CHAPTER 8.

TRANSACTIONS AT FORT ENTERPRISE. MR. BACK’S NARRATIVE OF HIS JOURNEY TO

CHIPEWYAN, AND RETURN.

TRANSACTIONS AT FORT ENTERPRISE.

September 1820.

During our little expedition 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 months’

residence at this place, henceforth designated Fort Enterprise, I may

premise that I shall omit many of the ordinary occurrences of a North

American winter as they have been already detailed in so able and

interesting a manner by Ellis,[20] and confine myself principally to

the circumstances which had an influence on our progress in the ensuing

summer. The observations on the magnetic needle, the temperature of the

atmosphere, the Aurora Borealis, and other meteorological phenomena,

together with the mineralogical and botanical notices, being less

interesting to the general reader, are omitted in this edition.

[20] Voyage to Hudson’s Bay in the _Dobbs_ and _California_.

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 33 3/4°, but the thermometer had

sunk as low as 16° and on one occasion rose to 53°.

Besides the party constantly employed 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 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 reindeer

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 meantime we resided in our

canvas 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 removed into it. It was merely a log building, fifty feet long and

twenty-four wide, divided into a hall, three bedrooms 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 clay which, from the coldness of the

weather, required to be tempered before the fire with hot water, froze

as it was daubed on and afterwards cracked in such a manner as to admit

the wind from every quarter yet, compared with the tents, our new

habitation appeared comfortable and, having filled our capacious

clay-built chimney with fagots, we spent a cheerful evening before 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 enabled 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 cabinetmakers 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 snowshoe and canoe-timbers are fashioned, the deals

of their sledges reduced to the requisite thinness 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 following days the

meridian sun melted the light covering of snow or hoarfrost on the

lichens which clothe the barren grounds, and rendered them so tender as

to attract great herds of reindeer to our neighbourhood. On the morning

of the 10th I estimated the numbers I saw during a short walk at

upwards of two thousand. They form into herds of different sizes from

ten to a hundred 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 beginning to get red and high

flavoured 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 reindeer 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 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 reindeer falls in July and is succeeded

by a short thick coat of mingled clove, deep reddish and yellowish

browns; the belly and under parts of the neck, etc., 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 larvæ of the oestrus, 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 meantime been

deposited.[21]

[21] “It is worthy of remark that in the month of May a very great

number of large larvæ exist under 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 oestrus that

deposits its ova under the skin: to us the larvæ 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

received on the portages.”—Dr. Richardson’s Journal.

The reindeer 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 northward 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 visible, 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 certain spots or passes well-known to the Indians, 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

principal food of the reindeer 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 in the swamps in autumn. In the woods they feed on the

different lichens which hang from the trees. They are accustomed to

gnaw their fallen antlers and are said also to devour mice.

The weight of a full-grown barren-ground 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 carcass

weighs from two hundred to two hundred and forty pounds. This kind

never leaves the woods but its skin is as much perforated by the gadfly

as that of the others, a presumptive proof that the smaller species are

not driven to the sea-coast solely by the attacks of that insect. There

are a few reindeer 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 reindeer found in those parts (which are of an

unusually large kind) are as much tormented by them as the

barren-ground variety.

The herds of reindeer are attended in their migrations by bands of

wolves which destroy a great many of them. The Copper Indians kill the

reindeer in the summer with the gun or, taking advantage of a

favourable 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 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 several 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 becomes

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 reindeer 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 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

most readily 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 a 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 rubs the horns, imitating the gestures peculiar to the

animal. His comrade follows, treading exactly in his footsteps and

holding the guns of both in a horizontal position 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

necessary 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 hindmost man then pushes forward his comrade’s gun, the

head is dropped, and they both fire nearly at the same instant. The

herd 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 space of a few hundred

yards.

A party who had been sent to Akaitcho returned bringing three hundred

and seventy pounds of dried meat and two hundred 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 reindeer now began to quit us for more

southerly and better-sheltered pastures. Indeed their longer residence

in 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 storehouse the carcasses 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. Putting a deer _en cache_ means merely

protecting it against the wolves and still more destructive wolverines

by heavy loads of wood or stones; the latter animal however sometimes

digs underneath the pile and renders the precautions abortive.

On the 18th Mr. Back and Mr. Wentzel set out for Fort Providence

accompanied by Beauparlant, Belanger, and two Indians, Akaiyazza and

Tholezzeh, with their wives, the Little Forehead and the Smiling

Marten. Mr. Back had volunteered to go and make the necessary

arrangements for transporting the stores we expected from Cumberland

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 considerable 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 might be

inclined to deny to our necessities. I forwarded by them letters to the

Colonial Office and Admiralty detailing the proceedings of the

Expedition up to this period.

On the 22nd we were surprised 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, unlike the

Chipewyans and Copper Indians, had preserved that useful associate of

man although, from their frequent intercourse with the latter people,

they were not ignorant of the prediction alluded to in a former page.

One of our interpreters was immediately despatched with an Indian to

endeavour to trace out the Dog-Ribs, whom he supposed might be

concealed in the neighbourhood from their dread of the Copper Indians;

although we had no doubt of their coming to us were they aware of our

being here. The interpreter however returned without having discovered

any traces of strange Indians, a circumstance which 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 storehouse, the three buildings

forming three sides of a quadrangle.

On the 26th Akaitcho and his party arrived, 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 provision from the

store. The want of ammunition 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 snaring

the deer, without having recourse to firearms, yet on the present

occasion they felt little inclined to do so and gave scope to their

natural love of ease as long as our storehouse seemed to be well

stocked. Nevertheless as they were conscious of impairing our future

resources they did not fail occasionally to remind us that it was not

their fault, to express an ardent desire to go hunting, and to request

a supply of ammunition although they knew that it was not in our power

to give it.

The summer birds had by this time entirely deserted us, leaving for our

winter companions the raven, cinereous crow, ptarmigan, and snow-bird.

The last of the waterfowl that quitted us was a species of diver of the

same size with the _Colymbus arcticus_, but differing from it in the

arrangement 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 temperature for the month was

23°.

