In making arrangements for our departure Adam disclosed to me for the

first time that he was affected with oedematous swellings in some parts

of the body to such a degree as to preclude the slightest attempt at

marching and, upon my expressing my surprise at his having hitherto

concealed from me the extent of his malady, among other explanations

the details of the preceding story came out. It now became necessary to

abandon the original intention of proceeding with the whole party

towards Fort Providence and, Peltier and Samandré having volunteered to

remain with Adam, I determined on setting out with Benoit and Augustus,

intending to send them relief by the first party of Indians we should

meet. My clothes were so much torn as to be quite inadequate to screen

me from the wind and Peltier and Samandré, fearing that I might suffer

on the journey in consequence, kindly exchanged with me parts of their

dress, desiring me to send them skins in return by the Indians. Having

patched up three pairs of snowshoes and singed a quantity of skin for

the journey we started on the morning of the 20th. Previous to my

departure I packed up the journals of the officers, the charts, and

some other documents, together with a letter addressed to the

Under-Secretary of State detailing the occurrences of the Expedition up

to this period, which package was given in charge to Peltier and

Samandré with directions that it should be brought away by the Indians

who might come to them. I also instructed them to send succour

immediately on its arrival to our companions in the rear, which they

solemnly promised to do, and I left a letter for my friends, Richardson

and Hood, to be sent at the same time. I thought it necessary to

admonish Peltier, Samandré, and Adam to eat two meals every day in

order to keep up their strength, which they promised me they would do.

No language that I can use could adequately describe the parting scene.

I shall only say there was far more calmness and resignation to the

Divine will evince by everyone than could have been expected. We were

all cheered by the hope that the Indians would be found by the one

party and relief sent to the other. Those who remained entreated us to

make all the haste we could and expressed their hope of seeing the

Indians in ten or twelve days.

At first starting we were so feeble as scarcely to be able to move

forwards and the descent of the bank of the river through the deep snow

was a severe labour. When we came upon the ice where the snow was less

deep we got on better, but after walking six hours we had only gained

four miles and were then compelled by fatigue to encamp on the borders

of Round-Rock Lake. Augustus tried for fish here but without success so

that our fare was skin and tea. Composing ourselves to rest we lay

close to each other for warmth. We found the night bitterly cold and

the wind pierced through our famished frames.

The next morning was mild and pleasant for travelling and we set out

after breakfast. We had not however gone many yards before I had the

misfortune to break my snowshoes by falling between two rocks. This

accident prevented me from keeping pace with Benoit and Augustus and in

the attempt I became quite exhausted. Feeling convinced that their

being delayed on my account might prove of fatal consequence to the

rest I resolved on returning to the house and letting them proceed

alone in search of the Indians. I therefore halted them only whilst I

wrote a note to Mr. Back, stating the reason of my return, and desiring

he would send meat from Reindeer Lake by these men if St. Germain

should kill any animals there. If Benoit should miss Mr. Back I

directed him to proceed to Fort Providence and furnished him with a

letter to the gentleman in charge of it, requesting that immediate

supplies might be sent to us.

On my return to the house I found Samandré very dispirited and too

weak, as he said, to render any assistance to Peltier, upon whom the

whole labour of getting wood and collecting the means of subsistence

would have devolved. Conscious too that his strength would have been

unequal to these tasks they had determined upon taking only one meal

each day, so that I felt my going back particularly fortunate as I

hoped to stimulate Samandré to exertion and at any rate could

contribute some help to Peltier. I undertook the office of cooking and

insisted they should eat twice a day whenever food could be procured

but, as I was too weak to pound the bones, Peltier agreed to do that in

addition to his more fatiguing task of getting wood. We had a violent

snow-storm all the next day and this gloomy weather increased the

depression of spirits under which Adam and Samandré were labouring.

Neither of them would quit their beds and they scarcely ceased from

shedding tears all day; in vain did Peltier and myself endeavour to

cheer them. We had even to use much entreaty before they would take the

meals we had prepared for them. Our situation was indeed distressing

but in comparison with that of our friends in the rear we thought it

happy. Their condition gave us unceasing solicitude and was the

principal subject of our conversation.

Though the weather was stormy on the 26th Samandré assisted me to

gather _tripe de roche_. Adam, who was very ill and could not now be

prevailed upon to eat this weed, subsisted principally on bones, though

he also partook of the soup. The _tripe de roche_ had hitherto afforded

us our chief support, and we naturally felt great uneasiness at the

prospect of being deprived of it by its being so frozen as to render it

impossible for us to gather it.

We perceived our strength decline every day and every exertion began to

be irksome; when we were once seated the greatest effort was necessary

in order to rise, and we had frequently to lift each other from our

seats, but even in this pitiable condition we conversed cheerfully,

being sanguine as to the speedy arrival of the Indians. We calculated

indeed that if they should be near the situation where they had

remained last winter our men would have reached them by this day.

Having expended all the wood which we could procure from our present

dwelling, without danger of its fall, Peltier began this day to pull

down the partitions of the adjoining houses. Though these were only

distant about twenty yards yet the increase of labour in carrying the

wood fatigued him so much that by the evening he was exhausted. On the

next day his weakness was such, especially in the arms of which he

chiefly complained, that he with difficulty lifted the hatchet; still

he persevered whilst Samandré and I assisted him in bringing in the

wood, but our united strength could only collect sufficient to

replenish the fire four times in the course of the day. As the insides

of our mouths had become sore from eating the bone-soup we relinquished

the use of it and now boiled the skin, which mode of dressing we found

more palatable than frying it, as we had hitherto done.

On the 29th Peltier felt his pains more severe and could only cut a few

pieces of wood. Samandré, who was still almost as weak, relieved him a

little time and I aided them in carrying in the wood. We endeavoured to

pick some _tripe de roche_, but in vain, as it was entirely frozen. In

turning up the snow, in searching for bones, I found several pieces of

bark which proved a valuable acquisition as we were almost destitute of

dry wood proper for kindling the fire. We saw a herd of reindeer

sporting on the river about half a mile from the house; they remained

there a long time but none of the party felt themselves strong enough

to go after them, nor was there one of us who could have fired a gun

without resting it.

MURDER OF MR. HOOD. DEATH OF SEVERAL OF THE CANADIANS.

Whilst we were seated round the fire this evening, discoursing about

the anticipated relief, the conversation was suddenly interrupted by

Peltier’s exclaiming with joy “_Ah! le monde!_” imagining that he heard

the Indians in the other room; immediately afterwards to his bitter

disappointment Dr. Richardson and Hepburn entered, each carrying his

bundle. Peltier however soon recovered himself enough to express his

delight at their safe arrival and his regret that their companions were

not with them. When I saw them alone my own mind was instantly filled

with apprehensions respecting my friend Hood and our other companions,

which were immediately confirmed by the Doctor’s melancholy

communication that Mr. Hood and Michel were dead. Perrault and Fontano

had neither reached the tent nor been heard of by them. This

intelligence produced a melancholy despondency in the minds of my party

and on that account the particulars were deferred until another

opportunity. We were all shocked at beholding the emaciated

countenances of the Doctor and Hepburn as they strongly evidenced their

extremely debilitated state. The alteration in our appearance was

equally distressing to them for since the swellings had subsided we

were little more than skin and bone. The Doctor particularly remarked

the sepulchral tone of our voices which he requested us to make more

cheerful if possible, unconscious that his own partook of the same key.

Hepburn, having shot a partridge which was brought to the house, the

Doctor tore out the feathers and, having held it to the fire a few

minutes, divided it into six portions. I and my three companions

ravenously devoured our shares as it was the first morsel of flesh any

of us had tasted for thirty-one days, unless indeed the small gristly

particles which we found occasionally adhering to the pounded bones may

be termed flesh. Our spirits were revived by this small supply and the

Doctor endeavoured to raise them still higher by the prospect of

Hepburn’s being able to kill a deer next day, as they had seen and even

fired at several near the house. He endeavoured too to rouse us into

some attention to the comfort of our apartment, and particularly to

roll up in the day our blankets which (expressly for the convenience of

Adam and Samandré) we had been in the habit of leaving by the fire

where we lay on them. The Doctor having brought his prayer-book and

testament, some prayers and psalms and portions of scripture

appropriate to our situation were read and we retired to bed.

Next morning the Doctor and Hepburn went out early in search of deer,

but though they saw several herds and fired some shots they were not so

fortunate as to kill any, being too weak to hold their guns steadily.

The cold compelled the former to return soon but Hepburn persisted

until late in the evening.

My occupation was to search for skins under the snow, it being now our

object immediately to get all that we would, but I had not strength to

drag in more than two of those which were within twenty yards of the

house until the Doctor came and assisted me. We made up our stock to

twenty-six but several of them were putrid and scarcely eatable, even

by men suffering the extremity of famine. Peltier and Samandré

continued very weak and dispirited and they were unable to cut

firewood. Hepburn had in consequence that laborious task to perform

after he came back. The Doctor having scarified the swelled parts of

Adam’s body a large quantity of water flowed out, and he obtained some

ease but still kept his bed.

After our usual supper of singed skin and bone-soup Dr. Richardson

acquainted me with the afflicting circumstances attending the death of

Mr. Hood and Michel, and detailed the occurrences subsequent to my

departure from them which I shall give from his Journal in his own

words, but I must here be permitted to express the heart-felt sorrow

with which I was overwhelmed at the loss of so many companions,

especially of my friend Mr. Hood to whose zealous and able cooperation

I had been indebted for so much invaluable assistance during the

Expedition, whilst the excellent qualities of his heart engaged my

warmest regard. His scientific observations together with his maps and

drawings (a small part of which only appear in this work) evince a

variety of talent which, had his life been spared, must have rendered

him a distinguished ornament to his profession, and which will cause

his death to be felt as a loss to the service.

DR. RICHARDSON’S NARRATIVE.

