river was the Congecatha-wha-chaga of
Hearne, of which I had little idea at the time, not only from the
difference of latitude, but also from its being so much farther east of
the mouth of the Copper-Mine River, than his track is laid down.
He only making one degree and three quarters difference of lon-gitude,
and we, upwards of four. Had I been aware of the fact,
several days harassing march, and a disastrous accident would have
been prevented by keeping on the western side of the lake, instead
of crossing the river. We were informed also, that this river is
the Anatessy or River of Strangers, and is supposed to fall into
Bathurst's Inlet; but although the Indians have visited its mouth,
their description was not sufficient to identify it with any of the
rivers whose mouths we had seen. It probably falls in that part of
the coast which was hid from our view by Goulburn's or Elliot's
Islands.
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We had a cold north wind, and the atmosphere
was foggy. The thermometer 18 deg at five A.M. In the course of
our march this morning, we passed many small lakes; and the
ground becoming higher and more hilly as we receded from the
river, was covered to a much greater depth with snow. This ren-dered
walking not only extremely laborious, but also hazardous in
the highest degree;for the sides of the hills, as is usual throughout
the barren grounds, abounding in accumulations of large angular
stones, it often happened that the men fell into the interstices
with their loads on their backs, being deceived by the smooth
appearance of the drifted snow. If any one had broken a limb
here, his fate would have been melancholy indeed; we could neither
have remained with him, nor carried him on. We halted at ten to
gather tripe de roche,but it was so frozen, that we were quite
benumbed with cold before a sufficiency could be collected even for
a scanty meal. On proceeding our men were somewhat cheered, by
observing on the sandy summit of a hill, from whence the snow had
been blown, the summer track of a man; and afterwards by seeing
several deer tracks on the snow. About noon the weather cleared
up a little, and, to our great joy, we saw a herd of musk-oxen
grazing in a valley below us. The party instantly halted, and the
best hunters were sent out; they approached the animals with the
utmost caution, no less than two hours being consumed before they
got within gun-shot. In the mean time we beheld their proceed-ings
with extreme anxiety, and many secret prayers were, doubtless,
offered up for their success. At length they opened their fire, and
we had the satisfaction of seeing one of the largest cows fall; another
was wounded, but escaped. This success infused spirit into our
starving party. To skin and cut up the animal was the work of a
few minutes. The contents of its stomach were devoured upon
the spot, and the raw intestines, which were next attacked, were
pronounced by the most delicate amongst us to be excellent. A few
willows, whose tops were seen peeping through the snow in the bottom
of the valley, were quickly grubbed, the tents pitched, and supper
cooked, and devoured with avidity. This was the sixth day since we
had had a good meal. The tripe de roche, even where we got
enough, only serving to allay the pangs of hunger for a short time.
After supper, two of the hunters went in pursuit of the herd, but
could not get near them.
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We were detained all the next day by a strong southerly wind,
and were much incommoded in the tents by the drift snow. The
temperature was 20 deg. The average for the last ten days about
24.5 deg. We restricted ourselves to one meal to-day as we were at
rest, and there was only meat remaining sufficient for the next day.
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The gale had not diminished on the 12th, and, as we were
fearful of its continuance for some time, we determined on going
forward; our only doubt regarded the preservation of the canoe,
but the men promised to pay particular attention to it, and the
most careful persons were appointed to take it in charge. The snow
was two feet deep, and the ground much broken, which rendered
the march extremely painful. The whole party complained more of
faintness and weakness than they had ever done before; their
strength seemed to have been impaired by the recent supply of
animal food. In the afternoon the wind abated, and the snow ceased;
cheered with the change we proceeded forward at a quicker pace,
and encamped at six P. M., having come eleven miles. Our supper
consumed the last of our meat.
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We set out on the 13th, in thick hazy weather, and, after an hour's
march, had the extreme mortification to find ourselves on the
borders of a large lake, which we subsequently learned from the
Indians was named Contwoy-to, or Rum Lake; neither of its extre-
mities could be seen, and as the portion which lay to the east
seemed the widest, we coasted along to the westward portion in
search of a crossing-place. This lake being bounded by steep and
lofty hills, our march was very fatiguing. Those sides which were
exposed to the sun, were free from snow, and we found upon them
some excellent berries. We encamped at six P. M., having come
only six miles and a half. Credit was then missing, and he did not
return during the night. We supped off a single partridge and
some tripe de roche;this unpalatable weed was now quite nau-seous
to the whole party, and in several it produced bowel com-plaints.