In the beginning of October a party had been sent to the westward to

search for birch to make snowshoe frames, and the Indian women were

afterwards employed in netting the shoes and preparing leather for

winter clothing to the men. Robes of reindeer skins were also obtained

from the Indians and issued to the men who were to travel as they were

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 requires 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 thousand 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

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 completely 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 repeatedly as Dr. Richardson occupied

himself with examining the structure of the different 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.

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 neighbourhood of the house, to the surprise

of the Indians who attributed their return to the barren grounds to the

unusual mildness of the season. On this occasion, by melting 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 another

that they had been waylaid and cut off by the Dog-Ribs. In vain did we

urge 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 persisted 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 appearance of Belanger on the morning

of the 23rd 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 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 encrusted with ice from head to foot so

that we scarcely recognised him when he burst in 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 preceding April. They

came by way of Canada and were brought up in September to Slave Lake by

North-West Company’s canoes.

We were not so fortunate with regard to our stores; of ten pieces, or

bales of 90 pounds weight, which had been sent from York Factory by

Governor Williams five of the most essential had been left at the Grand

Rapid on the Saskatchewan, owing, as far as we could judge from the

accounts that reached us, to the misconduct of the officer to whom they

were entrusted 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 half of his charge as it was intended for the

service of Government. The North-West gentlemen objected 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

waiting 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 consequences 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-arrival of our stores and bore the intelligence

with unexpected tranquillity. We took care however in our

communications with them to dwell upon the more agreeable parts of our

intelligence, and they seemed to receive particular pleasure on being

informed of the arrival of two Esquimaux 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 substantial 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 penetration and shrewdness, duly

appreciated these circumstances; indeed he has often surprised us by

his correct judgment of the character of individuals amongst the

traders of our own party, although his knowledge of their opinions was

in most instances obtained through the imperfect medium of

interpretation. He was an attentive observer however of every action,

and steadily compared their conduct with their pretensions.

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

promises 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 dependent wretches whose only aim

was to obtain subsistence for a season in the plentiful country of the

Copper Indians, that out of charity we had been supplied with a portion

of goods by the trading Companies, but that there was 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, 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 statement of Mr.

Weeks that he had been desired 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 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 proffered every

assistance in his power, that we should gladly avail ourselves of the

kind intentions expressed in a letter which I had received from him.

We also sent a number of broken axes to Slave Lake to be repaired. The

dog that came to us on the 22nd 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 delicate eating by the voyagers.

The mean temperature of the air for November was minus 0.7°. The

greatest heat observed was 25° above and the least 31° below zero.

On the 1st 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, the centre being deficient. We have

frequently observed this descent of minute icy spiculae 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 reduction in our stock of provision. He acknowledged the

justice of the statement and promised to remove as soon as his party

had prepared snowshoes 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 fishing-nets

and all the ammunition we possessed. The leader left his aged mother

and two female attendants to our care, requesting that if she died

during his absence 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 behind with his wife and daughter.

The old man has become too feeble to hunt and his time is almost

entirely occupied in attendance upon his wife who has been long

affected 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 entirely 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 medicine from the Doctor with such

formality and wrapped it up in his reindeer robe with such

extraordinary carefulness that it excited the involuntary laughter of

Mr. Hood and myself. The old man smiled in his turn and, as he always

seemed proud of the familiar way in which we were accustomed 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

intentionally 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 in singing and groaning. Next morning the whole family

were crying in concert and it was not until the evening of the second

day that we succeeded in pacifying them. The old woman began to feel

better and her faith in the medicine was renewed.

While speaking of this family I may remark that the daughter, whom we

designated Green-stockings from her dress, is considered by her tribe

to be a great beauty. Mr. Hood drew an accurate portrait of her

although her mother was averse to her sitting 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 successively 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 sank on one occasion to 57° below

zero and never rose beyond 6° above it; the mean for the month was

minus 29.7°. During these intense colds however the atmosphere was

generally calm and the woodcutters and others went about their ordinary

occupations without using any extraordinary precautions yet without

feeling any bad effects. They had their reindeer shirts on, leathern

mittens 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 felling trees. By entrusting it only to one of the

party who had been bred a carpenter and who could use it with dexterity

it was fortunately preserved until the arrival of our men with others

from Fort Providence.

A thermometer hung in our bedroom at the distance of sixteen feet from

the fire but exposed to its direct radiation stood even in the daytime

occasionally at 15° 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 chronometers 2149 and 2151

which during the night lay under Mr. Hood’s and Dr. Richardson’s

pillows stopped while they were dressing themselves.

The rapid 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 ascertained by a spirit thermometer in

which, probably from some irregularity in the tube, a small portion of

the coloured liquid usually remained at 42° when the column was made to

descend rapidly. In the present instance, the thermometer standing at

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 drop at plus 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

in the horizon at half-past two. On the 28th Mr. Hood, in order to

attain an approximation to the quantity of terrestrial refraction,

observed the sun’s meridian altitude when the thermometer stood at 46°

below zero, at the imminent hazard of having 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 celestial observations made during these intense frosts.

The results of this and another similar observation are given in the

footnote.[22]

[22] The observed meridian altitude of sun upper limb was 2° 52′ 51″.

Temperature of the air minus 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 refraction 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 temperature

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 difference and the

above-mentioned ratio is 56′ 3″ at the temperature minus 45.5°. So

that in the parallel 68° 42′ where, if there is 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 1st, 1821. Observed meridian altitude of

sun lower limb 2° 35′ 20″, sun apparent diameter 29° 20′. For

apparent altitude 2° 35′ 20″ the mean refraction is 16′ 5″

(Mackay’s Tables) and the true, found as detailed 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

difference of refraction at the upper and lower limbs increasing

also in that ratio gives 55′ 16″ for the horizontal refraction.

Temperature of the air minus 41°. Wind north, a light breeze, a

large halo visible about the sun. January 15th, 1821. Observed an

apparent meridian altitude sun lower limb 4° 24′ 57″. Sun 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 refraction between the upper

and lower limbs increasing also in that ratio gives 48′ 30″ for the

horizontal refraction.

Temperature of the air minus 35°, a light air from the westward,

very clear.

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 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. Hood’s Journal.