After Captain Franklin had bidden us farewell we remained seated by the

fireside as long as the willows the men had cut for us before they

departed lasted. We had no _tripe de roche_ that day but drank an

infusion of the country tea-plant, which was grateful from its warmth

although it afforded no sustenance. We then retired to bed where we

remained all the next day as the weather was stormy, and the snow-drift

so heavy as to destroy every prospect of success in our endeavours to

light a fire with the green and frozen willows which were our only

fuel. Through the extreme kindness and forethought of a lady the party,

previous to leaving London, had been furnished with a small collection

of religious books, of which we still retained two or three of the most

portable, and they proved of incalculable benefit to us. We read

portions of them to each other as we lay in bed, in addition to the

morning and evening service, and found that they inspired us on each

perusal with so strong a sense of the omnipresence of a beneficent God

that our situation even in these wilds appeared no longer destitute,

and we conversed not only with calmness but with cheerfulness,

detailing with unrestrained confidence the past events of our lives and

dwelling with hope on our future prospects. Had my poor friend been

spared to revisit his native land I should look back to this period

with unalloyed delight.

On the morning of the 9th the weather although still cold was clear,

and I went out in quest of _tripe de roche_, leaving Hepburn to cut

willows for a fire and Mr. Hood in bed. I had no success as yesterday’s

snow-drift was so frozen on the surface of the rocks that I could not

collect any of the weed, but on my return to the tent I found that

Michel the Iroquois had come with a note from Mr. Franklin which stated

that, this man and Jean Baptiste Belanger being unable to proceed, were

about to return to us, and that a mile beyond our present encampment

there was a clump of pine-trees to which he recommended us to remove

the tent. Michel informed us that he quitted Mr. Franklin’s party

yesterday morning but that having missed his way he had passed the

night on the snow a mile or two to the northward of us. Belanger he

said, being impatient, left the fire about two hours earlier and, as he

had not arrived, he supposed must have gone astray. It will be seen in

the sequel that we had more than sufficient reason to doubt the truth

of this story.

Michel now produced a hare and a partridge which he had killed in the

morning. This unexpected supply of provision was received by us with a

deep sense of gratitude to the Almighty for His goodness, and we looked

upon Michel as the instrument He had chosen to preserve all our lives.

He complained of cold and Mr. Hood offered to share his buffalo robe

with him at night. I gave him one of two shirts which I wore whilst

Hepburn in the warmth of his heart exclaimed “How I shall love this man

if I find that he does not tell lies like the others.” Our meals being

finished we arranged that the greatest part of the things should be

carried to the pines the next day and, after reading the evening

service, retired to bed full of hope.

Early in the morning Hepburn, Michel, and myself, carried the

ammunition and most of the other heavy articles to the pines. Michel

was our guide and it did not occur to us at the time that his

conducting us perfectly straight was incompatible with his story of

having mistaken his road in coming to us. He now informed us that he

had on his way to the tent left on the hill above the pines a gun and

forty-eight balls which Perrault had given to him when with the rest of

Mr. Franklin’s party he took leave of him. It will be seen on a

reference to Mr. Franklin’s journal that Perrault carried his gun and

ammunition with him when they parted from Michel and Belanger. After we

had made a fire and drank a little of the country tea Hepburn and I

returned to the tent where we arrived in the evening, much exhausted

with our journey. Michel preferred sleeping where he was and requested

us to leave him the hatchet, which we did after he had promised to come

early in the morning to assist us in carrying the tent and bedding. Mr.

Hood remained in bed all day. Seeing nothing of Belanger today we gave

him up for lost.

On the 11th, after waiting until late in the morning for Michel who did

not come, Hepburn and I loaded ourselves with the bedding and,

accompanied by Mr. Hood, set out for the pines. Mr. Hood was much

affected with dimness of sight, giddiness, and other symptoms of

extreme debility, which caused us to move very slowly and to make

frequent halts.

On arriving at the pines we were much alarmed to find that Michel was

absent. We feared that he had lost his way in coming to us in the

morning, although it was not easy to conjecture how that could have

happened, as our footsteps of yesterday were very distinct. Hepburn

went back for the tent and returned with it after dusk, completely worn

out with the fatigue of the day. Michel too arrived at the same time

and relieved our anxiety on his account. He reported that he had been

in chase of some deer which passed near his sleeping-place in the

morning and, although he did not come up with them, yet that he found a

wolf which had been killed by the stroke of a deer’s horn and had

brought a part of it. We implicitly believed this story then, but

afterwards became convinced from circumstances, the detail of which may

be spared, that it must have been a portion of the body of Belanger or

Perrault. A question of moment here presents itself, namely whether he

actually murdered these men, or either of them, or whether he found the

bodies in the snow. Captain Franklin, who is the best able to judge of

this matter from knowing their situation when he parted from them,

suggested the former idea, and that both Belanger and Perrault had been

sacrificed. When Perrault turned back Captain Franklin watched him

until he reached a small group of willows which was immediately

adjoining to the fire and concealed it from view, and at this time the

smoke of fresh fuel was distinctly visible. Captain Franklin

conjectures that Michel, having already destroyed Belanger, completed

his crime by Perrault’s death in order to screen himself from

detection. Although this opinion is founded only on circumstances and

is unsupported by direct evidence it has been judged proper to mention

it, especially as the subsequent conduct of the man showed that he was

capable of committing such a deed. The circumstances are very strong.

It is not easy to assign any other adequate motive for his concealing

from us that Perrault had turned back, while his request overnight that

we should leave him the hatchet and his cumbering himself with it when

he went out in the morning, unlike a hunter who makes use only of his

knife when he kills a deer, seem to indicate that he took it for the

purpose of cutting up something that he knew to be frozen. These

opinions however are the result of subsequent consideration. We passed

this night in the open air.

On the following morning the tent was pitched; Michel went out early,

refused my offer to accompany him, and remained out the whole day. He

would not sleep in the tent at night but chose to lie at the fireside.

On the 13th there was a heavy gale of wind and we passed the day by the

fire. Next day about two P.M., the gale abating, Michel set out as he

said to hunt but returned unexpectedly in a very short time. This

conduct surprised us and his contradictory and evasory answers to our

questions excited some suspicions but they did not turn towards the

truth.

October 15th.

In the course of this day Michel expressed much regret that he had

stayed behind Mr. Franklin’s party, and declared that he would set out

for the house at once if he knew the way. We endeavoured to sooth him

and to raise his hopes of the Indians speedily coming to our relief but

without success. He refused to assist us in cutting wood but about

noon, after much solicitation, he set out to hunt. Hepburn gathered a

kettleful of _tripe de roche_, but froze his fingers. Both Hepburn and

I fatigued ourselves much today in pursuing a flock of partridges from

one part to another of the group of willows in which the hut was

situated, but we were too weak to be able to approach them with

sufficient caution. In the evening Michel returned, having met with no

success.

Next day he refused either to hunt or cut wood, spoke in a very surly

manner, and threatened to leave us. Under these circumstances Mr. Hood

and I deemed it better to promise if he would hunt diligently for four

days that then we would give Hepburn a letter for Mr. Franklin, a

compass, inform him what course to pursue, and let them proceed

together to the fort. The non-arrival of the Indians to our relief now

led us to fear that some accident had happened to Mr. Franklin, and we

placed no confidence in the exertions of the Canadians that accompanied

him but we had the fullest confidence in Hepburn’s returning the moment

he could obtain assistance.

On the 17th I went to conduct Michel to where Vaillant’s blanket was

left and after walking about three miles pointed out the hills to him

at a distance, and returned to the hut, having gathered a bagful of

_tripe de roche_ on the way. It was easier to gather this weed on a

march than at the tent, for the exercise of walking produced a glow of

heat which enabled us to withstand for a time the cold to which we were

exposed in scraping the frozen surface of the rocks. On the contrary

when we left the fire to collect it in the neighbourhood of the hut we

became chilled at once and were obliged to return very quickly.

Michel proposed to remain out all night and to hunt next day on his way

back. He returned in the afternoon of the 18th, having found the

blanket together with a bag containing two pistols and some other

things which had been left beside it. We had some _tripe de roche_ in

the evening but Mr. Hood, from the constant griping it produced, was

unable to eat more than one or two spoonfuls. He was now so weak as to

be scarcely able to sit up at the fireside and complained that the

least breeze of wind seemed to blow through his frame. He also suffered

much from cold during the night. We lay close to each other but the

heat of the body was no longer sufficient to thaw the frozen rime

formed by our breaths on the blankets that covered him.

At this period we avoided as much as possible conversing upon the

hopelessness of our situation and generally endeavoured to lead the

conversation towards our future prospects in life. The fact is that

with the decay of our strength our minds decayed, and we were no longer

able to bear the contemplation of the horrors that surrounded us. Each

of us, if I may be allowed to judge from my own case, excused himself

from so doing by a desire of not shocking the feelings of others, for

we were sensible of one another’s weakness of intellect though blind to

our own. Yet we were calm and resigned to our fate, not a murmur

escaped us, and we were punctual and fervent in our addresses to the

Supreme Being.

On the 19th Michel refused to hunt or even to assist in carrying a log

of wood to the fire which was too heavy for Hepburn’s strength and

mine. Mr. Hood endeavoured to point out to him the necessity and duty

of exertion, and the cruelty of his quitting us without leaving

something for our support, but the discourse, far from producing any

beneficial effect, seemed only to excite his anger and, amongst other

expressions, he made use of the following remarkable one: “It is no use

hunting, there are no animals, you had better kill and eat me.” At

length however he went out but returned very soon with a report that he

had seen three deer which he was unable to follow from having wet his

foot in a small stream of water thinly covered with ice and being

consequently obliged to come to the fire. The day was rather mild and

Hepburn and I gathered a large kettleful of _tripe de roche;_ Michel

slept in the tent this night.

Sunday, October 20.