Mr. Hood was the greatest sufferer from this cause. This
evening we were extremely distressed, at discovering that our im-provident
companions,since we left Hood's River, had thrown
away three of the fishing-nets, and burnt the floats ; they knew we
had brought them to procure subsistence for the party, when the
animals should fail, and we could scarcely believe the fact of their
having wilfully deprived themselves of this resource, especially
when we considered that most of them had passed the greater part of
their servitude in situations where the nets alone had supplied them
with food. Being thus deprived of our principal resource, that of
fishing, and the men evidently getting weaker every day, it became
necessary to lighten their burthens of every thing except ammunition,
clothing, and the instruments that were required to find our
way. I, therefore, issued directions to deposit at this encampment
the dipping needle, azimuth compass, magnet, a large thermometer,
and a few books we had carried, having torn out of these such parts
as we should require to work the observations for latitude and
longitude. I also promised,as an excitement to the efforts in
hunting, my gun to St. Germain, and an ample compensation to
Adam, or any of the other men who should kill any animals.
Mr. Hood, on this occasion, lent his gun to Michel, the Iroquois,
who was very eager in the chase, and often successful.
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This morning the officers being assembled round
a small fire, Perrault presented each of us with a small piece of meat
which he had saved from his allowance. It was received with great
thankfulness, and such an act of self-denial and kindness, being
totally unexpected in a Canadian voyager, filled our eyes with tears.
In directing our course to a river issuing from the lake, we met
Credit, who communicated the joyful intelligence of his having
killed two deer in the morning. We instantly halted, and having
shared the deer that was nearest to us, prepared breakfast. After
which, the other deer was sent for, and we went down to the river,
which was about three hundred yards wide, and flowed with
great velocity through a broken rocky channel. Having searched
for a part where the current was most smooth, the canoe was
placed in the water at the head of a rapid, and St. Germain, Solomon
Belanger, and I, embarked in order to cross. We went from the
shore very well, but in mid-channel the canoe became difficult to
manage under our burden as the breeze was fresh. The current
drove us to the edge of the rapid, when Belanger unfortunately
applied his paddle to avert the apparent danger of being forced
down it, and lost his balance. The canoe was overset in con-sequence
in the middle of the rapid. We fortunately kept hold of
it, until we touched a rock where the water did not reach higher
than our waists; here we kept our footing, notwithstanding the
strength of the current, until the water was emptied out of the
canoe. Belanger then held the canoe steady whilst St. Germain
placed me in it, and afterwards embarked himself in a very dexterous
manner. It was impossible, however, to embark Belanger,
as the canoe would have been hurried down the rapid, the moment
he should have raised his foot from the rock on which he stood.
We were, therefore, compelled to leave him in his perilous situation.
We had not gone twenty yards before the canoe, striking on a
sunken rock, went down. The place being shallow, we were again
enabled to empty it, and the third attempt brought us to the shore.
In the mean time Belanger was suffering extremely, immersed to
his middle in the centre of a rapid, the temperature of which was
very little above the freezing point, and the upper part of his body
covered with wet clothes, exposed in a temperature not much above
zero, to a strong breeze. He called piteously for relief, and
St. Germain on his return endeavoured to embark him, but in vain.
The canoe was hurried down the rapid, and when he landed he was
rendered by the cold incapable of further exertion, and Adam at-tempted
to embark Belanger, but found it impossible. An attempt
was next made to carry out to him a line, made of the slings of the
men's loads. This also failed, the current acting so strongly upon
it, as to prevent the canoe from steering, and it was finally broken
and carried down the stream. At length, when Belanger's strength
seemed almost exhausted, the canoe reached him with a small cord
belonging to one of the nets, and he was dragged perfectly senseless
through the rapid. By the direction of Dr. Richardson, he was
instantly stripped, and being rolled up in blankets, two men un-dressed
themselves and went to bed with him; but it was some
hours before he recovered his warmth and sensations. As soon as
Belanger was placed in his bed, the officers immediately sent over
my blankets, and a person to make a fire. Augustus brought the
canoe over, and in returning he was obliged to descend both the
rapids, before he could get across the stream; which hazardous
service he performed with the greatest coolness and judgment. It
is impossible to describe my sensations as I witnessed the various
unsuccessful attempts to relieve Belanger. The distance prevented
my seeing distinctly what was going on, and I continued pacing up
and down upon the rock on which I landed, regardless of the
coldness of my drenched and stiffening garments. The canoe, in
every attempt to reach him, was hurried down the rapid, and was
lost to the view amongst the rocky islets, with a rapidity that
seemed to threaten certain destruction; once, indeed, I fancied that
I saw it overwhelmed in the waves. Such an event would have
been fatal to the whole party. Separated as I was from my com-panions,
without gun, ammunition, hatchet, or the means of making
a fire, and in wet clothes, my doom would have been speedily sealed.
My companions too, driven to the necessity of coasting the lake,
must have sunk under the fatigue of rounding its innumerable arms
and bays, which, as we have learned from the Indians, are very
extensive. By the goodness of Providence, however, we were spared
at that time, and some of us have been permitted to offer up our
thanksgivings, in a civilized land, for the signal deliverances we then
and afterwards experienced.
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