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diff --git a/33467.txt b/33467.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0e78c82 --- /dev/null +++ b/33467.txt @@ -0,0 +1,13552 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Narrative of a Second Expedition to the +Shores of the Polar Sea, by John Franklin and John Richardson + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Narrative of a Second Expedition to the Shores of the Polar Sea + +Author: John Franklin + John Richardson + +Release Date: August 19, 2010 [EBook #33467] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NARRATIVE: THE POLAR SEA *** + + + + +Produced by Carlo Traverso, Adam Styles and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by the Bibliotheque nationale de France (BnF/Gallica) at +http://gallica.bnf.fr) + + + + + + +Transcriber's note: + + +The original makes extensive use of sidenotes, and several sidenotes +are often associated with a single paragraph, especially within the +final chapter. Because of this, inline sidenotes have been used and +are positioned as close to the relevant passage as was possible during +proofing. + + + + + NARRATIVE + OF A SECOND EXPEDITION + TO THE SHORES OF + THE POLAR SEA, + IN THE YEARS + 1825, 1826, AND 1827, + + BY JOHN FRANKLIN, + CAPT. R.N., F.R.S., &C. AND COMMANDER OF THE EXPEDITION. + + INCLUDING AN ACCOUNT OF THE PROGRESS OF A + DETACHMENT TO THE EASTWARD, + + BY JOHN RICHARDSON, M.D., F.R.S., F.L.S., &c. + SURGEON AND NATURALIST TO THE EXPEDITION. + + PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY OF THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE + SECRETARY OF STATE FOR COLONIAL AFFAIRS. + + Philadelphia: + CAREY, LEA, AND CAREY--CHESNUT STREET. + + SOLD IN NEW YORK BY G. AND C. CARVILL--IN BOSTON BY MUNROE + AND FRANCIS. + + 1828. + + * * * * * + + W. PILKINGTON & CO. PRINTERS. + + * * * * * + + TO + + THE RIGHT HONOURABLE + THE EARL BATHURST, K.G., + LORD PRESIDENT OF HIS MAJESTY'S COUNCIL, + &c. &c. &c. + + THE FOLLOWING + NARRATIVE OF A SECOND JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY ALONG + THE NORTHERN COAST OF AMERICA, + UNDERTAKEN BY ORDER AND UNDER THE AUSPICES + OF HIS LORDSHIP, + IS, BY PERMISSION, INSCRIBED + WITH GREAT RESPECT AND GRATITUDE, + BY + THE AUTHOR. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + _Page_ + + Introductory Chapter ix + + Official Instructions xix + + CHAPTER I. + + Join the Boats in the Methye River--Cross the Long Portage--Arrival + at Fort Chipewyan--Departure from thence with the whole party for + Mackenzie River--Arrangements at Fort Norman--Descent to the + Sea--Return to the Winter Quarters at Great Bear Lake 23 + + CHAPTER II. + + Transactions at Fort Franklin, 1825-6 61 + + CHAPTER III. + + Voyage to the Sea--Part from the Eastern Detachment at Point + Separation--Reach the Mouth of the Mackenzie--Interview and Contest + with the Esquimaux--Detained by Ice--Meet friendly Esquimaux--Point + Sabine 87 + + CHAPTER IV. + + Babbage River--Meet Natives at Herschel Island--Their Trade with the + Russians, through the Western Esquimaux--Ascend Mount + Conybeare--Boundary of the British Dominions on this Coast--Delayed + at Icy Reef--Barter Island--Detention at Foggy Island--Return + Reef--Limit of outward Voyage 114 + + CHAPTER V. + + Commence Return to the Mackenzie--Delayed again at Foggy Island--Ice + packed on the Reefs near Beaufort Bay, and on the Coast about + Clarence River--Pass the Channels near Herschel Island in a Gale and + Fog--A sudden Gale--Escape an Attack which the Mountain Indians + meditated--Enter the Mackenzie--Peel River--Arrival at Fort Franklin + 141 + + * * * * * + + _Dr. Richardson's Narrative of the Proceedings of the Eastern Detachment + of the Expedition._ + + CHAPTER I. + + Leave Point Separation, and descend the Eastern Channel of the + Mackenzie--Arrive at Sacred Island--Esquimaux Graves--Interview with + the Natives; their thievish disposition--Attempt to gain possession + of the Union--Heavy Gale--Find shelter in Refuge Cove--Low + Coast--Mirage--Stopped by Ice at Point Toker--Reach the Sea 162 + + CHAPTER II. + + Detention by wind--Visited by the Esquimaux--Cross a large Stream of + Fresh Water--Winter Houses on Atkinson Island--Gale of Wind and + Fog--Run into Browell Cove--Double Cape Dalhousie--Liverpool Bay and + Esquimaux Lake--Icy Cliffs--Meet another party of Esquimaux--Cape + Bathurst 180 + + CHAPTER III. + + Double Cape Bathurst--Whales--Bituminous-shale Cliffs on Fire--Enter + Franklin Bay--Heavy Gale--Peninsula of Cape Parry--Perforated + Rock--Detention at Cape Lyon by Wind--Force of an Esquimaux + Arrow--Meet with heavy Ice--Pass Union and Dolphin Straits--Double + Cape Krusenstern, and enter George the Fourth's Coronation + Gulph--Reach the Coppermine River--Remarks--Meteorological Table + 193 + CHAPTER IV. + + Ascend the Coppermine River--Abandon the Boats and + Stores--Commence the Land Journey--Cross the Copper Mountains and + Height of Land--Meet Indians who bring Provisions--Arrive at Great + Bear Lake--Detained by want of a Boat--Send out Hunters--Arrival of + Beaulieu--Collect the Party, and proceed to Fort + Franklin--Conclusion 222 + + * * * * * + + _Captain Franklin's Narrative resumed._ + + CHAPTER VI. + + Brief Notices of the Second Winter at Bear Lake--Traditions of the + Dog-Ribs--Leave Fort Franklin--Winter Journey to Fort + Chipewyan--Remarks on the progress of improvement in the Fur + Countries--Set out in Canoes on the Voyage Homeward--Join Dr. + Richardson at Cumberland House--Mr. Drummond's Narrative--Arrival in + Canada, at New York, and London 238 + + * * * * * + + APPENDIX. + + Topographical and Geological Notices, by Dr. Richardson, R.N. 263 + + * * * * * + +An account of the objects of Natural History, collected on our journey +being too voluminous to be inserted in the Appendix, has been reserved +for a separate work which will be published as soon as possible, by Dr. +Richardson and Professor Hooker, under the sanction, and by the +assistance, of His Majesty's Government. + + + + +INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. + + +His Majesty's Government having, towards the close of the year 1823, +determined upon another attempt to effect a northern passage by sea +between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and Captain Parry, the highly +distinguished Commander of the two preceding Expeditions, having been +again entrusted with its execution, success, as far as ability, +enterprise, and experience could ensure it, appeared likely to be the +result. Yet, as the object was one for which Great Britain had thought +proper to contend for upwards of three centuries, it seemed to me that +it might be desirable to pursue it by more ways than one; I therefore +ventured to lay before His Majesty's Government a plan for an Expedition +overland to the mouth of the Mackenzie River, and thence, by sea, to the +northwestern extremity of America, with the combined object, also, of +surveying the coast between the Mackenzie and Coppermine Rivers. + +I was well aware of the sympathy excited in the British public by the +sufferings of those engaged in the former overland Expedition to the +mouth of the Coppermine River, and of the humane repugnance of His +Majesty's Government to expose others to a like fate; but I was enabled +to show satisfactorily that, in the proposed course, similar dangers +were not to be apprehended, while the objects to be attained were +important at once to the naval character, scientific reputation, and +commercial interests of Great Britain; and I received directions from +the Right Honourable Earl Bathurst to make the necessary preparations +for the equipment of the Expedition, to the command of which I had the +honour to be nominated. + +My much valued friend, Dr. Richardson, offered his services as +Naturalist and Surgeon, and also volunteered to undertake the survey of +the coast between the Mackenzie and Coppermine Rivers, while I should be +occupied in endeavouring to reach Icy Cape. + +Lieutenant Bushnan, who had served under Captains Ross and Parry on +their voyages of discovery, was also appointed to accompany me; but, +long before the party was to leave England, I had to lament the +premature death of that excellent young officer, who was eminently +qualified for the situation, by his skill in astronomical observations, +surveying, and drawing. Many naval officers, distinguished for their +talent and ability, were desirous of filling the vacancy; but my friend +and former companion, Lieutenant Back, having returned from the West +Indies, the appointment was offered to him, and accepted with his wonted +zeal. + +Mr. E.N. Kendall, Admiralty Mate, and recently assistant Surveyor with +Captain Lyon, was appointed to accompany Dr. Richardson in his voyage to +the eastward, and to do the duty of an Assistant-Surveyor to the +Expedition at large, whilst it continued united. Lastly, Mr. Thomas +Drummond, of Forfar, was appointed Assistant Naturalist, on the +recommendation of Professor Hooker, and other eminent scientific men. + +A residence in the northern parts of America, where the party must +necessarily depend for subsistence on the daily supply of fish, or on +the still more precarious success of Indian hunters, involves many +duties which require the superintendence of a person of long experience +in the management of the fisheries, and in the arrangement of the +Canadian voyagers and Indians: we had many opportunities, during the +former voyage, of being acquainted with the qualifications of Mr. Peter +Warren Dease, Chief Trader of the Hudson's Bay Company, for these +services, and I therefore procured the sanction of His Majesty's +Government for his being employed on the Expedition. + +As soon as I had authority from Earl Bathurst, I entered into a +correspondence with the Governor and Directors of the Hudson's Bay +Company; and these gentlemen, taking the most lively interest in the +objects of the Expedition, promised their utmost support to it, and +forthwith sent injunctions to their officers in the Fur Countries to +provide the necessary depots of provision at the places which I pointed +out, and to give every other aid in their power. I also wrote to the +different Chief Factors and Chief Traders of the Company, who resided on +the route of the Expedition, explaining its objects, and requesting +their co-operation. + +_Pemmican_, the principal article of provision used in travelling, being +made during the winter and spring, the orders for providing the extra +quantity required for the Expedition, though sent out from England by +the earliest conveyance, so as to reach the provision posts in the +summer of 1824, could not be put into effect sooner than the spring of +1825; hence, it was not proper that the main body of the Expedition +should reach the Fur Countries before the latter period. Some stores +were forwarded from England, by way of New York, in March 1824, under +charge of Mr. Robert M'Vicar, Chief Trader, for the purpose of relieving +the Expedition as much as possible from the incumbrance of heavy +baggage, and thus enabling it, by marching quickly, to reach its +intended winter-quarters at Great Bear Lake, as well as to provide for +its more comfortable reception at that place. These stores, with the +addition of other articles obtained in Canada, sufficed to load three +north canoes, manned by eighteen voyagers; and they were delivered by +Mr. M'Vicar, before the winter set in, to Mr. Dease, at the Athabasca +Lake. Mr. Dease was instructed to support his party by fishing at Great +Slave Lake, during the winter of 1824-25; and, early in the spring of +1825, to proceed to Great Bear Lake, and commence the necessary +buildings for the reception of the Expedition. I may here cursorily +remark that, in selecting Great Bear Lake as our winter residence, I was +influenced by the information I had obtained of its being the place +nearest to the mouth of the Mackenzie, known to the traders, where a +sufficient supply of fish could be procured for the support of so large +a party. + +Three light boats, which I shall soon more particularly describe, were +also sent out to York Factory, in June 1824, in the annual Hudson's Bay +ship, together with a further supply of stores, two carpenters, and a +party of men, with a view of their reaching Cumberland House, on the +Saskatchawan River, the same season; and starting from thence as soon as +the navigation opened in the following spring, that they might be as far +as possible advanced on their way to Bear Lake before they were +overtaken by the Officers of the Expedition. The latter proceeding by +way of New York and Canada, would have the advantage of an earlier +spring in travelling through the more southern districts; and, further +to expedite their progress, I directed two _large_ canoes (canots de +maitre,) with the necessary equipments and stores, to be deposited at +Penetanguishene, the naval depot of Lake Huron, in the autumn of 1824, +to await our arrival in the following spring; having been informed +that, in ordinary seasons, we should, by commencing our voyage at that +place, arrive in the north-west country ten days earlier than by the +usual way of proceeding up the Utawas River from Montreal. + +The return of the Hudson's Bay ship towards the close of the year 1824, +brought me satisfactory intelligence of the progress of the +above-mentioned parties, together with the most pleasing assurances from +the Gentlemen of the Company to whom I had written, of their zeal in our +cause; and here I must express the deep sense I have of the kindness of +the late Honourable William M'Gillivray, of Montreal, whose experience +enabled him to give me many valuable suggestions relating to the +clothing and subsistence of the party, and to the supplies proper for +the Indians. + +In connexion with the above sketch of the preparatory steps taken in the +course of the year 1824, it may be proper to give, in this place, a +short account of the general equipments of the Expedition. + +And first, with regard to the vessels intended for the navigation of the +Arctic Sea: birch-bark canoes, uniting lightness and facility of repair +with speed, are certainly well adapted for navigating the rivers of +America, but they are much too slight to bear the concussion of waves in +a rough sea, and they are still less fitted, from the tenderness of the +bark, for coming in contact with ice. I therefore requested of the Lords +Commissioners of the Admiralty that _three_ boats might be constructed +under my superintendence; and they were immediately ordered and promptly +finished under the directions of the Commissioners of the Navy. To fit +them for the ascent and descent of the many rapids between York Factory +and Mackenzie River; and to render their transport over the numerous +portages more easy, it was necessary to have them as small, and of as +light a construction as possible; and, in fact, as much like a north +canoe as was consistent with the stability and capacity required for +their voyage at sea. They were built of mahogany, with timbers of ash, +both ends exactly alike, and fitted to be steered either with a +sweep-oar or a rudder. The largest, twenty-six feet long, and five feet +four inches broad, was adapted for six rowers, a steersman, and an +officer; it could be borne on the shoulders of six men, and was found, +on trial, to be capable of carrying three tons weight in addition to the +crew. The two others were each twenty-four feet long, four feet ten +inches broad, and were capable of receiving a crew of five men, a +steersman, and an officer, with an additional weight of two and a half +tons. The greatest care was paid to their construction by Mr. Cow, +boat-builder of Woolwich Yard; and, as I could not often be present, my +friend Captain Buchan, R.N., kindly undertook to report their progress; +and I am further indebted to him for many valuable suggestions which +were acted upon. + +When the boats were finished, they were tried at Woolwich, in the +presence of many naval and military officers, as to their qualities of +sailing, rowing, and paddling, and found to answer fully the +expectations that had been formed of them. At the same time we tried +another little vessel belonging to the Expedition, named the +Walnut-Shell, the invention and construction of which I owe to my friend +Lieutenant-Colonel Pasley, of the Royal Engineers. Its length was nine +feet, its breadth four feet four inches, and it was framed of +well-seasoned ash, fastened with thongs, covered with Mr. Mackintosh's +prepared canvas, and shaped like one valve of a walnut-shell, whence its +appellation. It weighed only eighty-five pounds, could, when taken to +pieces, be made up in five or six parcels, and was capable of being put +together in less than twenty minutes. So secure was this little vessel, +that several ladies, who had honoured the trial of the boats with their +presence, fearlessly embarked in it, and were paddled across the Thames +in a fresh breeze. It was intended to provide against a similar +detention in crossing rivers to that which proved so fatal to our party +on the former journey; and it was also thought, that this little bark +would be found useful in procuring water-fowl on the small lakes, to +which the boats could not be conveyed. + +In the choice of astronomical instruments I was necessarily guided by +their portability. Our stock consisted of two small sextants, two +artificial horizons, two altitude instruments, a repeating circle for +lunar observations, and a small transit telescope for ascertaining the +rates of the chronometers. We had a dipping needle mounted on Meyer's +plan, a plain needle very delicately fitted for observing the diurnal +variation; two of Kater's azimuth compasses, and a pocket compass for +each officer. The atmospherical instruments were two electrometers, two +of Daniel's hygrometers, Leslie's photometer and hygrometer, besides a +good supply of mercurial and spirit thermometers of different sizes. The +magnetic instruments were examined in concert with my friend Captain +Sabine, previous to my departure from London; and the observations that +were obtained for dip and intensity, served as points of comparison for +our future results. + +The stores consisted of bedding and clothing, including two suits of +waterproof dresses for each person, prepared by Mr. Mackintosh, of +Glasgow; our guns had the same bore with the fowling-pieces, supplied by +the Hudson's Bay Company to the Indian hunters, that is, twenty-eight +balls to the pound; their locks were tempered to withstand the cold of +the winter; and a broad Indian dagger, which could also be used as a +knife, was fitted to them, like a bayonet. Ammunition of the best +quality was provided by the Ordnance, the powder being secured in small +field or boat magazines. A quantity of wheaten-flour, arrow-root, +macaroni, portable-soup, chocolate, essence of coffee, sugar, and tea, +calculated to last two years, was also supplied, made up into packages +of eighty-five pounds, and covered with three layers of prepared +waterproof canvas, of which material coverings for the cargo of each +boat were also made. + +There was likewise an ample stock of tobacco, a small quantity of wine +and spirits, marquees and tents for the men and officers, some books, +writing and drawing paper, a considerable quantity of cartridge-paper, +to be used in preserving specimens of plants; nets, twine, fishing-lines +and hooks, together with many articles to be used at winter-quarters, +for the service of the post, and for the supply of our Indian hunters, +such as cloth, blankets, shirts, coloured belts, chiefs' dresses, combs, +looking-glasses, beads, tapes, gartering, knives, guns and daggers, +hatchets, awls, gun-worms, flints, fire-steels, files, whip and +hand-saws, ice-chisels and trenching-irons, the latter to break open the +beaver lodges. + +As the mode of travelling through the Hudson's Bay territories, with all +its difficulties and hazards, is now well known to the public, I think +it better to give in this Introductory Chapter a slight outline of our +route through the United States, Upper Canada, and Southern part of the +Fur Countries, and to commence the detailed Narrative of the proceedings +of the Expedition with its arrival in Methye River, where the officers +joined the boats that had been sent out from England in the preceding +year. + +On the 16th of February, 1825, I embarked with Lieutenant Back, Dr. +Richardson, Mr. Kendall, Mr. Drummond, and four marines, at Liverpool, +on board the American packet-ship, Columbia, Captain Lee; and, on +quitting the pier, we were honoured by a salute of three animating +cheers, from a crowd of the principal inhabitants, who had assembled to +witness our departure. The passage across the Atlantic was favourable +and pleasant, and our reception at New York kind in the extreme. We +landed at that city on the 15th of March, and our baggage and stores +were instantly passed through the Custom-House without inspection. Cards +of admission to the Public Scientific Institutions were forwarded to us +the same evening, and during our stay every other mark of attention was +shown by the civil and naval authorities, as well as by private +individuals, indicating the lively interest which they took in our +enterprise. + +James Buchanan, Esq., the British Consul, in addition to many other +attentions, kindly undertook to accommodate a journey he had to make to +Upper Canada, so as to accompany us through the State of New York. After +a stay of eight days in the city, for the purpose of obtaining the rates +of the chronometers, and for making some other observations with Meyer's +dipping needle, we embarked under the Consul's guidance, in the +steam-boat Olive Branch, and ascended the Hudson River, to Albany, where +we experienced similar civilities to those we had received at New York. +Every body seemed to desire our success, and a fervent prayer for our +preservation and welfare was offered up by the Reverend Dr. Christie, +the minister of the church that we attended. The Honourable De Witt +Clinton, the Governor of the State, assured me, that had we not been +accompanied by a gentleman so conversant in the different routes and +modes of travelling as Mr. Buchanan, he would have sent his son with us, +or would himself have conducted us to the confines of the State. + +From Albany, we travelled through Utica, Rochester, and Geneva, to +Leweston, in coaches, with more or less rapidity, according to the +condition of the roads; and, crossing the river Niagara, entered Canada, +and visited the Falls so justly celebrated as the first in the world for +grandeur. We next crossed Lake Ontario in a sailing boat, and came to +York the capital of Upper Canada, where we were kindly received by the +Lieutenant-Governor Sir Peregrine Maitland, and by Colonel Cockburn and +the Commissioners then employed on an inquiry respecting the value of +the Crown Lands. From York we passed on to Lake Simcoe, in carts and +other conveyances, halting for a night at the hospitable house of Mr. +Robinson of Newmarket. We crossed Lake Simcoe in canoes and boats, and +landed near the upper part of Kempenfeldt Bay, but not without being +obliged to break our way through the ice for a short distance. A journey +of nine miles, performed on foot, brought us to the River Nattawassaga, +which we descended in a boat; and passing through a part of Lake Huron, +arrived at Penetanguishene. At this place, we were hospitably +entertained by Lieutenant, now Captain Douglass, during eight days that +we waited for the arrival of our Canadian voyagers from Montreal. + +We left Penetanguishene on St. George's day (23d April) in the two large +canoes, which had been deposited at that place in the preceding autumn, +our party, by the accession of the voyagers, now amounted to +thirty-three; and after a few days detention by ice, and bad weather, we +reached Sault de St. Marie on the 1st of May, being ten days or a +fortnight earlier than the oldest resident remembered a canoe from +Canada to have arrived. From the Sault de St. Marie, we coasted the +northern shore of Lake Superior to Fort William, formerly the great +depot of the N.W. Company, where we arrived on the 10th of May. We now +exchanged our two _canots de maitre_ for four small north canoes, in one +of which, more lightly laden, Dr. Richardson and I embarked, with the +view of proceeding as rapidly as possible to arrange supplies of +provision at the different posts, while Lieutenant Back was left to +bring up the three remaining and more deeply laden canoes. + +We proceeded by the route delineated in the maps through Rainy Lake, the +Lake of the Woods, Lake Winipeg, and the Saskatchawan River to +Cumberland House, where we arrived on the 15th of June, and learned that +our boats had left that place on the 2d of the same month. We found also +with deep regret, that Thomas Mathews, the principal carpenter who had +accompanied the boats from England, had had the misfortune to break his +leg the evening before their departure. But, fortunately, an officer of +the Hudson's Bay Company then present, had sufficient skill to set it, +and Dr. Richardson now pronounced that in two months he would be able to +come on in one of the Company's canoes, and join us at Bear Lake, which +he was very desirous of doing. I therefore made arrangements to this +effect, and also concerning supplies for Mr. Drummond the Assistant +Naturalist, who was to be employed, during our stay in the north, in +making collections in the vicinity of the Rocky Mountains. + +Having remained one night at Cumberland House, we resumed our voyage, +and passing through Pine Island Lake, Beaver Lake, crossing the Frog +Portage, and ascending the English River, with its dilatations, named +Bear Island, Sandfly, Serpent, Primeau, and Isle a la Crosse Lakes, we +came to the post situated on, and named from the latter sheet of water, +at four P.M. on the 25th June. In the course of this voyage, we met the +Gentlemen of the Hudson's Bay Company proceeding from the interior with +various brigades of canoes, carrying the returns of trade for the year +to York Factory, and I had not only the satisfaction of hearing frequent +news of the progress of our boats, but that the deposits of provisions I +had requested, and the other arrangements I had made, were all +punctually carried into effect. Mr. Spencer, the gentleman in charge at +Isle a la Crosse, informed us, that the boats had gone off a few hours +previous to our arrival, with the addition of a bateau laden with +pemmican, under the charge of Mr. Fraser, a clerk of the Hudson's Bay +Company. + +I waited at this establishment one night to obtain astronomical +observations, and to bespeak an additional quantity of provisions, &c., +which being satisfactorily done, we resumed our voyage on the 27th, and, +passing through Deep River, Clear and Buffalo Lakes, overtook the boats +in Methye River, at sunrise on the 29th of June. + +Having brought this preliminary sketch up to the date at which the +ensuing Narrative of the proceedings of the Expedition commences, I turn +to the pleasing duty of rendering my best thanks to the many gentlemen +who have assisted me in forwarding its progress. To the Right Honourable +Earl Bathurst, I am greatly indebted for the readiness with which he +attended to every suggestion I had to make regarding the equipment of +the Expedition, and to the Right Honourable Wilmot Horton, the Under +Colonial Secretary, for his kindness and promptitude in facilitating all +my views. Nor can I feel less grateful to Lord Viscount Melville, and to +the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty for their patronage and +support, as well as to Sir Byam Martin, the Comptroller, and to the +Commissioners of the Navy and Victualling offices, for the arrangements +depending on their boards. Mr. Pelly, the Governor of the Hudson's Bay +Company, and Mr. Garry, the Deputy-Governor, as well as every Member of +its Committee, claim my most sincere thanks for their unremitting +endeavours to promote the welfare of the Expedition through its whole +progress; and I feel truly obliged to Mr. Simpson, the Governor in the +Fur Countries; to Mr. M'Tavish, Mr. Haldane, Mr. M'Donald, Mr. Leith, +Mr. Stuart, and Messrs. James and George Keith, Chief Factors, who, +acting in the spirit of their instructions, were very assiduous in +collecting provisions and stores for the use of my party, and in +forwarding all our supplies. There were other gentlemen resident in the +more northern parts of the country, to whom I am no less obliged for +advice and assistance; but the brevity requisite in this place +necessarily compels me to refer to the Narrative, where their names, +and the services they rendered, are mentioned. + +I cannot, however, close this introductory Chapter, without expressing +the deepest obligation to those kind friends and excellent officers with +whom I had the happiness of being associated, who constantly aided me by +their most cordial co-operation, and whose best efforts were devotedly +applied to every pursuit which could be interesting to science. Nor can +I omit to mention the gratitude I owe to each of the seamen, marines, +British and Canadian voyagers who composed our party at the +winter-quarters, for their steady obedience and truly good conduct, +whether in the days of relaxation during the winter, or in the more +arduous exertions of our summer occupations. + + + + +OFFICIAL INSTRUCTIONS. + + +_Downing-street, 31st Jan. 1825._ + +SIR, + +His Majesty's Government having decided that an Expedition should be set +forth, for the purpose of exploring the Northern Coast of America, +between the Mouth of Mackenzie's River, and the Strait of Behring; and +confiding in your zeal and experience for the due execution of this +service, I have recommended you as a proper person to be charged with +the same. You are, therefore, to proceed with your party (a list of whom +is annexed) by the Packet from Liverpool to New York, and from thence +make the best of your way to Lake Huron, where the stores necessary for +your journey have already been sent. Embarking in Canoes, you are from +thence to follow the water communication to the western side of the +Great Bear Lake, where you are to establish your winter-quarters; and +having so done, your first care should be to endeavour to open a +friendly communication with the Esquimaux. + +Early in the Spring of 1826, you are to proceed down the Mackenzie River +with all the necessary stores and provisions, in order to be prepared to +take advantage of the first opening of the ice on the Polar Sea, so as +to enable you to prosecute your voyage along the coast to Icy Cape, +round which you are to proceed to Kotzebue's Inlet, where you may expect +to find His Majesty's Ship Blossom, which the Lords Commissioners of the +Admiralty will order to proceed to that rendezvous, in the Summer of +1826. But if, on your arrival at Icy Cape, or the northern point of +Behring's Strait, you should be of opinion that you could, with safety, +return the same season to the established winter-quarters, you are at +liberty to do so, instead of proceeding to join the Blossom. You will, +therefore, without loss of time, settle with Captain Beechey, her +commander, such a plan as may appear to you, both, best adapted for +ensuring your meeting together, and establish a code of signals, or +devise such other means as may tend to give you information, if +possible, previous to your reaching the longitude of Icy Cape. + +On your arrival at the mouth of Mackenzie River, you are to despatch Dr. +Richardson with Mr. Kendall and five or six men, in one of the boats, to +examine the intermediate coast between the Mackenzie and Coppermine +Rivers; but if you should find that the stores and provisions you have +been able to accumulate are not sufficient for your own and Dr. +Richardson's party, you are, in that case, to direct Dr. Richardson to +employ himself and party on shore, in examining the country contiguous +to the Mackenzie River, the Rocky Mountains, the shores of the Great +Bear Lake, the Copper Mountains, and as far round as he can with safety, +collecting specimens of the animals, plants, and minerals, and also +laying in a stock of provisions sufficient for both parties, if, by any +unforeseen accident, you should find yourself compelled to return +without reaching the Blossom. + +If, in proceeding westerly towards Icy Cape, you should make but slow +progress, and find yourself impeded by ice or land jutting out to the +northward farther than is calculated upon, or from accidents to the +boats, or any other unforeseen circumstance, so that it remains doubtful +whether you will be able to reach the neighbourhood of Kotzebue's Inlet +the same season, you are not to consider yourself authorized to risk +yourself and party to the chance of being obliged to winter on the +coast, but commence your return about the 15th or 20th of August to the +established winter-quarters on Bear Lake, unless you should be satisfied +that yourself and party could pass the winter with safety among the +Esquimaux, and that there was afforded a certainty of your reaching +Behring's Strait the following Season, when the Blossom will again +proceed to the appointed rendezvous. + +In the event of your reaching Kotzebue's Inlet, the first season, +Captain Beechey will be instructed to convey you and your party in the +Blossom to the Sandwich Islands or Canton, as may seem most advisable to +you, from whence you will be able to take a passage to England in one of +the Company's Ships or Private Traders; and you will leave such +instructions with Dr. Richardson for his guidance, in the event of your +being able to accomplish this point, as you may deem fit and proper for +his return to England. + +In the event of your death, or any accident which may prevent your +proceeding, the command of the Expedition must necessarily devolve on +Lieutenant Back, who is to follow these Instructions; but he is not to +alter any arrangement with regard to Dr. Richardson's proceedings which +you may have settled for him to pursue, the principal object of Dr. +Richardson's accompanying you, being that of completing, as far as can +be done, our knowledge of the Natural History of North America. +Lieutenant Back will, therefore, in the event above-mentioned, act in +concert with Dr. Richardson, but not direct him and his party from any +plan of operations which he and you may previously have settled. + +You will take care to inform me from time to time, as opportunities may +occur, of your proceedings, and the progress made in the Expedition, +with the direction of which you are hereby entrusted. + + I have the honour to be, + Sir, + Your most obedient Servant, + BATHURST. + + _To Captain Franklin, R.N., + &c. &c. &c._ + + + + +SECOND JOURNEY TO THE SHORES OF THE POLAR SEA. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +Join the boats in the Methye River--Cross the Long Portage--Arrival to +Fort Chipewyan--Departure from thence with the whole party for Mackenzie +River--Arrangements at Fort Norman--Descent to the Sea--Return to the +Winter Quarters at Great Bear Lake. + + +The boats of the Expedition had advanced from Hudson's Bay into the +interior, twelve hundred miles, before they were joined by the officers; +whilst the latter, from taking a more circuitous route by New York and +Canada, as shown in the introductory chapter, travelled two thousand and +eight hundred miles, to reach the same point. + +[Sidenote: June 29.] This junction took place early in the morning of +the 29th of June, 1825, in the Methye River, latitude 56 degrees 10 +minutes N., longitude 108 degrees 55 minutes W., which is almost at the +head of the waters that flow from the north into Hudson's Bay. + +In no part of the journey was the presence of the officers more +requisite to animate and encourage the crews, because the river itself, +beside being obstructed by three impassable rapids, is usually so +shallow, through its whole course of forty miles, as scarcely to admit +of a flat-bottomed bateau floating with half its cargo, much less our +boats, which drew, when loaded, from eighteen to twenty inches. This +river and its impediments being surmounted, the Methye Portage, ten +miles and three quarters long, was at no great distance, which is always +held up to the inexperienced voyager as the most laborious part of the +journey. But whatever apprehensions the men might have entertained on +this subject, seemed to vanish on our landing amongst them; and Dr. +Richardson and myself were received by all with cheerful, delighted +countenances, and by none more warmly than by our excellent friend and +former interpreter Augustus the Esquimaux, and Ooligbuck, whom he had +brought from Churchill, as his companion. A breakfast was quickly +prepared by Mr. Fraser, a clerk of the Hudson's Bay Company, under whose +charge the boats had been, since their departure from Cumberland House; +and I then inspected the boats and stores, which I was rejoiced to find +were in good order. We had brought letters from the relatives of several +of the party, and another hour was allowed to read them. + +At ten A.M. we began to ascend the stream, but very soon found that it +was necessary for the whole party to walk in the water, and drag the +boats through the mud. Nor could we long advance even by this mode, but +were compelled either to carry some of the cargo along the shore, where +walking was at all practicable, or else to take half the lading in a +boat to a part where the river was deeper, and then return for the +remainder. From thus travelling the distance twice over, it was the +fifth day before we reached the lake from whence its waters flow. + +[Sidenote: Thursday, 30.] On the evening of the 30th of June, we +witnessed one of those violent but momentary gusts of wind which occur +not unfrequently in the spring and autumn, and which prove so +destructive to the forests in this country. It was preceded by calm and +very sultry weather, with loud thunder and vivid lightning. In an +instant the tents were overthrown, and even very large trees were bent +by its force into a horizontal position; indeed, for a few seconds, the +scene around us appeared one of almost entire devastation. When the +violence of the squall was past, we had great reason to be pleased at +its occurrence, for the strong steady breeze and heavy rain that +succeeded, carried away the myriads of musquitoes by which we had been +tormented the whole day. + +[Sidenote: Monday, 4.] Having crossed the Methye Lake, we arrived at the +portage of that name. Here it was necessary to make an equal division of +the cargoes, and to devise means for the conveyance of the boats. The +packages amounted to one hundred and sixteen, weighing from seventy to +ninety pounds each, exclusive of the three boats and the men's personal +luggage; and there were nineteen men of the boats' crews, two +Canadians, and two boys, to carry these burdens. At first the packages +were equally distributed among this party; but several of the men, who +had been reduced by their previous exertions, became lame: among these +were the Esquimaux, and we were, therefore, compelled to make other +arrangements, and ultimately to employ the crew of my canoe, though the +great fatigue they had suffered in our rapid journey from +Penetanguishene, made me desirous of sparing them for the present. + +The boats were the heaviest and most difficult articles to transport. +One of the small boats was carried on the shoulders of eight men, of +whom Mr. Fraser undertook to be one, as an example to the rest. Another +of the same size was dragged by another eight men; and the largest was +conveyed on a truck made for the purpose on the spot, to which service +the lame were attached. + +Each day's journey, and also the intermediate stages, were determined by +the places where water could be procured, and our mode of travelling was +as follows:--Rising at three A.M., the men carried a part of their +burden to the first stage, and continued to go backwards and forwards +till the whole was deposited. They then slept for a few hours, and in +the cool of the evening the boats were brought up. [Sidenote: Monday, +11th.] By these means every thing was ready at the western end of the +portage early on Monday, the 11th of July. The slight injuries which the +boats had received, principally from exposure to the sun, were soon +repaired; they were put into the water to tighten, and the whole party +were allowed to rest. + +With reference to the Methye Portage I may remark, that, except the +steep hill at its western extremity, the road is good and tolerably +level, and it appeared to us that much fatigue and suffering might have +been spared by using trucks. Accordingly two were made by our carpenters +at Fort Chipewyan, in 1827, for the return of the Expedition, and they +answered extremely well. I mention this circumstance, in the hope that +some such expedient will be adopted by the Traders for the relief of +their voyagers, who have twice in every year to pass over this ridge of +hills. + +[Sidenote: Tuesday 12th.] Being now in a fair way to reach the Athabasca +Lake, Dr. Richardson and I embarked, on the 12th, in the canoe, to +proceed to Fort Chipewyan, for the purpose of preparing the gentleman in +charge for the reception of the party. + +By noon we got over the four Portages on Clear-Water river, and +descended, with some trouble, the series of rapids that follow them. +Once below these, the passage to the lake is generally considered as +free from fatigue; but we did not find it so, for, owing to the +shallowness of the water, the men had to get out and drag the canoe in +several places. The difference between the depth of water now and in +other years at the same period, was attributed to the snow having fallen +in the preceding autumn before the frost was sufficiently intense to +harden the ground, and, consequently, much of the moisture had +penetrated the earth, which, under other circumstances, would have +remained in a frozen state, for the supply of the river at the spring +thaw. + +In the course of the night we were under much alarm for one of our men, +who having incautiously lain down to sleep under a wet sail, while the +rain was pouring heavily, was seized with a cramp in the stomach, and +violent pain in the head. Having been brought into the tent and covered +with blankets, he became better before morning, but not sufficiently +strong to allow of our setting off at the usual hour. [Sidenote: +Wednesday, 13th.] We entered the Elk, or Athabasca River, at three P.M., +on the 13th, and were carried swiftly down by its current to the +Hudson's Bay Company's post named Berens House, where we stayed the +night. Here we received a supply of dried meat. [Sidenote: Friday, +15th.] We safely arrived in the Athabasca Lake on the 15th, by the +channel of the "Riviere des Eaux remuees;" but in the subsequent +traverse between Bustard Island and Fort Chipewyan the canoe was in +danger of foundering in a sudden gale. Two large waves broke with full +force into it, and obliged us to bear away and steer for the nearest +shore; but the men having soon rested, and being now sheltered by +islands, we pushed on to Fort Chipewyan. Our arrival there caused great +surprise to its inmates, when they learned that we had come from England +to that advanced post so early in the season, being only two days later +than the time at which Dr. Richardson and Mr. Hood had arrived in 1819, +though they passed the winter at Cumberland House. + +The stores at Fort Chipewyan being well furnished with warm clothing, +and other articles, which we required for the use of the men and Indians +at winter-quarters, I availed myself of the permission which the chief +factor of this department, Mr. James Keith, had given me to complete our +stock of cloth, blankets, nets, and twine, to a quantity sufficient for +two years' consumption. A supply of twine was indispensable, because, +by a letter from Mr. Dease, I had learned that the meshes of the nets +made in England, of the size generally required for fishing throughout +this country, were too large for the smaller fish that frequent that +part of Bear Lake where our house was to be constructed. Mr. Campbell, +the clerk in charge, cheerfully gave me the benefit of his experience in +making out lists of such things as we were likely to want, and in +assorting and packing them. + +[Sidenote: Monday, 18th.] The boats rejoined on the 18th, and the crews +were allowed the following day to recruit themselves. A party of Indians +came very opportunely with fresh meat, which is always an agreeable +change to the voyager, who has generally to live on dried provision. The +Indians, as well as the women and children of the fort, spent the +greater part of the day by the side of our boats, admiring their whole +equipment, but more especially the gay figures painted on them. Many of +these were different from any animals or representations they had seen, +and, judging from the bursts of laughter, some curious remarks were made +on them. + +[Sidenote: Wednesday, 20th.] It being necessary that I should await the +arrival of Lieutenant Back's canoes, Dr. Richardson undertook to proceed +with the boats towards Slave Lake. Their lading was now increased by the +bales already mentioned, as well as by several bags of pemmican, which +Mr. Keith had stored up for our use. The crews, however, were reduced by +the discharge of three Englishmen, at their own desire, who thought +themselves unequal to the fatigue of the service. + +[Sidenote: Saturday, 23d.] I had the happiness, on the 23rd, of +welcoming my friends, Lieutenant Back and Mr. Kendall, on their arrival +with three canoes. Their journey from Fort William had been expeditious, +notwithstanding the detention of eighteen days, by bad weather, on the +road. A serious misfortune had happened at the very outset of the +journey, through the unskilfulness of one of the bowmen, in allowing his +canoe to turn round and get before the current, while attempting to +ascend the Barrier Rapid, by which it was driven against a stone with +such force, as to be overset and broken. The stores were fortunately +saved, though completely drenched; but many of the delicate +atmospherical instruments were broken. Mr. Kendall was despatched to +Fort William for another canoe while the things were drying. + +On a subsequent occasion, in the Winipeg River, the same man placed his +canoe in such a situation, as to endanger its being hurried down a steep +fall, and had it not been for the coolness of a man, named Lavalle, who +jumped into the water and held the canoe, while the rest of the crew +arranged themselves so as to drag it into a place of safety, every life +must have been sacrificed. The success, indeed the safety of this kind +of river navigation, among currents and rapids, depends on the skill of +the bowman; and after these proofs of his incapacity, Lieutenant Back +very properly engaged a substitute at the first fort to which he came. + +At another time, in the Sturgeon-weir River, the canoe in which Mr. +Kendall was embarked, having been accidentally driven before the +current, she was only saved from destruction by his own powerful +exertion and activity. + +These short details will convey an idea of the anxiety and trouble these +officers experienced in their journey to Chipewyan. + +The party and the stores having now passed the more difficult part of +the road, I discharged as many of the Canadians as could be spared, and +furnished them with a canoe to take them home. Some went to Montreal; +and they were the first persons who had ever gone from that place to +Chipewyan, and returned in the same season. + +[Sidenote: Monday, 25th.] The greater part of the 25th was employed in +obtaining astronomical observations, the results of which, we were +delighted to find, placed Fort Chipewyan within a few seconds of +longitude of the position in which it had been laid down on the former +Expedition. Our present azimuth compasses showed an increase in +variation, since 1820, of 2 degrees 16 minutes E. The dip was observed +81 degrees 26 minutes 47 seconds. + +Fort Chipewyan was this summer visited, for the first time, by a large +flight of swallows, resembling the house-martins of England. They came +in a body on the 25th of June, and immediately began to construct their +earthy nests under the ledge of the south-front of the house. Some barn +or forked-tail swallows also arrived on the 15th of June, and took +possession of the store-houses and garrets, as they had in former years +done. Some of the young of the last-mentioned birds were sporting on the +tops of the houses as early as the 17th of July. + +At sunset we embarked in four canoes, one having been procured here. The +descent to Slave Lake occupied four days, and was unattended with any +circumstance deserving mention, except that two of the canoes were +broken in consequence of the guide mistaking the proper channel in a +rapid; fortunately, these bark vessels are soon repaired, and we had +only to regret the delay the accident occasioned. + +We halted at the Salt River to take in salt, as we found, by a note left +here, Dr. Richardson had done. The geese were moulting at this time, and +unable to fly; they afforded us much sport in their chase, and an +excellent supper every night. + +A body of Indians were waiting near the entrance of the lake to welcome +our arrival; they were so numerous, that we were forced to omit our +general custom of giving a small present to each native, and thus +incurred the charge of stinginess, which the loud vociferations they +raised on our setting sail, were probably meant to convey. + +[Sidenote: Friday, 29th.] At six, on the evening of the 29th, we reached +Fort Resolution, the only establishment now at Slave Lake, and we felt +happy in being once more under the roof of our hospitable friend, Mr. +Robert M'Vicar, to whom I am much indebted for the excellent order in +which he had brought up our supplies from Canada in the preceding year. +Dr. Richardson, after a halt of two days, had gone forward with the +boats. + +All the portages on the road to Bear Lake being now passed, the +Canadians made a request, that we would allow them to commemorate the +event by a dance. It met with a ready compliance; and though they had +been paddling for thirty-six out of the thirty-nine preceding hours, +they kept up their favourite amusement until daylight, to the music of +bagpipes, relieved occasionally by the Jews' harp. + +We rejoiced to find at this post our worthy old Copper-Indian friends, +Keskarrah and Humpy, the brother of Akaitcho, who had been waiting two +months for the express purpose of seeing us. These excellent men showed +that their gratification equalled ours, by repeatedly seizing our hands +and pressing them against their hearts, and exclaiming, "How much we +regret that we cannot tell what we feel for you here!" Akaitcho had left +the fort about two months on a hunting excursion, hoping to return, with +plenty of provision for our use, by the middle of August, which was as +early as he thought we should arrive. Keskarrah confirmed the melancholy +report we had heard in the more southern districts, that most of the +hunters who had been in our service at Fort Enterprise, had been +treacherously murdered, with many others of the tribe, by the Dog-Ribs, +with which nation we also learned the Copper-Indians had been at war, +since the year of our departure from them, till the last spring. The +peace had been effected through the mediation of Messrs. Dease and +M'Vicar, and we were gratified to find that Akaitcho and his tribe had +been principally induced to make this reconciliation, by a desire that +no impediment might be placed in the way of our present expedition. "We +have too much esteem," said Akaitcho, "for our father, and for the +service in which he is about to be again engaged, to impede its success +by our wars, and, therefore, they shall cease;" and on being asked by +Mr. Dease whether he and some of his young men would go to hunt for the +party at our winter quarters, he replied, "Our hearts will be with them, +but we will not go to those parts where the bones of our murdered +brethren lie, for fear our bad passions should be aroused at the sight +of their graves, and that we should be tempted to renew the war by the +recollection of the manner of their death. Let the Dog-Ribs who live in +the neighbourhood of Bear Lake furnish them with meat, though they are +our enemies." Such sentiments would do honour to any state of +civilization, and show that the most refined feelings may animate the +most untutored people. Happily we were now so circumstanced as to be +able to reward the friendship of these good men by allotting from our +stores a liberal present to the principal persons. On the delivery of +the articles to Keskarrah and Humpy, I desired them to communicate to +Akaitcho, and the whole tribe, the necessity of their strictly adhering +to the terms of peace, and assured them that I should not fail to urge +the same obligations on the Dog-Ribs. A silver royal medal, such as is +given to the Indian chiefs in Upper Canada, was likewise left with Mr. +M'Vicar, to be presented to Akaitcho, as a further mark of our regard +for his former services and present good wishes. + +[Sidenote: Sunday, 31st.] The party was detained at Fort Resolution +until this morning by a strong south-west gale; and even when we +embarked, the wind and waves were still high, but time was too precious +to allow of our waiting when there was a prospect of making any advance. +As our future course inclined to the westward, we now quitted the track +of the former journey to Fort Enterprise, along which we had been +travelling from Lake Winipeg. We first steered for the Buffalo River, +and then along the south shore of Slave Lake, obtained the latitude 61 +degrees 1 minute N. at noon, and afterwards the longitude 114 degrees +18-1/2 minutes W. at the Isle of the Dead. The islands and shores of +this part of the lake are composed of horizontal beds of limestone, +containing pitch and shells. + +A small party of Chipewyan Indians, with their principal chief, joined +us at the encampment, from whom we learned that they had supplied Dr. +Richardson with dried meat the preceding noon, at Hay River. The Chief +was very importunate for rum, but I steadily adhered to the +determination I had formed this time, on my entering the Fur Country, of +not giving spirits to any Indian. A share of our supper and tea, and +some tobacco, were offered to him, and accepted, though with a bad +grace. The Fur Company ceased the following season to bring any rum to +this quarter, and I learned that this man was one of the few natives who +were highly displeased at this judicious change. + +[Sidenote: Monday, 1st.] We coasted this day along the low shore of the +lake, steering from point to point to avoid the sinuosities of several +deep bays, and passed the mouth of the Sandy and Hay Rivers, whose +positions we settled by astronomical observations. + +[Sidenote: Tuesday, 2nd.] On the 2nd we came to the narrow part between +the Big Island of Mackenzie, and the main shore, and perceived that a +gentle current was setting towards the Mackenzie river. The water in +this strait is very shallow, and also in many places near the south +shore, though we know, from trial, on the former Expedition, that the +depth of the east end of the lake, at a distance from the land, exceeds +sixty and seventy fathoms. The beach, both of the north and south shores +of the strait, is strewed with drift timber. In clear weather the north +shore is visible from the point of the south shore nearest Big Island. + +Below this _detroit_ the shores recede so as to form a small shallow +lake, about twenty-four miles long, by from four to twelve miles broad, +near the north-west end of which we encamped, in latitude 61 degrees 15 +minutes N., longitude 117 degrees 6 minutes W. This spot may be +considered as the commencement of Mackenzie River. The ground is very +swampy, and nourishes willows only; but inland, at a short distance from +the beach, grow plenty of the spruce-fir, poplar, aspen, and birch +trees; and among the underwood, numerous shrubs and berry-bearing +plants. + +[Sidenote: Wednesday, 3rd.] On the 3rd we travelled to another +contraction of the river about one mile broad, through which the current +sets between high banks with such force as to form strong eddies. There +are likewise in this part many sandy islands, and through the channels +between them the current rushed with no less rapidity than in that we +descended. For distinction's sake, these islands have been named the +"Isles of the Rapid:" below them occurs another expansion, which is +called by the voyagers "The Little Lake;" and Sandy Point at its +north-west end, is considered by them as the commencement of the +Mackenzie River. + +When abreast of this point, a favouring breeze enabled us to use the +sail as well as the paddles, and with the assistance of the current +great progress was made. We had occasional glimpses of the Horn and +Rein-Deer Mountains as we passed along; but, until we were some way +below the rapids, our view was very limited, owing to the woods being on +fire in almost every direction. This I should have mentioned to have +been the case in many parts between Isle a la Crosse and the Mackenzie. +The cause of these extensive conflagrations I could not learn; some +attributed them to voluntary acts of the Indians, and others to their +negligence in leaving their fires burning. + +We put up at sunset on a beach of gravel under a well-wooded bank of +moderate height, and the party regaled themselves with raspberries and +other indigenous fruits. + +[Sidenote: Thursday, 4th.] At half past two A.M., on the 4th, the canoes +were again on the water, and being driven by sail and current, made good +way. We stopped at the Trout River, which flows in from the southward, +and ascertained its longitude 119 degrees 47 minutes W. The breadth of +the Mackenzie is here about two miles, and its banks are composed of a +muddy clay: the stones on the beach mostly limestone, with some boulders +of primitive rocks. The trees are of the kinds we had seen north of the +Athabasca Lake: they are here of a smaller size. Five miles below this +part, the Mackenzie is divided into several channels by islands, and the +current runs with increased swiftness, and strong eddies. + +The latitude 61 degrees 26 minutes 30 seconds N. was obtained at noon; +it was the same as on the preceding day; so that our course, in the +interval, had been due west. + +The banks now were higher, and for the next forty miles the breadth of +the stream did not exceed one mile, nor was less than half a mile; its +course inclined more to the north. We passed the site of the first +establishment that the North-West Company had made in these parts, which +was erected by Mr. Livingstone, one of the partners, who, with the whole +of the crew of his canoe, except one individual, were massacred by the +Esquimaux on the first attempt to open a trade with them. + +At three P.M. a picturesque view opened upon us of a distant range of +mountains running east and west, and nearly at right angles to the +course of the river. The current being considerably increased by the +contribution of some streams near this place, we descended very swiftly. +Six miles below Pine Island, there is a strong but not a dangerous +rapid; and about fifteen miles farther is Fort Simpson, the principal +depot of the Hudson Bay Company for this department, at which we arrived +by eight P.M., and thus escaped a very wet, comfortless night. Dr. +Richardson had departed for Fort Norman the preceding day. + +This establishment, three hundred and thirty-eight miles from Fort +Resolution on Slave Lake, is situated at the confluence of the River of +the Mountains and the Mackenzie. The former is the channel of +communication with a fur post not far distant from the Rocky Mountain +Range, from whence the residents here procure much of their provision, +including a tolerable supply of potatoes, which have been recently +introduced from the southern parts. Mr. Smith, the chief factor of the +district, was fortunately at Fort Simpson, so that I had the opportunity +of arranging with him as to supplies of provision or stores that my +party might require during its residence at Bear Lake. He cheerfully +acceded to every suggestion that was made, and likewise furnished me +with a letter of instruction to the same effect, addressed to the +gentleman in charge of the lower posts. + +I learned from Mr. Smith that, as yet, a few only of the Indians who +live nearest the mouth of the river, and none of the Esquimaux, had been +apprized of our intended visit, the traders at the lower posts having +considered that it would be better to defer this communication until we +should arrive in the river, for fear of disappointing these people, +which might have been attended with unpleasant results. + +There were two Canadians here belonging to the Expedition, whom Mr. +Dease had sent to serve as guides to Bear Lake. By letters which they +brought, I was informed that Indian hunters were engaged, and the +necessary buildings in course of preparation for our reception. As Fort +Simpson had been short of ammunition during the summer from some +accidental cause, I was glad to find that Mr. Dease had been enabled to +lend from our stores a barrel of powder, and a bag of balls and I now +increased the loan, so as to meet the probable demands of the Indians, +until the Company's supplies should arrive, when they would return to +Fort Norman the whole of what we had lent. Cloudy weather limited our +astronomical observations at this place to the dip of the needle, which +was observed 81 degrees 54 minutes. + +[Sidenote: Friday, 5th.] We quitted the fort on the 5th, soon after noon, +whence the river preserving nearly a straight course for fifteen miles, +gradually extends itself to nearly two miles in breadth; in its channel +there are three islands. At two P.M. we obtained the first glimpse of +the Rocky Mountains, and kept them in view until we encamped, which was +early, as the canoes required gumming. The outline of the mountains was +very peaked, and at their easternmost part was a cone-shaped hill, +higher than the rest, whose summit was veiled by clouds. The general +appearance of the range somewhat reminded me of the east end of Jamaica. + +[Sidenote: Saturday, 6th.] The morning of the 6th was beautifully fine: +we embarked at 2h 30m A.M., and by seven came within six or seven miles +of the mountain range, where the river suddenly changes its course from +W.b.N. to north, in longitude 123 degrees 31 minutes W. + +A distinct stratification was perceptible on the face of the nearest +mountain: on one side of a nearly perpendicular ravine the strata dip to +the southward at an angle of 25 degrees; whilst on the other they are +nearly horizontal. There was a large accumulation of debris at its base: +every part of the hill was destitute of vegetation. Its altitude was +guessed at one thousand two hundred feet. + +At noon, in latitude 62 degrees 49 minutes N., we saw a chain of +mountains, on the eastern side of the river, similar in their outline +and general character to those hitherto seen only on the opposite bank. +Between these ranges the river flowed in a channel two miles broad; but +as we advanced we receded from those on the western side, their +direction being W.N.W. In the brilliancy of the sunshine, the surfaces +of some of the eastern hills, which were entirely bare, appeared white +as marble, and for some time we fancied them to be covered with snow. By +four P.M. we reached the Rocky Island mentioned by Mackenzie, where, +from the river being contracted, the current flowed with great rapidity, +and soon brought us opposite to the remarkable hill close by the river +side, which that persevering traveller ascended in July, 1789. His +account renders a description of it unnecessary. It is composed of +limestone, and is about four hundred feet high. + +We continued a N.b.W. course for eight miles, and encamped at sunset, +having travelled this day one hundred and twenty miles. A small supply +of fresh deer's meat was obtained from some Dog-Rib Indians. Their +canoes were made of the bark of the pine-tree, sewn at the ends and top +with the fibrous parts of the root of that tree, leaving only a space +sufficient for the legs of the sitter. + +[Sidenote: Sunday, 7th.] We pursued our course at dawn of day, and at +the end of a few miles came to a more winding part of the river, where +the stream is interrupted by numerous sand banks and shoals which we had +some trouble to get round. Mr. Kendall, in his Journal, remarks of this +part, "That bubbles of air continually rose to the surface with a +hissing noise resembling the effervescence produced by pouring water on +quick lime." + +We arrived at Fort Norman at ten, A.M., distant two hundred and +thirty-six miles from Fort Simpson, and five hundred and seventy-four +from Fort Resolution. + +Being now only four days' journey from Bear Lake, and there remaining +yet five or six weeks of open season, I resolved on following up a plan +of a voyage to the sea, which I had cherished ever since leaving +England, without imparting it to my companions, until our departure from +Fort Chipewyan, because I was apprehensive that some unforeseen accident +might occur in the course of the very intricate and dangerous river +navigation between Fort William and the Athabasca Lake, which might +delay our arrival here to too late a period of the year. It was +arranged, _first_, that I should go down to the sea, accompanied by Mr. +Kendall, and collect whatever information could be obtained, either from +actual observation, or from the intelligence of the Loucheux Indians, or +the Esquimaux, respecting the general state of the ice in the summer and +autumn; the direction of the coast, east and west of the Mackenzie; and +whether we might calculate upon any supply of provision. _Secondly_, Dr. +Richardson, on his own suggestion was to proceed in a boat along the +northern shore of Bear Lake, to the part where it approached nearest to +the Coppermine River, and there fix upon a spot to which he might bring +the party the following year, on its return from the mouth of that +river. And, _thirdly_, that these undertakings might not interfere with +the important operations necessary for the comfortable residence and +subsistence of the Expedition during the following winter, Lieutenant +Back was to superintend them during my absence, with the assistance of +Mr. Dease, chief trader of the Hudson Bay Company, whose suggestions, +relative to the proper distribution of the Indian hunters, and the +station of the fishermen, he was to follow. Accordingly, Dr. Richardson, +on his quitting this place two days previous to our arrival, had left +the largest of the boats, the Lion, for my use and a well-selected crew +of six Englishmen, and Augustus the Esquimaux. + +Lieutenant Back was directed to take the canoes forward to Bear Lake, +laden with such supplies as would be required for the winter, and was +further instructed to furnish Dr. Richardson with one of the boats, and +a good crew. The services of the Canadians who had brought the canoes +from Penetanguishene, being no longer required, I desired Lieutenant +Back to discharge them, and also all the voyagers of Mr. Dease's party +who could be spared. They were sent in canoes to Slave Lake, where I had +arranged with Mr. M'Vicar for their being supplied with the means of +gaining subsistence by fishing, during the winter; and the following +spring, they were to be forwarded to Canada, at the expense of +Government, according to the terms of their agreement. + +Fort Norman being situated in our way to the sea, the pemmican and other +stores, intended for the voyage along the coast next season, were +deposited here, by permission of Mr. Smith, under the care of Mr. +Brisbois, the clerk in charge. Our observations place this establishment +in latitude 64 degrees 40 minutes 30 seconds N., and longitude 124 +degrees 53 minutes 22 seconds W. + +[Sidenote: Monday, 8th.] The above matters being satisfactorily settled, +and a few articles packed up as presents to the Indians and Esquimaux, +Mr. Kendall and I embarked on the 8th, at noon, taking, in addition to +our crew, a voyager, who was reported to be able to guide us through the +proper channels to Fort Good Hope, of which, however, we found him +altogether ignorant. We were accompanied by Lieutenant Back, with the +three canoes, each manned by five men. The crews of the canoes imagining +they could easily pass our English boat, were much surprised, on putting +it to the proof, to find the boat take and maintain the lead, both under +sail and with oars. + +A few miles above the Bear Lake River, and near its mouth, the banks of +the Mackenzie contain much wood coal, which was on fire at the time we +passed, as it had been observed to be by Mackenzie in his voyage to the +sea. Its smell was very disagreeable. On a subsequent trial of this coal +at our winter quarters, we found that it emitted little heat, and was +unfit for the blacksmith's use. The banks likewise contain layers of a +kind of unctuous mud, similar, perhaps, to that found on the borders of +the Orinoco, which the Indians, in this neighbourhood, use occasionally +as food during seasons of famine, and even, at other times, chew as an +amusement. It has a milky taste, and the flavour is not disagreeable. We +used it for whitening the walls of our dwellings; for which purpose it +is well adapted. + +The entrance of the Bear Lake River is distinguished by a very +remarkable mountain, whose summit displays a variety of insulated peaks, +crowded in the most irregular manner. It is composed of limestone; and +from the lower cliffs, which front the river, a dark, bituminous liquid +oozes and discolours the rock. There are likewise two streams of +sulphureous water that flow from its base into the Mackenzie. At this +place we parted from our friend, Lieutenant Back, who entered the clear +and beautiful stream that flows from Bear Lake, of whose pure waters we +had also the benefit, till they were overpowered by the muddy current of +the Mackenzie. The day was fine, the wind fair, the current swift, and +every circumstance concurred to put the party in high glee. There was +little in the scenery to attract our attention, now that we had become +familiar with the general appearance of the Mackenzie, and we passed +island after island, of the same alluvial mud, without further regard +than the delineation of them in the survey book. At length, however, a +most picturesque view of the Rocky Mountain range opened before us, and +excited general admiration, and we had also some portions of the +mountain range on the eastern side of the river, in view for the +remainder of the day's journey. The outline of these mountains is very +irregular, the highest parts being peaked hills. The general direction +of the ranges is between N.W. and N.W.b.W. + +Being unwilling to lose the advantage of the wind, we only put ashore to +sup, and after two hours' delay, resumed our voyage under easy sail. +[Sidenote: Tuesday, 9th.] When the sun rose, the oars were used; and +then, as the current set at the rate of two miles and a half per hour, +the boat travelled swiftly down the stream. The eastern bank of the +river, along which we were passing, is about one hundred and twenty feet +high, almost perpendicular, and is composed of thin strata of bituminous +shale. Amongst the fragments of shale which strewed the beach, we found +many pieces of brown wood-coal. A reach, eighteen miles in length, +followed. It is bounded on both sides by high cliffs of sand-stone. We +landed to breakfast, and to obtain the longitude, 128 degrees 23 minutes +W. + +From the reach here described, are seen two hills, named by me the East +and West Mountains of the rapid, which seem to present a barrier to the +further progress of the stream; but the river, bending suddenly between +them to the north, dilates into a kind of basin, and, by so doing, opens +by far the most interesting view of the Rocky Mountains which the +Mackenzie affords. The river, too, makes its nearest approach to those +mountains at this spot, and probably, the easiest communication with +them would be by ascending a small stream that flows in here on the +western side. Here too are found the first rapids mentioned by +Mackenzie, which continue in succession for two miles, when the water is +low. The centre of the basin is occupied by low sandy islands; and the +channel on the western side is the deepest. The beauty of this scene +furnished employment for the able pencil of Lieutenant Back, on a +subsequent occasion. As the Mackenzie, in its further descent, continues +to hold a northerly course, and the range of mountains runs N.W.b.N., we +did not obtain any other view of them till we approached the sea. + +At one P.M. we saw a party of Indians encamped on the beach of a small +stream, whom we invited to come off to us. They hesitated at first, +being doubtful who we were, from our boat being different in shape from +any they had seen, and carrying two sails; but after some time they +launched their canoes, and brought us a good supply of fresh deer's +meat. The sight of our boats seemed to delight them as much as the +ammunition and tobacco which they received. These were Hare Indians, the +tribe that follows next to the Dog-Ribs, in the line of country below +Bear Lake; and, like them, they speak a dialect of the Chipewyan +language. We admired the shape and appearance of their canoes, which +were larger than those used by the Chipewyans, and had the fore part +covered with bark, to fit them for the navigation of this broad river, +where the waves are often high. + +The river varied from two to four miles in breadth, and