In the morning we again urged Michel to go a-hunting that he might if

possible leave us some provision, tomorrow being the day appointed for

his quitting us, but he showed great unwillingness to go out and

lingered about the fire under the pretence of cleaning his gun. After

we had read the morning service I went about noon to gather some _tripe

de roche_, leaving Mr. Hood sitting before the tent at the fireside

arguing with Michel; Hepburn was employed cutting down a tree at a

short distance from the tent, being desirous of accumulating a quantity

of firewood before he left us. A short time after I went out I heard

the report of a gun, and about ten minutes afterwards Hepburn called to

me in a voice of great alarm to come directly. When I arrived I found

poor Hood lying lifeless at the fireside, a ball having apparently

entered his forehead. I was at first horror-struck with the idea that

in a fit of despondency he had hurried himself into the presence of his

Almighty Judge by an act of his own hand, but the conduct of Michel

soon gave rise to other thoughts, and excited suspicions which were

confirmed when, upon examining the body, I discovered that the shot had

entered the back part of the head and passed out at the forehead, and

that the muzzle of the gun had been applied so close as to set fire to

the night-cap behind. The gun, which was of the longest kind supplied

to the Indians, could not have been placed in a position to inflict

such a wound except by a second person. Upon inquiring of Michel how it

happened he replied that Mr. Hood had sent him into the tent for the

short gun and that during his absence the long gun had gone off, he did

not know whether by accident or not. He held the short gun in his hand

at the time he was speaking to me. Hepburn afterwards informed me that

previous to the report of the gun Mr. Hood and Michel were speaking to

each other in an elevated angry tone, that Mr. Hood, being seated at

the fireside, was hid from him by intervening willows, but that on

hearing the report he looked up and saw Michel rising up from before

the tent-door, or just behind where Mr. Hood was seated, and then going

into the tent. Thinking that the gun had been discharged for the

purpose of cleaning it he did not go to the fire at first, and when

Michel called to him that Mr. Hood was dead a considerable time had

elapsed. Although I dared not openly to evince any suspicion that I

thought Michel guilty of the deed, yet he repeatedly protested that he

was incapable of committing such an act, kept constantly on his guard,

and carefully avoided leaving Hepburn and me together. He was evidently

afraid of permitting us to converse in private and whenever Hepburn

spoke he inquired if he accused him of the murder. It is to be remarked

that he understood English very imperfectly yet sufficiently to render

it unsafe for us to speak on the subject in his presence. We removed

the body into a clump of willows behind the tent and, returning to the

fire, read the funeral service in addition to the evening prayers. The

loss of a young officer of such distinguished and varied talents and

application may be felt and duly appreciated by the eminent characters

under whose command he had served, but the calmness with which he

contemplated the probable termination of a life of uncommon promise,

and the patience and fortitude with which he sustained, I may venture

to say, unparalleled bodily sufferings, can only be known to the

companions of his distresses. Owing to the effect that the _tripe de

roche_ invariably had when he ventured to taste it, he undoubtedly

suffered more than any of the survivors of the party. _Bickersteth’s

Scripture Help_ was lying open beside the body as if it had fallen from

his hand, and it is probable that he was reading it at the instant of

his death. We passed the night in the tent together without rest,

everyone being on his guard. Next day, having determined on going to

the fort, we began to patch and prepare our clothes for the journey. We

singed the hair off a part of the buffalo robe that belonged to Mr.

Hood and boiled and ate it. Michel tried to persuade me to go to the

woods on the Copper-Mine River and hunt for deer instead of going to

the fort. In the afternoon, a flock of partridges coming near the tent,

he killed several which he shared with us.

Thick snowy weather and a head-wind prevented us from starting the

following day but on the morning of the 23rd we set out, carrying with

us the remainder of the singed robe. Hepburn and Michel had each a gun

and I carried a small pistol which Hepburn had loaded for me. In the

course of the march Michel alarmed us much by his gestures and conduct,

was constantly muttering to himself, expressed an unwillingness to go

to the fort, and tried to persuade me to go to the southward to the

woods where he said he could maintain himself all the winter by killing

deer. In consequence of this behaviour and the expression of his

countenance I requested him to leave us and to go to the southward by

himself. This proposal increased his ill-nature, he threw out some

obscure hints of freeing himself from all restraint on the morrow, and

I overheard his muttering threats against Hepburn whom he openly

accused of having told stories against him. He also for the first time

assumed such a tone of superiority in addressing me as evinced that he

considered us to be completely in his power and he gave vent to several

expressions of hatred towards the white people or as he termed us in

the idiom of the voyagers, the French, some of whom he said had killed

and eaten his uncle and two of his relations. In short, taking every

circumstance of his conduct into consideration, I came to the

conclusion that he would attempt to destroy us on the first opportunity

that offered, and that he had hitherto abstained from doing so from his

ignorance of his way to the fort, but that he would never suffer us to

go thither in company with him. In the course of the day he had several

times remarked that we were pursuing the same course that Mr. Franklin

was doing when he left him and that, by keeping towards the setting

sun, he could find his way himself. Hepburn and I were not in a

condition to resist even an open attack, nor could we by any device

escape from him. Our united strength was far inferior to his and,

beside his gun, he was armed with two pistols, an Indian bayonet, and a

knife. In the afternoon, coming to a rock on which there was some

_tripe de roche_, he halted and said he would gather it whilst we went

on and that he would soon overtake us. Hepburn and I were now left

together for the first time since Mr. Hood’s death, and he acquainted

me with several material circumstances which he had observed of

Michel’s behaviour and which confirmed me in the opinion that there was

no safety for us except in his death, and he offered to be the

instrument of it. I determined however, as I was thoroughly convinced

of the necessity of such a dreadful act, to take the whole

responsibility upon myself and, immediately upon Michel’s coming up, I

put an end to his life by shooting him through the head with a pistol.

Had my own life alone been threatened I would not have purchased it by

such a measure, but I considered myself as entrusted also with the

protection of Hepburn’s, a man who, by his humane attentions and

devotedness, had so endeared himself to me that I felt more anxiety for

his safety than for my own. Michel had gathered no _tripe de roche_,

and it was evident to us that he had halted for the purpose of putting

his gun in order with the intention of attacking us, perhaps whilst we

were in the act of encamping.

I have dwelt in the preceding part of the narrative upon many

circumstances of Michel’s conduct, not for the purpose of aggravating

his crime, but to put the reader in possession of the reasons that

influenced me in depriving a fellow-creature of life. Up to the period

of his return to the tent his conduct had been good and respectful to

the officers, and in a conversation between Captain Franklin, Mr. Hood,

and myself, at Obstruction Rapid, it had been proposed to give him a

reward upon our arrival at a post. His principles however, unsupported

by a belief in the divine truths of Christianity, were unable to

withstand the pressure of severe distress. His countrymen, the

Iroquois, are generally Christians, but he was totally uninstructed and

ignorant of the duties inculcated by Christianity, and from his long

residence in the Indian country seems to have imbibed or retained the

rules of conduct which the southern Indians prescribe to themselves.

On the two following days we had mild but thick snowy weather and, as

the view was too limited to enable us to preserve a straight course, we

remained encamped amongst a few willows and dwarf pines about five

miles from the tent. We found a species of _cornicularia_, a kind of

lichen that was good to eat when moistened and toasted over the fire,

and we had a good many pieces of singed buffalo hide remaining.

On the 26th, the weather being clear and extremely cold, we resumed our

march which was very painful from the depth of the snow, particularly

on the margins of the small lakes that lay in our route. We frequently

sunk under the load of our blankets and were obliged to assist each

other in getting up. After walking about three miles and a half however

we were cheered by the sight of a large herd of reindeer and Hepburn

went in pursuit of them but, his hand being unsteady through weakness,

he missed. He was so exhausted by this fruitless attempt that we were

obliged to encamp upon the spot although it was a very unfavourable

one.

Next day we had fine and clear but cold weather. We set out early and,

in crossing a hill, found a considerable quantity of _tripe de roche_.

About noon we fell upon Little Marten Lake, having walked about two

miles. The sight of a place that we knew inspired us with fresh vigour

and, there being comparatively little snow on the ice, we advanced at a

pace to which we had lately been unaccustomed. In the afternoon we

crossed a recent track of a wolverine which, from a parallel mark in

the snow, appeared to have been dragging something. Hepburn traced it

and upon the borders of the lake found the spine of a deer that it had

dropped. It was clean picked and at least one season old, but we

extracted the spinal marrow from it which, even in its frozen state,

was so acrid as to excoriate the lips. We encamped within sight of the

Dog-Rib Rock and from the coldness of the night and the want of fuel

rested very ill.

On the 28th we rose at daybreak, but from the want of the small fire

that we usually made in the mornings to warm our fingers, a very long

time was spent in making up our bundles. This task fell to Hepburn’s

share as I suffered so much from the cold as to be unable to take my

hands out of my mittens. We kept a straight course for the Dog-Rib Rock

but, owing to the depth of the snow in the valleys we had to cross, did

not reach it until late in the afternoon. We would have encamped but

did not like to pass a second night without fire and, though scarcely

able to drag our limbs after us, we pushed on to a clump of pines about

a mile to the southward of the rock and arrived at them in the dusk of

the evening. During the last few hundred yards of our march our track

lay over some large stones amongst which I fell down upwards of twenty

times, and became at length so exhausted that I was unable to stand. If

Hepburn had not exerted himself far beyond his strength and speedily

made the encampment and kindled a fire, I must have perished on the

spot. This night we had plenty of dry wood.

On the 29th we had clear and fine weather. We set out at sunrise and

hurried on in our anxiety to reach the house, but our progress was much

impeded by the great depth of the snow in the valleys. Although every

spot of ground over which we travelled today had been repeatedly

trodden by us yet we got bewildered in a small lake. We took it for

Marten Lake, which was three times its size, and fancied that we saw

the rapids and the grounds about the fort, although they were still far

distant. Our disappointment when this illusion was dispelled by our

reaching the end of the lake so operated on our feeble minds as to

exhaust our strength, and we decided upon encamping but, upon ascending

a small eminence to look for a clump of wood, we caught a glimpse of

the Big Stone, a well-known rock upon the summit of a hill opposite to

the fort, and determined upon proceeding. In the evening we saw several

large herds of reindeer but Hepburn, who used to be considered a good

marksman, was now unable to hold the gun straight and although he got

near them all his efforts proved fruitless. In passing through a small

clump of pines we saw a flock of partridges, and he succeeded in

killing one after firing several shots. We came in sight of the fort at

dusk and it is impossible to describe our sensations when, on attaining

the eminence that overlooks it, we beheld the smoke issuing from one of

the chimneys. From not having met with any footsteps in the snow as we

drew nigh our once cheerful residence we had been agitated by many

melancholy forebodings. Upon entering the now desolate building we had

the satisfaction of embracing Captain Franklin, but no words can convey

an idea of the filth and wretchedness that met our eyes on looking

around. Our own misery had stolen upon us by degrees and we were

accustomed to the contemplation of each other’s emaciated figures, but

the ghastly countenances, dilated eyeballs, and sepulchral voices of

Captain Franklin and those with him were more than we could at first

bear.

CONCLUSION OF DR. RICHARDSON’S NARRATIVE.