The Aurora Borealis appeared with more or less brilliancy on

twenty-eight nights of this month and we were also gratified by the

resplendent beauty of the moon which for many days together performed

its circle round the heavens, shining with undiminished lustre and

scarcely disappearing below 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 bedrooms, the

diameter of the halo increasing 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 season of the year I shall mention briefly that a considerable

portion of it was occupied in 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 part in their

games which generally continued to 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 recalculated the observations made on our route; Mr.

Hood protracted the charts, and made those drawings of birds, plants

and fishes, which cannot appear in this work but which have been the

admiration of everyone who has seen them. Each of the party sedulously

and separately recorded their observations on the Aurora Borealis; and

Dr. Richardson contrived to obtain from under the snow specimens of

most of the lichens in the neighbourhood, 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 regularly

performed and the Canadians attended 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 regretted 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 reindeer meat, varied twice a

week by fish and occasionally by a little flour, but we had no

vegetables of any description. On the Sunday mornings we drank a cup of

chocolate but our greatest luxury was tea (without sugar) of which we

regularly partook twice a day. With reindeer’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 operation by

our Canadians and in their hands was always supposed to fail if a woman

approached the kettle in 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 walls 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

however was such that the ice in a short time evaporated and gave

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 heaping 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

holiday they had yesterday collected double the usual quantity of

firewood and we anxiously expected the return of the men from Fort

Providence with some additions to their comforts. We had stronger hope

of their arrival before the evening as we knew that every voyager uses

his utmost 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 conversation for months before and after the period of its

arrival. On the present occasion we could only treat them with a little

flour and fat; these were both considered as great luxuries but still

the feast was defective 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

minus 49° and the mean temperature for the month proved to be minus

15.6°. Owing to the fogs that obscured the sky the Aurora Borealis was

visible only upon eighteen nights in the month.

On the 15th seven of our men arrived from Fort Providence with two kegs

of rum, one barrel of powder, sixty pounds of ball, two rolls of

tobacco and some clothing. They had been twenty-one days on their march

from Slave Lake and the labour 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 with 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

experiencing the slightest inconvenience or complaining of toothache.

After the men had retired an Indian who had accompanied them from Fort

Providence 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 little confidence could be put in a Canadian voyager

when food or spirits were in question. 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 would scarcely have blushed to

be detected in.

As they were pretty well aware that such a circumstance could not long

be concealed from us one of them came the next morning with an artful

apology for their conduct. He stated that as they knew it was my

intention 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 forgiveness and, being unwilling to act harshly at this

period, I did forgive them after admonishing them to be very

circumspect in their future conduct.

The ammunition and a small present 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. Germain arrived with the two Esquimaux,

Attannoeuck and Hoeootoerock (the belly and the ear). The English names

which were bestowed upon them at Fort Churchill in commemoration of the

months of their arrival there are Augustus and Junius. The former

speaks English.

We now learned that Mr. Back proceeded with Beauparlant to Fort

Chipewyan on the 24th of December to procure stores, having previously

discharged J. Belleau 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 establishment 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.

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 unpleasant reports concerning us from Fort Providence and

that his faith in our good intentions was somewhat shaken. He expressed

himself dissatisfied with the quantity of ammunition we had sent him,

accused us of an intention of endeavouring to degrade 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 Esquimaux with a copy of St.

John’s Gospel 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 essentially the same with those

who frequent the Labrador Coast. The Red Knives too recognise the

expression _Teyma_, used by the Esquimaux when they acost strangers in

a friendly manner, as similarly pronounced by Augustus and those of his

race who frequent the mouth of the Copper-Mine River.

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 during winter they frequent the borders of the large

lakes near the coast where they obtain fish, reindeer, 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 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 movements of the party and in distributing provisions. The

_Attoogawnœuck_ 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 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 conjurors practise a good deal of jugglery in swallowing

knives, firing bullets through their bodies, etc., 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’ 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 Augustus he soon comprehended it and

recognised Chesterfield Inlet to be the opening into which salt-waters

enter at spring tides and which receives a river at its upper end. He

termed it _Kannœuck Kleenœuck_. 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.[23] 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 a

northern sea. One tribe who named themselves _Ahwhacknanhelett_ he

supposes may come from Repulse Bay; another designated

_Ootkooseekkalingmœoot_ or Stone-Kettle Esquimaux reside more to the

westward; and the third the _Kang-orr-mœoot_ or White Goose Esquimaux

describe themselves as coming from a great distance and mentioned that

a party of Indians had killed several of their tribe in 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 two years;

but the lapse of time is so inaccurately 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-mœoot must reside near the mouth of the Anatessy, or River of

Strangers.

[23] See Introduction to Hearne’s _Journey_ page xxiv.

The winter habitations of Esquimaux who visit Churchill are built of

snow and, judging from one constructed by Augustus today, they are very

comfortable dwellings. Having selected a spot on the river where the

snow was about two feet deep and sufficiently compact he commenced by

tracing out a circle twelve feet in diameter. The snow in the interior

of the circle was next divided with a broad knife having a long handle

into slabs three feet long, six inches thick, and two feet deep, being

the thickness of the layer of snow. These slabs were tenacious enough

to admit of being moved about without breaking or even losing the

sharpness of their angles and they had a slight degree of curvature

corresponding with that of the circle from which they were cut. They

were piled upon each other exactly like courses of hewn stone around

the circle which was traced out and care was taken to smooth the beds

of the different courses with the knife, and to cut them so as to give

the wall a slight inclination inwards, by which contrivance the

building acquired the properties of a dome. The dome was closed

somewhat suddenly and flatly by cutting the upper slabs in a wedge-form

instead of the more rectangular shape of those below. The roof was

about eight feet high, and the last aperture was shut up by a small

conical piece. The whole was built from within and each slab was cut so

that it retained its position without requiring support until another

was placed beside it, the lightness of the slabs greatly facilitating

the operation. When the building was covered in a little loose snow was

thrown over it to close up every chink and a low door was cut through

the walls with a knife. A bed-place was next formed and neatly faced up

with slabs of snow, which was then covered with a thin layer of pine

branches to prevent them from melting by the heat of the body. At each

end of the bed a pillar of snow was erected to place a lamp upon, and

lastly a porch was built before the door and a piece of clear ice was

placed in an aperture cut in the wall for a window.