its course was +interrupted by several small islands and sand-banks. At six P.M. we came +to an open space, bounded by lofty walls of sandstone. In this expansion +are found the second rapids of Mackenzie: at the first appearance they +seem dangerous, but are not so. The river becomes again contracted, and +rushes with great force for the space of seven miles through a kind of +defile, varying in breadth from four hundred to eight hundred yards, +which has been appropriately named "The Ramparts," by the traders. The +walls of this defile are from eighty to one hundred and fifty feet high, +and are composed of limestone, containing numerous shells: for a part of +the way the stone is very white, and in the rest it is blue. Several +streams of water were running over the summits of the cliffs, which had +worn the stone in some places, into a turreted shape; while the heaps, +overthrown by its action at their base, resemble mounds for defence. To +these appearances were occasionally added cavernous openings, and other +hollow parts, not unlike the arched windows or gateways of a castellated +building. I could not help fancying what delight a visit to this spot +would afford to any person of a romantic turn, especially at the time we +first saw it, when the broad shadows of a declining sun gave effect to +the picture. This is a place of resort for the Hare Indians to fish, and +we were visited by a large party of men and women of that tribe, who +brought fish, berries, and meat. They were all neatly clothed in new +leathern dresses, highly ornamented with beads and porcupine quills. The +paintings of animals on the sides of our boats were very attractive to +them; they scanned every figure over and over, bursting into laughter +whenever they recognised any of the animals. We encamped near a small +river below the ramparts, one hundred and ninety-three miles from Fort +Norman. Two young Indians followed us in their canoes, bringing some +musk-rat skins, and fish for sale. We purchased the fish, but declined +taking the furs. They were so pleased with their reception, that they +passed the night by our fire. + +[Sidenote: Wednesday, 10th.] At daylight we again embarked, and +descended the river pleasantly and swiftly under sail, having the +benefit of a strong current, especially where it was narrowed by islands +or sand-banks. The sides of the river are generally high cliffs of +limestone or sandstone, and its breadth from two to three miles. The +intervals between these cliffs are mostly occupied by hills of sand, +from eighty to one hundred feet high, whose intermediate valleys are +well wooded; and whenever these occur, the channel of the river is much +interrupted by banks, on which, as well as on the beach, there are vast +collections of drift timber, piled, in some places, twenty feet high, by +the spring floods. + +At eleven P.M. we arrived at Fort Good Hope, the lowest of the +Company's establishments; it is distant from Fort Norman three hundred +and twelve miles, and is in latitude 67 degrees 28 minutes 21 seconds +N., and longitude 130 degrees 51 minutes 38 seconds W.: the variation of +the compass being 47 degrees 28 minutes 41 seconds E. Our arrival at +this period of the year, at least two months earlier than that of the +Company's boats from York Factory, caused great astonishment to the few +inmates of this dreary dwelling, and particularly to its master, Mr. +Charles Dease, who scarcely recovered from his surprise until we had +been seated some time in his room. But this over, he quickly put every +one in motion to prepare a meal for us, of which we stood in much need, +as it was then verging on midnight, and we had breakfasted at eight in +the morning. This post had been but recently established for the +convenience of the tribe of Indians whom Mackenzie calls the +Quarrellers, but whom the traders throughout the fur country name +Loucheux. As this name is now in general use, I shall adopt it, though +it is but justice to the people to say, that they have bright sparkling +eyes, without the least tendency to that obliquity which might be +inferred from the term. The fact is, that Loucheux, or Squinter, was +intended to convey the sense of the Indian name of the tribe--Deguthee +Dennee, which means "the people who avoid the arrows of their enemies, +by keeping a look out on both sides." None of the tribe was at this time +at the fort; but from Mr. Dease we learned the interesting fact, that +the Loucheux and Esquimaux, who are generally at war, had met amicably +the preceding spring, and that they were now at peace. We procured from +the store an assortment of beads, and such things as were most in +request with the Loucheux, and made up a small package of clothing to be +presented to each chief of that tribe, whose favour it was thought +advisable by this means to propitiate, as they were the next neighbours +to the Esquimaux. + +[Sidenote: Thursday, 11th.] After the latitude had been observed, we +embarked, and were accompanied by Mr. Dease as far as Trading River, +where he expected there might still be a party of Indians, which did not +prove the case. This river being the usual limit of the trader's travels +towards the sea, the voyager who had come with us from Fort Norman +declined going any farther, and by permission of Mr. Dease he was +exchanged for a young half-breed named Baptiste, the interpreter of the +fort, who went under the promise of being left with the chief of the +Loucheux, to whom he was to introduce the party. + +The reach below Trading River is remarkable, from the banks on the +eastern side consisting of hills of a light yellow marl-slate, nearly +uniform in shape, and strongly resembling piles of cannon shot. The name +of Cannon-Shot Reach was, therefore, bestowed on it. The channel of the +river is very intricate, winding amongst numerous sand-banks, and some +low alluvial islands, on which willows only grow. Its breadth is about +two miles, and the depth of water, in the autumn, from six to twelve +feet. In passing through Cannon-Shot Reach, we were hailed by an Indian +from the shore, and landed immediately, to inform him of the purport of +our visit. As soon as Baptiste had explained these matters to him, the +man, deeming it of importance that we should be properly introduced to +his relatives, offered to accompany us to the next party, providing we +would undertake to carry his baggage. This we consented to do, little +expecting, from the appearance of poverty in himself and his family, and +still less from that of his tent, a mere covering of bark and pine +branches, supported on three poles, that load upon load of unsavoury +fish would be tossed into the boat. However, we were unwilling to +retract our promise, and suffered our vessel to be completely lumbered. +We then pushed off, leaving the family to follow in the canoe, but in a +short time our ears were assailed by the loud cries of the man demanding +that we should stop. On his coming up, we found he was apprehensive of +the canoe sinking, it being very leaky and overloaded, and of his losing +his wife and infant child. The water being thrown out, the man proposed +going forward and keeping by our side. There was nothing now to fear, +yet the lamentations of the woman became louder and louder, and at last +the poor creature threw off her only covering, raised the most piteous +cries, and appeared a perfect object of despair. We learned from +Baptiste that she was mourning the loss of two near relatives who had +recently died near the spot we were passing. In this manner do these +simple people show their sorrow for the death of their connexions. As we +drew near the tents of the party on shore, the husband proclaimed with a +stentorian voice who we were; this produced a long reply, of which +Baptiste could only collect enough to inform us that many persons were +lying sick in the lodges, and that two had died the preceding day. Not +choosing to expose ourselves to the hazard of contagion, we put the +baggage of our friend on shore at some distance below the lodges. All +those who were able to manage a canoe, came off to receive presents, and +to see Augustus, the principal object of attraction. Each person +crowded to the side on which he sat to shake him by the hand; and two of +the party, who had been occasionally with the Esquimaux, contrived to +make him understand that, being accompanied by him, we need apprehend no +violence from them, though they were a treacherous people. At the end of +five miles farther we put on shore to sup, and afterwards slept in the +boat; but Augustus spread his blankets on the beach before the fire, and +allowed four of the Loucheux, who had followed us from the tents, to +share them with him. + +[Sidenote: Friday, 12th.] At daylight we loosened from the beach, and +continued with the descent of the river; winding, in our course, as +numerous sand-banks rendered necessary. In a few hours we descried +another collection of Indian lodges. One of the party happened to be +examining his nets nearer to us than the tents; on espying the boat, he +immediately desisted, and paddled towards his friends with the utmost +speed, bawling the whole way for them to arm. The women and children +were seen hurrying up the bank to hide themselves; and by the time we +had got abreast of the lodges, the whole party were in a state of +defence. They stood on the beach gazing at us evidently with much +distrust; and for some time no one would accept our invitations to +approach. At length an adventurous youth, distinguishable among the rest +by the gaiety of his dress, and the quantity of beads that were +suspended around his neck, launched his canoe and paddled gently towards +the boat, till he discovered Augustus, whom he knew by his countenance +to be an Esquimaux; then rising from his seat, he threw up his hands for +joy, and desired every one of the party to embark at once. The summons +was instantly obeyed, and a friendly intercourse followed; each person +that had a gun discharging its contents, and taking the iron heads and +barbs from the arrows, to show their entire confidence. On landing to +breakfast, we found that the dialect of this party was different from +that of the men we had seen yesterday, and that Baptiste did not +understand their language; consequently our communications were carried +on by signs, except when they attempted to speak Esquimaux, which +Augustus, with difficulty, made out. He was still the centre of +attraction, notwithstanding Mr. Kendall and myself were dressed in +uniform, and were distributing presents to them. They caressed Augustus, +danced and played around him, to testify their joy at his appearance +among them, and we could not help admiring the demeanour of our +excellent little companion under such unusual and extravagant marks of +attention. He received every burst of applause, every shake of the hand, +with modesty and affability, but would not allow them to interrupt him +in the preparation of our breakfast, a task which he always delighted to +perform. As soon as we had finished our meal, he made his friends sit +down, and distributed to each person a portion of his own, but without +any affectation of superiority. When we were on the point of embarking, +the oldest Indian of the party intimated his desire that we should stop +until some one whom he had sent for should come. This proved to be his +son, in a very sickly state. Though the day was warm, the lad was +shivering with cold, and it was evident he was suffering from fever, +which the father had no doubt we could cure. The only remedy we could +apply was some warm tea, with a little brandy in it, which we afterwards +learned had the desired effect of restoring the invalid. Again we were +preparing to set off, when the same old man begged us to stop until the +women should come; these were no less pleased with Augustus, and with +the presents they received, than the men had been. + +This good-natured tribe is distinguished by the traders as the Lower +Loucheux, but the literal meaning of their Indian name is the Sharp +Eyes. They are decidedly a well-looking people: in manner, and general +appearance, they resemble the Esquimaux near the mouth of the Mackenzie, +though not in their eyes, which are prominent and full. Their canoes, +too, are shaped like those of the Esquimaux, and made of birch bark, +which, by some process, is striped from the gunwale perpendicularly +downwards, for the purpose of ornament. Their summer dress, like that of +the Upper Loucheux and Esquimaux, is a jacket of leather, prolonged to a +point before and behind: the leggings, of the same material, are sewn to +the shoes, and tied by a string round the waist. The outer edges of +their dress are cut into fringes, coloured with red and yellow earth, +and generally decorated with beads. Beads are so much coveted by them, +that, for some years, they were the principal article of trade exchanged +for their furs; and even now the successful hunter, or the favourite +son, may be known by the quantity of strings of different coloured beads +which he has about his neck. These Indians are the only natives of +America, except the Esquimaux, whom I have seen with the septum of the +nose perforated, through which, like the Esquimaux, they thrust pieces +of bone, or small strings of shells, which they purchase from that +people. Few of them have guns, but each man is armed with a bow and +arrows. The bows are constructed of three pieces of wood, the middle one +straight, and those at each end crooked, and bound with sinews, of which +the string is also made. The dress of the women only differs from that +of the men by the hood being made sufficiently wide to admit of their +carrying a child on their back. + +At ten A.M. we resumed our journey, followed by the young man who had +first spoken to us, and his brother, in their canoes, and in the course +of two hours came abreast of a remarkable round-backed hill, on which we +were informed Mr. Livingstone and his party had encamped in 1795, the +night before they were massacred. This hill marks the commencement of +another contraction of the river, which is here pent in between very +steep cliffs of blue limestone, which I have denominated the Narrows. +The Red River contributes its waters to the Mackenzie at the lower part +of the Narrows, in latitude 67 degrees 27 minutes N., longitude 133 +degrees 31 minutes W.; and, though of inconsiderable size, is remarkable +as being the boundary between the lands claimed by the Loucheux Indians +and those of the Esquimaux, and likewise as the spot where the amicable +meeting between these tribes had been held in the preceding spring. We +did not find the chief of the Loucheux here, as had been expected, and +therefore passed on. The banks of the river, now entirely composed of +sand and sandstone, became gradually lower, and more bare of trees. At +the end of eight miles we arrived at a very spacious opening, in which +were numerous well-wooded islands, and various channels. The rocky +mountains on the west once more appeared in view, extending from S.W. to +N.W. and preserving a N.W.1/2W. direction; and of this range a very +lofty peak, and a table mountain, which I have named after the late Mr. +Gifford, form the most conspicuous features. We steered into the eastern +channel, as being that through which the current seemed to run swiftest; +and as soon as we came to a high bank we landed, for the purpose of +taking a survey of the surrounding scene. But even from its summit our +view was very limited, and all we could discover was, that we were +certainly in that expansion of the river that Mackenzie delineates in +his chart, and, therefore, in the fair way to the sea, whatever channel +we took. This might have been inferred, from the sudden departure of our +two Indian companions, who dropped behind and turned their canoes round, +without further ceremony, as soon as they saw our intention of entering +the eastern channel. Baptiste, who was asleep at the time, expressed +surprise at their having gone back, but consoled himself with the idea +of meeting the Indian chief the next morning, at a place he called the +Forks. We were amused at conjecturing how great his surprise would be +should he next be disturbed by the hallowing of a party of Esquimaux, +whom he greatly dreaded. At the end of twenty-three miles descent in the +middle channel, having passed one that branched off to the eastward, we +put up at an early hour, and caused the guns to be cleaned, and two +sentinels appointed to watch, lest the Esquimaux should come upon us +unawares. The banks of the river, as well as the islands, are entirely +alluvial, and support willows at the lower parts, and the spruce-fir +trees at the summits. The beach on which we were encamped was much +intersected with the recent tracts of the moose and rein-deer. + +[Sidenote: Saturday, 13th.] We embarked at three A.M. on the 13th; and +as we were in momentary expectation of meeting the Esquimaux with whom I +wished to have an interview, the masts were struck, lest they should +discover the boat at a distance, and run off. We soon passed two of +their huts, which did not seem to have been recently inhabited. The +longitude 134 degrees 20 minutes 30 seconds W., and variation 51 degrees +4 minutes 20 seconds E., were observed at the time we halted to +breakfast, and the latitude 68 degrees 15 minutes 50 seconds N., at +noon. The Rein-deer mountains on the eastern side, came in view before +noon. The range on the west was also occasionally visible: we were +descending between the M'Gillivray and Simpson islands, in a channel +that did not exceed half a mile in breadth. A fine breeze sprung up +after noon, of which we took advantage by setting the sails, not having +seen any recent traces of the Esquimaux. At the extremity of Simpson +island there is a broad channel, which pours its waters into the one in +which we were, at a place where the stream is contracted by a small +island, and a strong rapid is the consequence of this junction. Here we +found many huts, and other indications of its being a place of resort +for fishing; here, too, it is supposed Mr. Livingstone and his crew fell +a sacrifice to the first party of Esquimaux whom they met. Several other +openings branched off to the eastward; but we continued to follow the +largest channel, in which the current was very strong, and kept nearly +parallel to, and about ten miles from, the Rein-deer mountains. Their +outline, viewed from this distance, appeared very regular, the only +remarkable parts being some eminences that were tinged with a deep pink +colour. Sailing by one of the huts at a quick rate, every one's +attention was arrested at hearing a shrill sound, which was supposed to +be a human voice; but on landing to ascertain the fact, we could find no +person, nor any footsteps. We, therefore, continued our journey. As we +proceeded, the river became more devious in its course, the huts on the +Esquimaux were now more frequent; none of them, however, seemed to have +been recently inhabited. The islands were of the same alluvial kind as +those seen yesterday, and the wood on them equally plentiful and large. +We stopped to sup at nine, extinguished the fire as soon as we had +finished, and then retired to sleep in the boat, keeping two men on +guard. + +[Sidenote: Sunday, 14th.] We set off aided by a fresh breeze this +morning, and at the end of seven miles came to the last of the fir +trees, in latitude 68 degrees 40 minutes N., the only wood beyond this +being stunted willows, which became still more dwarfish at thirty miles +from the mouth of the river. There was plenty of drift-wood on the +borders of the islands, and some even on the higher parts, at a distance +from the water; from which it would appear that at certain seasons they +are inundated. At length the main stream took a turn to the S.S.W., +which we followed, though there was a branch northwards, but it seemed +to be much impeded by mud-banks.[1] At the end of eight miles the river +again inclined to the north of west, round the southern extremity of +Halkett island, and there were openings to the north and south, which we +did not stop to examine. A fog-bank hung over the northern horizon, +which gave us no little uneasiness, from its strong resemblance to a +continuous line of ice-blink; and the clouds, from the sun-beams falling +on them, had the exact appearance of icebergs. However, the sun became +sufficiently powerful in the afternoon to dissipate the cause of this +illusion, and relieve us from anxiety on that score. A body of water, +nearly equal to that we were descending, poured in between the Colville +and Halkett islands with such force as to cause a very strong ripple at +the point of junction, which we avoided by keeping close to the shore of +Langley island. The channel, after the union of these streams, increased +to a breadth of two miles, preserving a N.N.W. course. We stood twelve +miles in this direction, and two to the westward, when we were gratified +by the delightful prospect of the shore suddenly diverging, and a wide +space of open water to the northward, which we doubted not would prove +to be the sea. Just at this time a seal made its appearance, and sported +about the boat as if in confirmation of this opinion. We attempted to +coast along the shore of Ellice island, but found the water too shallow, +and that the boat grounded whenever we got out of the channel of the +river, which was near the western side. The wind and waves were too high +for us to make any progress in the middle of the stream, and as the +clouds threatened more boisterous weather, we went to Pitt island to +encamp. The haze which had hidden all distant objects since five P.M. +passed off as the sun set, and we gained a very magnificent view of that +portion of the rocky mountain which I have called after my companion Dr. +Richardson, and of which the remarkable conical peak, named in honour of +my friend Dr. Fitton, President of the Geological Society, and the +Cupola mountain, are the most conspicuous objects. These were +subsequently found to be near sixty miles distant. The water was +entirely fresh, and there was no perceptible rise of tide. Our drowsy +companion Baptiste, when he looked upon the vast expanse of water, for +the first time, expressed some apprehension that we had passed the +Forks, and that there was a doubt of our seeing the Indian chief; but he +was by no means convinced of the fact until the following day, when he +tasted salt water, and lost sight of the main shore. After our Sunday +evening's supper, the party assembled in the tent to read prayers, and +return thanks to the Almighty, for having thus far crowned our labours +with success. + +[Sidenote: Monday, 15th.] In the morning of the fifteenth the wind blew +a gale, as it had done through the night, and every object was obscured +by a thick fog. About six A.M. we took advantage of a temporary +abatement of the wind to cross over to some higher land on the eastern +side, which we had seen the preceding evening, appearing like islands. +Owing to the thickness of the fog, we were guided in our course at +starting solely by the compass. When we reached the channel of the +river, the gale returned with increased violence, and its direction +being opposite to the current, such high waves were raised, that the +boat took in a good deal of water. The fog now cleared away, and the +three eminences mistaken for islands were ascertained to be conical +hummocks, rising above the low eastern shore. We pushed for the nearest, +and landed a short distance from its base at eight A.M. On going to the +summit of this eminence, in the expectation of obtaining the bearings of +several distant points, we were a little disappointed to find that only +the low shores of Pitt Island were visible, extending from S.E. to +W.N.W., though we were repaid for our visit by observing two moose deer +quietly browsing on the tops of the willows, a short distance from us. +Mr. Kendall hastened down to despatch Baptiste in pursuit of them, who +returned an hour afterwards to inform us that he had wounded one, which +he had been prevented from following by the loss of his powder-horn. As +there was no possibility of our getting forward until the gale abated, +Baptiste and Augustus were sent out to hunt, there being numerous tracks +of moose and rein-deer in the neighbourhood of the tent. I also +despatched Mr. Kendall, with two seamen, to walk some distance into the +interior, and endeavour to clear up the doubt whether we were upon the +main shore, or upon an island. The astronomical observations obtained at +the encampment place it in latitude 69 degrees 3 minutes 45 seconds N., +longitude 135 degrees 44 minutes 57 seconds W. A tide-pole was put up +immediately on our landing, and we perceived the water to rise about +three inches in the course of the forenoon, and to fall the same +quantity in the evening. The temperature of the air did not exceed +forty-eight degrees all this day: when in the river, it used to vary +from 55 degrees to 70 degrees. Mr. Kendall came back in the evening, +bringing the agreeable intelligence that he had assisted in killing a +female moose and her calf, and that Augustus had shot a rein-deer. Some +men were sent to carry the meat to the borders of a river which Mr. +Kendall had discovered, while the boat went round to its entrance about +one mile from the encampment. They returned at sunset. Many geese and +ducks were seen by our hunters. Throughout the whole of Mr. Kendall's +walk, of twelve or fourteen miles, he saw only the same kind of flat +land, covered with the dwarf willow and the moose-berry plant, as was +discovered from the tent, except one small lake, and the river that has +been mentioned, issuing from it. + +[Sidenote: Tuesday, 16th.] The atmosphere was so thick on the morning of +the 16th as to confine our view to a few yards; we therefore remained at +the encampment till the sun had sufficient power to remove the fog: +temperature of the air 39 degrees. Embarking at eleven A.M., we +continued our course along the shore of Ellice Island, until we found +its coast trending southward of east. There we landed, and were rejoiced +at the sea-like appearance to the northward. This point is in latitude +69 degrees 14 minutes N., longitude 135 degrees 57 minutes W., and forms +the north-eastern entrance to the main channel of the Mackenzie River, +which, from Slave Lake to this point, is one thousand and forty-five +miles according to our survey. An island was now discovered to the +N.E., looking blue from its distance, towards which the boat was +immediately directed. The water, which for the last eight miles had been +very shallow, became gradually deeper, and of a more green colour, +though still fresh, even when we had entirely lost sight of the eastern +land. In the middle of the traverse, we were caught by a strong contrary +wind, against which our crews cheerfully contended for five hours, +though drenched by the spray, and even by the waves, which came into the +boat. Unwilling to return without attaining the object of our search, +when the strength of the rowers was nearly exhausted, as a last +resource, the sails were set double-reefed, and our excellent boat +mounted over the waves in the most buoyant manner. An opportune +alteration of the wind enabled us, in the course of another hour, to +fetch into smoother water, under the shelter of the island. We then +pulled across a line of strong ripple which marked the termination of +the fresh water, that on the seaward side being brackish; and in the +further progress of three miles to the island, we had the indescribable +pleasure of finding the water decidedly salt. + +The sun was setting as the boat touched the beach, and we hastened to +the most elevated part of the island, about two hundred and fifty feet +high, to look around; and never was a prospect more gratifying than that +which lay open to us. The Rocky Mountains were seen from S.W. to +W.1/2N.; and from the latter point, round by the north, the sea appeared +in all its majesty, entirely free from ice, and without any visible +obstruction to its navigation. Many seals, and black and white whales +were sporting on its waves; and the whole scene was calculated to excite +in our minds the most flattering expectations as to our own success, and +that of our friends in the Hecla and the Fury. There were two groups of +islands at no great distance; to the one bearing south-east I had the +pleasure of affixing the name of my excellent friend and companion Mr. +Kendall, and to that bearing north-east the name of Pelly was given, as +a tribute justly due to the Governor of the Hudson Bay Company, for his +earnest endeavours to promote the progress and welfare of the +Expedition. A similar feeling towards my much esteemed friend Mr. Garry, +the Deputy Governor of the Company, prompted me to appropriate his name +to the island on which we stood,--a poor, indeed, but heartfelt +expression of gratitude, for all his active kindness and indefatigable +attention to the comfort of myself and my companions. + +During our absence the men had pitched the tent on the beach, and I +caused the silk union-flag to be hoisted, which my deeply-lamented wife +had made and presented to me, as a parting gift, under the express +injunction that it was not to be unfurled before the Expedition reached +the sea. I will not attempt to describe my emotions as it expanded to +the breeze--however natural, and, for the moment, irresistible, I felt +that it was my duty to suppress them, and that I had no right, by an +indulgence of my own sorrows, to cloud the animated countenances of my +companions. Joining, therefore, with the best grace that I could +command, in the general excitement, I endeavoured to return with +corresponding cheerfulness, their warm congratulations on having thus +planted the British flag on this remote island of the Polar Sea. + +Some spirits, which had been saved for the occasion, were issued to the +men; and with three fervent cheers they drank to the health of our +beloved monarch, and to the continued success of our enterprize. Mr. +Kendall and I had also reserved a little of our brandy, in order to +celebrate this interesting event; but Baptiste, in his delight of +beholding the sea, had set before us some salt water, which having been +mixed with the brandy before the mistake was discovered, we were +reluctantly obliged to forego the intended draught, and to use it in the +more classical form of a libation poured on the ground. + +Baptiste, on discovering that he had actually reached the ocean, stuck +his feathers in his hat, and exultingly exclaimed, "Now that I am one of +the _Gens de la mer_, you shall see how active I will be, and how I will +crow over the _Gens du nord_," the name by which the Athabasca voyagers +are designated. No fresh water was found on Garry Island until Augustus +discovered a small lake, the streams that poured down from the cliffs +being as salt as the sea. The temperature of the sea water was 51 +degrees; the fresh water we had left at five miles from the island 55 +degrees; and that of the air 52 degrees. + +Garry Island is about five miles long, by two broad, and seems to be a +mass of frozen mud, which, in the parts exposed to the air and sun, has +a black earthy appearance. It is terminated to the north-west by a steep +cliff, through which protrude, in a highly inclined position, several +layers of wood-coal, similar to that found in the Mackenzie. There was +likewise observed a bituminous liquid trickling down in many parts, but +particularly near the south-west point of the cliff where the bank had +been broken away, and a hollow cavity was formed. The ravines and +gullies were still filled with ice, though none was seen on the level +ground. There were no stones above the sea level; those on the beach +consisted of granite, greenstone, quartz, and lydian-stone, of a small +size and completely rounded. The vegetable productions were grasses, a +few mosses, and some shrubs, the latter in flower. Four foxes were the +only land animals we saw; and a small hawk, some gulls, dotterels, and +phaleropes, composed the list of birds. A large medusa was found on the +beach. + +[Sidenote: Wednesday, 17th.] The sky was cloudless on the morning of the +17th, which enabled us to ascertain the position of our encampment to be +in latitude 69 degrees 29 minutes N., longitude 135 degrees 41 minutes +W., and the variation of the magnetic needle to be 51 degrees 42 minutes +E. We likewise found that it was high water that day at one P.M. with a +rise and fall of eight inches, but the direction of the flood could not +be ascertained. I wrote for Captain Parry an account of our progress, +with such information as he might require, in case he wished to +communicate either with the Company's Post at Fort Good Hope, or our +party, and deposited my letter, with many others that I had in charge +for himself and the officers of the ships, under a pole erected for the +purpose, on which we left a blue and red flag flying, to attract his +attention. Another statement of our proceedings was encased in a +waterproof box, and committed to the sea, a mile to the northward of the +island. The wind blew strong off the land at the time, and there was a +gale from the north-west the next day, so that there is every chance of +the letter having made good way to the eastward. + +Having completed the observations, we embarked at two P.M., and pulled +along the western shore of the island three miles to the sandy spit at +its south-west end, on which there was a vast quantity of drift-wood +piled by the action of the waves. From this point we launched forth to +cross towards the Mackenzie under double-reefed sails, as the wind was +blowing strong, and the waves high in the offing; but finding the boat +very stiff and buoyant, the sail was increased, and reaching the eastern +point of Ellice Island by seven P.M. we encamped at the foot of the +outermost of the three hummocks mentioned on the 15th of August. As we +passed along the shore of the island, we disturbed some moose and +rein-deer, and several geese, cranes, and swans, that were quietly +feeding near the water. At this period of the year, therefore, there +would be no lack of food, in this country, for the skilful hunter. In +the course of the evening I found that a piece of the wood-coal from +Garry's Island, which I had placed in my pocket, had ignited +spontaneously, and scorched the metal powder-horn by its side. + +Our enterprising precursor, Sir Alexander Mackenzie, has been blamed for +asserting that he had reached the sea, without having ascertained that +the water was salt. He, in fact, clearly states that he never did reach +the salt water. The danger to which his canoe was exposed in venturing +two or three miles beyond Whale Island, (which lies to the eastward of +our route,) at a time when the sea was covered with ice to the north, is +a sufficient reason for his turning back; and we can abundantly testify +that those frail vessels are totally unfitted to contend against such +winds and seas as we experienced in advancing beyond the volume of fresh +water poured out by the Mackenzie. It is probable, therefore, that even +had the sea been free from ice at the time of his visit, he could not +have gone far enough to prove its saltness, though the boundless +horizon, the occurrence of a tide, and the sight of porpoises and +whales, naturally induced him to say that he had arrived at the ocean. +The survey of the Mackenzie made on this Expedition, differs very little +in its outline from that of its discoverer, whose general correctness we +had often occasion to admire. We had, indeed, to alter the latitude and +longitude of some of its points, which he most probably laid down from +magnetic bearings only; and it is proper to remark, that in comparing +our magnetic bearings with his, throughout the whole course of the +river, they were found to be about fifteen degrees more easterly; which +may, therefore, be considered as the amount of increase in variation +since 1789. In justice to the memory of Mackenzie, I hope the custom of +calling this the Great River, which is in general use among the traders +and voyagers, will be discontinued, and that the name of its eminent +discoverer may be universally adopted. + +[Sidenote: Thursday, 18th.] The excursions to Garry Island having made +us acquainted with the state of the sea to the northward, and having +shown that, the bank at the mouth of the river being passed, there was +no visible impediment to a boat's proceeding eastward, I was desirous of +making further examination in aid of the future operations of the +Expedition, by going over to the western shore, and of reaching, if +possible, the foot of the Rocky Mountains. With these intentions we +embarked at nine A.M., but before we could get half way to the nearest +part of Pitt Island, a gale of wind came on from N.W., followed by +violent squalls, which, from the threatening appearance of