The morning of the 31st was very cold, the wind being strong from the

north. Hepburn went again in quest of deer and the Doctor endeavoured

to kill some partridges, both were unsuccessful. A large herd of deer

passed close to the house, the Doctor fired once at them but was unable

to pursue them. Adam was easier this day and left his bed. Peltier and

Samandré were much weaker and could not assist in the labours of the

day. Both complained of soreness in the throat and Samandré suffered

much from cramps in his fingers. The Doctor and Hepburn began this day

to cut the wood and also brought it to the house. Being too weak to aid

in these laborious tasks I was employed in searching for bones and

cooking and attending to our more weakly companions.

In the evening Peltier, complaining much of cold, requested of me a

portion of a blanket to repair his shirt and drawers. The mending of

these articles occupied him and Samandré until past one A.M. and their

spirits were so much revived by the employment that they conversed even

cheerfully the whole time. Adam sat up with them. The Doctor, Hepburn,

and myself went to bed. We were afterwards agreeably surprised to see

Peltier and Samandré carry three or four logs of wood across the room

to replenish the fire, which induced us to hope they still possessed

more strength than we had supposed.

November 1.

This day was fine and mild. Hepburn went hunting but was as usual

unsuccessful. As his strength was rapidly declining we advised him to

desist from the pursuit of deer, and only to go out for a short time

and endeavour to kill a few partridges for Peltier and Samandré. The

Doctor obtained a little _tripe de roche_, but Peltier could not eat

any of it, and Samandré only a few spoonfuls, owing to the soreness of

their throats. In the afternoon Peltier was so much exhausted that he

sat up with difficulty and looked piteously; at length he slid from his

stool upon his bed, as we supposed to sleep, and in this composed state

he remained upwards of two hours without our apprehending any danger.

We were then alarmed by hearing a rattling in his throat and on the

Doctor’s examining him he was found to be speechless. He died in the

course of the night. Samandré sat up the greater part of the day and

even assisted in pounding some bones but, on witnessing the melancholy

state of Peltier, he became very low and began to complain of cold and

stiffness of the joints. Being unable to keep up a sufficient fire to

warm him we laid him down and covered him with several blankets. He did

not however appear to get better and I deeply lament to add he also

died before daylight. We removed the bodies of the deceased into the

opposite part of the house but our united strength was inadequate to

the task of interring them or even carrying them down to the river.

It may be worthy of remark that poor Peltier, from the time of Benoit’s

departure, had fixed on the first of November as the time when he

should cease to expect any relief from the Indians, and had repeatedly

said that if they did not arrive by that day he should not survive.

Peltier had endeared himself to each of us by his cheerfulness, his

unceasing activity, and affectionate care and attentions ever since our

arrival at this place. He had nursed Adam with the tenderest solicitude

the whole time. Poor Samandré was willing to have taken his share in

the labours of the party had he not been wholly incapacitated by his

weakness and low spirits. The severe shock occasioned by the sudden

dissolution of our two companions rendered us very melancholy. Adam

became low and despondent, a change which we lamented the more as we

had perceived he had been gaining strength and spirits for the two

preceding days. I was particularly distressed by the thought that the

labour of collecting wood must now devolve upon Dr. Richardson and

Hepburn, and that my debility would disable me from affording them any

material assistance; indeed both of them most kindly urged me not to

make the attempt. They were occupied the whole of the next day in

tearing down the logs of which the storehouse was built but the mud

plastered between them was so hard frozen that the labour of separation

exceeded their strength, and they were completely exhausted by bringing

in wood sufficient for less than twelve hours’ consumption.

I found it necessary in their absence to remain constantly near Adam

and to converse with him in order to prevent his reflecting on our

condition, and to keep up his spirits as far as possible. I also lay by

his side at night.

On the 3rd the weather was very cold though the atmosphere was cloudy.

This morning Hepburn was affected with swelling in his limbs, his

strength as well as that of the Doctor was rapidly declining; they

continued however to be full of hope. Their utmost exertions could only

supply wood to renew the fire thrice and on making it up the last time

we went to bed. Adam was in rather better spirits but he could not bear

to be left alone. Our stock of bones was exhausted by a small quantity

of soup we made this evening. The toil of separating the hair from the

skins, which in fact were our chief support, had now become so

wearisome as to prevent us from eating as much as we should otherwise

have done.

November 4.

Calm and comparatively mild weather. The Doctor and Hepburn, exclusive

of their usual occupation, gathered some _tripe de roche_. I went a few

yards from the house in search of bones and returned quite fatigued,

having found but three. The Doctor again made incisions in Adam’s leg

which discharged a considerable quantity of water and gave him great

relief. We read prayers and a portion of the New Testament in the

morning and evening, as had been our practice since Dr. Richardson’s

arrival, and I may remark that the performance of these duties always

afforded us the greatest consolation, serving to reanimate our hope in

the mercy of the Omnipotent, who alone could save and deliver us.

On the 5th the breezes were light with dark cloudy weather and some

snow. The Doctor and Hepburn were getting much weaker and the limbs of

the latter were now greatly swelled. They came into the house

frequently in the course of the day to rest themselves and when once

seated were unable to rise without the help of one another, or of a

stick. Adam was for the most part in the same low state as yesterday,

but sometimes he surprised us by getting up and walking with an

appearance of increased strength. His looks were now wild and ghastly

and his conversation was often incoherent.

The next day was fine but very cold. The swellings in Adam’s limbs

having subsided he was free from pain and arose this morning in much

better spirits, and spoke of cleaning his gun ready for shooting

partridges or any animals that might appear near the house, but his

tone entirely changed before the day was half over; he became again

dejected and could scarcely be prevailed upon to eat. The Doctor and

Hepburn were almost exhausted. The cutting of one log of wood occupied

the latter half an hour, and the other took as much time to drag it

into the house, though the distance did not exceed thirty yards. I

endeavoured to help the Doctor but my assistance was very trifling. Yet

it was evident that in a day or two if their strength should continue

to decline at the same rate I should be the strongest of the party.

I may here remark that owing to our loss of flesh the hardness of the

floor from which we were only protected by a blanket produced soreness

over the body, and especially those parts on which the weight rested in

lying, yet to turn ourselves for relief was a matter of toil and

difficulty. However during this period and indeed all along after the

acute pains of hunger, which lasted but three or four days, had

subsided, we generally enjoyed the comfort of a few hours’ sleep. The

dreams which for the most part but not always accompanied it were

usually (though not invariably) of a pleasant character, being very

often about the enjoyments of feasting. In the daytime we fell into the

practice of conversing on common and light subjects, although we

sometimes discussed with seriousness and earnestness topics connected

with religion. We generally avoided speaking directly of our present

sufferings or even of the prospect of relief. I observed that in

proportion as our strength decayed our minds exhibited symptoms of

weakness, evinced by a kind of unreasonable pettishness with each

other. Each of us thought the other weaker in intellect than himself,

and more in need of advice and assistance. So trifling a circumstance

as a change of place, recommended by one as being warmer and more

comfortable and refused by the other from a dread of motion, frequently

called forth fretful expressions which were no sooner uttered than

atoned for, to be repeated perhaps in the course of a few minutes. The

same thing often occurred when we endeavoured to assist each other in

carrying wood to the fire; none of us were willing to receive

assistance although the task was disproportioned to our strength. On

one of these occasions Hepburn was so convinced of this waywardness

that he exclaimed, “Dear me, if we are spared to return to England, I

wonder if we shall recover our understandings.”

November 7.

Adam had passed a restless night, being disquieted by gloomy

apprehensions of approaching death, which we tried in vain to dispel.

He was so low in the morning as to be scarcely able to speak. I

remained in bed by his side to cheer him as much as possible. The

Doctor and Hepburn went to cut wood. They had hardly begun their labour

when they were amazed at hearing the report of a musket. They could

scarcely believe that there was really anyone near until they heard a

shout and immediately espied three Indians close to the house. Adam and

I heard the latter noise and I was fearful that a part of the house had

fallen upon one of my companions, a disaster which had in fact been

thought not unlikely. My alarm was only momentary, Dr. Richardson came

in to communicate the joyful intelligence that relief had arrived. He

and myself immediately addressed thanksgivings to the throne of mercy

for this deliverance but poor Adam was in so low a state that he could

scarcely comprehend the information. When the Indians entered he

attempted to rise but sank down again. But for this seasonable

interposition of Providence his existence must have terminated in a few

hours, and that of the rest probably in not many days.

The Indians had left Akaitcho’s encampment on the 5th November, having

been sent by Mr. Back with all possible expedition after he had arrived

at their tents. They brought but a small supply of provision that they

might travel quickly. It consisted of dried deer’s meat, some fat, and

a few tongues. Dr. Richardson, Hepburn and I eagerly devoured the food

which they imprudently presented to us in too great abundance, and in

consequence we suffered dreadfully from indigestion and had no rest the

whole night. Adam, being unable to feed himself, was more judiciously

treated by them and suffered less; his spirits revived hourly. The

circumstance of our eating more food than was proper in our present

condition was another striking proof of the debility of our minds. We

were perfectly aware of the danger, and Dr. Richardson repeatedly

cautioned us to be moderate, but he was himself unable to practise the

caution he so judiciously recommended.

Boudell-kell, the youngest of the Indians, after resting about an hour,

returned to Akaitcho with the intelligence of our situation, and he

conveyed a note from me to Mr. Back, requesting another supply of meat

as soon as possible. The two others, Crooked-Foot and the Rat, remained

to take care of us until we should be able to move forward.

The note received by the Indians from Mr. Back communicated a tale of

distress with regard to himself and his party as painful as that which

we had suffered, as will be seen hereafter by his own narrative.

November 8.

The Indians this morning requested us to remove to an encampment on the

banks of the river as they were unwilling to remain in the house where

the bodies of our deceased companions were lying exposed to view. We

agreed but the day proved too stormy and Dr. Richardson and Hepburn,

having dragged the bodies to a short distance and covered them with

snow, the objections of the Indians to remain in the house were

dissipated, and they began to clear our room of the accumulation of

dirt and fragments of pounded bones. The improved state of our

apartment and the large and cheerful fires they kept up produced in us

a sensation of comfort to which we had long been strangers. In the

evening they brought in a pile of dried wood which was lying on the

riverside and towards which we had often cast a wishful eye, being

unable to drag it up the bank. The Indians set about everything with an

activity that amazed us. Indeed contrasted with our emaciated figures

and extreme debility their frames appeared to us gigantic and their

strength supernatural. These kind creatures next turned their attention

to our personal appearance and prevailed upon us to shave and wash

ourselves. The beards of the Doctor and Hepburn had been untouched

since they left the sea-coast and were become of a hideous length and

peculiarly offensive to the Indians. The Doctor and I suffered

extremely from distension and therefore ate sparingly.[34] Hepburn was

getting better and Adam recovered his strength with amazing rapidity.