The purity of the material of which the house was framed, the elegance

of its construction, and the translucency of its walls which

transmitted a very pleasant light, gave it an appearance far superior

to a marble building and one might survey it with feelings somewhat

akin to those produced by the contemplation of a Grecian temple reared

by Phidias; both are triumphs of art, inimitable in their kinds.

Annexed there is a plan of a complete Esquimaux snow-house and kitchen

and other apartments copied from a sketch made by Augustus with the

names of the different places affixed. The only fireplace is in the

kitchen, the heat of the lamps sufficing to keep the other apartments

warm.

Illustration:

REFERENCES TO THE PLAN.

A. _Ablokeyt_, steps.

B. _Pahloeuk_, porch.

C. _Wadl-leek_, passage.

D. _Haddnoeweek_, for the reception of the sweepings of the house.

E. G. _Tokheuook_, antechamber, or passage.

F. _Annarrœartoweek_.

H. _Eegah_, cooking-house.

I. _Eegah-natkah_, passage.

K. _Keidgewack_, for piling wood upon.

L. _Keek kloweyt_, cooking side.

M. _Keek loot_, fireplace built of stone.

N. _Eegloo_, house.

O. _Kattack_, door.

P. _Nattœuck_, clear space in the apartment.

a. d. _Eekput_, a kind of shelf where the candle stands; and

b. c. a pit where they throw their bones and other offal of their

provision.

Q. _Eegl-luck_, bed-place.

R. _Eegleeteœt_, bedside or sitting-place.

S. Bed-place, as on the other side.

T. _Kie’gn-nok_, small pantry.

U. _Hœrgloack_, storehouse for provisions.

Several deer were killed near the house and we received some supplies

from Akaitcho. Parties were also employed in bringing in the meat that

was placed _en cache_ in the early part of the winter. More than one

half of these _caches_ however had been destroyed by the wolves and

wolverines, a circumstance which, in conjunction with the empty state

of our storehouse, led us to fear that we should be much straitened for

provisions before the arrival of any considerable number of reindeer in

this neighbourhood.

A good many ptarmigan were seen at this time and the women caught some

in snares, but not in sufficient quantity to make any further

alteration in the rations of deers’ meat that were daily issued. They

had already been reduced from eight to the short allowance of five

pounds.

Many wolves prowled nightly about the house and even ventured upon the

roof of the kitchen, which is a low building, in search of food;

Keskarrah shot a very large white one, of which a beautiful and correct

drawing was made by Mr. Hood.

The temperature in February was considerably lower than in the

preceding month although not so low as in December, the mean being

minus 25.3°. The greatest temperature was 1 degree above zero and the

lowest 51° below.

On the 5th of March the people returned from Slave Lake bringing the

remainder of our stores consisting of a cask of flour, thirty-six

pounds of sugar, a roll of tobacco, and forty pounds of powder. I

received a letter from Mr. Weeks wherein he denied that he had ever

circulated any reports to our disadvantage, and stated that he had done

everything in his power to assist us, and even discouraged Akaitcho

from leaving us when he had sent him a message saying that he wished to

do so if he was sure of being well received at Fort Providence.

We mentioned the contents of the letter to the Indians who were at the

house at the time, when one of the hunters, who had attended the men on

their journey, stated that he had heard many of the reports against us

from Mr. Weeks himself and expressed his surprise that he should

venture to deny them. St. Germain soon afterwards arrived from Akaitcho

and informed us that he left him in good humour and apparently not

harbouring the slightest idea of quitting us.

On the 12th we sent four men to Fort Providence, and on the 17th Mr.

Back arrived from Fort Chipewyan, having performed since he left us a

journey of more than one thousand miles on foot. I had every reason to

be much pleased with his conduct on this arduous undertaking, but his

exertions may be best estimated by the perusal of the following

narrative.

MR. BACK’S NARRATIVE OF HIS JOURNEY TO CHIPEWYAN, AND RETURN.

On quitting Fort Enterprise with Mr. Wentzel and two Canadians,

accompanied by two hunters and their wives, our route lay across the

barren hills. We saw during the day a number of deer and occasionally a

solitary white wolf, and in the evening halted near a small knot of

pines. Owing to the slow progress made by the wives of the hunters we

only travelled the first day a distance of seven miles and a half.

During the night we had a glimpse of the fantastic beauties of the

Aurora Borealis and were somewhat annoyed by the wolves whose nightly

howling interrupted our repose. Early the next morning we continued our

march, sometimes crossing small lakes (which were just frozen enough to

bear us) and at other times going large circuits in order to avoid

those which were open. The walking was extremely bad throughout the day

for, independent of the general unevenness of the ground and the

numberless large stones which lay scattered in every direction, the

unusual warmth of the weather had dissolved the snow which not only

kept us constantly wet but deprived us of a firm footing, so that the

men with their heavy burdens were in momentary apprehension of falling.

In the afternoon a fine herd of deer was descried and the Indians, who

are always anxious for the chase and can hardly be restrained from

pursuing every animal they see, set out immediately. It was late when

they returned, having had good success and bringing with them five

tongues and the shoulder of a deer. We made about twelve miles this

day. The night was fine and the Aurora Borealis so vivid that we

imagined more than once that we heard a rustling noise like that of

autumnal leaves stirred by the wind; but after two hours of attentive

listening we were not entirely convinced of the fact. The coruscations

were not so bright nor the transition from one shape and colour to

another so rapid as they sometimes are, otherwise I have no doubt from

the midnight silence which prevailed that we should have ascertained

this yet undecided point.

The morning of the 20th was so extremely hazy that we could not see ten

yards before us; it was therefore late when we started and during our

journey the hunters complained of the weather and feared they should

lose the track of our route. Towards the evening it became so thick

that we could not proceed, consequently we halted in a small wood

situated in a valley, having only completed a distance of six miles.

The scenery consisted of high hills which were almost destitute of

trees, and lakes appeared in the valleys. The cracking of the ice was

so loud during the night as to resemble thunder and the wolves howled

around us. We were now at the commencement of the woods and at an early

hour on the 21st continued our journey over high hills for three miles,

when the appearance of some deer caused us to halt and nearly the

remainder of the day was passed in hunting them. In the evening we

stopped within sight of Prospect Hill having killed and concealed six

deer. A considerable quantity of snow fell during the night.