the clouds, +and the rapid descent of the thermometer from 68 degrees to 51 degrees, +seemed likely to be of some continuance. The design was, therefore, +abandoned, and the boat's head directed towards the entrance of the +river. It proved, however, no easy task to get into the proper channel; +and to effect this object the officers and crew had to drag the boat +half a mile over a bar, while the waves were beating into it with such +force as to make us apprehensive of its being swamped. As soon as we +were in deep water, all the sail was set that the boat could bear, and +at two P.M. we arrived at the narrow part. Here, likewise, the waves +were high and breaking, and for the purpose of avoiding these and the +strength of the current, we kept as close to the shore as possible, +going through the water at seven miles an hour, and about four over the +current. The wild fowl, warned by the sudden change of the weather, took +advantage of this fair wind, and hastened away in large flights to the +southward. At ten P.M., the boat having twice grounded, from our not +being able to see our way clearly, we halted to sup, and laid down to +sleep before a good fire. Temperature at 45 degrees. + +[Sidenote: Friday, 19th.] When daylight permitted us to distinguish the +channels, we embarked again, and scudded under the foresail before the +gale, which this day blew with increased violence. We halted to +breakfast near some winter habitations of the Esquimaux, which we +supposed, from the freshness of the wood-shavings, and the implements of +fishing that were scattered about them, had been abandoned only in the +preceding spring; and as it was probable they would revisit this spot, +we fixed to the pole of a tent a present of a kettle, knife, hatchet, +file, ice-chisel, some beads, and pieces of red and blue cloth. These +huts were constructed of drift wood, in a similar manner to those which +will be described in a subsequent part of the narrative. A second +present was deposited at some other huts, and a third at those below the +rapids. We imagined that some, if not all, of these would be found by +the Esquimaux, and would make them acquainted with our visit. By noon we +had advanced as far as the rapid, which we ascended under sail; and at a +few miles above this point, owing to the fogginess of the atmosphere, we +took a more western channel than that by which we descended. This proved +circuitous, though it ultimately brought us to the former route. It was +quite dark before we could find a secure place for the boat, and a +sheltered spot for the tent. The gale continued without abatement, the +weather was raw and cold, and it was with difficulty we collected some +sticks to kindle a fire. Temperature 40 degrees. + +[Sidenote: Saturday, 20th.] On the 20th the wind was moderate. We +resumed our journey at four A.M.; past our sleeping-place of the 12th by +noon, and at sunset encamped at the narrow part of the river where the +numerous channels commence. Large flights of geese and swans were +observed passing to the southward all this day. The musquitoes again +made their appearance, though the temperature was at 45 degrees: +scarcely any of them had been seen on the descent to the sea. + +[Sidenote: Sunday, 21st.] Temperature at day light, on the 21st, 37 +degrees. We commenced our labour under oars, but a strong gale from the +southward soon rendered this mode of ascending the river ineffectual. +The men were, therefore, divided into two parties, who towed the boat by +line, relieving each other at intervals of an hour and a half. At fifty +minutes past one P.M. we were abreast of the Red River, and there met a +large party of the lower Loucheux Indians, who had assembled to wait our +arrival. They welcomed our return with every demonstration of joy, more +particularly that of Augustus and Baptiste, and at first cheerfully +assisted the men in towing, but, like Indians in general, they soon +became tired of this labour, and rather impeded than forwarded our +progress. So we distributed to each a present; made known as well as +well as we could by signs, that at our next visit we would purchase +whatever fish or meat they might collect, and took our leave of them. +Owing to the detention these men and another party occasioned, we were +caught by a heavy gale from N.W. before we could reach our encampment at +the head of the Narrows, and had to pitch the tent in pelting rain. +Temperature 43 degrees. + +[Sidenote: Monday, 22nd.] On the 22nd, we started at four in a thick wet +fog, which gave place to snow and sleet, and sailed the whole day before +a strong N.W. wind, much to the annoyance of several Indians who tried +to keep pace with the boat, by running along the shore: each of them had +a present of tobacco thrown to him. We encamped near the bottom of +Cannon-Shot Reach; the weather was extremely cold, and, during the +night, ice was formed in the kettle. [Sidenote: Tuesday, 23rd.] On the +next day the wind came contrary from S.E., which obliged us to have +recourse to the tow-line. The frequent recurrence of sand-banks, to +avoid which we had either to pull round or cross the river, made this +day's operations very tedious. In turning round one of the points, we +came suddenly upon a party of Indians, who had not seen us on our way +down. Our appearance, therefore, created great alarm; the women and +children were instantly despatched to the woods, and the men came down +to the beach with their guns and arrows prepared, and knives drawn; but +the explanation that Baptiste gave, soon allayed their fears. They were, +indeed, objects of pity; all their property had been destroyed to +testify their grief at the death of some of their relations, and the +bodies of several were still sore from the deep gashes they had +inflicted on themselves in their demonstrations of sorrow. We +distributed such useful articles among them as we had remaining, but the +supply was not at all equal to their necessities. Several of them +attempted to follow us in their canoes by poling, which they dexterously +perform by pushing at the same time with a pole or paddle in each hand; +the boat however, was towed faster than they could ascend the stream, +and they were soon far behind. We arrived at six P.M. at the Trading +River, and there met another party of the Loucheux, among whom was the +woman whose tears had excited our sympathy on the 11th, now in high +glee, and one of the most importunate for beads. The boy was likewise +there to whom the tea had been given as a remedy for his fever, +completely recovered, which was, no doubt, ascribed to the efficacy of +the medicine. Not choosing to encamp near these people, we crossed the +river, and towed four hours longer, when we reached Fort Good Hope. Mr. +Dease, and all his fort, were overjoyed on seeing us again, because the +Indians had begun to surmise, and in fact had brought a report that we +had all been massacred by the Esquimaux; and had we been detained +another week, this statement would have gained entire credence, and, in +all probability, spread throughout the country. + +The Indian whose fish we carried on our way down, happened to be at the +fort, and he cheerfully communicated, through the interpreter, a female, +all the information that he or his tribe possessed respecting the mouth +of the river, the sea-coast, and the Esquimaux, all topics highly +interesting to us, but we subsequently found that his knowledge of these +matters was very imperfect. We made known to him our wish that the +Esquimaux should be informed of our arrival as soon as possible, and +signified that a very substantial present would be given to any person +that would carry the intelligence to them in the course of the following +winter. Mr. Dease pressed this point strongly on his consideration. This +gentleman, indeed, was anxious to promote our desires in every respect, +and promised that his utmost exertions should be used to procure a good +supply of provision for our next summer's voyage, though he represented +the hunters in this vicinity as unskilful and inactive, and begged of me +not to rely too much on his collection. We left in his charge five bags +of pemmican, and the superfluous stores, to lighten the boats. We +quitted the fort in the afternoon with a contrary wind, and towed twenty +miles up the stream before we encamped, though the beach was composed of +sharp stones, which rendered walking very unpleasant. + +The wind being contrary during the four following days, we could only +ascend the river by using the tracking line. Our crew cheerfully +performed this tedious service, though three of them had been much +reduced by dysentery, brought on by previous fatigue, exposure to wet, +and by their having lived for some time on dried provision. These men, +however, had gradually been gaining strength since the fresh meat was +procured on Ellice Island. + +On the 25th we came to the aspen, poplar, and larch, in latitude 67 +degrees 10 minutes N., and were not a little surprised to observe the +change in their foliage within the last fortnight. Their leaves had +assumed the autumnal tint, and were now fast falling. The wild fowl were +hastening in large flocks to the south, and every appearance warned us +that the fine season drew near its close. + +[Sidenote: 28th.] In the passage through the rampart defile, several +families of the Hare Indians were observed encamped on the heights, for +the purpose of gathering berries which were at this time ripe, and in +the best flavour. At the first sight of the boat the women and children +scampered down wherever descent was practicable, to get at their canoes, +that they might cross over to us, but we travelled so fast that only a +few could overtake the boat. The Indians who reside near this river, +from their want of skill in hunting, principally subsist, from spring to +autumn, on the produce of their fishing nets, and on wild berries. At +the influx of small streams, or wherever there is any eddy, a net is +set. In shallow water it is suspended upon sticks planted in a +semicircle, so as to enclose the mouth of the river, or the sweep of the +eddy; but where the water is deep, and the shore bold or rocky, two +stout poles are firmly secured at a short distance from the water's +edge, the breadth of a net apart, to the ends of which pliable rods are +fastened, of a length sufficient to hang over the water, and to these +the net is attached. In the winter these Indians snare hares, which are +very abundant in this quarter. + +[Sidenote: 29th.] On the 29th we arrived at the upper rapids, which were +scarcely discernible at the time of our descent; but from the falling of +the water since that time, there was a dry sand-bank of considerable +extent in the centre, and the waters on each side of it were broken and +covered with foam. Augustus being tired with tracking, had wandered from +us to the extremity of this bank, from whence he could not be extricated +without great hazard, unless by making him return to the bottom of the +rapid. As this, however, would have compelled the poor fellow to pass +the night upon the sand-bank, Mr. Kendall undertook to bring him off, +by running with the current to the point at the commencement of the +rapids, which he effected in a masterly manner, although the boat struck +twice, and was in considerable danger from the violence of the eddies. + +We found, at the place of our encampment, a solitary old woman, sitting +by a small fire, who seemed somewhat alarmed at her visitors, until she +was joined, after dark, by her husband and son. As soon as the man +understood from our signs that we were desirous of having some fish for +supper, he instantly embarked to examine his nets; but as they proved to +be empty, the woman generously dragged a pike out of a bundle on which +she was sitting, and presented it to us, though it was evidently +reserved for their own meal. In return we furnished them with a more +substantial supper, and made them some useful presents. The weather was +extremely sultry throughout this day; at two P.M. the thermometer stood +in the shade at 66 degrees, and at 76 degrees when exposed to the sun. +The refraction of the atmosphere, which we had often remarked to be +unusually great since we had entered the Mackenzie, was this day +particularly powerful. The mountains were distorted into the most +extraordinary shapes, and the banks of the river, which we knew to be +only from thirty to sixty feet high, appeared to have such an elevation, +that it would have been impossible for us to recognise the land. The air +became cooler in the evening, and the atmosphere less refractive. Soon +after sunset the objects appeared in their proper form, and we enjoyed +the prospect of the delightful mountain scenery that distinguishes this +rapid. + +[Sidenote: Tuesday, 30th.] Favoured by a N.W. gale, we made great +progress on the 30th. The temperature of the air varied in the course of +the day from 62 degrees to 41 degrees. The brulots and sand-flies were +very teazing wherever we landed; but these, unlike the musquitoes, +disappear with the sun. + +The upper parts of the Rocky Mountains on the western side of the river +were, at this time, covered with snow, but not those of the eastern +side, which are, probably, less elevated than the former. We had no +opportunity of ascertaining their height, though we conjectured that the +loftiest did not exceed two thousand feet, as it was free from snow in +the early part of August. + +[Sidenote: September, 1st.] At sunset this evening we quitted the muddy +waters of the Mackenzie, and entered the clear stream that flows from +the Great Bear Lake; but owing to the shallowness of the water near its +mouth, and the beach being a mere collection of stones, we had to grope +our way long after dark in search of a place for an encampment, +stumbling and falling at every step. At length we espied a light about a +mile further up the river on the opposite shore; we, therefore, crossed +over, at the expense of some heavy blows to the boat, and tracked along +the base of a steep bank, until we reached the fire. There we found a +Canadian and two Indian boys who had been sent from Bear Lake three days +before in a canoe, to procure some white mud from the banks of the +MacKenzie to decorate our house. This man was the bearer of a letter +from Lieutenant Back to me, which detailed the proceedings at the Fort. + +[Sidenote: Friday, 2nd.] We embarked at daylight, having the canoe in +company. The weather was cold and raw throughout the day; the +temperature from 34 degrees to 45 degrees; but the party were kept in +constant exercise, either in tracking or walking; the steersman and +bowman only being required in the boat. Except where the river was +bounded by steep cliffs, the path was pretty good. Its general breadth +varied from three hundred to five hundred yards, and its banks were +tolerably well wooded, but the trees were small. + +[Sidenote: Saturday, 3rd.] This morning the ground was firmly frozen, +and the thermometer stood at 28 degrees, when we commenced our +operations. Early in the afternoon we arrived at the lower part of the +mountain, and which we had kept in view this day, and the greater part +of the preceding. As we had now to ascend a succession of rapids for +fifteen miles, and two of our crew were lame, I directed the canoe to be +laid up on the shore, and took the Canadian and the boys to assist at +the tow-line. We had not advanced more than two miles before we met with +an accident that was likely to have been attended with serious +consequences: in the act of hauling round a projecting point, and in the +strength of the current, the tow-line broke, and the boat was driven +with great force against a large stone at some distance from the shore, +having deep water on every side. There it lay with the broadside exposed +to the whole pressure of the current, beating violently against the +stone; and from this situation it could not have been extricated, had +not Gustavus Aird, the strongest man of the party, ventured to wade into +the river at the imminent risque of being swept off his feet, until he +could catch the rope that was thrown to him from the boat. As soon as it +was dragged to the shore, we found that part of the keel was gone, and +the remainder much twisted, and all the fastenings of the lowest plank +were loosened. The carpenter set to work to repair this mischief in the +best manner he could with the materials he had, and before night the +boat was again launched. The leaks, however, could not be quite stopped, +and in our further progress one of the men was constantly employed +baling out the water. + +[Sidenote: Sunday, 4th.] The next day's operations were tedious and +hazardous as long as the rapids continued. The men had to walk with the +tow-line along a narrow ledge that jutted out from the base of a steep +rocky cliff, which was very slippery from the rain that had fallen in +the night: a false step might have proved fatal; and we rejoiced when, +having passed the rapids, we found earthy banks and a better path. The +services of Augustus and the Indian lads being no longer required, I +despatched them to the Fort, to apprize the party there of our approach. + +We had a severe frost this night: at daylight in the morning the +thermometer was down to 20 degrees, and a raw fog contributed to make +the weather very cold and comfortless. The sun shone forth about eleven, +and soon dispersed the fog, and then the temperature gradually rose to +54 degrees. + +[Sidenote: Monday, 5th.] At four P.M. we arrived at the foot of the +upper rapid, and in two hours afterwards entered the Great Bear Lake, +and reached the house at seven. Dr. Richardson having returned from his +voyage to the northern part of the lake, the members of the Expedition +were now, for the first time, all assembled. We heartily congratulated +each other on this circumstance, and also on the prospect of being +snugly settled in our winter-quarters before the severe weather. Dr. +Richardson had surveyed the Bear Lake to the influx of Dease's River, +near its N.E. termination, at which point it is nearest to the +Coppermine River. He fixed upon the first rapid in Dease River as the +best point to which the eastern detachment of the Expedition could +direct its steps, on its return from the mouth of the Coppermine River +the following season. The rapid was, by observation, in latitude 66 +degrees 53 minutes N., and longitude 118 degrees 35 minutes W., and the +variation of the magnetic needle there, was 47 degrees 29 minutes E. + +THE FOLLOWING TABLE CONTAINS THE DISTANCES TRAVELLED BY THE EXPEDITION +DURING THE SUMMER OF 1825. + + Principal Places. Statute Miles. + ---------------------------------------------------------------------- + From New York to Penetanguishene, by the route we travelled 760 + Lake Huron 250 + Lake Superior 406 + From Fort William to Cumberland House 1018 + Cumberland House to Fort Chipewyan 840 + Chipewyan to Fort Resolution, Slave Lake 240 + Fort Resolution to the commencement of the Mackenzie 135 + Head of the Mackenzie to Fort Simpson 103 + Fort Simpson to Bear Lake River 271 + Bear Lake River to, and the return from, Garry Island 1206 + Length of the Bear Lake River to the Fort 91 + Dr. Richardson's excursion to the north-east termination of } + Bear Lake } 483 + ---- + Distance travelled 5803 + ---- + Number of Miles surveyed 2593 + +FOOTNOTES: + +[1] An attentive perusal of Sir Alexander Mackenzie's Narrative leads me +to the conclusion, that it was this northern branch which that traveller +pursued in his voyage to Whale Island. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +TRANSACTIONS AT FORT FRANKLIN, 1825-26. + + +Mr. Dease having passed the winter of 1824-25 at the Big Island of +Mackenzie, arrived here with fifteen Canadian voyagers, Beaulieu, the +interpreter, and four Chipewyan hunters, on the twenty-seventh of July, +1825; which, on account of the drifting of the ice, was as soon as he +could, with safety, ascend the Bear Lake River. Several of the Dog-Rib +Indians were on the spot, which enabled him to take immediate steps +towards procuring a supply of dried meat for our winter use, as well as +of fresh meat for present consumption. It having been ascertained that +the Rein-deer are most abundant in the north-east quarter of the lake, +during the months of August and September, a select party of Indians was +despatched to hunt thereabout, under the direction of the interpreter, +who took a large canoe for the purpose of bringing home the produce of +their hunt. Other men were sent to inform the Hare Indians of our wish +to purchase any meat they might bring to the establishment. Our +principal subsistence, however, was, to be derived from the water, and +Mr. Dease was determined in the selection of the spot on which our +residence was to be erected, by its proximity to that part of the lake +where the fish had usually been abundant. The place decided upon was the +site of an old fort belonging to the North-West Company, which had been +abandoned many years; our buildings being required of a much larger +size, we derived very little benefit from its materials. The wood in the +immediate vicinity having been all cut down for fuel by the former +residents, the party was obliged to convey the requisite timber in rafts +from a considerable distance, which, of course, occasioned trouble and +delay. We found, however, on our arrival, all the buildings in a +habitable state, but wanting many internal arrangements to fit them for +a comfortable winter residence. They were disposed so as to form three +sides of a square, the officers' house being in the centre, those for +the men on the right, with a house for the interpreter's family, and the +store on the left. A blacksmith's shop and meat store were added, and +the whole was inclosed by the stockading of the original fort, which we +found highly serviceable in screening us from the snow-drift and wintry +blasts. The officers' dwelling measured forty-four feet by twenty-four, +and contained a hall and four apartments, beside a kitchen. That of the +men was thirty-six feet by twenty-three, and was divided into three +rooms. These buildings were placed on a dry sandy bank, about eighty +yards from the lake, and twenty-five feet above it; at the distance of a +half a mile in our rear, the ground rose to the height of one hundred +and fifty feet, and continued in an even ridge, on which, though the +timber had been felled, we found plenty of small trees for fuel. This +ridge bounded our view to the north; and to the west, though confined to +less than two miles, the prospect was pretty, from its embracing a small +lake, and the mouth of a narrow stream that flowed in at its head. Our +southern view commanded the south-west arm of Bear Lake, which is here +four miles wide, and not deeper than from three to five fathoms, except +in the channel of the river, which conveys its waters to the Mackenzie. +We had also, in front, the Clark-hill, a mountain about thirty-six miles +distant, which was always visible in clear weather. When the refraction +was great, we saw the tops of some other hills, belonging to the range +that extends from Clark-hill to the rapid in Bear Lake River. + +Immediately under the sandy soil on which the house stood, there is a +bed of tenacious bluish clay, of unknown thickness, which, even in the +months of August and September, was firmly frozen at the depth of +twenty-one inches from the surface. No rocks were exposed in any part, +and wherever the surface had been torn up, a clayey soil appeared. Many +boulder stones of granite, limestone, sandstone and trap rocks, were +scattered about the lake, not far from the shore. + +The trees at some distance from our fort consisted of black and white +spruce, and larch, generally small, though a few of the better grown +measured from four to five feet in girth, and were from fifty to +fifty-five feet high. Dr. Richardson ascertained, by counting the annual +rings, that some of them, in a sound state, were upwards of one hundred +and thirty years old; while others, which were not much greater in size, +had two hundred and fifty rings, but these were decayed at the heart. + +The officers had done me the honour, previous to my arrival, of giving +the name of Franklin to the fort, which I felt a grateful pleasure in +retaining at their desire, though I had intended naming it Fort +Reliance. The number of persons belonging to the establishment amounted +to fifty: consisting of five officers, including Mr. Dease; nineteen +British seamen, marines, and voyagers; nine Canadians; two Esquimaux; +Beaulieu, and four Chipewyan hunters; three women, six children, and +one Indian lad; besides a few infirm Indians, who required temporary +support. This party was far too large to gain subsistence by fishing at +one station only; two houses were, therefore, constructed at four and +seven miles distance, from the fort, to which parties were sent, +provided with the necessary fishing implements; and not more than thirty +persons were left to reside at the principal establishment. From fifteen +to twenty nets were kept in use, under the superintendence of Pascal +Cote, an experienced fisherman, who had two assistants. These were +placed opposite the house, and towards the end of summer, and in autumn, +they yielded daily from three to eight hundred fish, of the kind called +"the Herring Salmon of Bear Lake," and occasionally some trout, +tittameg, and carp. Four Dog-Rib Indians, who were engaged to hunt the +Rein-deer in the neighbourhood of the fort, from want of skill, +contributed very little fresh meat to our store. Augustus and Ooligbuck +employed themselves in the same service, but from not being accustomed +to hunt in a woody country, they were not more successful. + +The consideration of next importance to furnishing the party with food, +was to provide regular occupation for the men, who had not the resources +to employ their time which the officers possessed. Accordingly, some +were appointed to attend exclusively to the fishing nets, others to +bring home the meat whenever the hunters killed any deer; some were +stationed to fell wood for fuel, others to convey it to the house, and a +third set to split it for use. Two of the most expert travellers on +snow-shoes were kept in nearly constant employment conveying letters to +and from the posts in the Mackenzie and Slave Lake. As the days +shortened, it was necessary to find employment during the long evenings, +for those resident at the house, and a school was, therefore, +established on three nights of the week, from seven o'clock to nine, for +their instruction, in reading, writing, and arithmetic; and it was +attended by most of the British party. They were divided in equal +portions amongst the officers, whose labour was amply repaid by the +advancement their pupils made: some of those who began with the +alphabet, learned to read and write with tolerable correctness. Sunday +was a day of rest; and, with the exception of two or three of the +Canadians, the whole party uniformly attended Divine service, morning +and evening. If, on the other evenings for which no particular +occupation was appointed, the men felt the time tedious, or if they +expressed a wish to vary their employments, the hall was at their +service, to play any game they might choose; and on these occasions they +were invariably joined by the officers. By thus participating in their +amusements, the men became more attached to us, at the same time that we +contributed to their health and cheerfulness. The hearts and feelings of +the whole party were united into one common desire to make the time pass +as agreeably as possible to each other, until the return of spring +should enable them to resume the great object of the Expedition. + +The officers found employment in making and registering the +thermometrical, magnetical, and atmospherical observations, which were +hourly noted from eight A.M. to midnight; and, in addition to the duties +which they had in common, each had a peculiar department allotted to +him. + +Lieutenant Back had the superintendence of the men; and the accurate +drawings which he finished during the winter, from sketches taken on the +voyage, afford ample proof of his diligence and skill. Dr. Richardson, +besides the duties of medical officer, which, from the numerous +applications made by the natives, were not inconsiderable, devoted his +attention to natural history, as well as to a series of observations on +the force of the sun's radiation. Mr. Kendall constructed all the charts +after the data had been recalculated by myself; he also made several +drawings; and he undertook an interesting series of observations on the +velocity of sound. To Mr. Dease the charge was committed of whatever +related to the procuring and issuing of provision, and the entire +management of the Canadian voyagers and Indians. + +Previous to the officers leaving London, Dr. Fitton, President of the +Geological Society, had the kindness to devote much of his time to their +instruction in geology; and having furnished them with a portable +collection for the purpose of reference on the voyage, Dr. Richardson, +when he had leisure, explained these specimens, weekly, to the party, +and assisted them in reading on this science, which proved a most +agreeable and useful recreation to us all. + +Some of the preceding remarks refer to a period of our residence later +than that which I am about to enter upon; but I thought it best to +insert them here, that the mention of them might not interrupt the +narrative of occurrences which I shall now resume. + +[Sidenote: Thursday, 8th.] On September 8th, two men were sent off to +Slave Lake, in a canoe, with a despatch, containing an account of our +proceedings, addressed to His Majesty's Secretary of State for the +Colonies; and as we expected letters from England, by the way of +Hudson's Bay, they directed to await their arrival at Slave Lake. There +was almost constant rain from the 11th to the 14th, which much retarded +the work going on out of doors, and particularly the construction of an +observatory, which we were desirous of completing as soon as possible, +that the magnetical observations might be commenced. We found +employment, however, in whitewashing and fitting up the interior of the +different houses. The 15th proving fine, we established a meridian line, +and ascertained the variation by each of the compasses. + +[Sidenote: Tuesday, 20th.] Beaulieu returned with his family, the +Chipewyan hunters, and some Dog-Ribs, bringing a supply of dried meat, +rein-deer tongues, and fat, sufficient for a month's consumption, which +was reserved for use when the fishing should become unproductive. These +men reported, that at the time they quitted the northern shores of the +lake, the deer were retiring towards this quarter; which intelligence +accounted for the Indians having killed four within a day's march from +the house. + +[Sidenote: Friday, 23rd.] The chimney of the last of the buildings being +completed this morning, the flag-staff erected, and all the men +assembled, we commemorated these events by the festivities usual on the +opening of a new establishment in this country. The first part of the +ceremony was to salute the flag; the men having drawn themselves up in +line, and the women and children, and all the Indians resident at the +fort, being disposed in groups by their side, a deputation came to +solicit the presence of the officers. When we appeared, we found our +guns ornamented with blue ribbons, and we were requested to advance and +fire at a piece of money which was fastened to the flag-staff. The men +then fired two volleys and gave three hearty cheers, after which Wilson +the piper struck up a lively tune, and placing himself at the head of +his companions, marched with them round to the entrance of the hall, +where they drank to His Majesty's health, and to the success of the +Expedition. In the evening the hall was opened for a dance, which was +attended by the whole party, dressed in their gayest attire. The dancing +was kept up with spirit to the music of the violin and bagpipes, until +daylight. + +[Sidenote: Monday, 26th.] These entertainments over, Beaulieu and the +hunters were despatched to the chase, and they soon added two moose-deer +to our store. + +[Sidenote: Tuesday, 27th.] There had been much rain in the course of the +preceding week, and the temperature was generally mild, but a fall of +snow took place on the 27th. Some Dog-Ribs came to the fort on that day +with the produce of their autumnal hunt, which was very inconsiderable, +but they rendered good service to us by taking away with them several of +their relations, who had been subsisting on our bounty for some time. +After their departure there only remained one man of the tribe, who, +being afflicted with rheumatic fever, was retained under the care of Dr. +Richardson. Warm clothing was provided for him, and a comfortable +leathern lodge was erected for himself and family. + +[Sidenote: October, 1st.] The month of October commenced with frost and +snow, and the party were now furnished with fur caps, leathern mittens +and trowsers, and the rest of their warm winter-clothing. This day we +completed the erection of the observatory, and adjusted an instrument to +the magnetic meridian, for the purpose of observing the variations of +the needle. + +[Sidenote: Tuesday, 11th.] Much snow fell on the night of the 7th, and +on the 11th the small lake was firmly frozen over, and the ground in the +same state. All the migratory birds being now gone, except a few ducks, +which still lingered in the open water of Bear Lake, we considered this +day to be the first of the winter. It was remarkably clear and fine, and +we hailed the commencement of this season with a degree of pleasure, +from its contrast with the wet unsettled weather which marks the close +of summer. A few clouds passing over the sun's disk, produced an +instantaneous depression of ten degrees of the mercury in a thermometer +exposed to the sun's rays. The atmospherical refraction was remarkably +strong at this time. We had repeated opportunities, in the course of the +winter, of observing it to be greatest in similar states of the +atmosphere. + +The boats were now secured for the winter in a sheltered place, and +screened as much as possible from the effects of the wind and snow +drift, by a strong fence made of boughs and branches. + +[Sidenote: Friday, 14th.] We were surprised on the 14th by the arrival +of two Canadians from Fort Norman, with letters from Governor Simpson, +and other gentlemen in the southern districts, containing satisfactory +answers to the requisitions for stores that I had made in my passage +through the country. We were also pleased to learn that Thomas Matthews, +the carpenter, whom we had left at Cumberland House, on account of his +leg being broken, had reached Fort Norman, in the Company's canoe; and I +felt much indebted to Mr. James Keith, and Mr. Smith, Chief Factors, +for the care and tenderness with which they had conveyed him through the +country. + +The season at which the ice begins to form, is the most favourable for +fishing in the lakes of this country, and we then procured from four to +five hundred daily. Those not required for immediate consumption, were +hung on a stage to freeze, in which state they keep until the following +spring. But we could not derive the full advantage from the season, +because the drift ice, making it unsafe to keep the nets set in Bear +Lake, they were taken up on the 18th. Near a month elapsed before they +could be set with safety under the ice; our first attempts resulting in +the loss of three nets. We procured, however, a few fish from the small +lake, during this interval, and the rest of our food was supplied from +the store of dried meat. + +[Sidenote: Thursday, 20th.] We were visited on the 20th by a storm of +snow, which continued, without intermission, for thirty-six hours. +Although it put an end to the skating, and the games on the ice, which +had been our evenings' amusement for the preceding week, yet the change +made every one glad, because the snow was now deep enough for winter +travelling. We had learned, some days before, that the hunters had +stored fifteen rein-deer in the woods, and on the 22nd four men were +despatched with sledges to bring them to the fort. + +The first throw off of the dog-sledges for the season never fails to +attract general attention; accordingly the whole party was collected to +witness it on this occasion. They set off at full speed, and were soon +out of sight. From this time dog-sledges were used to drag the fuel, +which had been hitherto done by the men. We sent a party to cut down +timber, and saw it into planks, fit for the construction of another +boat. + +[Sidenote: Wednesday, 26th.] On the 26th the thermometer first fell +below zero, but the month closed with a very calm, mild day. Mr. Kendall +and I were employed in measuring a geographical mile on the small