[34] The first alvine discharges after we received food were, as

Hearne remarks on a similar occasion, attended with excessive pain.

Previous to the arrival of the Indians the urinary secretion was

extremely abundant and we were obliged to rise from bed in consequence

upwards of ten times in a night. This was an extreme annoyance in our

reduced state. It may perhaps be attributed to the quantity of the

country tea that we drank.

November 9.

This morning was pleasantly fine. Crooked-Foot caught four large trout

in Winter Lake which were very much prized, especially by the Doctor

and myself, who had taken a dislike to meat in consequence of our

sufferings from repletion which rendered us almost incapable of moving.

Adam and Hepburn in a good measure escaped this pain. Though the night

was stormy and our apartment freely admitted the wind we felt no

inconvenience, the Indians were so very careful in covering us up and

in keeping a good fire, and our plentiful cheer gave such power of

resisting the cold, that we could scarcely believe otherwise than that

the season had become milder.

On the 13th the weather was stormy with constant snow. The Indians

became desponding at the non-arrival of the supply and would neither go

to hunt nor fish. They frequently expressed their fears of some

misfortune having befallen Boudel-kell, and in the evening went off

suddenly without apprising us of their intention, having first given to

each of us a handful of pounded meat which they had reserved. Their

departure at first gave rise to a suspicion of their having deserted

us, not meaning to return, especially as the explanations of Adam, who

appeared to be in their secret, were very unsatisfactory. At length by

interrogations we got from him the information that they designed to

march night and day until they should reach Akaitcho’s encampment

whence they would send us aid. As we had combated their fears about

Boudell-kell they perhaps apprehended that we should oppose their

determination and therefore concealed it. We were now left a second

time without food, and with appetites recovered and strongly excited by

recent indulgence.

On the following day the Doctor and Hepburn resumed their former

occupation of collecting wood and I was able to assist a little in

bringing it into the house. Adam, whose expectation of the arrival of

the Indians had been raised by the fineness of the weather, became

towards night very desponding and refused to eat the singed skin. The

night was stormy and there was a heavy fall of snow. The next day he

became still more dejected. About eleven Hepburn, who had gone out for

the wood, came in with the intelligence that a party appeared upon the

river. The room was instantly swept and, in compliance with the

prejudices of the Indians, every scrap of skin was carefully removed

out of sight, for these simple people imagine that burning deer-skin

renders them unsuccessful in hunting. The party proved to be

Crooked-Foot, Thooeeyorre, and the Fop, with the wives of the two

latter dragging provisions. They were accompanied by Benoit, one of our

own men.

We were rejoiced to learn by a note from Mr. Back dated November 11

that he and his companions had so recruited their strength that they

were preparing to proceed to Fort Providence. Adam recovered his

spirits on the arrival of the Indians and even walked about the room

with an appearance of strength and activity that surprised us all. As

it was of consequence to get amongst the reindeer before our present

supply should fail we made preparations for quitting Fort Enterprise

the next day and accordingly, at an early hour on the 16th, having

united in thanksgiving and prayer, the whole party left the house after

breakfast. Our feelings on quitting the fort where we had formerly

enjoyed much comfort, if not happiness, and latterly experienced a

degree of misery scarcely to be paralleled, may be more easily

conceived than described. The Indians treated us with the utmost

tenderness, gave us their snowshoes, and walked without themselves,

keeping by our sides that they might lift us when we fell. We descended

Winter River and about noon crossed the head of Round-Rock Lake,

distant about three miles from the house, where we were obliged to halt

as Dr. Richardson was unable to proceed. The swellings in his limbs

rendered him by much the weakest of the party. The Indians prepared our

encampment, cooked for us, and fed us as if we had been children,

evincing humanity that would have done honour to the most civilised

people. The night was mild and fatigue made us sleep soundly.

From this period to the 26th of November we gradually improved through

their kindness and attention, and on that day arrived in safety at the

abode of our chief and companion Akaitcho. We were received by the

party assembled in the leader’s tent with looks of compassion and

profound silence which lasted about a quarter of an hour and by which

they meant to express their condolence for our sufferings. The

conversation did not begin until we had tasted food. The chief Akaitcho

showed us the most friendly hospitality and all sorts of personal

attention, even to cooking for us with his own hands, an office which

he never performs for himself. Annoethaiyazzeh and Humpy, the chief’s

two brothers, and several of our hunters, with their families were

encamped here together with a number of old men and women. In the

course of the day we were visited by every person of the band, not

merely from curiosity, but a desire to evince their tender sympathy in

our late distress. We learned that Mr. Back with St. Germain and

Belanger had gone to Fort Providence and that, previous to his

departure, he had left a letter in a _cache_ of pounded meat which we

had missed two days ago. As we supposed that this letter might acquaint

us with his intentions more fully than we could gather from the

Indians, through our imperfect knowledge of their language, Augustus,

the Esquimaux, whom we found here in perfect health, and an Indian lad

were despatched to bring it.

We found several of the Indian families in great affliction for the

loss of three of their relatives who had been drowned in the August

preceding by the upsetting of a canoe near Fort Enterprise. They

bewailed the melancholy accident every morning and evening by repeating

the names of the persons in a loud singing tone which was frequently

interrupted by bursts of tears. One woman was so affected by the loss

of her only son that she seemed deprived of reason and wandered about

the tents the whole day, crying and singing out his name.

On the 1st of December we removed with the Indians to the southward.

On the 4th we again set off after the Indians about noon, and soon

overtook them, as they had halted to drag from the water and cut up and

share a moose-deer that had been drowned in a rapid part of the river,

partially covered with ice. These operations detained us a long time

which was the more disagreeable as the weather was extremely unpleasant

from cold low fogs. We were all much fatigued at the hour of

encampment, which was after dark, though the day’s journey did not

exceed four miles. At every halt the elderly men of the tribe made

holes in the ice and put in their lines. One of them shared the produce

of his fishery with us this evening.

In the afternoon of the 6th Belanger and another Canadian arrived from

Fort Providence, sent by Mr. Weeks with two trains of dogs, some

spirits and tobacco for the Indians, a change of dress for ourselves,

and a little tea and sugar. They also brought letters for us from

England and from Mr. Back and Mr. Wentzel. By the former we received

the gratifying intelligence of the successful termination of Captain

Parry’s voyage, and were informed of the promotion of myself and Mr.

Back, and of poor Hood, our grief for whose loss was renewed by this

intelligence.

The letter from Mr. Back stated that the rival Companies in the fur

trade had united but that, owing to some cause which had not been

explained to him, the goods intended as rewards to Akaitcho and his

band which we had demanded in the spring from the North-West Company

were not sent. There were however some stores lying for us at

Moose-Deer Island, which had been ordered for the equipment of our

voyagers, and Mr. Back had gone across to that establishment to make a

selection of the articles we could spare for a temporary present to the

Indians. The disappointment at the non-arrival of the goods was

seriously felt by us as we had looked forward with pleasure to the time

when we should be enabled to recompense our kind Indian friends for

their tender sympathy in our distresses, and the assistance they had so

cheerfully and promptly rendered. I now regretted to find that Mr.

Wentzel and his party, in their return from the sea, had suffered

severely on their march along the Copper-Mine River, having on one

occasion, as he mentioned, had no food but _tripe de roche_ for eleven

days.

All the Indians flocked to our encampment to learn the news and to

receive the articles brought for them. Having got some spirits and

tobacco they withdrew to the tent of the chief and passed the greater

part of the night in singing. We had now the indescribable

gratification of changing our linen which had been worn ever since our

departure from the sea-coast.

December 8.

After a long conference with Akaitcho we took leave of him and his kind

companions and set out with two sledges, heavily laden with provision

and bedding, drawn by the dogs, and conducted by Belanger and the

Canadian sent by Mr. Weeks. Hepburn and Augustus jointly dragged a

smaller sledge laden principally with their own bedding. Adam and

Benoit were left to follow with the Indians. We encamped on the

Grassy-Lake Portage, having walked about nine miles, principally on the

Yellow Knife River. It was open at the rapids and in these places we

had to ascend its banks and walk through the woods for some distance,

which was very fatiguing, especially to Dr. Richardson whose feet were

severely galled in consequence of some defect in his snowshoes.

On the 11th however we arrived at the fort which was still under the

charge of Mr. Weeks. He welcomed us in the most kind manner,

immediately gave us changes of dress, and did everything in his power

to make us comfortable.

Our sensations on being once more in a comfortable dwelling after the

series of hardships and miseries we had experienced may be imagined.

Our first act was again to return our grateful praises to the Almighty

for the manifold instances of His mercy towards us. Having found here

some articles which Mr. Back had sent across from Moose-Deer Island I

determined on awaiting the arrival of Akaitcho and his party in order

to present these to them and to assure them of the promised reward as

soon as it could possibly be procured.

In the afternoon of the 14th Akaitcho with his whole band came to the

fort. He smoked his customary pipe and made an address to Mr. Weeks in

the hall previous to his coming into the room in which Dr. Richardson

and I were. We discovered at the commencement of his speech to us that

he had been informed that our expected supplies had not come. He spoke

of this circumstance as a disappointment indeed sufficiently severe to

himself, to whom his band looked up for the protection of their

interests, but without attaching any blame to us. “The world goes

badly,” he said “all are poor; you are poor, the traders appear to be

poor, I and my party are poor likewise, and since the goods have not

come in we cannot have them. I do not regret having supplied you with

provisions for a Copper Indian can never permit white men to suffer

from want of food on his lands without flying to their aid. I trust

however that we shall, as you say, receive what is due next autumn, and

at all events,” he added in a tone of good humour, “it is the first

time that the white people have been indebted to the Copper Indians.”