The surrounding country was extremely rugged, the hills divided by deep

ravines and the valleys covered with broken masses of rocks and stones;

yet the deer fly (as it were) over these impediments with apparent

ease, seldom making a false step, and springing from crag to crag with

all the confidence of the mountain goat. After passing Reindeer Lake

(where the ice was so thin as to bend at every step for nine miles) we

halted, perfectly satisfied with our escape from sinking into the

water. While some of the party were forming the encampment one of the

hunters killed a deer, a part of which was concealed to be ready for

use on our return. This evening we halted in a wood near the canoe

track after having travelled a distance of nine miles. The wind was

South-East and the night cloudy with wind and rain.

On the 24th and 25th we underwent some fatigue from being obliged to go

round the lakes which lay across our route and were not sufficiently

frozen to bear us. Several rivulets appeared to empty themselves into

the lakes, no animals were killed and few tracks seen. The scenery

consisted of barren rocks and high hills covered with lofty pine,

birch, and larch trees.

October 26.

We continued our journey, sometimes on frozen lakes and at other times

on high craggy rocks. When we were on the lakes we were much impeded in

our journey by different parts which were unfrozen. There was a visible

increase of wood, consisting of birch and larch, as we inclined to the

southward. About ten A.M. we passed Icy Portage where we saw various

tracks of the moose, bear and otter and, after a most harassing march

through thick woods and over fallen trees, we halted a mile to the

westward of Fishing Lake; our provisions were now almost expended; the

weather was cloudy with snow.

On the 27th we crossed two lakes and performed a circuitous route,

frequently crossing high hills to avoid those lakes which were not

frozen; during the day one of the women made a hole through the ice and

caught a fine pike which she gave to us; the Indians would not partake

of it from the idea (as we afterwards learnt) that we should not have

sufficient for ourselves: “We are accustomed to starvation,” said they,

“but you are not.” In the evening we halted near Rocky Lake. I

accompanied one of the Indians to the summit of a hill where he showed

me a dark horizontal cloud extending to a considerable distance along

the mountains in the perspective, which he said was occasioned by the

Great Slave Lake and was considered as a good guide to all the hunters

in the vicinity. On our return we saw two untenanted bears’ dens.

The night was cloudy with heavy snow, yet the following morning we

continued our tedious march; many of the lakes remained still open and

the rocks were high and covered with snow which continued to fall all

day, consequently we effected but a trifling distance and that too with

much difficulty. In the evening we halted, having only performed about

seven miles. One of the Indians gave us a fish which he had caught

though he had nothing for himself; and it was with much trouble that he

could be prevailed upon to partake of it. The night was again cloudy

with snow. On the 29th we set out through deep snow and thick woods and

after crossing two small lakes stopped to breakfast, sending the women

on before as they had already complained of lameness and could not keep

pace with the party. It was not long before we overtook them on the

banks of a small lake which, though infinitely less in magnitude than

many we had passed, yet had not a particle of ice on its surface. It

was shoal, had no visible current, and was surrounded by hills. We had

nothing to eat and were not very near an establishment where food could

be procured; however as we proceeded the lakes were frozen and we

quickened our pace, stopping but twice for the hunters to smoke.

Nevertheless the distance we completed was but trifling, and at night

we halted near a lake, the men being tired and much bruised from

constantly falling amongst thick broken wood and loose stones concealed

under the snow. The night was blowing and hazy with snow.

On the 30th we set out with the expectation of gaining the Slave Lake

in the evening; but our progress was again impeded by the same causes

as before so that the whole day was spent in forcing our way through

thick woods and over snow-covered swamps. We had to walk over pointed

and loose rocks which, sliding from under our feet, made our path

dangerous and often threw us down several feet on sharp-edged stones

lying beneath the snow. Once we had to climb a towering and almost

perpendicular rock which not only detained us but was the cause of

great anxiety for the safety of the women who, being heavily laden with

furs and one of them with a child at her back, could not exert

themselves with the activity which such a task required. Fortunately

nothing serious occurred though one of them once fell with considerable

violence. During the day one of the hunters broke through the ice but

was soon extricated; when it became dark we halted near the Bow String

Portage, greatly disappointed at not having reached the lake. The

weather was cloudy, accompanied with thick mist and snow. The Indians

expected to have found here a bear in its den and to have made a hearty

meal of its flesh, indeed it had been the subject of conversation all

day and they had even gone so far as to divide it, frequently asking me

what part I preferred, but when we came to the spot—oh! lamentable! it

had already fallen a prey to the devouring appetites of some more

fortunate hunters who had only left sufficient evidence that such a

thing had once existed, and we had merely the consolation of realising

an old proverb. One of our men however caught a fish which, with the

assistance of some weed scraped from the rocks (_tripe de roche_) which

forms a glutinous substance, made us a tolerable supper; it was not of

the most choice kind yet good enough for hungry men. While we were

eating it I perceived one of the women busily employed scraping an old

skin, the contents of which her husband presented us with. They

consisted of pounded meat, fat, and a greater proportion of Indians’

and deers’ hair than either; and though such a mixture may not appear

very alluring to an English stomach it was thought a great luxury after

three days’ privation in these cheerless regions of America. Indeed had

it not been for the precaution and generosity of the Indians we must

have gone without sustenance until we reached the fort.

On the 1st of November our men began to make a raft to enable us to

cross a river which was not even frozen at the edges. It was soon

finished and three of us embarked, being seated up to the ankles in

water. We each took a pine branch for a paddle and made an effort to

gain the opposite shore in which, after some time (and not without

strong apprehensions of drifting into the Slave Lake) we succeeded. In

two hours the whole party was over, with a comfortable addition to it

in the shape of some fine fish which the Indians had caught: of course

we did not forget to take these friends with us and, after passing

several lakes, to one of which we saw no termination, we halted within

eight miles to the fort. The Great Slave Lake was not frozen.