lake, +preparatory to a series of observations on the velocity of sound. The +only ferine companions we now had were a few hardy quadrupeds and birds, +capable of enduring the winter. The variety of the former was confined +to wolves, foxes, martens, hares, mice, and a few rein-deer. Of the +feathered tribe, there were the raven and Canadian crow, some +snow-birds, wood-peckers, red-caps, crossbeaks, Canada, rock, and willow +partridges, and a few hawks and owls. + +[Sidenote: November, 9th.] Having received information that the Hudson's +Bay Company intended sending their annual despatch from the Mackenzie +River to York Factory, by the close of this month, and the ice on Bear +Lake and the Mackenzie River being, on the 9th, sufficiently strong, we +forwarded a packet of letters to Fort Norman, and a dog-sledge to convey +Thomas Matthews to this place. On the 15th the nets were reset under the +ice, and we were relieved from the necessity of putting the party on +short allowance. We had the additional pleasure of learning that the +hunters had killed ten rein-deer. The men returned from Fort Norman on +the 18th, accompanied by Thomas Matthews, whose leg was yet too weak for +him to walk more than a short distance. + +During the middle, and towards the close of November, parheliae were +frequent; the most brilliant appeared on the 27th; it continued as long +as the sun was above the horizon. The atmosphere was cloudless, and +apparently free from haze, except just about the sun, which seemed to +gleam through a fog. The surrounding circle was nearly complete, and +displayed the prismatic colours vividly; from the centre of the sun's +disk a beam of bright light extended upwards several degrees beyond the +circle. The inner radius of the circle measured 21 degrees 34 minutes, +and the outer 22 degrees 50 minutes. The wind blew fresh all the day +from E.N.E., and the temperature was 10 degrees. In the evening the moon +was encircled by two distinct halos; temperature 7 degrees. + +[Sidenote: Tuesday, 29th.] This morning the principal leader of the +Dog-Ribs, and a large party of his tribe, came to the Fort. It is usual +for Indians, on the first visit to an establishment, to make their +approach in line, with much formality; but on this occasion our visitors +showed an unusual degree of caution. Their distrust had originated in a +very trifling occurrence at the close of our house-warming festivities +on the 23rd of September. Some of the Canadians having asked Mr. Dease +if our Highlandmen did not come from the same country with the rest of +the English party, were told that they were natives of the mountainous +lands, or _Montagnards_. This name unfortunately being used by the +voyagers to designate the Dog-Ribs, was considered by the Highlanders to +be a term of reproach when applied to themselves, and a scuffle ensued. +Harmony was soon restored by the officers sending the most noisy to bed, +and next morning the true meaning of the word Montagnard was explained +to the Highlandmen, and the party set about their usual occupations with +their wonted good feeling towards each other. Not so with an unlucky +Dog-Rib, who had been attracted to the scene by hearing the name +applied by the voyagers to his countrymen bandied about from one to the +other, and thrusting his head into the crowd had received a blow. This +at once confirmed all his fears, and he fled to spread a report amongst +his countrymen that the white people intended to destroy the Indians. +Although his report was not fully believed, yet it produced the feeling +of distrust which the Indians manifested on their approach to the house. +It was entirely removed by the explanation we gave. These Indians having +brought a quantity of furs for the Hudson's Bay Company, as well as +dried meat for ourselves, and I having understood from Mr. Dease that it +would be an accommodation to them if they were permitted to deposit +their furs at this place, instead of carrying them to Fort Norman, I +acceded to this suggestion, and directed Mr. Dease to advance from our +stores the goods required for the purchase of the furs, which were to be +returned when we should visit that fort in the spring. + +An old man belonging to the Company's establishment at Fort Norman +arrived this day with his wife, to stay some time with us, because the +supply of provision had failed at that post. We felt much pleasure in +sharing our means with this aged couple, who were much reduced by their +late scanty fare. + +The close of November was marked by a succession of strong east winds, +and a mildness of temperature, rare at this season. On the 30th the +thermometer rose from +18 degrees to 29 degrees above zero, on the +occurrence of a gale from the north. + +[Sidenote: December, 1st.] The first of December being a cloudless day, +we endeavoured to observe the latitude at noon, but failed, owing to the +extraordinary atmospherical refraction. [Sidenote: Friday, 2nd.] At +midnight, on the 2nd, there was a shower of hail, so small that we could +hardly distinguish it from rain. Dr. Richardson thought he perceived +lightning. Temperature +22 degrees, calm. On the night of the 4th +another instance of a sudden increase of temperature from +7 degrees to +26 degrees was observed, on a north wind succeeding a calm. + +The fishery having gradually declined for some days, our nets were +removed nearer to the entrance of Bear Lake River, where the current +continued to keep the water open for a considerable space. We then +procured a daily supply of fish sufficient for the rations of the +household, as well as the dogs, though our number was now increased by +the party from the more distant fishery, which had proved unproductive. +The allowance was seven of the herring salmon to a man per day, and two +to each dog. + +The shortness of the days now precluding the Indians from hunting, many +came, according to their custom, to spear fish at the head of Bear Lake +River, and their numbers gradually increased. They were not, however, +successful, nor diligent, preferring to beg what they could from us, and +sending their women and children to subsist on the offal of the fish +used at the fort. To encourage them to greater exertion, I provided them +with nets, and other fishing materials, but their indolence led them to +make a very ungrateful return; for on several occasions they emptied our +nets in the night, and thus not only robbed us of what they took away, +but, by deranging the nets, deprived us of the whole of that day's +supply. We never could ascertain the perpetrators of these thefts. The +blame was invariably thrown on some aged and infirm men, who denied it. +Notwithstanding the straits to which they became reduced, they could not +be persuaded to go off to a more productive fishery, until we were +compelled to withhold all supplies, from fear of starving our own party. +These Indians showed more indolence, and less regard for truth and +honesty, than any other tribes with which we had dealings. Their +sufferings are often extreme, and some of them perish every year from +famine; although, from the abundance of fish in this country, but slight +exertion would be required to lay up, at the proper seasons, a stock for +the whole year. + +The difficulty of procuring nourishment frequently induces the women of +this tribe to destroy their female children. Two pregnant women of the +party then at the fort, made known their intention of acting on this +inhuman custom, though Mr. Dease threatened them with our heaviest +displeasure if they put it into execution: we learned that, after they +left us, one actually did destroy her child; the infant of the other +woman proved to be a boy. Infanticide is mentioned by Hearne as a common +crime amongst the northern Indians, but this was the first instance that +came under our notice, and I understand it is now very rare amongst the +Chipewyan tribes;--an improvement in their moral character which may be +fairly attributed to the influence of the traders resident among them. + +[Sidenote: Sunday, 18th.] On the 18th a party of sixteen Hare Indians, +two Copper Indians, and a Loucheux, arrived with sledges of dried +rein-deer meat and furs. While the house was in confusion from the +unpacking of their lading, a melancholy scene took place, which excited +the warmest sympathy. The wife of one of our Dog-Rib hunters brought her +only child, a female, for medical advice. As she entered the room it was +evident that the hand of death was upon it. In the absence of Dr. +Richardson, who happened to be out, all the remedies were applied that +were judged likely to be of service; and as soon as he returned, there +being yet a faint pulsation, other means were tried, but in vain. So +gentle was its last sigh, that the mother was not at first aware of its +death, and continued to press the child against her bosom. As soon, +however, as she perceived that life had fled, she cast herself on the +floor in agony, heightened by the consciousness of having delayed to +seek relief till too late, and by apprehension of the anger of her +husband, who was doatingly attached to the child. The Indians evinced +their participation in her affliction by silence, and a strong +expression of pity in their countenances. At the dawn of day the poor +creature, though almost exhausted by her ceaseless lamentation, carried +the body across the lake for interment. + +[Sidenote: Tuesday, 20th.] The 20th being a very stormy day, we were +surprised at the arrival of two voyagers from Fort Good Hope, bearers of +letters from Mr. C. Dease, conveying the gratifying intelligence that +the Loucheux had seen the Esquimaux since the autumn, and that the +latter had found the presents which had been left at their huts, and +would be delighted to welcome the return of the white people to the +Esquimaux lands next spring. + +[Sidenote: Thursday, 22d.] Our constant occupations had made the time +pass so swiftly, that the shortest day came almost unexpectedly upon us. +The sun rose this morning, (the 22d,) at 10h 24m, thirteen minutes +earlier than its appearance was expected from calculation, owing to the +great refraction. Mr. Kendall and I measured its meridional altitude +from the lake with two instruments, the one bringing its upper limb to +the top of the land four miles distant, the elevation of which had been +ascertained to be eight minutes, and the other to its base, the +depression of which was two minutes. The mean of both these +observations, corrected for refraction by the tables in the Nautical +Almanack, gave a result of 65 degrees 11 minutes 56 seconds N., which +latitude exactly corresponds with the best observations made in the +preceding autumn. At 8h 30m P.M. a halo was observed, whose radius +measured 28 degrees 40 minutes from the moon; and at an equal altitude +with the latter body there were two paraselenae, which, as well as the +moon, were intersected by a luminous circle, having the zenith for its +centre, and a diameter of 94 degrees 15 minutes. The length of our +shortest day did not exceed five hours, but the long nights were +enlivened by most brilliant moon-light, and we had frequent and very +fine appearances of the Aurora Borealis. The latter phenomenon made some +of its grandest displays on the 26th of October, the 2d of November, +and the 7th of December. On all these occasions the disturbed motions of +the magnetic needle were very remarkable, and a most careful series of +observations convinced the party that they had a close connexion with +the direction of the beams of light of which the aurora was composed. My +observations also led me to conclude that the deviations of the needle +were, in a certain degree, connected with changes in the weather; for, +previous to a gale or a snow-storm, the deviations were always +considerable; but during the continuance of the gale, the needle almost +invariably remained stationary. + +Preparations were made for the celebration of Christmas. The house was +replastered with mud, all the rooms whitewashed and repainted, and +Matthews displayed his taste by ornamenting a chandelier with cut paper, +and trinkets. On the evening of the 24th the Indian hunters' women and +children were invited to share in a game of snap-dragon, to them an +entire novelty. It would be as difficult to describe the delight which +the sport afforded them after they recovered their first surprise, as to +convey the full effect of the scene. When the candles were extinguished, +the blue flame of the burning spirits shone on the rude features of our +native companions, in whose countenances were pourtrayed the eager desire +of possessing the fruit, and the fear of the penalty. Christmas Day +falling on a Sunday, the party were regaled with the best fare our +stores could supply; and on the following evening a dance was given, at +which were present sixty persons, including the Indians, who sat as +spectators of the merry scene. Seldom, perhaps, in such a confined space +as our hall, or in the same number of persons, was there greater variety +of character, or greater confusion of tongues. The party consisted of +Englishmen, Highlanders, (who mostly conversed with each other in +Gaelic,) Canadians, Esquimaux, Chipewyans, Dog-Ribs, Hare Indians, Cree +women and children, mingled together in perfect harmony. The amusements +were varied by English, Gaelic, and French songs. After these holidays +were over, the Dog-Ribs at length yielded to the repeated solicitations +of Mr. Dease, and removed in a body to a distant part of the lake, where +they now confessed the fishery was more abundant. As the hunters were +drawing rations from our store, he despatched them in quest of deer, +furnishing them also with nets. After which there remained at the +establishment, only one infirm Indian and his wife. + +[Sidenote: January, 1st.] January 1st, 1826. This morning the men called +in the hall to offer the congratulations of the season to the officers, +and we afterwards assembled to read divine service. On the evening of +the 2nd, similar festivities were held to those at Christmas, to welcome +the new year. The temperature was at -49 degrees on the 1st, which was +its lowest state during this winter. This severe weather was of short +continuance, for on the 3rd there was a storm of snow, and the +thermometer rose to -9 degrees. + +[Sidenote: 4th.] Accompanied by Mr. Dease, and Fuller, the carpenter, I +walked several miles in search of birch-trees fit for the keel and +timbers of the new boat. We found some that would answer for the latter +purpose, but none for the keel; we, therefore, substituted pine. The +general depth of snow in the woody and sheltered parts was two feet. +[Sidenote: Monday, 16th.] On the 16th, by the return of the two men who +had been sent to Slave Lake, we had the happiness of receiving a packet +of letters, which left England in the preceding June. Beside the more +interesting private communications, our friends had been kind enough to +forward piles of newspapers, and several periodical publications. The +'Quarterly Review,' the 'Edinburgh Philosophical Journal,' and a series +of the 'Literary Gazette,' and the 'Mechanics' Magazine,' were spread +upon the table, and afforded us the most agreeable amusement, as well as +never-failing topics for conversation. Could any of our friends have +dropped in upon us, in the evening, they would have found us discussing +the events of the by-gone year, with all the earnestness and interest +which we could have shown had they been the occurrences of the day, and +depended upon our decision. This valuable packet had nigh been lost on +its way through the interior, owing to the treachery of an Indian. The +fellow had undertaken to guide the Canadian servants of the Hudson Bay +Company, who had it in charge, from York Factory to Cumberland House; +but supposing, from its being unusual to forward packets at that season, +that it must contain something of value, he seized an opportunity, when +the two men had gone a little way from the river side, to steal the +canoe, with its contents, and cross the river. There were no means of +pursuit, and the poor men, destitute of food, without a gun, or even the +means of making a fire, were obliged to march to the nearest +establishment, through a very rugged and thickly-wooded country. They +reached it after many days travelling, and much suffering, and as soon +as they arrived, Mr. Mackintosh, the chief of the department, +immediately sent off different parties in search of the culprit. They +did not find him, though they got possession of the packet, which was +torn open, and the letters scattered upon the ground. I need hardly +mention that I afterwards remunerated the Canadians for their +sufferings and good conduct on this occasion. + +[Sidenote: Sunday, 22nd.] On the morning of the 22nd we perceived a gray +wolf crossing the lake, and Augustus and Ooligbuck went in pursuit. The +speed of the animal, however, so much outstripped theirs, that it cooly +halted to snap up an unfortunate fox which happened to cross its path, +and bore it off in triumph. The visits of this animal were repeated for +three successive days, and it at last became so bold as to steal fish, +on two occasions, from a sledge which the dogs were accustomed to draw +home from the nets, without a driver. The dogs were not touched, but +this was accounted for when the wolf was killed, and found to be a +female, as Mr. Dease informed us that at this season of the year the +female wolves never attack the dog. + +[Sidenote: February.] The month of February was a very anxious period of +our winter's residence. The produce of the nets and fishing lines had +been gradually diminishing during January, until the supply did not +afford more than three or four of the small herrings per man; and none +could be furnished to the dogs. The stock of dried meat was expended, +and serious apprehensions were entertained of the party's suffering from +want of food. The fish too, from being out of season, afforded very +little nourishment, and frequent indisposition was the consequence with +us all. Three of the stoutest men with whom this diet particularly +disagreed, suffered very much from diarrhoea. It became, therefore, +necessary to draw upon the stores of provision which had been set apart +for the voyage along the sea-coast, and, on the 6th, we despatched three +sledges to Fort Norman, for some pemmican, arrow root, and portable +soup: they were likewise to bring any iron that could be procured from +that establishment fit for being converted into nails or fastenings for +the intended boat. This being the last opportunity of the season for +forwarding letters to the southern department, I wrote to Governor +Simpson and the council at York Factory, requesting that supplies of +provisions might be stored for the Expedition, on the route to Canada +and York Factory, and that the necessary means of conveyance might be +provided for its return in 1827. All these arrangements requiring to be +made a year in advance, I included the whole party in the estimate of +the numbers to be provided for, that there might be no want of +provision, if the western part of the Expedition should, from any cause, +be obliged to retrace its steps. By the same conveyance I sent an +account of our proceedings, with maps and drawings, to be forwarded to +the Colonial Office. + +[Sidenote: Saturday, 4th.] On the 4th of this month, when all were +heartily tired of short allowance, a report was brought of the traces of +a moose deer having been seen about twelve miles from the fort. Had the +days been longer, and a crust formed upon the snow, the hunters would +have found no great difficulty in running down the animal, but our +principal hope lay in their getting within shot without "raising +it,"--the expression used when a deer is scared. Beaulieu being the most +expert moose-hunter, went out on this occasion, accompanied by two +others, Landre a Chipewyan lad, and a Dog-Rib hunter. When they arrived +on the deer's track, they found that it had been raised, probably by the +Indians who first discovered it; but anxious to procure meat for the +fort, they commenced the pursuit. From their knowledge of the habits of +the animal, and of the winding course it takes, they were enabled to +shorten the distance; but after running four successive days without +coming in sight, Beaulieu had the misfortune to fall over the stump of a +tree, and sprain his ankle; the other two hunters being previously tired +out. When this accident happened, they knew they were near the deer, and +that it would soon give in, because its footsteps were stained with +blood. Beaulieu, however, on account of his lameness, returned to the +house, and his companions came with him. During the chase they +bivouacked on the snow, and subsisted on a few ptarmigan which they +killed. Landre after a night's rest, again set out, and was successful +after two more day's running; not, however, without having nearly lost +his life, for the moose, on receiving a shot, made a rush at him, +striking furiously with his fore feet. He had just time to shelter +himself behind a tree, upon which the animal spent its efforts, until +his gun was again ready. + +Landre's arrival with the joyful intelligence of his success, was hailed +as the commencement of a season of plenty. When the moose meat was +brought in, we had not an ounce of provision in store, and it was, +therefore, most acceptable; although, from the manner in which it was +hunted down, it proved exceedingly tough. [Sidenote: Friday, 10th.] In +the evening, to increase our satisfaction, an Indian arrived with the +information that the fish were plentiful at the station to which the +Dog-Ribs had removed, and likewise that the hunters belonging to the +fort had killed some rein-deer near their lodges. We immediately +equipped four men with nets and lines, and sent them back with the +Indian, giving them directions to report whether more persons could gain +subsistence there. Their report, a few days afterwards, being +favourable, four more men were despatched thither. They sent us some +tittameg, weighing from six to eight pounds, which were the more +acceptable, because none of that kind had been taken in our nets since +the lake had been frozen over. By the time the moose was finished, the +men came back from Fort Norman, with three bags of pemmican, which +enabled us to continue the daily issue of rations, though the fare was +still scanty. + +[Sidenote: Saturday, 25th] On the 25th, Beaulieu, accompanied by two +men, went off in one direction, and the Dog-Rib hunters in another, in +search of deer. Both parties were successful. From the former we +received a summons, after four days' absence, to send sledges for meat, +but not so from the Dog-Ribs, for they, to compensate for their long +abstinence, consumed almost all the meat, and gorged themselves to such +a degree, that they were unable to move, and became quite ill. From this +period we had a sufficient supply of provision, because the fisheries +improved, and we received deer from time to time. The men who had been +indisposed gained strength, from the increased quantity, and amended +quality, of their food; and we had also the gratification of seeing the +dogs daily fatten, amidst the general plenty. The conduct of the men +during the season of scarcity was beyond all praise; and the following +anecdote is worthy of record, as displaying the excellent feeling of a +British seaman, and as speaking the sentiments of the whole party. +Talking with Robert Spinks as to the difference of his present food, +from that to which he had been accustomed on board ship, I said I was +glad the necessity was over of keeping them on short allowance. "Why, +sir," said he, "we never minded about the short allowance, but were +fearful of having to use the pemmican intended for next summer; we only +care about the next voyage, and shall all be glad when the spring comes, +that we may set off; besides, at the worst time, we could always spare a +fish for each of our dogs." During the period of short allowance, the +three dogs under the charge of this man were kept in better condition +than any of the others. + +We now called the men home from the nearest fishery, and set their nets +near the Bear Lake River, but the men at the distant station with the +Indians were kept there, and occasionally supplied the fort with fine +tittameg and trout. The otters did considerable mischief to our nets at +this time; six of these animals were seen in one day. + +Many parheliae were observed this month. On the 14th, at forty-five +minutes after nine A.M., the arched form of the clouds, and the +appearance of a collection of rays projected from the sun's disk in the +shape of a fan, strongly resembled the coruscations of the aurora. The +atmosphere was misty; temperature in the shade +8 degrees 5 minutes; and +when the thermometer with a blackened bulb was exposed to the sun's +rays, it rose to +43 degrees. The magnetic needle, at nine A.M., was +perceived to have made a greater deviation to the westward than usual at +that hour, and I imagine that the cause of this increase probably arose +from the atmosphere being then in a state of electricity, similar to +that in which it is when the aurora appears in hazy weather; on which +occasions we have observed that its coruscations have the strongest +effect in causing aberrations of the needle. A violent gale from the +north-west commenced on the 26th, and lasted, without intermission, for +thirty-six hours. + +[Sidenote: March, 1st.] The early part of this month was marked by a +succession of gales from the N.W., with a few intervals of moderate +weather, in which the wind came from the east, and was attended by a +clearer atmosphere than usually accompanies easterly winds in the colder +months. We observed, with pleasure, on the 7th, that the sun had +sufficient power to soften the snow in exposed places, and to form +icicles from the roofs which had a southern aspect, but the return of +strong winds from the W.N.W. brought back severe weather. [Sidenote: +Saturday, 11th.] On the 11th there was a violent gust of wind, which, in +its passage over the lake, gathered up the snow in a column, similar to +that of a waterspout. Dr. Richardson made an excursion for the purpose +of examining the rocks to the north of the establishment. He returned +after two days, the snow being too deep for him to obtain specimens. The +description he gave of a view from an eminence nine miles behind the +fort, induced Lieutenant Back and me to visit the spot, and we were +amply repaid for the walk. The view embraced the mountains on the +borders of the Mackenzie to the west, a considerable portion of Bear +Lake River, with the mountains near its rapids, Clark's Hill to the +south, and the range of elevated land stretching to the east till they +were lost in the distance. To the N.E. there appeared several small +lakes, and the view was terminated by a portion of Bear Lake. + +[Sidenote: Tuesday, 21st.] The Chipewyan hunters who had been absent +since Christmas, returned to us with their families, and brought with +them a Dog-Rib girl, about twelve years old, who had been deserted by +her tribe. When they found her, she was in the last stage of weakness, +from famine, sitting by the expiring embers of a fire, and but for their +timely appearance, death must soon have ended her sufferings. They fed +and clothed her, and waited until she gained strength to accompany them. +The wretches who had abandoned the poor creature, were on their way to a +fishing station, which they knew to be very productive, and not above a +day's march distant. She was unable to keep the pace at which they chose +to proceed, and having no near relation but an aged aunt, who could not +assist her, they left her at an encampment without any food. The hunters +met this party of Indians about a month afterwards, when they were +living in abundance. The girl, by that time, had perfectly recovered her +strength, and they desired that she should be restored to them, but the +hunters firmly resisted their importunity, and one of them adopted her +as his own child. It is singular that she was the only female of the +tribe that could be called good-looking. Her Indian name was +Aton-larree, which the interpreter translated, Burnt-weed. Lieutenant +Back made a sketch of her, in the dress which the hunter's wife gave to +her on their first meeting. When the Indians came to the fort, I took +the first opportunity of their being assembled in the hall, to send for +the hunters and their wives, and to reward them by a substantial present +of clothing and ammunition. I also gave to them some neat steel +instruments, consisting of gimblets, and other useful articles, which +they were desired to preserve, and show to other Indians, as a testimony +of our approbation of their humanity. A present was also bestowed upon +the girl, and then the Dog-Ribs were addressed as to their unfeeling +conduct towards her. They listened quietly, and merely stated her +weakness as the cause. There is little doubt but that the transactions +of this day were canvassed afterwards, and it is to be hoped that the +knowledge of our sentiments gaining circulation, may induce a +discontinuance of their inhuman practices. + +[Sidenote: Wednesday, 22nd.] By the men who had conveyed our last packet +to Fort Simpson, we received intelligence that some Chipewyans had +brought information to the Athabasca and Slave Lakes, of their having +seen many indications of a party of white people on the sea coast +eastward of the Coppermine River. The report stated, that they had +found, in the preceding autumn, on the borders of a river near the +sea-coast, a sawpit, some saws, and axes, and a store of deer's meat. +There was snow on the ground, and the footsteps of the party appeared +recent. We concluded from these statements, that Captain Parry had laid +up his ships in the vicinity of Bathurst's Inlet, and sent +hunting-parties up the river to augment his stock of provision. I +therefore despatched two men with letters to Mr. M'Vicar, at Slave Lake, +containing a series of questions, that the matter might be thoroughly +investigated, and requested him to transmit the answers to the +Admiralty. I likewise begged of him immediately to procure a party of +Indians to go to the spot, and convey a letter from me to Captain Parry, +in order that they might either be employed as hunters for the ships, or +carry their letters to the nearest establishment for conveyance to +England. Had the information reached us sooner, so that a party could +have gone from Bear Lake to the point at which the ships were, and +returned before the men were wanted, I should have sent to ascertain the +fact. The idea of the ships being on the northern coast, the prospect of +their success, and the expectation of the eastern detatchment meeting +them in the summer, afforded enlivening topics of conversation for +several days, and on the day the intelligence came, we celebrated its +arrival with a bowl of punch. The health of Captain Parry, and his +party, as well as that of Captain Beechey, was drank with enthusiasm. + +[Sidenote: Thursday, 23rd.] We obtained observations for the time, from +which it appeared that the chronometer, No. 1733, generously lent to the +Expedition by my friend the late Mr. Moore, had only varied its rate two +hundredths of a second, since the 3rd of November. I had worn it next my +skin, suspended round my neck, the whole time; and, consequently, it was +not exposed to much variation of temperature. + +After the middle of this month the N.W. winds gave place to a succession +of easterly breezes; whenever these prevailed, we observed the +terrestrial refraction was much increased; double refraction of the land +was not unfrequent, and twice the mist arising from the open water, +appeared like a wall of ice. When the moon shone, halos, and +occasionally paraselenae, were visible; and towards the close of the +month the coruscations of the aurora were often very brilliant. + +During this month I noticed that on several occasions the magnetic +needle oscillated when I approached it in a dress of waterproof cloth, +although it remained stationary when others of the party examined it in +their ordinary garments. The waterproof dress probably acted by exciting +electricity in the body, although this opinion is rather contradicted by +the fact of a fur cap, which had been rubbed by the hand until it +affected the gold leaf electrometer, producing no change in the needle, +and my approach to the electrometer not causing the gold-leaf to expand. + +[Sidenote: April, 6th.] Having failed in an attempt to make charcoal for +the blacksmith's use at this place, we despatched William Duncan, and +the blacksmith, to make some at Fort Norman, where birch trees are +plentiful; and on the 6th of April we were glad to see them return with +the first load. The carpenters had already prepared the timbers and the +keel for the new boat, and we were waiting for the coals to get the +iron-work forward. + +[Sidenote: Monday, 10th.] On the 10th Dr. Richardson and Mr. Kendall +left the fort on snow-shoes, accompanied by an Indian guide, and a man +driving a dog-sledge with provisions, for the purpose of completing the +survey of Great Bear Lake, which Dr. Richardson had commenced the +preceding autumn. The day was remarkably warm; the blackened +thermometer, exposed to the sun, rose to +90; and we hailed with delight +a complete thaw. Cheered by the prospect, a spot was cleared of snow, +the keel of the boat laid down, and that there might be no delay, all +the sledges we could spare were despatched to fetch the remainder of the +charcoal from Fort Norman. [Sidenote: Tuesday, 11th.] On the following +day water was dripping from the roofs, and the flies were active within +the rooms. The continuance of mild weather for six days caused a rapid +decay of the snow, but no spots of land became visible. The men returned +with the charcoal, and from them we learned that the season was more +backward here than in the vicinity of Fort Norman. In the evening of the +17th, a telescope was put up in the meridian for finding the rates of +the chronometers by the transit of Arcturus. [Sidenote: Wednesday, +19th.] On the 19th, thirty Hare-Indians arrived with sledges, bringing +their winter's collection of furs for the Hudson Bay Company, and a +large supply of dried meat for us, which, with the stock already in +store, put us quite at ease respecting food until the season for our +departure. The party consisted mostly of young lads, who, very +good-naturedly, sang and danced for our amusement all the evening. They +also gave us specimens of the dances in use among the Loucheux, which +were more graceful than their own. The tune they sung to the +Medicine-dance of the Loucheux, struck me as being soft and pretty. The +ludicrous attitudes and grotesque figures of the dancers, as they +wheeled in a circle, shaking the knives and feathers which they had +between their fingers were happily sketched by Lieutenant Back. + +As the fish had withdrawn from the open water at the commencement of the +fine weather, the nets were brought nearer to the house; but we did not +obtain more than thirty fish daily. This diminution, however, gave us no +concern, as we had plenty of meat. Shortly afterwards the trout began +again to take bait, and we caught several of large size. Easterly winds +prevailed this month, and they blew uninterruptedly from the 21st to the +last day. A storm, on the 28th and 29th, delayed the carpenters working +at the boat: the patches of ground which had for the last few days been +visible, were again covered with snow, and the general aspect was bleak +and wintry. + +Dr. Richardson and Mr. Kendall returned on the 1st of May, and we were +furnished with the following particulars of their journey. Their course, +on leaving us, was first directed to the fishery in Mac Vicar's Bay, +which they reached on the fourth day, and from whence, taking with them +another sledge-load of provisions and an additional attendant, they +continued their journey to the bottom of Mac Tavish Bay, the most +easterly part of the Lake. The reduction in their stock of provisions +now caused them to commence their return, and they reached the fort +after an absence of three weeks, during which, in very unfavourable +weather, they travelled about three hundred and eighty miles. Dr. +Richardson had sailed four hundred and eighty miles through the lake in +the autumn, and in the two excursions, five hundred miles of its shores +were delineated, and the positions of many points established by +astronomical observations. About twenty miles of the north shore of Mac +Tavish Bay are the only parts of the Bear Lake remaining unsurveyed. +[Sidenote: May, 1st.] The following brief description of Bear Lake is +extracted from Dr. Richardson's Journal:-- + +"Great Bear Lake is formed by the union of five arms or bays, which were +named after Messrs. Keith, Smith, Dease, Mac Tavish, and Mac Vicar, of +the Hudson's Bay Company. The principal feeding-stream, named Dease +River, rises in the Copper Mountains, and falls into the upper end of +Dease Bay, which is the most northern part of the lake, and Bear Lake +River, which conveys the waters of the lake to the Mackenzie, issues +from Keith Bay, the most southerly arm. Mac Tavish Bay is the most +easterly portion of the lake, and Smith Bay, which lies opposite to it, +runs to the westward. Mac Vicar Bay has a southerly direction nearly +parallel to Keith Bay. The length of the lake, from Dease River to Bear +Lake River, is about one hundred and seventy-five miles; and its +breadth, from the bottom of Smith Bay to the bottom of Mac Tavish Bay, +is one hundred and fifty miles. A range of granite hills skirts the +bottom of Mac Tavish Bay. The Great Bear Mountain, at whose base some +bituminous shale cliffs are exposed, is about nine hundred feet high, +and separates Mac Vicar and Keith Bays; a similar mountain lies betwixt +Keith and Smith Bays. In Dease Bay, limestone and sandstone are the +prevailing rocks. The waters of the lake are very clear, and of unknown +depth; forty-fathoms of line were let down near the shore, in Mac Tavish +Bay, without reaching the bottom. There is a considerable quantity of +good wood, principally white spruce, in the vicinity of the lake; but +there is reason to believe that, before many years elapse, it will +become scarce, for it is very slow of growth, and the natives every year +set fire to it in various quarters, and thus destroy it for many miles. +The finest timber was observed on the west side of Great Bear Lake +Mountain. There are good fisheries in Dease Bay, and in various other +quarters of the lake; but the fish taken in Mac Vicar Bay are remarkably +fine and abundant at all seasons of the year. The principal advantage of +the site chosen for Fort Franklin, is its vicinity to the Bear Lake +River, and the great quantity of fish that can be procured at certain +seasons, although they are small and of inferior quality." + +On the 5th of this month, the men being called in from the fishery in +Mac Vicar Bay, the whole party was once more assembled at the house, +anxiously looking forward to the arrival of spring. We hailed the +appearance of swans, on the following day, as a sure sign of its +approach. A goose was seen on the 7th, two ducks on the 8th, and on the +9th several gulls were observed in the open water near the Bear Lake +River. The snow, at this time, was rapidly diminishing from the surface +of the lake, and there were many spots of ground visible. We, therefore, +commenced the preparations for the summer's voyage. The seamen were +employed in repairing the coverings and sails of the boats, as well as +in refitting their rigging, and occupation was allotted to every person +in the establishment. These operations requiring the constant +superintendence of the officers, the observations of the magnetic-needle +were discontinued. After the middle of the month, we were visited by +occasional showers of rain, which removed the snow, and produced a +perceptible decay of the ice. + +On the 23d, the ice broke away from the shore of the small lake, and +also of Bear Lake, in front of the house. Swans and geese were now daily +passing to the northward; many shots were fired at them, both by the +Indians and our own party, but only a few were killed. The geese were +principally of the kind known to naturalists by the name of Canada +geese, and denominated bustards by the voyagers. Numbers of white geese +also passed; we saw only two flocks of laughing-geese. The first swallow +came on the 16th, and, on the following day, many others arrived. A +variety of ducks, gulls, and many of the small aquatic birds, now +frequented the marshy borders of the little lake, which afforded +constant amusement to the sportsmen, and full occupation to Dr. +Richardson in preparing the skins for specimens. + +[Sidenote: Wednesday, 24th.] On the 24th, the musquitoes appeared, +feeble at first, but, after a few days, they became vigorous and +tormenting. The first flower, a tussilago, was gathered on the 27th. +Before the close of the month, several others were in bloom, of which +the most abundant was the white anemone (_anemone tenella_.) The +leaf-buds had not yet burst, though just ready to open. + +The carpenters had now finished the new boat, which received the name of +the Reliance. It was constructed of fir, with birch timbers, after the +model of our largest boat, the Lion, but with a more full bow, and a +finer run abaft. Its length was about twenty-six feet, and breadth five +feet eight inches. It was fastened in the same manner as the other +boats, but with iron instead of copper, and to procure sufficient nails +we were obliged to cut up all the spare axes, trenches[2], and +ice-chisels. Being without tar, we substituted strips of waterproof +canvas, soaked in some caoutchouc varnish, which we had brought out, to +lay between the seams of the planks; and for paint, we made use of +resin, procured from the pine-trees, boiled and mixed with grease. The +other boats were afterwards put in complete repair. The Lion required +the most, in consequence of the accident in Bear Lake River. The defects +in the other two principally arose from their having been repaired at +Cumberland House with the elm that grows in its vicinity, and is very +spongy. We now substituted white spruce fir, which, when grown in these +high latitudes, is an excellent wood for boat-building. We were +surprised to find, that, notwithstanding the many heavy blows these +boats had received in their passage to this place, there was not a +timber that required to be changed. + +In our bustle, we would gladly have dispensed with the presence of the +Dog-Ribs, who now visited us in great numbers, without bringing any +supplies. They continued hanging about the fort, and their daily +drumming and singing over the sick, the squalling of the children, and +bawling of the men and women, proved no small annoyance. We were +pleased, however, at perceiving that the ammunition we had given to them +in return for meat, had enabled them to provide themselves with +leathern tents. Their only shelter from the wind, snow, or rain, before +this season, had been a rude barricade of pine branches. Fortunately, +for our comfort, they were obliged to remove before the expiration of +the month to a distant fishery to procure provision. + +[Sidenote: June, 1st.] The preparations for the voyage along the coast +being now in a state of forwardness, my attention was directed to the +providing for the return of Dr. Richardson's party to this establishment +in the following autumn, and to the securing means of support for all +the members of the Expedition at this place, in the event of the western +party being likewise compelled to return to it. Respecting the first +point, it was arranged that Beaulieu the interpreter, and four +Canadians, should quit Fort Franklin on the 6th of August, and proceed +direct to Dease River with a bateau, and wait there until the 20th of +September, when, if Dr. Richardson did not appear, they were to come +back to the fort in canoes, and to leave the boat, with provision and +other necessaries, for the use of the eastern detachment. All these +points were explained to Beaulieu, and he not only understood every part +of the arrangement, but seemed very desirous to perform the important +duty entrusted to him. I next drew up written instructions for the +guidance of Mr. Dease, during the absence of the Expedition, directing +his attention first to the equipment and despatch of Beaulieu on the 6th +of August, and then to the keeping the establishment well stored with +provision. He was aware of the probability that the western party would +meet his Majesty's ship Blossom, and go to Canton in her. But as +unforeseen circumstances might compel us to winter on the coast, I +considered it necessary to warn him against inferring, from our not +returning in the following autumn, that we had reached the Blossom. He +was, therefore, directed to keep Fort Franklin complete, as to +provision, until the spring of 1828. Dr. Richardson was likewise +instructed, before he left the fort in 1827, on his return to England, +to see that Mr. Dease fully understood my motives for giving these +orders, and that he was provided with the means of purchasing the +necessary provision from the Indians. + +[Sidenote: Wednesday, 7th.] The long reign of the east wind was at +length terminated by a fresh N.W. breeze, and the ice yet remaining on +the small lake soon disappeared, under the softening effects of this +wind. This lake had been frozen eight months, wanting three days. A +narrow channel being opened along the western border of Bear Lake, on +the 14th Dr. Richardson took advantage of it, and went in a small canoe +with two men to examine the mountains on the borders of Bear Lake River, +and to collect specimens of the plants that were now in flower, +intending to rejoin the party at Fort Norman. On the same day, in 1821, +the former Expedition left Fort Enterprize for the sea. + +[Sidenote: Thursday, 15th.] The equipments of the boats being now +complete, they were launched on the small lake, and tried under oars and +sails. In the afternoon the men were appointed to their respective +stations, and furnished with the sky-blue waterproof uniforms, and +feathers, as well as with the warm clothing which had been provided for +the voyage. I acquainted them fully with the object of the Expedition, +and pointed out their various duties. They received these communications +with satisfaction, were delighted with the prospect of the voyage, and +expressed their readiness to commence it immediately. Fourteen men, +including Augustus, were appointed to accompany myself and Lieutenant +Back, in the Lion and Reliance, the two larger boats; and ten, including +Ooligbuck, to go with Dr. Richardson and Mr. Kendall, in the Dolphin and +Union. In order to make up the complement of fourteen for the western +party, I proposed to receive two volunteers from the Canadian voyagers; +and to the credit of Canadian enterprise, every man came forward. I +chose Francois Felix and Alexis Vivier, because they were the first who +offered their services, and this too without any stipulation as to +increase of wages. + +Spare blankets, and every thing that could be useful for the voyage, or +as presents to the Esquimaux, which our stores could furnish, were +divided between the eastern and western parties, and put up into bales +of a size convenient for stowage. This interesting day was closed by the +consumption of a small quantity of rum, reserved for the occasion, +followed by a merry dance, in which all joined with great glee, in their +working dresses. On the following Sunday the officers and men assembled +at Divine service, dressed in their new uniforms; and in addition to the +ordinary service of the day, the special protection of Providence was +implored on the enterprise we were about to commence. The guns were +cleaned the next day, and stowed in the arm chests, which had been made +to fit the boats. Tuesday and Wednesday were set apart for the officers +and men to pack their own things. A strong western breeze occurred on +the 21st, which removed the ice from the front of the house and opened a +passage to the Bear Lake River. The men were sent with the boats and +stores to the river in the evening, and were heartily cheered on +quitting the beach. The officers remained to pack up the charts, +drawings, and other documents, which were to be left at the fort; and, +in the event of none of the officers returning, Mr. Dease was directed +to forward them to England. We quitted the house at half past ten, on +Thursday morning, leaving Cote, the fisherman, in charge, until Mr. +Dease should return from Fort Norman. This worthy old man, sharing the +enthusiasm that animated the whole party, would not allow us to depart +without giving his hearty, though solitary cheer, which we returned in +full chorus. + +The position of Fort Franklin was determined to be in latitude 65 +degrees 11 minutes 56 seconds N., longitude 123 degrees 12 minutes 44 +seconds W.; variation of the compass 39 degrees 9 minutes E.; dip of the +needle 82 degrees 58 minutes 15 seconds. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[2] Used by the Indians to break up the beaver lodges. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +Voyage to the Sea--Part from the Eastern Detachment at Point +Separation--Reach the Mouth of the Mackenzie--Interview and Contest with +the Esquimaux--Detained by Ice--Meet friendly Esquimaux--Point Sabine. + + +[Sidenote: Thursday, 22nd.] On our arrival at the Bear Lake River, we +were mortified to find the ice drifting down in large masses, with such +rapidity as to render embarkation unsafe. The same cause detained us the +whole of the following day; and as we had brought no more provision from +the house than sufficient for an uninterrupted passage to Fort Norman, +we sent for a supply of fish. This was a very sultry day, the +thermometer in the shade being 71 degrees at noon, and 74 degrees at +three P.M. + +The descent of the ice having ceased at eight in the morning of the +24th, we embarked. The heavy stores were put into a bateau, manned by +Canadians, who were experienced in the passage through rapids, and the +rest of the boats were ordered to follow in its wake, keeping at such a +distance from each other as to allow of any evolution that might be +necessary to avoid the stones. The boats struck several times, but +received no injury. At the foot of the rapid we met a canoe, manned by +four of our Canadian voyagers, whom Dr. Richardson had sent with some +letters that had arrived at Fort Norman from the Athabasca Lake; and as +the services of the men were wanted, they were embarked in the boats, +and the canoe was left. Shortly afterwards we overtook Beaulieu, who had +just killed a young moose deer, which afforded the party two substantial +meals. At this spot, and generally along the river, we found abundance +of wild onions. + +We entered the Mackenzie River at eight in the evening, and the current +being too strong for us to advance against the stream with oars, we had +recourse to the tracking line, and travelled all night. It was +fatiguing, owing to large portions of the banks having been overthrown +by the disruption of the ice, and from the ground being so soft that the +men dragging the rope sank up to the knees at every step; but these +impediments were less regarded than the ceaseless torment of the +musquitoes. We halted to sup at the spot where Sir A. Mackenzie saw the +flame rising from the bank in 1789. The precipice was still on fire, +the smoke issuing through several apertures. Specimens of the coal were +procured. + +[Sidenote: Sunday, 25th.] We reached Fort Norman at noon on the 25th. On +the following morning the provision and stores which had been left at +this place were examined, and found to be in excellent order, except the +powder in one of the magazines, which had become caked from damp. I had +ordered a supply of iron-work, knives, and beads, for the sea voyage +from Fort Simpson; they had arrived some days before us, and with our +stock thus augmented, we were well furnished with presents for the +natives. The packages being finished on the 27th, the boats received +their respective ladings, and we were rejoiced to find that each stowed +her cargo well, and with her crew embarked floated as buoyantly as our +most sanguine wishes had anticipated. The heavy stores, however, were +afterwards removed into a bateau that was to be taken to the mouth of +the river, to prevent the smaller boats from receiving injury in passing +over the shoals. + +We waited one day to make some pounded meat we had brought into +pemmican. In the mean time the seamen enlarged the foresail of the +Reliance. + +The letters which I received from the Athabasca department informed me +that the things I had required from the Company in February last, would +be duly forwarded; they likewise contained a very different version of +the story which had led us to suppose that Captain Parry was passing the +winter on the northern coast. We now learned that the Indians had only +seen some pieces of wood recently cut, and a deer that had been killed +by an arrow; these things we concluded were done by the Esquimaux. Three +men from Slave Lake, whom I had sent for to supply the place of our +Chipewyan hunters, who were very inactive last winter, joined us at this +place. They were to accompany Mr. Dease and the Canadians to Fort +Franklin; and that they, as well as the Indians, might have every +encouragement to exert themselves in procuring provisions during the +summer, I directed a supply of the goods they were likely to require, to +be sent from Fort Simpson, as soon as possible. The longitude of Fort +Norman was observed to be 124 degrees 44 minutes 47 seconds W., its +latitude 64 degrees 40 minutes 38 seconds N.; variation 39 degrees 57 +minutes 52 seconds E. + +[Sidenote: Wednesday, 28th.] Early this morning the boats were laden and +decorated with their ensigns and pendants, and after breakfast we +quitted the fort, amidst the hearty cheers of our friends Mr. Dease, Mr. +Brisbois, and the Canadians, and I am sure carried their best wishes for +our success. We halted at noon to obtain the latitude, which placed the +entrance of Bear Lake River in 64 degrees 55 minutes 37 seconds N.; and +Dr. Richardson took advantage of this delay to visit the mountain at +that point, but his stay was short, in consequence of a favourable +breeze springing up. We perceived that the four boats sailed at nearly +an equal rate in light breezes, but that in strong winds the two larger +ones had the advantage. When we landed to sup the musquitoes beset us so +furiously that we hastily despatched the meal and re-embarked, to drive +under easy sail before the current. They continued, however, to pursue +us, and deprived us of all rest. On our arrival, next morning, at the +place of the first rapids, there was scarcely any appearance of broken +water, and the sand-bank on which Augustus had been so perilously +situated in the preceding autumn, was entirely covered. This was, of +course, to be ascribed to the spring floods; the increase of water to +produce such a change, must have exceeded six feet. In the afternoon we +were overtaken by a violent thunder-storm, with heavy rain, which made +us apprehensive for the pemmican, that spoils on being wet. [Sidenote: +Friday, 30th.] It unfortunately happened that a convenient place for +spreading out the bags that were injured could not be found, until we +reached the Hare-Skin River, below the Rampart Defile, which was at nine +o'clock. They were spread out the next morning, with the other +perishable parts of the cargo, and we remained until they were dry. We +embarked at ten, and, aided by a favourable breeze, made good progress +until six P.M., when the threatening appearance of the clouds induced us +to put on shore, and we had but just covered the baggage before heavy +rain fell, that continued throughout the night. Four Hare Indians came +to the encampment, to whom dried meat and ammunition were given, as they +were in want of food from being unable to set their nets in the present +high state of the water. These were the only natives seen since our +departure from Fort Norman; they informed us, that, in consequence of +not being able to procure a sufficiency of fish in the Mackenzie at this +season, their companions had withdrawn to gain their subsistence from +the small lakes in the interior. + +[Sidenote: July, 1st.] We embarked at half past one on the morning of +the 1st of July. The sultry weather of the preceding day made us now +feel more keenly the chill of a strong western breeze, and the mist +which it brought on, about four hours after our departure. This wind +being contrary to the current, soon raised such high waves that the +boats took in a great deal of water; and as we made but little progress, +and were very cold, we landed to kindle a fire, and prepare breakfast; +after which we continued the voyage to Fort Good Hope, without any of +the interruptions from sand-banks that we had experienced in the autumn. + +On our arrival we were saluted with a discharge of musketry by a large +party of Loucheux, who had been some time waiting at the fort, with +their wives and families, for the purpose of seeing us. After a short +conference with Mr. Bell, the master of the post, we were informed that +these Indians had lately met a numerous party of Esquimaux at the Red +River, by appointment, to purchase their furs; and that in consequence +of a misunderstanding respecting some bargain, a quarrel had ensued +between them, which fortunately terminated without bloodshed. We could +not, however, gain any satisfactory account of the movements of the +Esquimaux. The only answers to our repeated questions on these points +were, that the Esquimaux came in sixty canoes to Red River, and that +they supposed them to have gone down the eastern channel, for the +purpose of fishing near its mouth. The chief, however, informed us that +he had mentioned our coming to their lands this spring, and that they +had received the intelligence without comment; but from his not having +alluded to this communication until the question was pressed upon him, +and from the manner of his answering our inquiries, I thought it +doubtful whether such a communication had really been made. + +We had been led to expect much information from the Loucheux respecting +the channels of the river, and the coast on the east and west side near +its mouth, but we were greatly disappointed. They were ignorant of the +channel we ought to follow in order to arrive at the western mouth of +the river; and the only intelligence they gave us respecting the coast +on that side was, that the Esquimaux represented it to be almost +constantly beset by ice. They said also that they were unacquainted with +the tribes who reside to the westward. Several of the party had been +down the eastern channel, of which they made a rude sketch; and their +account of the coast on that side was, that, as far as they were +acquainted with it, it was free from ice during the summer. + +Mr. C. Dease, the former master of Fort Good Hope, had retained two of +the Loucheux to accompany the Expedition until we should meet the +Esquimaux: they spoke a few words of the language, which they had +learned during an occasional residence with the tribe that resides on +the eastern border of the river. But the knowledge of the recent +transactions at Red River had convinced us that their presence would be +more likely to irritate than pacify the Esquimaux. We also discovered +that their sole motive for accompanying us was the desire of trading +with that people; and further, that they expected we should take their +families and baggage in the boats. Their services were therefore +declined; and a compensation was offered to them for their loss of time +in waiting for us; but having fixed their minds on the gain to be +derived from us and from the trade with the Esquimaux, they expressed +great disappointment, and were very intemperate in their language. As I +was anxious, for the sake of the trade at the post, to leave them no +room to complain either of us, or of Mr. Dease who had acted for us, I +spent several hours in debate with them to very little purpose, and at +last discovered that the whole scene was got up for the purpose of +obtaining a few more goods. My compliance with their wish rendered them +quite contented. I afterwards added a present to the principal chief of +the party, who still expressed a wish to accompany us, but he frankly +said that if he went, all his young men must go also. They came in the +evening in great good humour to exhibit their dances in front of our +tent, a compliment we could well have dispensed with, as we were busy. + +Having ascertained that the Esquimaux were likely to be seen in greater +numbers than had been at first imagined, I increased the stock of +presents from the store at this place, and exchanged two of our guns, +which were defective, that the party might have entire confidence in +their arms. And to provide against the casualty of either or both +branches of the Expedition having to return this way, I requested Mr. +Bell to store up as much meat as he could during the summer. We learned +from this gentleman that the supply of meat at this post was very +precarious, and that had we not left the five bags of pemmican in the +autumn, the residents would have been reduced to great distress for food +during the winter. These bags were now replaced. The arrangements being +concluded, we spent the greater part, of the night in writing to +England. I addressed to the Colonial Secretary an account of our +proceedings up to this time, and I felt happy to be able to state that +we were equipped with every requisite for the Expedition. + +[Sidenote: Sunday, 2nd.] We quitted Fort Good Hope at five on the 2nd. +In the passage down the river we were visited by several Loucheux, who, +the instant we appeared, launched their canoes, and came off to welcome +us. We landed, at their request, to purchase fish; yet, after the +bargain had been completed, an old woman stepped forward, and would only +allow of our receiving two fish: she maintained her point, and carried +off the rest in spite of all remonstrance. The natives were all clothed +in new leathern dresses, and looked much neater, and in better health, +than last autumn. Being anxious to reach the Red River, we continued +rowing against the wind until after midnight. On reaching that place, +the ground proved too wet for us to encamp; we, therefore, proceeded a +short distance lower down, and put up under some sandstone cliffs, where +there was but just room for the tents. As we were now on the borders of +the Esquimaux territory, we devoted the following morning to cleaning +the arms; and a gun, dagger, and ammunition, were issued to each person. +We had no reason, indeed, to apprehend hostility from the Esquimaux, +after the messages they had sent to Fort Franklin, but vigilance and +precaution are never to be omitted in intercourse with strange tribes. + +[Sidenote: Monday, 3rd.] Embarking at two in the afternoon of the 3rd, +we soon entered the expansion of the river whence the different channels +branch off, and steering along the western shore, we came to the head of +a branch that flowed towards the Rocky Mountain range. Being anxious not +to take the eastern detachment out of their course, I immediately +encamped to make the necessary arrangements for the separation of the +parties. The warm clothing, shoes, and articles for presents, had been +previously put up in separate packages, but the provisions remained to +be divided, which was done in due proportion. Twenty-six bags of +pemmican, and two of grease, were set apart for the Dolphin and Union, +with a supply of arrow-root, macaroni, flour, and portable soup, making +in all eighty days' provision, with an allowance for waste. The Lion and +Reliance received thirty-two bags of pemmican, and two of grease, with +sufficient arrow-root, &c., to make their supply proportionate to that +of the eastern party. Provided no accident occurred, neither party could +be in absolute want for the whole summer, because at two-thirds +allowance the pemmican could be made to last one hundred days; and we +had reason to expect to meet with deer occasionally. + +In the evening I delivered my instructions to Dr. Richardson; they were +in substance as follows:--He was to take under his charge Mr. E.N. +Kendall, and ten men, and proceed in the Dolphin and Union to survey the +coast between the Mackenzie and Copper-Mine Rivers. On reaching the +latter river, he was to travel by land to the north-east arm of Great +Bear Lake, where Beaulieu was under orders to meet him with a boat for +the conveyance of his party to Fort Franklin. But if he should be so +much delayed on the coast as to have no prospect of reaching the +Copper-Mine River by the close of August, or the Bear Lake Portage by +the 20th of September, he was not to expose himself or his party to risk +by persevering beyond the 15th or 20th of August, but was to return to +Fort Franklin by way of the Mackenzie, or by any other route he might +discover. The only cause of regret I had respecting the equipment of the +eastern party was my being unable to provide Dr. Richardson with a +chronometer, the main-springs of two out of the three chronometers +furnished to us having been broken. I borrowed, however, from Mr. Dease, +a watch, made by Barraud, to enable Mr. Kendall to obtain the longitude +by lunar distances. They were likewise provided with that excellent +instrument Massey's Log; and knowing Mr. Kendall's intimate acquaintance +with marine surveying, I had no doubt of his being able to make a +correct survey of the coast. The spot where the above arrangements were +made, bears the name of Point Separation, and lies in latitude 67 +degrees 38 minutes N., longitude 133 degrees 53 minutes W. + +As the parties entertained for each other sentiments of true friendship +and regard, it will easily be imagined that the evening preceding our +separation was spent in the most cordial and cheerful manner. We felt +that we were only separating to be employed on services of equal +interest; and we looked forward with delight to our next meeting, when, +after a successful termination, we might recount the incidents of our +respective voyages. The best supper our means afforded was provided, and +a bowl of punch crowned the parting feast. + +We were joined by an elderly Loucheux, who gave us a better account of +the eastern and western channels than we had hitherto obtained. "The +west branch," he said, "would take us to the sea, and flowed the whole +way at no great distance from the mountains." "The eastern was a good +channel, and passed close to the hills on that side." He further +informed us that the Esquimaux were generally to be found on an island +in the eastern channel, but were seldom seen in the western branch. He +was, however, unacquainted with the coast, and we found afterwards that +he knew little about the movements of the Esquimaux. + +[Sidenote: Tuesday, 4th.] By six in the morning of the 4th the boats +were all laden, and ready for departure. It was impossible not to be +struck with the difference between our present complete state of +equipment and that on which we had embarked on our former disastrous +voyage. Instead of a frail bark canoe, and a scanty supply of food, we +were now about to commence the sea voyage in excellent boats, stored +with three months' provision. At Dr. Richardson's desire the western +party embarked first. He and his companions saluted us with three hearty +cheers, which were warmly returned; and as we were passing round the +point that was to hide them from our view, we perceived them also +embarking. Augustus was rather melancholy, as might have been expected, +on his parting from Ooligbuck, to proceed he knew not whither; but he +recovered his wonted flow of spirits by the evening. + +The western party were distributed as follows:-- + +LION. RELIANCE. + +John Franklin, _Captain R.N._ George Back, _Lieutenant R.N._ William +Duncan, _Cockswain_. Robert Spinks, _Cockswain_. Thomas Matthews, +_Carpenter_. Robert Hallom, _Corpl. of Marines_. Gustavus Aird, +_Bowman_. Charles Mackenzie, _Bowman_. George Wilson, _Marine_. +Alexander Currie, _Middle Man_. Archibald Stewart, _Soldier_. Robert +Spence, _Ditto_. Neil Mac Donald, _Voyager_. Alexis Vivier, _Canadian_. +Augustus, _Esquimaux_. Francois Felix, _Ditto_. + +Our course was directly towards the Rocky Mountain range, till we came +near the low land that skirts its base; where, following the deepest +channel, we turned to the northward. I was desirous of coasting the main +shore, but finding some of the westernmost branches too shallow, we kept +on the outside of three islands for about twelve miles, when we entered +the channel that washes the west side of Simpson's Island. It was +winding, and its breadth seldom exceeded a quarter of a mile. During our +progress we occasionally caught a glimpse of the Rocky Mountains, which +was an agreeable relief to the very dull picture that the muddy islands +in our neighbourhood afforded. We halted to breakfast just before noon, +and observed the latitude 67 degrees 51 minutes N. + +In the afternoon one deer was seen, and many swans and geese; we did not +fire at them, for fear of alarming any Esquimaux that might be near. +Encamped at eight P.M., opposite Simpson's Island, in latitude 68 +degrees 13 minutes N., longitude 134 degrees 27 minutes W. The boats +were secured without discharging the cargoes, and two men were placed on +guard, to be relieved every two hours. + +[Sidenote: Wednesday, 5th.] We set forward at four A.M., with a +favourable breeze, and made good progress, though the river was very +winding. At eight we entered a branch that turned to the westward round +the point of Halkett Island into the channel washing the main shore. We +soon afterwards arrived at a spot where a large body of Esquimaux had +been encamped in the spring, and supposing that they might revisit this +place, a present of an ice-chisel, kettle, and knife, was hung up in a +conspicuous situation. Soon after we had entered the channel that flows +by the main shore, we first perceived lop-sticks, or pine trees, +divested of their lower branches, for the purpose of land-marks, and +therefore concluded it was much frequented by the Esquimaux. Our course +was then altered to N.W., and we soon passed the last of the well-wooded +islands. The spruce fir-trees terminated in latitude 68 degrees 36 +minutes N.; and dwarf willows only grew below this part. A very +picturesque view was obtained of the Rocky Mountains, and we saw the +entire outline of their peaked hills, table-land, and quoin shaped +terminations. Two lofty ranges were fronted by a lower line of +round-backed hills, in which we perceived the strata to be horizontal, +and the stone of a yellow colour. A few miles lower down we found hills +of sand close to the west border of the river. We passed several +deserted huts, and in one spot saw many chips and pieces of split +drift-wood, that appeared to have been recently cut. The channel varied +in breadth from a half to three-quarters of a mile, but, except in the +stream of the current, the water was so shallow as scarcely to float the +boats, and its greatest depth did not exceed five feet. We landed at +eight P.M., on Halkett Island, intending to encamp, but owing to the +swampiness of the ground the tent could not be pitched. Having made a +fire and cooked our supper, we retired to sleep under the coverings of +the boats, which afforded us good shelter from a gale and heavy rain +that came on before midnight. Latitude 68 degrees 39 minutes N., +longitude 135 degrees 35 minutes W. + +[Sidenote: Thursday, 6th.] The continuance of stormy weather detained us +until two P.M. of the 9th, when the rain ceasing, we embarked. After +passing through the expansion of the river near the west extreme of +Halkett Island, we turned into the narrower and more winding channel, +between Colvill Island and the main. A fog coming on at eight P.M. we +encamped, in latitude 68 degrees 48 minutes N., longitude 136 degrees 4 +minutes W.; temperature of the air 42 degrees, that of the water being +47 degrees in the middle of the stream. Several of the glaucous gulls +were seen, and this circumstance, as well as a line of bright cloud to +the N.W. resembling the ice-blink, convinced us that the sea was not far +off. A rein-deer appearing near the encampment, two men were sent after +it, who returned unsuccessful. Augustus obtained a goose for supper. +Many geese, swans, and ducks, had been seen on the marshy shores of the +island in the course of the day. + +[Sidenote: Friday, 7th.] The night was cold, and at daylight on the 7th +the thermometer indicated 36 degrees. Embarking at four A.M. we sailed +down the river for two hours, when our progress was arrested by the +shallowness of the water. Having endeavoured, without effect, to drag +the boats over the flat, we remounted the stream to examine an opening +to the westward, which we had passed. On reaching the opening we found +the current setting through it into the Mackenzie, by which we knew that +it could not afford a passage to the sea, but we pulled up it a little +way, in the hope of obtaining a view over the surrounding low grounds +from the top of an Esquimaux house which we saw before us. A low fog, +which had prevailed all the morning, cleared away, and we discovered +that the stream we had now ascended issued from a chain of lakes lying +betwixt us and the western hills, which were about six miles distant, +the whole intervening country between the hills and the Mackenzie being +flat. + +After obtaining an observation for longitude in 136 degrees 19 minutes +W., and