We assured him the supplies should certainly be sent to him by the

autumn if not before. He then cheerfully received the small present we

made to himself and, although we could give a few things only to those

who had been most active in our service, the others who perhaps thought

themselves equally deserving did not murmur at being left out in the

distribution. Akaitcho afterwards expressed a strong desire that we

should represent the character of his nation in a favourable light to

our countrymen. “I know,” he said, “you write down every occurrence in

your books, but probably you have only noticed the bad things we have

said and done, and have omitted the good.” In the course of the

desultory conversation which ensued he said that he had been always

told by us to consider the traders in the same light as ourselves, and

that for his part he looked upon both as equally respectable. This

assurance, made in the presence of Mr. Weeks, was particularly

gratifying to us as it completely disproved the defence that had been

set up respecting the injurious reports circulated against us amongst

the Indians in the spring, namely that they were in retaliation for our

endeavours to lower the traders in the eyes of the Indians. I take this

opportunity of stating my opinion that Mr. Weeks, in spreading these

reports, was actuated by a mistaken idea that he was serving the

interest of his employers. On the present occasion we felt indebted to

him for the sympathy he displayed for our distresses, and the kindness

with which he administered to our personal wants. After this conference

such Indians as were indebted to the Company were paid for the

provision they had given us by deducting a corresponding sum from their

debts; in the same way we gave a reward of sixteen skins of beaver to

each of the persons who had come to our relief at Fort Enterprise. As

the debts of Akaitcho and his hunters had been effaced at the time of

his engagement with us we placed a sum equal to the amount of provision

they had recently supplied to their credit on the Company’s books.

These things being, through the moderation of the Indians, adjusted

with an unexpected facility, we gave them a keg of mixed liquors (five

parts water) and distributed among them several fathoms of tobacco, and

they retired to their tents to spend the night in merriment.

Adam, our interpreter, being desirous of uniting himself with the

Copper Indians, applied to me for his discharge which I granted, and

gave him a bill on the Hudson’s Bay Company for the amount of his

wages. These arrangements being completed we prepared to cross the

lake.

Mr. Weeks provided Dr. Richardson and I with a cariole each and we set

out at eleven A.M. on the 15th for Moose-Deer Island. Our party

consisted of Belanger who had charge of a sledge laden with the bedding

and drawn by two dogs, our two cariole men, Benoit and Augustus.

Previous to our departure we had another conference with Akaitcho who,

as well as the rest of his party, bade us farewell with a warmth of

manner rare among the Indians.

The badness of Belanger’s dogs and the roughness of the ice impeded our

progress very much and obliged us to encamp early. We had a good fire

made of the driftwood which lines the shores of this lake in great

quantities. The next day was very cold. We began the journey at nine

A.M. and encamped at the Big Cape, having made another short march in

consequence of the roughness of the ice.

On the 17th we encamped on the most southerly of the Reindeer Islands.

This night was very stormy but, the wind abating in the morning, we

proceeded and by sunset reached the fishing-huts of the Company at

Stony Point. Here we found Mr. Andrews, a clerk of the Hudson’s Bay

Company, who regaled us with a supper of excellent white-fish for which

this part of Slave Lake is particularly celebrated. Two men with

sledges arrived soon afterwards, sent by Mr. McVicar, who expected us

about this time. We set off in the morning before daybreak with several

companions and arrived at Moose-Deer Island about one P.M. Here we were

received with the utmost hospitality by Mr. McVicar, the chief trader

of the Hudson’s Bay Company in this district, as well as by his

assistant Mr. McAuley. We had also the happiness of joining our friend

Mr. Back; our feelings on this occasion can be well imagined and we

were deeply impressed with gratitude to him for his exertions in

sending the supply of food to Fort Enterprise, to which under Divine

Providence we felt the preservation of our lives to be owing. He gave

us an affecting detail of the proceedings of his party since our

separation, the substance of which I shall convey to the reader by the

following extracts from his Journal.

MR. BACK’S NARRATIVE.

October 4, 1821.

Captain Franklin having directed me to proceed with St. Germain,

Belanger, and Beauparlant to Fort Enterprise, in the hope of obtaining

relief for the party, I took leave of my companions and set out on my

journey through a very swampy country which, with the cloudy state of

the weather and a keen north-east wind, accompanied by frequent

snow-showers, retarded us so much that we had scarcely got more than

four miles before we halted for the night and made a meal of _tripe de

roche_ and some old leather.

On the 5th we set out early amidst extremely deep snow, sinking

frequently in it up to the thighs, a labour in our enfeebled and almost

worn-out state that nothing but the cheering hopes of reaching the

house and affording relief to our friends could have enabled us to

support. As we advanced we found to our mortification that the _tripe

de roche_, hitherto our sole dependence, began to be scarce, so that we

could only collect sufficient to make half a kettleful which, with the

addition of a partridge each that St. Germain had killed, yielded a

tolerable meal; during this day I felt very weak and sore in the

joints, particularly between the shoulders. At eight we encamped among

a small clump of willows.

On the 6th we set out at an early hour, pursuing our route over a range

of hills at the foot of one of which we saw several large pines and a

great quantity of willows, a sight that encouraged us to quicken our

pace as we were now certain we could not be far from the woods. Indeed

we were making considerable progress when Belanger unfortunately broke

through the ice and sank up to the hips. The weather being cold, he was

in danger of freezing, but some brushwood on the borders of the lake

enabled us to make a fire to dry him. At the same time we took the

opportunity of refreshing ourselves with a kettle of swamp tea.

My increasing debility had for some time obliged me to use a stick for

the purpose of extending my arms, the pain in my shoulders being so

acute that I could not bear them to remain in the usual position for

two minutes together. We halted at five among some small brushwood and

made a sorry meal of an old pair of leather trousers and some swamp

tea.

The night was cold with a hard frost and though two persons slept

together yet we could not by any means keep ourselves warm, but

remained trembling the whole time. The following morning we crossed

several lakes, occasionally seeing the recent tracks of deer, and at

noon we fell upon Marten Lake; it happened to be at the exact spot

where we had been the last year with the canoes yet, though I

immediately recognised the place, the men would not believe it to be

the same; at length by pointing out several marks and relating

circumstances connected with them they recovered their memory, and a

simultaneous expression of “Mon Dieu, nous sommes sauves,” broke from

the whole. Contrary to our expectations the lake was frozen

sufficiently to bear us, so that we were excused from making the tours

of the different bays. This circumstance seemed to impart fresh vigour

to us and we walked as fast as the extreme smoothness of the ice would

permit, intending to reach the Slave Rock that night, but an unforeseen

and almost fatal accident prevented the prosecution of our plan:

Belanger (who seemed the victim of misfortune) again broke through the

ice in a deep part near the head of the rapid, but was timely saved by

our fastening our worsted belts together and pulling him out. By urging

him forwards as quick as his icy garments would admit to prevent his

freezing, we reached a few pines and kindled a fire, but it was late

before he even felt warm, though he was so near the flame as to burn

his hair twice, and to add to our distress (since we could not pursue

them) three wolves crossed the lake close to us.

The night of the 7th was extremely stormy and about ten the following

morning, on attempting to go on, we found it totally impossible, being

too feeble to oppose the wind and drift which frequently blew us over

and, on attempting to cross a small lake that lay in our way, drove us

faster backwards than with every effort we could get forwards; we

therefore encamped under the shelter of a small clump of pines, secure

from the south-west storm that was raging around us. In the evening,

there being no _tripe de roche_, we were compelled to satisfy, or

rather allay, the cravings of hunger by eating a gun cover and a pair

of old shoes; at this time I had scarcely strength to get on my legs.

The wind did not in the least abate during the night but in the morning

of the 9th it changed to north-east and became moderate. We took

advantage of this circumstance and, rising with great difficulty, set

out, though had it not been for the hope of reaching the house I am

certain, from the excessive faintness which almost overpowered me, that

I must have remained where I was. We passed the Slave Rock and, making

frequent halts, arrived within a short distance of Fort Enterprise, but

as we perceived neither any marks of Indians nor even of animals, the

men began absolutely to despair, on a nearer approach however the

tracks of large herds of deer which had only passed a few hours tended

a little to revive their spirits, and shortly after we crossed the

ruinous threshold of the long-sought spot, but what was our surprise,

what our sensations, at beholding everything in the most desolate and

neglected state; the doors and windows of that room in which we

expected to find provision had been thrown down and the wild animals of

the woods had resorted there as to a place of shelter and retreat. Mr.

Wentzel had taken away the trunks and papers but had left no note to

guide us to the Indians. This was to us the most grievous

disappointment: without the assistance of the Indians, bereft of every

resource, we felt ourselves reduced to the most miserable state, which

was rendered still worse from the recollection that our friends in the

rear were as miserable as ourselves. For the moment however hunger

prevailed and each began to gnaw the scraps of putrid and frozen meat

that were lying about without waiting to prepare them. A fire however

was made and the neck and bones of a deer found in the house were

boiled and devoured.

I determined to remain a day here to repose; then to go in search of

the Indians and, in the event of missing them, to proceed to the first

trading establishment which was distant about one hundred and thirty

miles, and from thence to send succour to my companions. This indeed I

should have done immediately as the most certain manner of executing my

purpose, had there been any probability of the river and lakes being

frozen to the southward, or had we possessed sufficient strength to

have clambered over the rocks and mountains which impeded the direct

way, but as we were aware of our inability to do so I listened to St.

Germain’s proposal, which was to follow the deer into the woods (so

long as they did not lead us out of our route to the Indians) and if

possible to collect sufficient food to carry us to Fort Providence. We

now set about making mittens and snowshoes whilst Belanger searched

under the snow and collected a mass of old bones which, when burned and

used with a little salt, we found palatable enough and made a tolerable

meal. At night St. Germain returned, having seen plenty of tracks but

no animals; the day was cloudy with fresh breezes and the river was

frozen at the borders.

On the 11th we prepared for our journey, having first collected a few

old skins of deer to serve us as food, and written a note to be left

for our commander to apprise him of our intentions. We pursued the

course of the river to the lower lake when St. Germain fell in, which

obliged us to encamp directly to prevent his being frozen; indeed we

were all glad to rest for, in our meagre and reduced state, it was

impossible to resist the weather which at any other time would have

been thought fine; my toes were frozen and, although wrapped up in a

blanket, I could not keep my hands warm.

The 12th was exceedingly cold with fresh breezes. Our meal at night

consisted of scraps of old deer-skins and swamp tea and the men

complained greatly of their increasing debility. The following morning

I sent St. Germain to hunt, intending to go some distance down the

lake, but the weather becoming exceedingly thick with snow-storms we

were prevented from moving. He returned without success, not having

seen any animals. We had nothing to eat.