In crossing a narrow branch of the lake I fell through the ice but

received no injury; and at noon we arrived at Fort Providence and were

received by Mr. Weeks, a clerk of the North-West Company in charge of

the establishment. I found several packets of letters for the officers,

which I was desirous of sending to them immediately but, as the Indians

and their wives complained of illness and inability to return without

rest, a flagon of mixed spirits was given them and their sorrows were

soon forgotten. In a quarter of an hour they pronounced themselves

excellent hunters and capable of going anywhere; however their boasting

ceased with the last drop of the bottle when a crying scene took place

which would have continued half the night had not the magic of an

additional quantity of spirits dried their tears and once more turned

their mourning into joy. It was a satisfaction to me to behold these

poor creatures enjoying themselves for they had behaved in the most

exemplary and active manner towards the party, and with a generosity

and sympathy seldom found even in the more civilised parts of the

world, and the attention and affection which they manifested towards

their wives evinced a benevolence of disposition and goodness of nature

which could not fail to secure the approbation of the most indifferent

observer.

The accounts I here received of our goods were of so unsatisfactory a

nature that I determined to proceed, as soon as the lake was frozen, to

Moose-Deer Island or if necessary to the Athabasca Lake, both to inform

myself of the grounds of the unceremonious and negligent manner in

which the Expedition had been treated and to obtain a sufficient supply

of ammunition and other stores to enable it to leave its present

situation and proceed for the attainment of its ultimate object.

November 9.

I despatched to Fort Enterprise one of the men with the letters and a

hundred musket-balls which Mr. Weeks lent me on condition that they

should be returned the first opportunity. An Indian and his wife

accompanied the messenger. Lieutenant Franklin was made acquainted with

the exact state of things, and I awaited with much impatience the

freezing of the lake.

November 16.

A band of Slave Indians came to the fort with a few furs and some

bear’s grease. Though we had not seen any of them it appeared that they

had received information of our being in the country and knew the

precise situation of our house, which they would have visited long ago

but from the fear of being pillaged by the Copper Indians. I questioned

the chief about the Great Bear and Marten Lakes, their distance from

Fort Enterprise, etc., but his answers were so vague and unsatisfactory

that they were not worth attention; his description of Bouleau’s Route

(which he said was the shortest and best and abundant in animals) was

very defective though the relative points were sufficiently

characteristic had we not possessed a better route. He had never been

at the sea and knew nothing about the mouth of the Copper-Mine River.

In the evening he made his young men dance and sometimes accompanied

them himself. They had four feathers in each hand. One commenced moving

in a circular form, lifting both feet at the same time, similar to

jumping sideways. After a short time a second and third joined and

afterwards the whole band was dancing, some in a state of nudity,

others half dressed, singing an unmusical wild air with (I suppose)

appropriate words, the particular sounds of which were ha! ha! ha!

uttered vociferously and with great distortion of countenance and

peculiar attitude of body, the feathers being always kept in a

tremulous motion. The ensuing day I made the chief acquainted with the

object of our mission and recommended him to keep at peace with his

neighbouring tribes and to conduct himself with attention and

friendship towards the whites. I then gave him a medal, telling him it

was the picture of the King whom they emphatically term their Great

Father.

November 18.

We observed two mock moons at equal distances from the central one, and

the whole were encircled by a halo, the colour of the inner edge of the

large circle was a light red inclining to a faint purple.

November 20.

Two parhelia were observable with a halo; the colours of the inner edge

of the circle were a bright carmine and red lake intermingled with a

rich yellow, forming a purplish orange; the outer edge was pale

gamboge.

December 5.

A man was sent some distance on the lake to see if it was sufficiently

frozen for us to cross. I need scarcely mention my satisfaction when he

returned with the pleasing information that it was.

December 7.

I quitted Fort Providence, being accompanied by Mr. Wentzel,

Beauparlant, and two other Canadians, provided with dogs and sledges.

We proceeded along the borders of the lake, occasionally crossing deep

bays, and at dusk encamped at the _Gros Cap_, having proceeded

twenty-five miles.

December 8.

We set out on the lake with an excessively cold north-west wind and

were frequently interrupted by large pieces of ice which had been

thrown up by the violence of the waves during the progress of

congelation, and at dusk we encamped on the Reindeer Islands.

The night was fine with a faint Aurora Borealis. Next day the wind was

so keen that the men proposed conveying me in a sledge that I might be

the less exposed, to which after some hesitation I consented.

Accordingly a reindeer skin and a blanket were laid along the sledge

and in these I was wrapped tight up to the chin and lashed to the

vehicle, just leaving sufficient play for my head to perceive when I

was about to be upset on some rough projecting piece of ice. Thus

equipped we set off before the wind (a favourable circumstance on the

lake) and went on very well until noon, when the ice, being driven up

in ridges in such a manner as to obstruct us very much, I was released,

and I confess not unwillingly though I had to walk the remainder of the

day.

There are large openings in many parts where the ice had separated and,

in attempting to cross one of them, the dogs fell into the water and

were saved with difficulty. The poor animals suffered dreadfully from

the cold and narrowly escaped being frozen to death. We had quickened

our pace towards the close of the day but could not get sight of the

land, and it was not till the sun had set that we perceived it about

four miles to our left, which obliged us to turn back and head the

wind. It was then so cold that two of the party were frozen almost

immediately about the face and ears. I escaped from having the good

fortune to possess a pair of gloves made of rabbits’ skin with which I

kept constantly chafing the places which began to be affected. At six

P.M. we arrived at the fishing-huts near Stony Island and remained the

night there. The Canadians were not a little surprised at seeing us

whom they had already given up for lost—nor less so at the manner by

which we had come—for they all affirmed that the lake near them was

quite free from ice the day before.

December 10.

At an early hour we quitted the huts, lashed on sledges as before, with

some little addition to our party; and at three hours thirty minutes

P.M. arrived at the North-West Fort on Moose-Deer Island where I was

received by Mr. Smith with whom I had been acquainted at the Athabasca.

He said he partly expected me. The same evening I visited Messrs.

McVicar and McAulay at Hudson’s Bay Fort when I found the reports

concerning our goods were but too true, there being in reality but five

packages for us. I also was informed that two Esquimaux, Augustus the

chief, and Junius his servant, who had been sent from Fort Churchill by

Governor Williams to serve in the capacity of interpreters to the

Expedition, were at the fort. These men were short of stature but

muscular, apparently good-natured, and perfectly acquainted with the

purpose for which they were intended. They had built themselves a

snow-house on an adjacent island where they used frequently to sleep.