taking the bearing of several remarkable points of the Rocky +Mountain range, we returned to the Mackenzie, and passing the shallows +which had before impeded us, by taking one half the boats' cargoes over +at a time, we came in sight of the mouth of the river. Whilst the crews +were stowing the boats, I obtained an observation for latitude in 68 +degrees 53 minutes N., and having walked towards the mouth of the river, +discovered on an island, which formed the east side of the bay into +which the river opened, a crowd of tents, with many Esquimaux strolling +amongst them. I instantly hastened to the boats, to make preparations +for opening a communication with them, agreeably to my instructions. A +selection of articles for presents and trade being made, the rest of the +lading was closely covered up; the arms were inspected, and every man +was directed to keep his gun ready for immediate use. I had previously +informed Lieutenant Back of my intention of opening the communication +with the Esquimaux by landing amongst them, accompanied only by +Augustus; and I now instructed him to keep the boats afloat, and the +crews with their arms ready to support us in the event of the natives +proving hostile; but on no account to fire until he was convinced that +our safety could be secured in no other way. Having received an +impression from the narratives of different navigators that the +sacrifices of life which had occurred in their interviews with savages, +had been generally occasioned by the crews mistaking noise and violent +gestures for decided hostility, I thought it necessary to explain my +sentiments on this point to all the men, and peremptorily forbade their +firing till I set the example, or till they were ordered to do so by +Lieutenant Back. They were also forbidden to trade with the natives on +any pretence, and were ordered to leave every thing of that kind to the +officers. + +On quitting the channel of the river we entered into the bay, which was +about six miles wide, with an unbounded prospect to seaward, and steered +towards the tents under easy sail, with the ensigns flying. The water +became shallow as we drew towards the island, and the boats touched the +ground when about a mile from the beach; we shouted, and made signs to +the Esquimaux to come off, and then pulled a short way back to await +their arrival in deeper water. Three canoes instantly put off from the +shore, and before they could reach us others were launched in such quick +succession, that the whole space between the island and the boats was +covered by them. The Esquimaux canoes contain only one person, and are +named _kaiyacks_; but they have a kind of open boat capable of holding +six or eight people, which is named _oomiak_. The men alone use the +kaiyacks, and the oomiaks are allotted to the women and children. We +endeavoured to count their numbers as they approached, and had proceeded +as far as seventy-three canoes, and five oomiaks, when the sea became so +crowded by fresh arrivals, that we could advance no farther in our +reckoning. The three headmost canoes were paddled by elderly men, who, +most probably, had been selected to open the communication. They +advanced towards us with much caution, halting when just within speaking +distance, until they had been assured of our friendship, and repeatedly +invited by Augustus to approach and receive the present which I offered +to them. Augustus next explained to them in detail the purport of our +visit, and told them that if we succeeded in finding a navigable channel +for large ships, a trade highly beneficial to them would be opened. They +were delighted with this intelligence, and repeated it to their +countrymen, who testified their joy by tossing their hands aloft, and +raising the most deafening shout of applause I ever heard. + +After the first present, I resolved to bestow no more gratuitously, but +always to exact something, however small, in return; the three elderly +men readily offered the ornaments they wore in their cheeks, their arms, +and knives, in exchange for the articles I gave them. Up to this time +the first three were the only kaiyacks that had ventured near the boats, +but the natives around us had now increased to two hundred and fifty or +three hundred persons, and they all became anxious to share in the +lucrative trade which they saw established, and pressed eagerly upon us, +offering for sale their bows, arrows, and spears, which they had +hitherto kept concealed within their canoes. I endeavoured in vain, +amidst the clamour and bustle of trade, to obtain some information +respecting the coast, but finding the natives becoming more and more +importunate and troublesome, I determined to leave them, and, therefore, +directed the boats' heads to be put to seaward. Notwithstanding the +forwardness of the Esquimaux, which we attributed solely to the desire +of a rude people to obtain the novel articles they saw in our +possession, they had hitherto shown no unfriendly disposition; and when +we told them of our intention of going to sea, they expressed no desire +to detain us, but, on the contrary, when the Lion grounded in the act of +turning, they assisted us in the kindest manner by dragging her round. +This manoeuvre was not of much advantage to us, for, from the rapid +ebbing of the tide, both boats lay aground; and the Esquimaux told us, +through the medium of Augustus, that the whole bay was alike flat, which +we afterwards found to be correct. + +An accident happened at this time, which was productive of unforeseen +and very annoying consequences. A kaiyack being overset by one of the +Lion's oars, its owner was plunged into the water with his head in the +mud, and apparently in danger of being drowned. We instantly extricated +him from his unpleasant situation, and took him into the boat until the +water could be thrown out of his kaiyack, and Augustus, seeing him +shivering with cold, wrapped him up in his own great coat. At first he +was exceedingly angry, but soon became reconciled to his situation, and +looking about, discovered that we had many bales, and other articles, in +the boat, which had been concealed from the people in the kaiyacks, by +the coverings being carefully spread over all. He soon began to ask for +every thing he saw, and expressed much displeasure on our refusing to +comply with his demands; he also, as we afterwards learned, excited the +cupidity of others by his account of the inexhaustible riches in the +Lion, and several of the younger men endeavoured to get into both our +boats, but we resisted all their attempts. Though we had not hitherto +observed any of them stealing, yet they showed so much desire to obtain +my flag, that I had it furled and put out of sight, as well as every +thing else that I thought could prove a temptation to them. They +continued, however, to press upon us so closely, and made so many +efforts to get into the boats, that I accepted the offer of two chiefs, +who said that if they were allowed to come in, they would keep the +others out. For a time they kept their word, and the crews took +advantage of the respite thus afforded, to endeavour to force the boats +towards the river into deeper water. The Reliance floated, but the Lion +was immoveable, and Lieutenant Back dropping astern again made his boat +fast to the Lion by a rope. At this time one of the Lion's crew +perceived that the man whose kaiyack had been upset had a pistol under +his shirt, and was about to take it from him, but I ordered him to +desist, as I thought it might have been purchased from the Loucheux. It +had been, in fact, stolen from Lieutenant Back, and the thief, +perceiving our attention directed to it, leaped out of the boat, and +joined his countrymen, carrying with him the great coat which Augustus +had lent him. + +The water had now ebbed so far, that it was not knee deep at the boats, +and the younger men wading in crowds around us, tried to steal every +thing within their reach; slyly, however, and with so much dexterity, as +almost to escape detection. The moment this disposition was manifested, +I directed the crews not to suffer any one to come alongside, and +desired Augustus to tell the two chiefs, who still remained seated in +the Lion, that the noise and confusion occasioned by the crowd around +the boats greatly impeded our exertions; and that if they would go on +shore and leave us for the present, we would hereafter return from the +ship which we expected to meet near this part of the coast, with a more +abundant supply of goods. They received this communication with much +apparent satisfaction, and jumping out of the boats repeated the speech +aloud to their companions. From the general exclamation of "_teyma_," +which followed, and from perceiving many of the elderly men retire to a +distance, I conceived that they acquiesced in the propriety of the +suggestion, and that they were going away, but I was much deceived. They +only retired to concert a plan of attack, and returned in a short time +shouting some words which Augustus could not make out. We soon, however, +discovered their purport, by two of the three chiefs who were on board +the Reliance, jumping out, and, with the others who hurried to their +assistance, dragging her towards the south shore of the river. +Lieutenant Back desired the chief who remained with him to tell them to +desist, but he replied by pointing to the beach, and repeating the word +_teyma_, _teyma_, with a good-natured smile. He said, however, something +to those who were seated in the canoes that were alongside, on which +they threw their long knives and arrows into the boat, taking care, in +so doing, that the handles and feathered ends were turned towards the +crew, as an indication of pacific intentions. + +As soon as I perceived the Reliance moving under the efforts of the +natives, I directed the Lion's crew to endeavour to follow her, but our +boat remained fast until the Esquimaux lent their aid and dragged her +after the Reliance. Two of the most powerful men, jumping on board at +the same time, seized me by the wrists and forced me to sit between +them; and as I shook them loose two or three times, a third Esquimaux +took his station in front to catch my arm whenever I attempted to lift +my gun, or the broad dagger which hung by my side. The whole way to the +shore they kept repeating the word "_teyma_," beating gently on my left +breast with their hands, and pressing mine against their breasts. As we +neared the beach, two oomiaks, full of women, arrived, and the +"_teymas_" and vociferation were redoubled. The Reliance was first +brought to the shore, and the Lion close to her a few seconds +afterwards. The three men who held me now leaped ashore, and those who +had remained in their canoes taking them out of the water, carried them +to a little distance. A numerous party then drawing their knives, and +stripping themselves to the waist, ran to the Reliance, and having first +hauled her as far up as they could, began a regular pillage, handing the +articles to the women, who, ranged in a row behind, quickly conveyed +them out of sight. Lieutenant Back and his crew strenuously, but +good-humouredly, resisted the attack, and rescued many things from their +grasp, but they were overpowered by numbers, and had even some +difficulty in preserving their arms. One fellow had the audacity to +snatch Vivier's knife from his breast, and to cut the buttons from his +coat, whilst three stout Esquimaux surrounded Lieutenant Back with +uplifted daggers, and were incessant in their demands for whatever +attracted their attention, especially for the anchor buttons which he +wore on his waistcoat. In this juncture a young chief coming to his aid, +drove the assailants away. In their retreat they carried off a writing +desk and cloak, which the chief rescued, and then seating himself on +Lieutenant Back's knee, he endeavoured to persuade his countrymen to +desist by vociferating "_teyma teyma_," and was, indeed, very active in +saving whatever he could from their depredations. The Lion had hitherto +been beset by smaller numbers, and her crew, by firmly keeping their +seats on the cover spread over the cargo, and by beating the natives off +with the butt-ends of their muskets, had been able to prevent any +article of importance from being carried away. But as soon as I +perceived that the work of plunder was going on so actively in the +Reliance, I went with Augustus to assist in repressing the tumult; and +our bold and active little interpreter rushed among the crowd on shore, +and harangued them on their treacherous conduct, until he was actually +hoarse. In a short time, however, I was summoned back by Duncan, who +called out to me that the Esquimaux had now commenced in earnest to +plunder the Lion, and on my return, I found the sides of the boat lined +with men as thick as they could stand, brandishing their knives in the +most furious manner, and attempting to seize every thing that was +moveable; whilst another party was ranged on the outside ready to bear +away the stolen goods. The Lion's crew still kept their seats, but as it +was impossible for so small a number to keep off such a formidable and +determined body, several articles were carried off. Our principal object +was to prevent the loss of the arms, oars, or masts, or any thing on +which the continuance of the voyage, or our personal safety, depended. +Many attempts were made to purloin the box containing the astronomical +instruments, and Duncan, after thrice rescuing it from their hands, made +it fast to his leg with a cord, determined that they should drag him +away also if they took it. + +In the whole of this unequal contest, the self-possession of our men was +not more conspicuous than the coolness with which the Esquimaux received +the heavy blows dealt to them with the butts of the muskets. But at +length, irritated at being so often foiled in their attempts, several of +them jumped on board and forcibly endeavoured to take the daggers and +shot-belts that were about the men's persons; and I myself was engaged +with three of them who were trying to disarm me. Lieutenant Back +perceiving our situation, and fully appreciating my motives in not +coming to extremities, had the kindness to send to my assistance the +young chief who had protected him, and who, on his arrival, drove my +antagonists out of the boat. I then saw that my crew were nearly +overpowered in the fore part of the boat, and hastening to their aid, I +fortunately arrived in time to prevent George Wilson from discharging +the contents of his musket into the body of an Esquimaux. He had +received a provocation of which I was ignorant until the next day, for +the fellow had struck at him with a knife, and cut through his coat and +waistcoat; and it was only after the affray was over that I learned that +Gustavus Aird, the bowman of the Lion, and three of the Reliance's crew, +had also narrowly escaped from being wounded, their clothes being cut by +the blows made at them with knives. No sooner was the bow clear of one +set of marauders, than another party commenced their operations at the +stern. My gun was now the object of the struggle, which was beginning to +assume a more serious complexion, when the whole of the Esquimaux +suddenly fled, and hid themselves behind the drift timber and canoes on +the beach. It appears that by the exertions of the crew, the Reliance +was again afloat, and Lieutenant Back wisely judging that this was the +proper moment for more active interference, directed his men to level +their muskets, which had produced that sudden panic. The Lion happily +floated soon after, and both were retiring from the beach, when the +Esquimaux having recovered from their consternation, put their kaiyacks +in the water, and were preparing to follow us; but I desired Augustus to +say that I would shoot the first man who came within range of our +muskets, which prevented them. + +It was now about eight o'clock in the evening, and we had been engaged +in this harrassing contest for several hours, yet the only things of +importance which they had carried off were the mess canteen and kettles, +a tent, a bale containing blankets and shoes, one of the men's bags, and +the jib-sails. The other articles they took could well be spared, and +they would, in fact, have been distributed amongst them, had they +remained quiet. The place to which the boats were dragged is designated +by the name of Pillage Point. I cannot sufficiently praise the fortitude +and obedience of both the boats' crews in abstaining from the use of +their arms. In the first instance I had been influenced by the desire of +preventing unnecessary bloodshed, and afterwards, when the critical +situation of my party might have well warranted me in employing more +decided means for their defence, I still endeavoured to temporize, being +convinced that as long as the boats lay aground, and we were beset by +such numbers, armed with long knives, bows, arrows, and spears, we could +not use fire-arms to advantage. The howling of the women, and the +clamour of the men, proved the high excitement to which they had wrought +themselves; and I am still of opinion that, mingled as we were with +them, the first blood we had shed would have been instantly revenged by +the sacrifice of all our lives. + +The preceding narrative shows that, bad as the general conduct of the +Esquimaux was, we had some active friends amongst them; and I was +particularly desirous of cultivating a good understanding with them, for +we were as yet ignorant of the state of the ice at sea, and did not know +how long we should have to remain in their neighbourhood. I was +determined, however, now to keep them at bay, and to convince them, if +they made any further attempts to annoy us, that our forbearance had +proceeded from good-will, and not from the want of power to punish them. +We had not gone above a quarter of a mile from Pillage Point before the +boats again took the ground at the distance of one hundred and fifty +yards from the shore; and having ascertained by the men wading in every +direction, that there was no deeper water, we made the boats fast side +by side, and remained in that situation five hours. + +Shortly after the boats had been secured, seven or eight of the natives +walked along the beach, and carrying on a conversation with Augustus, +invited him to a conference on shore. I was at first very unwilling to +permit him to go, but the brave little fellow entreated so earnestly +that I would suffer him to land and reprove the Esquimaux for their +conduct, that I at length consented, and the more readily, on seeing +that the young chief who had acted in so friendly a manner was amongst +the number on the beach. By the time that Augustus reached the shore, +the number of Esquimaux amounted to forty, and we watched with great +anxiety the animated conversation he carried on with them. On his return +he told us that its purport was as follows:--"Your conduct," said he, +"has been very bad, and unlike that of all other Esquimaux. Some of you +even stole from me, your countryman, but that I do not mind; I only +regret that you should have treated in this violent manner the white +people who came solely to do you kindness. My tribe were in the same +unhappy state in which you now are, before the white people came to +Churchill, but at present they are supplied with every thing they need, +and you see that I am well clothed; I get all that I want, and am very +comfortable. You cannot expect, after the transactions of this day, that +these people will ever bring goods to your country again, unless you +show your contrition by returning the stolen goods. The white people +love the Esquimaux, and wish to show them the same kindness that they +bestow upon the Indians: do not deceive yourselves, and suppose that +they are afraid of you; I tell you they are not, and that it is entirely +owing to their humanity that many of you were not killed to-day; for +they have all guns, with which they can destroy you either when near or +at a distance. I also have a gun, and can assure you that if a white man +had fallen, I would have been the first to have revenged his death." + +The veracity of Augustus was beyond all question with us; such a speech +delivered in a circle of forty armed men, was a remarkable instance of +personal courage. We could perceive, by the shouts of applause with +which they filled the pauses in his harangue, that they assented to his +arguments, and he told us that they had expressed great sorrow for +having given us so much cause of offence, and pleaded, in mitigation of +their conduct, that they had never seen white people before, that every +thing in our possession was so new to them, and so desirable, that they +could not resist the temptation of stealing, and begged him to assure us +that they never would do the like again, for they were anxious to be on +terms of friendship with us, that they might partake of the benefits +which his tribe derived from their intercourse with the white people. I +told Augustus to put their sincerity to the test by desiring them to +bring back a large kettle and the tent, which they did, together with +some shoes, having sent for them to the island whither they had been +conveyed. After this act of restitution, Augustus requested to be +permitted to join a dance to which they had invited him, and he was, for +upwards of an hour, engaged in dancing and singing with all his might in +the midst of a company who were all armed with knives, or bows and +arrows. He afterwards told us that he was much delighted on finding that +the words of the song, and the different attitudes of the dances, were +precisely similar to those used in his own country when a friendly +meeting took place with strangers. Augustus now learned from them that +there was a regular ebb and flow of the tide in this bay, and that when +the sun came round to a particular point there would be water enough to +float the boats, if we kept along the western shore. This communication +relieved me from much anxiety, for the water was perfectly fresh, and +from the flood-tide having passed unperceived whilst we were engaged +with the Esquimaux, it appeared to us to have been subsiding for the +preceding twelve hours, which naturally excited doubts of our being able +to effect a passage to the sea in this direction. + +The Esquimaux gradually retired as the night advanced; and when there +were only a few remaining, two of our men were sent to a fire which they +had made, to prepare chocolate for the refreshment of the party. Up to +this period we remained seated in the boats, with our muskets in our +hands, and keeping a vigilant look out on Augustus, and the natives +around him. [Sidenote: Saturday, 8th.] As they had foretold, the water +began to flow about midnight, and by half past one in the morning of the +8th it was sufficiently deep to allow of our dragging the boats forward +to a part where they floated. We pulled along the western shore about +six miles, till the appearance of the sky bespoke the immediate approach +of a gale; and we had scarcely landed before it came on with violence, +and attended with so much swell as to compel us to unload the boats and +drag them up on the beach. + +The whole party having been exhausted by the labour and anxiety of the +preceding twenty-four hours, two men were appointed to keep watch, and +the rest slept until eleven o'clock in the morning, when we began to +repair the damage which the sails and rigging had sustained from the +attempts made by the Esquimaux to cut away the copper thimbles. We were +thus employed when Lieutenant Back espied, through the haze, the whole +body of the Esquimaux paddling towards us. Uncertain of the purport of +their visit, and not choosing to open a conference with so large a body +in a situation so disadvantageous as our present one, we hastened to +launch the boats through the surf, and load them with our utmost speed; +conceiving that when once fairly afloat, we could keep any number at +bay. We had scarcely pulled into deep water before some of the kaiyacks +had arrived within speaking distance, and the man in the headmost one, +holding out a kettle, called aloud that he wished to return it, and that +the oomiak which was some distance behind, contained the things that had +been stolen from us, which they were desirous of restoring, and +receiving in return any present that we might be disposed to give. I did +not deem it prudent, however, for the sake of the few things in their +possession which we required, to hazard their whole party collecting +around us, and, therefore, desired Augustus to tell them to go back; but +they continued to advance until I fired a ball ahead of the leading +canoe, which had the desired effect--the whole party veering round, +except four, who followed us for a little way, and then went back to +join their companions. + +I have been minute in my details of our proceedings with these +Esquimaux, for the purpose of elucidating the character of the people we +had to deal with; and I feel that the account would be incomplete +without the mention, in this place, of some communications made to us in +the month of August following, which fully explained the motives of +their conduct. We learned that up to the time that the kaiyack was +upset, the Esquimaux were actuated by the most friendly feelings towards +us, but that the fellow whom we had treated so kindly after the +accident, discovering what the boats contained, proposed to the younger +men to pillage them. This suggestion was buzzed about, and led to the +conference which the old men held together when I desired them to go +away, in which the robbery was decided upon, and a pretty general wish +was expressed that it should be attended with the total massacre of our +party. Providentially a few suggested the impropriety of including +Augustus; and for a reason which could scarcely have been imagined. "If +we kill him," said they, "no more white people will visit our lands, and +we shall lose the opportunity of getting a supply of their valuable +goods; but if we spare him, he can be sent back with a story which we +shall invent to induce another party of white people to come among us." +This argument prevailed at the time; but after the interviews with +Augustus at the dance, they retired to their island, where they were so +much inflamed by the sight of the valuable articles which they had +obtained, that they all, without exception, regretted that they had +allowed us to escape. While in this frame of mind the smoke of our fire +being discovered, a consultation was immediately held, and a very artful +plan laid for the destruction of the party, including Augustus, whom +they conceived to be so firmly attached to us that it was in vain to +attempt to win him to their cause. They expected to find us on shore; +but to provide against the boats getting away if we should have +embarked, they caused some kettles to be fastened conspicuously to the +leading kaiyack, in order to induce us to stop. The kaiyacks were then +to be placed in such a position as to hamper the boats, and their owners +were to keep us in play until the whole party had come up, when the +attack was to commence. Through the blessing of Providence, their scheme +was frustrated. + +But to resume the narrative of the voyage. The breeze became moderate +and fair; the sails were set, and we passed along the coast in a W.N.W. +direction, until eleven in the evening, when we halted on a low island, +covered with drift wood, to repair the sails, and to put the boats in +proper order for a sea voyage. [Sidenote: Sunday, 9th.] The continuance +and increase of the favourable wind urged us to make all possible +despatch, and at three in the morning of the 9th again embarking, we +kept in three fathoms water at the distance of two miles from the land. +After sailing twelve miles, our progress was completely stopped by the +ice adhering to the shore, and stretching beyond the limits of our view +to seaward. We could not effect a landing until we had gone back some +miles, as we had passed a sheet of ice which was fast to the shore; but +at length a convenient spot being found, the boats were hauled up on the +beach. We quickly ascended to the top of the bank to look around, and +from thence had the mortification to perceive that we had just arrived +in time to witness the first rupture of the ice. The only lane of water +in the direction of our course was that from which we had been forced to +retreat: in every other part the sea appeared as firmly frozen as in +winter; and even close to our encampment the masses of ice were piled up +to the height of thirty feet. Discouraging as was this prospect, we had +the consolation to know that our store of provision was sufficiently +ample to allow of a few days' detention. + +The coast in this part consists of black earth, unmixed with stones of +any kind, and its general elevation is from sixty to eighty feet, though +in some places it swells into hills of two hundred and fifty feet. A +level plain, abounding in small lakes, extends from the top of these +banks to the base of a line of hills which lie in front of the Rocky +Mountains. The plain was clothed with grass and plants, then in flower, +specimens of which were collected. We recognised in the nearest range of +the Rocky Mountains, which I have named after my much-esteemed companion +Dr. Richardson, the Fitton and the Cupola Mountains, which we had seen +from Garry Island at the distance of sixty miles. Few patches of snow +were visible on any part of the range. + +Having obtained observations for longitude and variation, we retired to +bed about eight A.M., but had only just fallen asleep when we were +roused by the men on guard calling out that a party of Esquimaux were +close to the tents; and, on going out, we found the whole of our party +under arms. Three Esquimaux had come upon us unawares, and, in terror at +seeing so many strangers, they were on the point of discharging their +arrows, when Augustus's voice arrested them, and by explaining the +purpose of our arrival, soon calmed their fears. Lieutenant Back and I +having made each of them a present, and received in return some arrows, +a very amicable conference followed, which was managed by Augustus with +equal tact and judgment. It was gratifying to observe our visitors +jumping for joy as he pointed out the advantages to be derived from an +intercourse with the white people, to whom they were now introduced for +the first time. We found that they belonged to a party whose tents were +pitched about two miles from us; and as they were very desirous that +their friends might also enjoy the gratification of seeing us, they +begged that Augustus would return with them to convey the invitation; +which request was granted at his desire. + +Before their departure, marks being set up on the beach one hundred and +fifty yards in front of the tent, and twice that distance from the +boats, they were informed that this was the nearest approach which any +of their party would be permitted to make; and that at this boundary +only would gifts be made, and barter carried on. Augustus was likewise +desired to explain to them the destructive power of our guns, and to +assure them that every person would be shot who should pass the +prescribed limit. This plan was adopted in all succeeding interviews +with the Esquimaux. After five hours' absence Augustus returned, +accompanied by twenty men and two elderly women, who halted at the +boundary. They had come without bows or arrows, by the desire of +Augustus, and, following his instruction, each gave Lieutenant Back and +myself a hearty shake of the hand. We made presents to every one, of +beads, fish-hooks, awls, and trinkets; and that they might have entire +confidence in the whole party, our men were furnished with beads to +present to them. The men were directed to advance singly, and in such a +manner as to prevent the Esquimaux from counting our number, unless they +paid the greatest attention, which they were not likely to do while +their minds were occupied by a succession of novelties. + +Our visitors were soon quite at ease, and we were preparing to question +them respecting the coast, and the time of removal of the ice, when +Augustus begged that he might put on his gayest dress, and his medals, +before the conference began. This was the work of a few seconds; but +when he returned, surprise and delight at his altered appearance and +numerous ornaments so engaged their minds, that their attention could +not be drawn to any other subject for the next half hour. "Ah," said an +old man, taking up his medals, "these must have been made by such people +as you have been describing, for none that we have seen could do any +thing like it;" then taking hold of his coat, he asked "what kind of +animal do these skins which you and the chiefs wear belong to? we have +none such in our country." The anchor buttons also excited their +admiration. At length we managed to gain their attention, and were +informed that, as soon as the wind should blow strong from the land, the +ice might be expected to remove from the shore, so as to open a passage +for boats, and that it would remain in the offing until the reappearance +of the stars. "Further to the westward," they continued, "the ice often +adheres to the land throughout the summer; and when it does break away, +it is carried but a short distance to seaward, and is brought back +whenever a strong wind blows on the coast. If there be any channels in +these parts, they are unsafe for boats, as the ice is continually +tossing about." "We wonder, therefore," they said, "that you are not +provided with sledges and dogs, as our men are, to travel along the +land, when these interruptions occur." They concluded by warning us not +to stay to the westward after the stars could be seen, because the +winds would then blow strong from the sea, and pack the ice on the +shore. On further inquiry we learned that this party is usually +employed, during the summer, in catching whales and seals, in the +vicinity of the Mackenzie, and that they seldom travel to the westward +beyond a few days' journey. We were, therefore, not much distressed by +intelligence which we supposed might have originated in exaggerated +accounts received from others. In the evening Augustus returned with +them to their tents, and two of the men undertook to fetch a specimen of +the rock from Mount Fitton, which was distant about twenty miles. The +following observations were obtained:--Latitude 69 degrees 1 minute 24 +seconds N.; longitude 137 degrees 35 minutes W.; variation 46 degrees 41 +minutes E.; dip 82 degrees 22 minutes. + +The party assembled at divine service in the evening. The wind blew in +violent squalls during the night, which brought such a heavy swell upon +the ice, that the larger masses near the encampment were broken before +the morning of the 10th, but there was no change in the main body. + +[Sidenote: Monday, 10th.] The Esquimaux revisited us in the morning, +with their women and children; the party consisted of forty-eight +persons. They seated themselves as before, in a semicircle, the men +being in front, and the women behind. Presents were made to those who +had not before received any; and we afterwards purchased several pairs +of seal-skin boots, a few pieces of dressed seal-skin, and some +deer-skin cut and twisted, to be used as cords. Beads, pins, needles, +and ornamental articles, were most in request by the women, to whom the +goods principally belonged, but the men were eager to get any thing that +was made of iron. They were supplied with hatchets, files, ice chisels, +fire-steels, Indian awls, and fish-hooks. They were very anxious to +procure knives, but as each was in possession of one, I reserved the few +which we had for another occasion. The quarter from whence these knives +were obtained, will appear in a subsequent part of the narrative. It was +amusing to see the purposes to which they applied the different articles +given to them; some of the men danced about with a large cod-fish hook +dangling from the nose, others stuck an awl through the same part, and +the women immediately decorated their dresses with the ear-rings, +thimbles, or whatever trinkets they received. There was in the party a +great proportion of elderly persons, who appeared in excellent health, +and were very active. The men were stout and robust, and taller than +Augustus, or than those seen on the east coast by Captain Parry. Their +cheek-bones were less projecting than the representations given of the +Esquimaux on the eastern coast, but they had the small eye, and broad +nose, which ever distinguish that people. Except the young persons, the +whole party were afflicted with sore eyes, arising from exposure to the +glare of ice and snow, and two of the old men were nearly blind. They +wore the hair on the upper lip and chin; the latter, as well as that on +their head, being permitted to grow long, though in some cases a +circular