In the morning of the 14th the part of the lake before us was quite

frozen. There was so much uncertainty in St. Germain’s answers as to

the chance of any Indians being in the direction we were then going

(although he had previously said that the leader had told him he should

be there) and he gave so much dissatisfaction in his hunting excursions

that I was induced to send a note to the Commander, whom I supposed to

be by this time at Fort Enterprise, to inform him of our situation; not

that I imagined for a moment he could amend it, but that by all

returning to the fort we might perhaps have better success in hunting;

with this view I despatched Belanger, much against his inclination, and

told him to return as quickly as possible to a place about four miles

farther on where we intended to fish and to await his arrival. The men

were so weak this day that I could get neither of them to move from the

encampment, and it was only necessity that compelled them to cut wood

for fuel, in performing which operation Beauparlant’s face became so

dreadfully swelled that he could scarcely see; I myself lost my temper

on the most trivial circumstances and was become very peevish; the day

was fine but cold with a freezing north-east wind. We had nothing to

eat.

October 15.

The night was calm and clear but it was not before two in the afternoon

that we set out, and the one was so weak and the other so full of

complaints that we did not get more than three-quarters of a mile from

our last encampment before we were obliged to put up, but in this

distance we were fortunate enough to kill a partridge, the bones of

which were eaten and the remainder reserved for baits to fish with. We

however collected sufficient _tripe de roche_ to make a meal and I

anxiously awaited Belanger’s return to know what course to take. I was

now so much reduced that my shoulders were as if they would fall from

my body, my legs seemed unable to support me and, in the disposition in

which I then found myself, had it not been for the remembrance of my

friends behind who relied on me for relief as well as the persons of

whom I had charge, I certainly should have preferred remaining where I

was to the miserable pain of attempting to move.

October 16.

We waited until two in the afternoon for Belanger but, not seeing

anything of him on the lake, we set out, purposing to encamp at the

Narrows, the place which was said to be so good for fishing and where,

according to St. Germain’s account, the Indians never failed to catch

plenty; its distance at most could not be more than two miles. We had

not proceeded far before Beauparlant began to complain of increasing

weakness, but this was so usual with us that no particular notice was

taken of it, for in fact there was little difference, all being alike

feeble: among other things he said whilst we were resting that he

should never get beyond the next encampment for his strength had quite

failed him. I endeavoured to encourage him by explaining the mercy of

the Supreme Being who ever beholds with an eye of pity those that seek

His aid. This passed as common discourse. When he inquired where we

were to put up St. Germain pointed to a small clump of pines near us,

the only place indeed that offered for fuel. “Well,” replied the poor

man, “take your axe, Mr. Back, and I will follow at my leisure, I shall

join you by the time the encampment is made.” This is a usual practice

of the country and St. Germain and myself went on towards the spot; it

was five o’clock and not very cold but rather milder than we had

experienced it for some time when, on leaving the ice, we saw a number

of crows perched on the top of some high pines near us. St. Germain

immediately said there must be some dead animal thereabouts and

proceeded to search, when we saw several heads of deer half buried in

the snow and ice without eyes or tongues, the previous severity of the

weather having obliged the wolves and other animals to abandon them. An

expression of “Oh merciful God! we are saved,” broke from us both, and

with feelings more easily imagined than described we shook hands, not

knowing what to say for joy. It was twilight and a fog was rapidly

darkening the surface of the lake when St. Germain commenced making the

encampment; the task was too laborious for me to render him any

assistance and, had we not thus providentially found provision, I feel

convinced that the next twenty-four hours would have terminated my

existence. But this good fortune in some measure renovated me for the

moment and, putting out my whole strength, I contrived to collect a few

heads and with incredible difficulty carried them singly about thirty

paces to the fire.

Darkness stole on us apace and I became extremely anxious about

Beauparlant; several guns were fired to each of which he answered. We

then called out and again heard his responses though faintly, when I

told St. Germain to go and look for him as I had not strength myself,

being quite exhausted. He said that he had already placed a pine branch

on the ice and he could then scarcely find his way back, but if he went

now he should certainly be lost. In this situation I could only hope

that, as Beauparlant had my blanket and everything requisite to light a

fire, he might have encamped at a little distance from us.

October 17.

The night was cold and clear but we could not sleep at all from the

pains of having eaten. We suffered the most excruciating torments

though I in particular did not eat a quarter of what would have

satisfied me; it might have been from using a quantity of raw or frozen

sinews of the legs of deer, which neither of us could avoid doing, so

great was our hunger. In the morning, being much agitated for the

safety of Beauparlant, I desired St. Germain to go in search of him and

to return with him as quick as possible, when I would have something

prepared for them to eat.

It was however late when he arrived, with a small bundle which

Beauparlant was accustomed to carry and, with tears in his eyes, told

me that he had found our poor companion dead. Dead! I could not believe

him. “It is so sir,” said St. Germain, “after hallooing and calling his

name to no purpose I went towards our last encampment about

three-quarters of a mile and found him stretched upon his back on a

sandbank frozen to death, his limbs all extended and swelled enormously

and as hard as the ice that was near him; his bundle was behind him as

if it had rolled away when he fell, and the blanket which he wore

around his neck and shoulders thrown on one side. Seeing that there was

no longer life in him I threw your covering over him and placed his

snowshoes on the top of it.”

I had not even thought of so serious an occurrence in our little party

and for a short time was obliged to give vent to my grief. Left with

one person and both of us weak, no appearance of Belanger, a likelihood

that great calamity had taken place amongst our other companions, still

upwards of seventeen days’ march from the nearest establishment, and

myself unable to carry a burden; all these things pressed heavy on me,

and how to get to the Indians or to the fort I did not know but, that I

might not depress St. Germain’s spirits, I suppressed the feelings to

which these thoughts gave rise and made some arrangements for the

journey to Fort Providence.

October 18.

While we were this day occupied in scraping together the remains of

some deer’s meat we observed Belanger coming round a point apparently

scarcely moving. I went to meet him and made immediate inquiries about

my friends. Five, with the Captain, he said, were at the house, the

rest were left near the river unable to proceed, but he was too weak to

relate the whole. He was conducted to the encampment and paid every

attention to, and by degrees we heard the remainder of his tragic tale,

at which the interpreter could not avoid crying. He then gave me a

letter from my friend the Commander which indeed was truly afflicting.

The simple story of Belanger I could hear, but when I read it in

another language, mingled with the pious resignation of a good man, I

could not sustain it any longer. The poor man was much affected at the

death of our lamented companion but his appetite prevailed over every

other feeling and, had I permitted it, he would have done himself an

injury; for after two hours’ eating, principally skin and sinews, he

complained of hunger. The day was cloudy with snow and fresh breezes

from the north-east by east.

The last evening as well as this morning the 19th I mentioned my wishes

to the men that we should proceed towards Reindeer Lake, but this

proposal met with a direct refusal. Belanger stated his inability to

move and St. Germain used similar language, adding for the first time

that he did not know the route, and that it was of no use to go in the

direction I mentioned, which was the one agreed upon between the

Commander and myself. I then insisted that we should go by the known

route and join the Commander, but they would not hear of it; they would

remain where they were until they had regained their strength; they

said I wanted to expose them again to death (_faire perir_). In vain

did I use every argument to the contrary for they were equally heedless

to all. Thus situated I was compelled to remain, and from this time to

the 25th we employed ourselves in looking about for the remnants of the

deer and pieces of skin which even the wolves had left and, by pounding

the bones, we were enabled to make a sort of soup which strengthened us

greatly, though each still complained of weakness. It was not without

the greatest difficulty that I could restrain the men from eating every

scrap they found, though they were well aware of the necessity there

was of being economical in our present situation and to save whatever

they could for our journey; yet they could not resist the temptation

and whenever my back was turned they seldom failed to snatch at the

nearest piece to them, whether cooked or raw.

We had set fishing-lines but without any success, and we often saw

large herds of deer crossing the lake at full speed and wolves pursuing

them.

The night of the 25th was cold with hard frost. Early the next morning

I sent the men to cover the body of our departed companion Beauparlant

with the trunks and branches of trees which they did and, shortly after

their return, I opened his bundle and found it contained two papers of

vermilion, several strings of beads, some fire-steels, flints, awls,

fish-hooks, rings, linen, and the glass of an artificial horizon. My

two men began to recover a little as well as myself, though I was by

far the weakest of the three; the soles of my feet were cracked all

over and the other parts were as hard as horn from constant walking. I

again urged the necessity of advancing to join the Commander’s party

but they said they were not sufficiently strong.

On the 27th we discovered the remains of a deer on which we feasted.

The night was unusually cold and ice formed in a pint-pot within two

feet of the fire. The coruscations of the Aurora Borealis were

beautifully brilliant; they served to show us eight wolves which we had

some trouble to frighten away from our collection of deer’s bones and,

between their howling and the constant cracking of the ice, we did not

get much rest.

Having collected with great care and by self-denial two small packets

of dried meat or sinews sufficient (for men who knew what it was to

fast) to last for eight days at the rate of one indifferent meal per

day, we prepared to set out on the 30th. I calculated that we should be

about fourteen days in reaching Fort Providence and, allowing that we

neither killed deer nor found Indians, we could but be unprovided with

food six days and this we heeded not whilst the prospect of obtaining

full relief was before us. Accordingly we set out against a keen

north-east wind in order to gain the known route to Fort Providence. We

saw a number of wolves and some crows on the middle of the lake and,

supposing such an assemblage was not met idly, we made for them and

came in for a share of a deer which they had killed a short time

before, and thus added a couple of meals to our stock. By four P.M. we

gained the head of the lake or the direct road to Fort Providence and,

some dry wood being at hand, we encamped; by accident it was the same

place where the Commander’s party had slept on the 19th, the day on

which I supposed they had left Fort Enterprise, but the encampment was

so small that we feared great mortality had taken place amongst them,

and I am sorry to say the stubborn resolution of my men not to go to

the house prevented me from determining this most anxious point, so

that I now almost dreaded passing their encampments lest I should see

some of our unfortunate friends dead at each spot. Our fire was hardly

kindled when a fine herd of deer passed close to us. St. Germain

pursued them a short distance but with his usual want of success so

that we made a meal off the muscles and sinews we had dried, though

they were so tough that we could scarcely cut them. My hands were

benumbed throughout the march and we were all stiff and fatigued. The

marching of two days weakened us all very much and the more so on

account of our exertion to follow the tracks of our Commander’s party,

but we lost them and concluded that they were not before us. Though the

weather was not cold I was frozen in the face and was so reduced and

affected by these constant calamities, as well in mind as in body, that

I found much difficulty in proceeding even with the advantages I had

enjoyed.