The following day I examined the pieces and to my great disappointment

found them to consist of three kegs of spirits, already adulterated by

the voyagers who had brought them, a keg of flour and thirty-five

pounds of sugar, instead of sixty. The ammunition and tobacco, the two

greatest requisites, were left behind.

I lost no time in making a demand from both parties and, though their

united list did not furnish the half of what was required, yet it is

possible that everything was given by them which could be spared

consistently with their separate interests, particularly by Mr. McVicar

who in many articles gave me the whole he had in his possession. These

things were sent away immediately for Fort Enterprise, when an

interpreter arrived with letters from Lieutenant Franklin which

referred to a series of injurious reports said to have been propagated

against us by someone at Fort Providence.

Finding a sufficiency of goods could not be provided at Moose-Deer

Island I determined to proceed to the Athabasca Lake and ascertain the

inclinations of the gentlemen there. With this view I communicated my

intentions to both parties but could only get dogs enough from the

North-West Company to carry the necessary provisions for the journey.

Indeed Mr. Smith informed me plainly he was of opinion that nothing

could be spared at Fort Chipewyan, that goods had never been

transported so long a journey in the winter season, and that the same

dogs could not possibly go and return; besides it was very doubtful if

I could be provided with dogs there; and finally that the distance was

great and could take sixteen days to perform it. He added that the

provisions would be mouldy and bad and that from having to walk

constantly on snowshoes I should suffer a great deal of misery and

fatigue. Notwithstanding these assertions on the 23rd of December I

left the fort with Beauparlant and a Bois-brule, each having a sledge

drawn by dogs, laden with pemmican. We crossed an arm of the lake and

entered the Little Buffalo River which is connected with the Salt River

and is about fifty yards wide at its junction with the lake—the water

is brackish. This route is usually taken in the winter as it cuts off a

large angle in going to the Great Slave River. In the afternoon we

passed two empty fishing-huts and in the evening encamped amongst some

high pines on the banks of the river having had several snow-showers

during the day which considerably impeded the dogs so that we had not

proceeded more than fifteen miles.

December 24 and 25.

We continued along the river, frequently making small portages to avoid

going round to the points, and passed some small canoes which the

Indians had left for the winter. The snow was so deep that the dogs

were obliged to stop every ten minutes to rest; and the cold so

excessive that both the men were badly frozen on both sides of the face

and chin. At length, having come to a long meadow which the dogs could

not cross that night, we halted in an adjoining wood and were presently

joined by a Canadian who was on his return to the fort and who treated

us with some fresh meat in exchange for pemmican. During the latter

part of the day we had seen numerous tracks of the moose, buffalo, and

marten.

December 26.

The weather was so cold that we were compelled to run to prevent

ourselves from freezing; our route lay across some large meadows which

appeared to abound in animals, though the Indians around Slave Lake are

in a state of great want. About noon we passed a sulphur-stream which

ran into the river; it appeared to come from a plain about fifty yards

distant. There were no rocks near it and the soil through which it took

its course was composed of a reddish clay. I was much galled by the

strings of the snowshoes during the day and once got a severe fall

occasioned by the dogs running over one of my feet and, dragging me

some distance, my snowshoe having become entangled with the sledge. In

the evening we lost our way from the great similarity of appearance in

the country and it was dark before we found it again when we halted in

a thick wood after having come about sixteen miles from the last

encampment. Much snow fell during the night.

At an early hour on the 27th of December we continued our journey over

the surface of a long but narrow lake and then through a wood which

brought us to the _grand detour_ on the Slave River. The weather was

extremely cloudy with occasional falls of snow which tended greatly to

impede our progress from its gathering in lumps between the dogs’ toes;

and though they did not go very fast yet my left knee pained me so much

that I found it difficult to keep up with them. At three P.M. we halted

within nine miles of the Salt River and made a hearty meal of mouldy

pemmican.

December 28 and 29.

We had much difficulty in proceeding owing to the poor dogs being quite

worn out and their feet perfectly raw. We endeavoured to tie shoes on

them to afford them some little relief but they continually came off

when amongst deep snow so that it occupied one person entirely to look

after them. In this state they were hardly of any use among the steep

ascents of the portages, when we were obliged to drag the sledges

ourselves. We found a few of the rapids entirely frozen. Those that

were not had holes and large spaces about them from whence issued a

thick vapour, and in passing this we found it particularly cold; but

what appeared most curious was the number of small fountains which rose

through the ice and often rendered it doubtful which way we should

take. I was much disappointed at finding several falls (which I had

intended to sketch) frozen almost even with the upper and lower parts

of the stream; the ice was connected by a thin arch and the rushing of

the water underneath might be heard at a considerable distance. On the

banks of these rapids there was a constant overflowing of the water but

in such small quantities as to freeze before it had reached the surface

of the central ice so that we passed between two ridges of icicles, the

transparency of which was beautifully contrasted by the flakes of snow

and the dark green branches of the overhanging pine.

Beauparlant complained bitterly of the cold whilst among the rapids but

no sooner had he reached the upper part of the river than he found the

change of the temperature so great that he vented his indignation

against the heat. “Mais c’est terrible,” said he, to be frozen and

sunburnt in the same day. The poor fellow, who had been a long time in

the country, regarded it as the most severe punishment that could have

been inflicted on him and would willingly have given a part of his

wages rather than this disgrace had happened; for there is a pride

amongst old Voyagers which makes them consider the state of being

frost-bitten as effeminate and only excusable in a Pork-eater or one

newly come into the country. I was greatly fatigued and suffered acute

pains in the knees and legs, both of which were much swollen when we

halted a little above the Dog River.

December 30 and 31.