November 3.

We set out before day, though in fact we were all much fitter to remain

from the excessive pain which we suffered in our joints, and proceeded

till one P.M. without halting, when Belanger who was before stopped and

cried out “Footsteps of Indians.” It is needless to mention the joy

that brightened the countenances of each at this unlooked-for sight; we

knew relief must be at hand and considered our sufferings at an end.

St. Germain inspected the tracks and said that three persons had passed

the day before, and that he knew the remainder must be advancing to the

southward as was customary with these Indians when they sent to the

trading establishment on the first ice. On this information we encamped

and, being too weak to walk myself, I sent St. Germain to follow the

tracks, with instructions to the chief of the Indians to provide

immediate assistance for such of our friends as might be at Fort

Enterprise, as well as for ourselves, and to lose no time in returning

to me. I was now so exhausted that, had we not seen the tracks this

day, I must have remained at the next encampment until the men could

have sent aid from Fort Providence. We had finished our small portion

of sinews and were preparing for rest when an Indian boy made his

appearance with meat. St. Germain had arrived before sunset at the

tents of Akaitcho whom he found at the spot where he had wintered last

year, but imagine my surprise when he gave me a note from the Commander

and said that Benoit and Augustus, two of the men, had just joined

them. The note was so confused by the pencil marks being partly rubbed

out that I could not decipher it clearly, but it informed me that he

had attempted to come with the two men but, finding his strength

inadequate to the task, he relinquished his design and returned to Fort

Enterprise to await relief with the others. There was another note for

the gentleman in charge of Fort Providence desiring him to send meat,

blankets, shoes, and tobacco. Akaitcho wished me to join him on the

ensuing day at a place which the boy knew where they were going to

fish, and I was the more anxious to do so on account of my companions,

but particularly that I might hear a full relation of what had happened

and of the Commander’s true situation, which I suspected to be much

worse than he had described.

In the afternoon I joined the Indians and repeated to Akaitcho what St.

Germain had told him; he seemed much affected and said he would have

sent relief directly though I had not been there; indeed his conduct

was generous and humane. The next morning at an early hour three

Indians with loaded sledges of meat, skins, shoes, and a blanket, set

out for Fort Enterprise; one of them was to return directly with an

answer from Captain Franklin to whom I wrote but, in the event of his

death, he was to bring away all the papers he could find, and he

promised to travel with such haste as to be able to return to us on the

fourth day. I was now somewhat more at ease, having done all in my

power to succour my unfortunate companions, but was very anxious for

the return of the messenger. The Indians brought me meat in small

quantities though sufficient for our daily consumption and, as we had a

little ammunition, many were paid on the spot for what they gave.

On the 9th I had the satisfaction of seeing the Indian arrive from Fort

Enterprise. At first he said they were all dead but shortly after he

gave me a note which was from the Commander and then I learned all the

fatal particulars which had befallen them. I now proposed that the

chief should immediately send three sledges loaded with meat to Fort

Enterprise, should make a _cache_ of provision at our present

encampment, and also that he should here await the arrival of the

Commander. By noon two large trains laden with meat were sent off for

Fort Enterprise. The next day we proceeded on our journey and arrived

at Fort Providence on the 21st of November.

CONCLUSION OF MR. BACK’S NARRATIVE.

CONCLUSION.

I have little now to add to the melancholy detail into which I felt it

proper to enter, but I cannot omit to state that the unremitting care

and attentions of our kind friends Mr. McVicar and Mr. McAuley, united

with our improved diet to promote to the restoration of our health, so

that by the end of February the swellings of our limbs which had

returned upon us entirely subsided, and we were able to walk to any

part of the island. Our appetites gradually moderated and we nearly

regained our ordinary state of body before the spring. Hepburn alone

suffered from a severe attack of rheumatism which confined him to his

bed for some weeks. The usual symptoms of spring having appeared, on

the 25th of May we prepared to embark for Fort Chipewyan. Fortunately

on the following morning a canoe arrived from that place with the whole

of the stores which we required for the payment of Akaitcho and the

hunters. It was extremely gratifying to us to be thus enabled, previous

to our departure, to make arrangements respecting the requital of our

late Indian companions, and the more so as we had recently discovered

that Akaitcho and the whole of his tribe, in consequence of the death

of the leader’s mother and the wife of our old guide Keskarrah, had

broken and destroyed every useful article belonging to them and were in

the greatest distress. It was an additional pleasure to find our stock

of ammunition more than sufficient to pay them what was due, and that

we could make a considerable present of this most essential article to

every individual that had been attached to the Expedition.

We quitted Moose-Deer Island at five P.M. on the 26th, accompanied by

Mr. McVicar and Mr. McAuley and nearly all the voyagers at the

establishment, having resided there about five months, not a day of

which had passed without our having cause of gratitude for the kind and

unvaried attentions of Mr. McVicar and Mr. McAuley. These gentlemen

accompanied us as far as Fort Chipewyan where we arrived on the 2nd of

June, here we met Mr. Wentzel and the four men who had been sent with

him from the mouth of the Copper-Mine River, and I think it due to that

gentleman to give his own explanation of the unfortunate circumstances

which prevented him from fulfilling my instructions respecting the

provisions to have been left for us at Fort Enterprise.[35]

In a subsequent conversation he stated to me that the two Indians who

were actually with him at Fort Enterprise whilst he remained there

altering his canoe were prevented from hunting, one by an accidental

lameness, the other by the fear of meeting alone some of the Dog-Rib

Indians.

We were here furnished with a canoe by Mr. Smith and a bowman to act as

our guide and, having left Fort Chipewyan on the 5th, we arrived on the

4th of July at Norway House. Finding at this place that canoes were

about to go down to Montreal I gave all our Canadian voyagers their

discharges and sent them by those vessels, furnishing them with orders

on the Agent of the Hudson’s Bay Company for the amount of their wages.

We carried Augustus down to York Factory where we arrived on the 14th

of July, and were received with every mark of attention and kindness by

Mr. Simpson the Governor, Mr. McTavish, and indeed by all the officers

of the United Companies. And thus terminated our long, fatiguing, and

disastrous travels in North America, having journeyed by water and by

land (including our navigation of the Polar Sea) five thousand five

hundred and fifty miles.

MR. WENTZEL’S EXPLANATION.

[35] After you sent me back from the mouth of the Copper-Mine River

and I had overtaken the Leader, Guides, and Hunters, on the fifth day,

leaving the sea-coast, as well as our journey up the River, they

always expressed the same desire of fulfilling their promises,

although somewhat dissatisfied at being exposed to privation while on

our return from a scarcity of animals for, as I have already stated in

my first communication from Moose-Deer Island, we had been eleven days

with no other food but _tripe de roche_. In the course of this time an

Indian with his wife and child, who were travelling in company with

us, were left in the rear and are since supposed to have perished

through want, as no intelligence had been received of them at Fort

Providence in December last. On the seventh day after I had joined the

Leader, etc. etc., and journeying on together, all the Indians

excepting Petit Pied and Bald-Head left me to seek their families and

crossed Point Lake at the Crow’s Nest, where Humpy had promised to

meet his brother Ekehcho[36] with the families but did not fulfil, nor

did any of my party of Indians know where to find them, for we had

frequently made fires to apprise them of our approach yet none

appeared in return as answers. This disappointment as might be

expected served to increase the ill-humour of the Leader and party,

the brooding of which (agreeably to Indian custom) was liberally

discharged on me, in bitter reproach for having led them from their

families and exposed them to dangers and hardships which, but for my

influence, they said they might have spared themselves. Nevertheless

they still continued to profess the sincerest desire of meeting your

wishes in making _caches_ of provisions and remaining until a late

season on the road that leads from Fort Enterprise to Fort Providence,

through which the Expedition-men had travelled so often the year

before, remarking however at the same time that they had not the least

hopes of ever seeing one person return from the Expedition. These

alarming fears I never could persuade them to dismiss from their

minds; they always sneered at what they called my credulity. “If,”

said the Gros Pied[37] “the Great Chief (meaning Captain Franklin) or

any of his party should pass at my tents, he or they shall be welcome

to all my provisions or anything else that I may have.” And I am

sincerely happy to understand by your communication that in this he

had kept his word, in sending you with such promptitude and liberality

the assistance your truly dreadful situation required. But the party

of Indians on whom I had placed the utmost confidence and dependence

was Humpy and the White Capot Guide with their sons and several of the

discharged hunters from the Expedition. This party was well-disposed

and readily promised to collect provisions for the possible return of

the Expedition, provided they could get a supply of ammunition from

Fort Providence, for when I came up with them they were actually

starving and converting old axes into ball, having no other

substitute; this was unlucky. Yet they were well inclined and I

expected to find means at Fort Providence to send them a supply, in

which I was however disappointed, for I found that establishment quite

destitute of necessaries, and then shortly after I had left them they

had the misfortune of losing three of their hunters who were drowned

in Marten Lake; this accident was of all others the most fatal that

could have happened, a truth which no one who has the least knowledge

of the Indian character will deny, and as they were nearly connected

by relationship to the Leader, Humpy, and White Capot Guide, the three

leading men of this part of the Copper Indian Tribe, it had the effect

of unhinging (if I may use the expression) the minds of all these

families and finally destroying all the fond hopes I had so sanguinely

conceived of their assisting the Expedition, should it come back by

the Annadessé River of which they were not certain.

As to my not leaving a letter at Fort Enterprise it was because by

some mischance you had forgot to give me paper when we parted.[38]

I however wrote this news on a plank in pencil and placed it in the

top of your former bedstead where I left it. Since it has not been

found there some Indians must have gone to the house after my

departure and destroyed it. These details, Sir, I have been induced

to enter into (rather unexpectedly) in justification of myself and

hope it will be satisfactory.

[36] Akaitcho the Leader

[37] Also Akaitcho.

[38] I certainly offered Mr. Wentzel some paper when he quitted us but

he declined it, having then a notebook, and Mr. Back gave him a

pencil.