Our journey these days was by far the most annoying we had yet

experienced but, independent of the vast masses of ice that were piled

on one another, as well as the numerous open places about the rapids

(and they did not a little impede us) there was a strong gale from the

north-west and so dreadfully keen that our time was occupied in rubbing

the frozen parts of the face and in attempting to warm the hands in

order to be prepared for the next operation. Scarcely was one place

cured by constant friction than another was frozen; and though there

was nothing pleasant about it yet it was laughable enough to observe

the dexterity which was used in changing the position of the hand from

the face to the mitten and _vice versâ_. One of the men was severely

affected, the whole side of his face being nearly raw. Towards sunset I

suffered so much in my knee and ankle from a recent sprain that it was

with difficulty I could proceed with snowshoes to the encampment on the

Stony Islands. But in this point I was not singular for Beauparlant was

almost as bad and without the same cause.

January 1, 1821.

We set out with a quick step, the wind still blowing fresh from the

north-west, which seemed in some measure to invigorate the dogs; for

towards sunset they left me considerably behind. Indeed my legs and

ankles were now so swelled that it was excessive pain to drag the

snowshoes after me. At night we halted on the banks of Stony River,

when I gave the men a glass of grog to commemorate the new year, and

the next day, January 2, we arrived at Fort Chipewyan, after a journey

of ten days and four hours—the shortest time in which the distance had

been performed at the same season. I found Messrs. G. Keith and S.

McGillivray in charge of the fort, who were not a little surprised to

see me. The commencement of the New Year is the rejoicing season of the

Canadians when they are generally intoxicated for some days. I

postponed making any demand till this time of festivity should cease;

but on the same day I went over to the Hudson’s Bay fort and delivered

Lieutenant Franklin’s letters to Mr. Simpson. If they were astonished

on one side to see me, the amazement was still greater on the other for

reports were so far in advance that we were said to have already fallen

by the spears of the Esquimaux.

January 3.

I made a demand from both parties for supplies such as ammunition,

gun-flints, axes, files, clothing, tobacco and spirits. I stated to

them our extreme necessity and that without their assistance the

Expedition must be arrested in its progress. The answer from the

North-West gentlemen was satisfactory enough; but on the Hudson’s Bay

side I was told that any further assistance this season entirely

depended on the arrival of supplies expected in a few weeks from a

distant establishment. I remained at Fort Chipewyan five weeks during

which time some laden sledges did arrive, but I could not obtain any

addition to the few articles I had procured at first. A packet of

letters for us from England having arrived I made preparations for my

return, but not before I had requested both Companies to send next year

from the depôts a quantity of goods for our use specified in lists

furnished to them.

The weather during my abode at Chipewyan was generally mild with

occasional heavy storms, most of which were anticipated by the activity

of the Aurora Borealis; and this I observed had been the case between

Fort Providence and the Athabasca in December and January, though not

invariably so in other parts of the country. One of the partners of the

North-West Company related to me the following singular story: He was

travelling in a canoe in the English River and had landed near the

Kettle Fall when the coruscations of the Aurora Borealis were so vivid

and low that the Canadians fell on their faces and began praying and

crying, fearing they should be killed; he himself threw away his gun

and knife that they might not attract the flashes for they were within

two feet from the earth, flitting along with incredible swiftness and

moving parallel to its surface. They continued for upwards of five

minutes as near as he could judge and made a loud rustling noise like

the waving of a flag in a strong breeze. After they had ceased the sky

became clear with little wind.

February 9.

Having got everything arranged and had a hearty breakfast with a _coupe

de l’eau de vie_ (a custom amongst the traders) I took my departure or

rather attempted to do so for, on going to the gate, there was a long

range of women who came to bid me farewell. They were all dressed

(after the manner of the country) in blue or green cloth, with their

hair fresh greased, separated before, and falling down behind, not in

careless tresses but in a good sound tail, fastened with black tape or

riband. This was considered a great compliment and the ceremony

consisted in embracing the whole party.

I had with me four sledges laden with goods for the Expedition and a

fifth belonging to the Hudson’s Bay Company. We returned exactly by the

same route, suffering no other inconvenience but that arising from the

chafing of the snowshoe and bad weather. Some Indians whom we met on

the banks of the Little Buffalo River were rather surprised at seeing

us, for they had heard that we were on an island which was surrounded

by Esquimaux. The dogs were almost worn out and their feet raw when on

February the 20th we arrived at Moose-Deer Island with our goods all in

good order. Towards the end of the month two of our men arrived with

letters from Lieutenant Franklin containing some fresh demands, the

major part of which I was fortunate enough to procure without the least

trouble. Having arranged the accounts and receipts between the

Companies and the Expedition, and sent everything before me to Fort

Providence, I prepared for my departure; and it is but justice to the

gentlemen of both parties at Moose-Deer Island to remark that they

afforded the means of forwarding our stores in the most cheerful and

pleasant manner.

March 5.

I took leave of the gentlemen at the forts and in the afternoon got to

the fisheries near Stony Island where I found Mr. McVicar who was kind

enough to have a house ready for my reception; and I was not a little

gratified at perceiving a pleasant-looking girl employed in roasting a

fine joint and afterwards arranging the table with all the dexterity of

an accomplished servant.

March 6.

We set out at daylight and breakfasted at the Reindeer Islands. As the

day advanced the heat became so oppressive that each pulled off his

coat and ran till sunset when we halted with two men who were on their

return to Moose-Deer Island. There was a beautiful Aurora Borealis in

the night; it rose about North by West and divided into three bars,

diverging at equal distances as far as the zenith and then converging

until they met in the opposite horizon; there were some flashes at

right angles to the bars.

March 7.

We arrived at Fort Providence and found our stores safe and in good

order. There being no certainty when the Indian who was to accompany me

to our house would arrive, and my impatience to join my companions

increasing as I approached it, after making the necessary arrangements

with Mr. Weeks respecting our stores, on March the 10th I quitted the

fort with two of our men who had each a couple of dogs and a sledge

laden with provision. On the 13th we met the Indian near Icy Portage

who was sent to guide me back. On the 14th we killed a deer and gave

the dogs a good feed; and on the 17th at an early hour we arrived at

Fort Enterprise, having travelled about eighteen miles a day. I had the

pleasure of meeting my friends all in good health after an absence of

nearly five months, during which time I had travelled one thousand one

hundred and four miles on snowshoes, and had no other covering at night

in the woods than a blanket and deer-skin with the thermometer

frequently at minus 40° and once at minus 57°, and sometimes passing

two or three days without tasting food.