spot on the crown of the head was cut bare, like the tonsure of +the Roman catholic clergy. Every man had pieces of bone or shells thrust +through the septum of his nose; and holes were pierced on each side of +the under lip, in which were placed circular pieces of ivory, with a +large blue bead in the centre, similar to those represented in the +drawings of the natives on the N.W. coast of America, in Kotzebue's +Voyage. These ornaments were so much valued, that they declined selling +them; and when not rich enough to procure beads or ivory, stones and +pieces of bone were substituted. These perforations are made at the age +of puberty; and one of the party, who appeared to be about fourteen +years old, was pointed out, with delight, by his parents, as having to +undergo the operation in the following year. He was a good-looking boy, +and we could not fancy his countenance would be much improved by the +insertion of the bones or stones, which have the effect of depressing +the under lip, and keeping the mouth open. + +Their dress consisted of a jacket of rein-deer skin, with a skirt behind +and before, and a small hood; breeches of the same material, and boots +of seal-skin. Their weapons for the chase were bows and arrows, very +neatly made; the latter being headed with bone or iron; and for fishing, +spears tipped with bone. They also catch fish with nets and lines. All +were armed with knives, which they either keep in their hand, or thrust +up the sleeve of their shirt. They had received from the Loucheux +Indians some account of the destructive effects of guns. The dress of +the women differed from that of the men only in their wearing wide +trowsers, and in the size of their hoods, which do not fit close to the +head, but are made large, for the purpose of receiving their children. +These are ornamented with stripes of different coloured skins, and round +the top is fastened a band of wolf's hair, made to stand erect. Their +own black hair is very tastefully turned up from behind to the top of +the head, and tied by strings of white and blue beads, or cords of white +deer-skin. It is divided in front, so as to form on each side a thick +tail, to which are appended strings of beads that reach to the waist. +The women were from four feet and a half to four and three quarters +high, and generally fat. Some of the younger females, and the children, +were pretty. + +It would appear that the walrus does not visit this part of the coast, +as none of these people recognised a sketch of one, which Lieutenant +Back drew; but they at once knew the seal and rein-deer. We learned that +the polar bear is seldom seen, and only in the autumn; and likewise that +there are very few of the brown bears, which we frequently saw on the +coast eastward of the Coppermine River. We had already seen a few white +whales, and we understood that they would resort to this part of the +coast in greater numbers with the following moon. + +The habits of these people were similar, in every respect, to those of +the tribes described by Captain Parry, and their dialect differed so +little from that used by Augustus, that he had no difficulty in +understanding them. He was, therefore, able to give them full +particulars relative to the attack made by the other party, and they +expressed themselves much hurt at their treacherous conduct. "Those are +bad men," they said, "and never fail either to quarrel with us, or steal +from us, when we meet. They come, every spring, from the eastern side of +the Mackenzie, to fish at the place where you saw them, and return as +soon as the ice opens. They are distinguished from us, who live to the +westward of the river, by the men being tattoed across the face. Among +our tribes the women only are tattoed;" having five or six blue lines +drawn perpendicular from the under lip to the chin. The speaker added, +"If you are obliged to return by this way, before these people remove, +we, with a reinforcement of young men, will be in the vicinity, and will +willingly accompany you to assist in repelling any attack." Augustus +returned with the Esquimaux to their tents, as there was not the least +prospect of our getting forward, though the ice was somewhat broken. + +[Sidenote: Tuesday, 11th.] A strong breeze from the westward during the +night, contributed, with the swell, to the further reduction of the ice, +in front of the encampment; and on the morning of the 11th, the wind +changed to the eastward, and removed the pieces a little way off shore, +though they were tossing too violently for the boats to proceed. The +swell having subsided in the afternoon, we embarked; but at the end of a +mile and a half were forced to land again, from the ice being fixed to +the shore; and as the wind had now become strong, and was driving the +loose pieces on the land, the boats were unloaded and landed on the +beach. From the summit of an adjoining hill we perceived an unbroken +field of ice to the west, and, consequently, a barrier to our progress. + +We encamped on the spot which our Esquimaux friends had left in the +morning, to remove in their oomiaks and kaiyacks towards the Mackenzie, +where they could set their fishing nets, and catch whales and seals. One +of them showed his honesty, by returning some arrows, and a piece of a +pemmican bag, that we had left at our last resting-place. The men also +joined us here with specimens of rock from Mount Fitton. + +The Esquimaux winter residences at this spot were constructed of drift +timber, with the roots of the trees upwards, and contained from one to +three small apartments, beside a cellar for their stores. There were +generally two entrances, north and south, so low as to make it necessary +to crawl through them. The only aperture was a hole at the top for the +smoke, which, as well as the doorways, could be filled up with a block +of snow at pleasure. When covered with snow, and with lamps of fire +burning within, these habitations must be extremely warm, though to our +ideas rather comfortless. Lofty stages were erected near them for the +purpose of receiving their canoes, and bulky articles. A north-east gale +came on in the evening, and rolled such a heavy surf on the beach, that +twice, during the night, we were obliged to drag the boats and cargoes +higher up. + +[Sidenote: Wednesday, 12th.] About three the next morning a heavy rain +commenced, and continued, without intermission, through the day; at +which we were delighted, however comfortless it made our situation, +because we saw the ice gradually loosening from the land under its +effects. We found the keeping a tide-pole fixed in the loose gravel +beach impracticable here, as well as at the last resting-place, on +account of the swell. It appeared to be high water this morning at half +past one A.M., and that the rise of tide was about two feet. I need +hardly observe that we had the sun constantly above the horizon, were it +not for the purpose of mentioning the amusing mistakes which the men +made as to the hour. In fact, when not employed, a question as to the +time of day never failed to puzzle them, except about midnight, when the +sun was near the northern horizon. + +Lieutenant Back missing the protractor which he used for laying down his +bearings on the map, Augustus set off in the rain early this forenoon to +recover it from an Esquimaux woman, whom he had seen pick it up. The +rain ceased in the afternoon, the wind gradually abated, and by eight in +the evening it was calm. A south wind followed, which opened a passage +for the boat, but Augustus was not in sight. [Sidenote: Thursday, 13th.] +At midnight we became greatly alarmed for his safety, having now found +that he had taken his gun, which we supposed the natives might have +endeavoured to wrest from him, and we were on the point of despatching a +party in search of him, when he arrived at four in the morning of the +13th, much fatigued, accompanied by three of the natives. His journey +had been lengthened by the Esquimaux having gone farther to the eastward +than he had expected, but he had recovered the protractor which had been +kept in their ignorance of its utility to us. His companions brought +five white fish, and some specimens of crystal, with other stones, from +the mountains, which we purchased, and further rewarded them for their +kindness in not allowing Augustus to return alone. + +The boats were immediately launched, and having pulled a short distance +from the land, we set the sails, our course being directed to the outer +point in view, to avoid the sinuosities of the coast. We passed a wide, +though not deep bay, whose points were named after my friends Captains +Sabine and P.P. King; and we were drawing near the next projection, when +a compact body of ice was discovered, which was joined to the land +ahead. At the same time a dense fog came on, that confined our view to a +few yards; it was accompanied by a gale from the land, and heavy rain. +We had still hopes of getting round the point, and approached the shore +in that expectation, but found the ice so closely packed that we could +neither advance nor effect a landing. We, therefore, pulled to seaward, +and turned the boat's head to the eastward, to trace the outer border of +the ice. In this situation we were exposed to great danger from the +sudden change of wind to S.E., which raised a heavy swell, and brought +down upon us masses of ice of a size that, tossed as they were by the +waves, would have injured a ship. We could only catch occasional +glimpses of the land through the fog, and were kept in the most anxious +suspense, pulling in and out between the floating masses of ice, for +five hours, before we could get near the shore. We landed a little to +the west of Point Sabine, and only found sufficient space for the boats +and tents between the bank and the water. The rain ceased for a short +time in the evening, and during this interval, we perceived, from the +top of the bank, that the whole space between us and the distant point, +as well as the channel by which we had advanced to the westward, were +now completely blocked; so that we had good reason to congratulate +ourselves on having reached the shore in safety. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +Babbage River--Meet Natives at Herschel Island--Their Trade with the +Russians, through the Western Esquimaux--Ascend Mount Conybeare--Boundary +of the British Dominions on this Coast--Delayed at Icy Reef--Barter +Island--Detention at Foggy Island--Return Reef--Limit of outward Voyage. + + +[Sidenote: Friday, 14th.] Although it rained heavily during the night, +and the wind blew strong off the land for some hours, there was no other +change in the state of the ice on the morning of the 14th, than that the +smaller pieces were driven a short way from the beach. The day was foggy +and rainy, but the evening fine. The bank under which we were encamped +is of the same earthy kind as that described on the 9th, but rather +higher and steeper. It contains much wood coal, similar to that found in +the Mackenzie River, and at Garry's Island. The beach and the beds of +the rivulets that flow through the ravines, consist of coarse gravel. +Specimens of its stones, of the coal, and of the plants in flower, were +added to the collection. We saw two marmots, and two rein-deer, which +were too wary to allow of our getting within shot of them. Between noon +and ten P.M. the loose ice was driving in front of the encampment from +the N.W. to S.E., and at the latter hour it stopped. We could not detect +any difference in the height of the water, and there was a calm the +whole time. A light breeze from S.E. after midnight, brought the masses +close to the beach. [Sidenote: Saturday, 15th.] On the morning of the +15th, having perceived that the ice was loosened from the land near the +outer point, to which I have given the name of Kay, after some much +esteemed relatives, we embarked, and in the course of a few hours +succeeded in reaching it, by passing between the grounded masses of ice. +On landing at Point Kay, we observed that our progress must again be +stopped by a compact body of ice that was fast to the shore of a deep +bay, and extended to our utmost view seaward; and that we could not +advance farther than the mouth of a river which discharged its waters +just round the point. The boats were, therefore, pulled to its entrance, +and we encamped. Former checks had taught us to be patient, and we, +therefore, commenced such employments as would best serve to beguile the +time, consoling ourselves with the hope that a strong breeze would soon +spring up from the land and open a passage. Astronomical observations +were obtained, the map carried on, and Lieutenant Back sketched the +beautiful scenery afforded by a view of the Rocky Mountains, while I was +employed in collecting specimens of the plants in flower. The men amused +themselves in various ways, and Augustus went to visit an Esquimaux +family that were on an island contiguous to our encampment. + +We now discovered that the Rocky Mountains do not form a continuous +chain, but that they run in detached ranges at unequal distances from +the coast. The Richardson chain commencing opposite the mouth of the +Mackenzie, terminates within view of our present situation. Another +range, which I have named in honour of Professor Buckland, begins on the +western side of Phillips Bay, and extending to the boundary of our view, +is terminated by the Conybeare Mountain. + +It gave me great pleasure to affix the name of my friend Mr. Babbage to +the river we had discovered, and that of Mr. Phillips, Professor of +Painting at the Royal Academy, to the bay into which its waters are +emptied. We learned from the Esquimaux that this river, which they call +Cook-Keaktok, or Rocky River, descends from a very distant part of the +interior, though they are unacquainted with its course beyond the +mountains. It appeared to us to flow between the Cupola and Barn +mountains of the Richardson chain. There are many banks of gravel near +its mouth, but above these obstructions the channel appeared deep, and +to be about two miles broad. There were no rocks _in situ_, or large +stones, near the encampment; the rolled pebbles on the beach were +sandstone of red and light brown colours, greenstone, and slaty +limestone. We gathered a fine specimen of tertiary pitch-coal. + +Augustus returned in the evening with a young Esquimaux and his wife, +the only residents at the house he had visited. They had now quite +recovered the panic into which they had been thrown on our first +appearance, which was heightened by their being unable to escape from us +owing to the want of a canoe. We made them happy by purchasing the fish +they brought, and giving them a few presents; they continued to skip and +laugh as long as they staid. The man informed us that judging from the +rapid decay of the ice in the few preceding days, we might soon expect +it to break from the land, so as to allow of our reaching Herschel +Island, which was in view; but he represented the coast to the westward +of the island as being low, and so generally beset with ice, that he was +of opinion we should have great difficulty in getting along. This +couple had been left here to collect fish for the use of their +companions, who were to rejoin them for the purpose of killing whales, +as soon as the ice should break up; and they told us the black whales +would soon come after its rupture took place. It would be interesting to +ascertain where the whales retire in the winter, as they require to +inhale the air frequently. Those of the white kind make their appearance +when there are but small spaces of open water; and we afterwards saw two +black whales in a similar situation. One might almost infer from these +circumstances that they do not remove very far. Is it probable that they +go, at the close of the autumn, to a warmer climate? or can the sea be +less closely covered with ice in the high northern latitudes? The +situation of our encampment was observed to be, latitude 69 degrees 19 +minutes N.; longitude 138 degrees 10-1/2 minutes W.; variation 46 +degrees 16 minutes E.; and a rise and fall of nine inches in the water. +The wind blew from the west during the night, and drove much ice near +the boats; but as the masses took ground a little way from the shore, we +were spared the trouble of removing the boats higher up the beach. + +[Sidenote: Sunday, 16th.] We were favoured in the forenoon of the 16th +by a strong breeze from the land, which, in the course of a few hours, +drove away many of these pieces towards Point Kay, and opened a passage +for the boats. We immediately embarked to sail over to the western side +of Phillips Bay, concluding, from the motion of the ice, that it must +now be detached from that shore. On reaching it, we had the pleasure of +finding an open channel close to the beach, although the entrance was +barred by a stream of ice lying aground on a reef. The boats being +forced by poles over this obstruction, we stood under sail along the +coast to about five miles beyond Point Stokes; but there we were again +compelled by the closeness of the ice to stop, and from the top of a +sand-hill we could not discover any water in the direction of our +course. The tents were therefore pitched, and the boats unloaded, and +hauled on the beach. Heavy rain came on in the evening, by which we +indulged the hope that the ice might be loosened. We were encamped on a +low bank of gravel which runs along the base of a chain of sand-hills +about one hundred and fifty feet high, and forms the coast line. The +bank was covered with drift timber, and is the site of a deserted +Esquimaux village. The snow still remaining in the ravines was tinged +with light red spots. [Sidenote: Monday, 17th.] The night was calm, and +the ice remained in the same fixed state until six in the morning of the +17th, when, perceiving the pieces in the offing to be in motion we +launched the boats, and by breaking our way at first with hatchets, and +then forcing with the poles through other streams of ice, we contrived +to reach some lanes of water, along which we navigated for four hours. A +strong breeze springing up from seaward, caused the ice to close so fast +upon the boat, that we were obliged to put again to the shore, and land +on a low bank, similar to that on which we had rested the night before. +It was intersected, however, by many pools and channels of water, which +cut off our communication with the land. As we could not obtain, from +our present station, any satisfactory view of the state of the ice to +the westward, I despatched Duncan and Augustus to take a survey of it +from Point Catton, while Lieutenant Back and I made some astronomical +observations. They returned after an absence of two hours, and reported +that there was water near Herschel Island, and a channel in the offing +that appeared to lead to it. We, therefore, embarked; and by pushing the +boats between the masses that lay aground, for some distance, we +succeeded in reaching open water at the entrance of the strait which +lies between the island and the main, and through which the loose pieces +of ice were driving fast to the westward. Having now the benefit of a +strong favourable breeze, we were enabled to keep clear of them, and +made good progress. Arriving opposite the S.E. end of Herschel Island, +we perceived a large herd of rein-deer just taking the water, and on +approaching the shore to get within shot, discovered three Esquimaux in +pursuit. These men stood gazing at the boats for some minutes, and after +a short consultation, we observed them to change the heads of their +arrows, and prepare their bows. They then walked along the south shore, +parallel to our course, for the purpose, as we soon found, of rejoining +their wives. We reached the place at which the ladies were before them, +and though invited to land, we were not able, on account of the surf. +Augustus was desired to assure them of our friendship, and of our +intention to stop at the first sheltered spot, to which they and their +husbands might come to receive a present. More than this our little +friend could not be prevailed upon to communicate, because they were +"old wives;" and it was evident that he considered any further +conversation with women to be beneath his dignity. On passing round the +point we discovered that the ice was closely packed to leeward, and such +a heavy swell setting upon it, that it was unsafe to proceed. We, +therefore, encamped, and Augustus set off immediately to introduce +himself to the Esquimaux. The tents were scarcely pitched, and the +sentinels placed, before he returned, accompanied by twelve men and +women, each bringing a piece of dried meat, or fish, to present to us. +We learned from them that the boats, when at a distance, had been taken +for pieces of ice; but when we drew near enough for them to distinguish +the crews, and they perceived them clothed differently from any men they +had seen, they became alarmed, and made ready their arrows, as we had +observed. On receiving some presents, they raised a loud halloo, which +brought five or six others from an adjoining island, and in the evening +there was a further addition to the party of some young men, who had +been hunting, and who afterwards sent their wives to bring us a part of +the spoils of their chase. They remained near the tents the greater part +of the night, and testified their delight by dancing and singing. An old +woman, whose hair was silvered by age, made a prominent figure in these +exhibitions. + +The information we obtained from them confirmed that which we had +received from the last party, namely, that they procure the iron, +knives, and beads, through two channels, but principally from a party of +Esquimaux who reside a great distance to the westward, and to meet whom +they send their young men every spring with furs, seal-skins, and oil, +to exchange for those articles; and also from the Indians, who come +every year from the interior to trade with them by a river that was +directly opposite our encampment; which I have, therefore, named the +Mountain Indian River. These Indians leave their families and canoes at +two days' march from the mouth of the river, and the men come alone, +bringing no more goods than they intend to barter. They were represented +to be tall stout men, clothed in deer-skins, and speaking a language +very dissimilar to their own. They also said that the Esquimaux to the +westward, speak a dialect so different from theirs, that at the first +opening of the communication, which was so recent as to be within the +memory of two of our present companions, they had great difficulty in +understanding them. Several quarrels took place at their first meetings, +in consequence of the western party attempting to steal; but latterly +there has been a good understanding between them, and the exchanges have +been fairly made. + +Our visitors did not know from what people either the Indians or the +Esquimaux obtained the goods, but they supposed from some "Kabloonacht," +(white people,) who reside far to the west. As the articles we saw were +not of British manufacture, and were very unlike those sold by the +Hudson's Bay Company to the Indians, it cannot be doubted that they are +furnished by the Russian Fur Traders, who receive in return for them all +the furs collected on this northern coast. Part of the Russian iron-work +is conveyed to the Esquimaux dwelling on the coast east of the +Mackenzie. The western Esquimaux use tobacco, and some of our visitors +had smoked it, but thought the flavour very disagreeable. Until I was +aware of their being acquainted with the use of it, I prohibited my men +from smoking in their presence, and afterwards from offering their pipes +to the Esquimaux at any time. At the conclusion of this conference, our +visitors assured us, that having now become acquainted with white +people, and being conscious that the trade with them would be +beneficial, they would gladly encourage a further intercourse, and do +all in their power to prevent future visitors from having such a +reception as we had on our arrival in these seas. We learned that this +island, which has been distinguished by the name of Herschel, is much +frequented by the natives at this season of the year, as it abounds with +deer, and its surrounding waters afford plenty of fish. It is composed +of black earth, rises, in its highest point, to about one hundred feet, +and at the time of our visit was covered with verdure. The strait +between it and the main shore, is the only place that we had seen, since +quitting the Mackenzie, in which a ship could find shelter; but even +this channel is much interrupted by shoals. Latitude 69 degrees 33-1/2 +minutes N.; longitude 139 degrees 3 minutes W.; were observed at the +encampment. + +[Sidenote: Tuesday, 18th.] On the morning of the 18th the fog was so +thick that we could not see beyond the beach. It dispersed about noon, +and we discovered that there was a channel of open water near the main +shore, though in the centre of the strait the ice was heavy, and driving +rapidly to the north-west. We embarked at once, in the expectation of +being able to penetrate between the drift ice and the land, but the +attempt was frustrated by the shallowness of the water; and the fog +again spreading as thick as before, we landed on a sand-bank. We were +soon visited by another party of the Esquimaux, who brought deer's meat +for sale; and although the whole quantity did not amount to a deer, we +had to purchase it in small pieces. This practice of dividing the meat +among the party, we found to prevail throughout the voyage; and they +avowed as their reason for it, the desire that every one might obtain a +share of the good things we distributed. One of the men drew on the sand +a sketch of the coast to the westward, as far as he was acquainted with +it; from which it appeared that there was a line of reefs in front of +the coast the whole way; the water being deep on the outside of them, +but on the inside too shallow even for their oomiaks to float. We +subsequently found that his knowledge of the coast did not extend beyond +a few days' march. + +The atmosphere becoming more clear about two P.M., we again embarked, +and endeavoured to get to seaward. The boats, however, soon grounded; +and finding all our attempts to push through any of the channels between +the reefs ineffectual, we pulled back close to Herschel Island. +Following, then, the course of the drift ice, we passed near to its +south-west point, which was found to be the only deep passage through +the strait. We afterwards entered into a fine sheet of open water, the +main body of the ice being about half a mile to seaward, and only a few +bergs lying aground in the direction of our course. The outer parts of +the island appeared closely beset with it. At the end of five miles we +discerned another large party of Esquimaux, encamped on a reef; they +waved their jackets as signals for us to land, which we declined doing, +as we perceived the water to be shallow between us and them. They ran +along the beach as far as the end of the reef, tempting us by holding up +meat. Only two of the party were provided with canoes, and they followed +us to a bluff point of the main shore, on which we landed. These proved +to be persons whom we had seen at Herschel Island, and who had visited +the Esquimaux in this quarter on purpose to make them acquainted with +our arrival. We were happy to learn from them that we should not see any +more of their countrymen for some time, because, while surrounded by +them, the necessity of closely watching their motions, prevented us from +paying due attention to other objects. Resuming our voyage, we pulled +along the outer border of a gravel reef, about two hundred yards broad, +that runs parallel to, and about half a mile from, the coast, having a +line of drift ice on the outside of us. The wind being contrary, and the +evening cold, temperature 40 degrees, we encamped on the reef at eight +P.M., where we found plenty of drift timber; the water was brackish. The +distance travelled this day was eight miles and a half. The main shore +opposite the encampment was low to a great distance from the coast; it +then appeared to ascend gradually to the base of the Buckland chain of +mountains. + +[Sidenote: Wednesday, 19th.] The following morning being calm, and very +fine, the boats were launched at three A.M., and we set off in high +spirits; but after pulling three miles, we perceived the channel of open +water becoming narrow, and the pieces of ice heavier than any we had +before seen, some of them being aground in three fathoms water. At six +A.M., after having gone five miles and a half, we were stopped by the +ice which adhered to the reef, and was unbroken to seaward. Imagining we +saw water at some distance beyond this barrier, we were induced to drag +the boats across the reef, and launch them into the channel on the +inside, in the hope of reaching it. This proved to be a bay, at the head +of which we arrived in a short time. It was then discovered that a fog +hanging over the ice had been mistaken for water. The boats were, +therefore, reconveyed across the reef, the tents pitched, and we had to +draw largely on our nearly exhausted stock of patience, as we +contemplated the dreary view of this compact icy field. A herd of +rein-deer appeared very opportunely to afford some employment, and most +of the men were despatched on the chase, but only one was successful. +The following observations were obtained:--Latitude 69 degrees 36 +minutes N.; longitude 139 degrees 42 minutes W.; variation 46 degrees 13 +minutes E. Being now abreast of Mount Conybeare, Lieutenant Back and I +were on the point of setting out to visit its summit, when we were +stopped by a very dense fog that accompanied a fresh breeze from the +N.W., followed by heavy rain. [Sidenote: Thursday, 20th.] The weather +continued bad, until ten the following morning; the ice near the beach +was broken into smaller pieces, but as yet too closely packed for our +proceeding. The water being brackish in front of the reef, we despatched +two men to bring some from the pools at a distance inland, which was +found to have the same taste; from this circumstance, as well as from +the piles of drift wood, thrown up far from the coast, one may infer +that the sea occasionally washes over this low shore. The ice broken off +from large masses, and permitted to drain before it was melted, did not +furnish us with better water. A couple of pin-tailed ducks were shot, +the only pair seen; the black kind were more numerous, but were not +fired at, as they are fishing ducks, and, therefore, not good to eat. We +also saw a few geese and swans. + +[Sidenote: Friday, 21st.] The atmosphere was calm, and perfectly clear, +on the morning of the 21st; and as there was not any change in the +position of the ice, I visited Mount Conybeare, accompanied by Duncan +and Stewart. Though its distance was not more than twelve miles from the +coast, the journey proved to be very fatiguing, owing to the swampiness +of the ground between the mountain and the sea. We had also the +discomfort of being tormented the whole way by myriads of musquitoes. +The plain was intersected by a winding river, about forty yards broad, +which we forded, and on its western side found a thicket of willows, +none of which were above seven inches in circumference, and only five or +six feet high. At the foot of the mountain were three parallel +platforms, or terraces, whose heights we estimated at fifty, eighty, and +one hundred and thirty feet; composed of transition slate, the stone of +the lowest being of the closest texture. We found the task of climbing +above the upper terraces difficult, in consequence of the looseness of +the stones, which did not afford a firm footing, but after an hour's +labour, we succeeded in reaching the top. The mountain is also composed +of slate, but so much weathered near the summit, as to appear a mere +collection of stones. Its height above the sea we estimated at eight +hundred feet. Two or three hardy plants were in flower, at the highest +elevation, which we gathered, though they were of the same kind that had +been collected in the lower lands; and during the whole march we did not +meet with any plant different from the specimens we had already +obtained. On arriving at the top of the mountain, we were refreshed by a +strong south wind, which we fondly hoped might reach to the coast, and +be of service, by driving the ice from the land. This hope, however, +lasted only a few minutes; for, on casting our eyes to seaward, there +appeared no open water into which it could be moved, except near +Herschel Island. The view into the interior possessed the charm of +novelty, and attracted particular regard. We commanded a prospect over +three ranges of mountains, lying parallel to the Buckland chain, but of +less altitude. The view was bounded by a fourth range of high-peaked +mountains, for the most part covered with snow. This distant range was +afterwards distinguished by the name of the British Chain; and the +mountains at its extremities were named in honour of the then Chancellor +of the Exchequer, and President of the Board of Trade--the Right +Honourable Mr. Robinson, now Lord Goderich, and Mr. Huskisson. When seen +from the coast, the mountains of the Buckland chain appeared to form a +continuous line, extending from N.W. by N., to S.E. by S.; but from our +present situation we discovered that they were separated from each other +by a deep valley, and a rivulet, and that their longest direction was +N.N.E. and S.S.W. The same order prevailed in the three ranges behind +the Buckland chain; and the highest of their mountains, like Mount +Conybeare, were round and naked at the top; the vallies between them +were grassy. We erected a pile of stones of sufficient height to be seen +from the sea, and deposited underneath it a note, containing the +latitude, longitude, and some particulars relative to the Expedition. + +[Sidenote: Saturday, 22nd.] The 22nd was a calm sultry day, the +temperature varying between 58 degrees and 63 degrees, and we were +tormented by musquitoes. The ice remained very close to the beach. +[Sidenote: Sunday, 23rd.] Impatient of our long detention, we gladly +availed ourselves, at three in the morning of the 23rd, of a small +opening in the ice, to launch the boats, and push them forward as far as +we could get them. We thus succeeded in reaching a lane of water, +through which we made tolerable progress, though after two hours and a +half of exertion, we were gradually hemmed in, and forced again to +encamp at the mouth of a small stream westward of Sir Pulteney Malcolm +River. We had, however, the satisfaction of finding, by the +observations, that we had gained ten miles. Latitude 69 degrees 36 +minutes N.; longitude 140 degrees 12 minutes W.; variation 45 degrees 6 +minutes E. The temperature of the water at the surface a quarter of a +mile from the shore was 40 degrees, that of the air being 49 degrees. +The water was two fathoms deep, ten yards from the beach. + +The coast here was about fifteen feet high; and from the top of the bank +a level plain extended to the base of the mountains, which, though very +swampy, was covered with verdure. At this place we first found boulder +stones, which were deeply seated in the gravel of the beach. They +consisted of greenstone, sandstone, and limestone; the first mentioned +being the largest, and the last the most numerous. Having seen several +fish leaping in the river, a net was set across its mouth, though +without success, owing to the meshes being too large. Two men were +despatched to examine the state of the ice; and on their return from a +walk of several miles, they reported that, with the exception of a small +spot close to the beach, it was quite compact. They had observed, about +two miles from the encampment, stumps of drift wood fixed in the ground +at certain distances, extending from the coast across the plain towards +the Rocky Mountains, in the direction of two piles of stones, which were +erected on the top of the latter. We were at a loss to conjecture what +motive the Esquimaux could have had for taking so much trouble, unless +these posts were intended to serve as decoys for the rein-deer. The +party assembled at divine service in the evening, as had been our +practice every Sunday. + +[Sidenote: Monday, 24th.] On the morning of the 24th we were able to +make a further advance of two miles and three quarters, by forcing the +boats between the masses of ice, as far as the debouche of another +rivulet, in latitude 69 degrees 36-1/2 minutes N., and longitude 140 +degrees 19-1/2 minutes W. Under any other circumstance than that of +being beset by ice, the beautifully calm and clear weather we then had +would have been delightful; but as our hope of being released rested +solely on a strong wind, we never ceased to long for its occurrence. A +breeze would have been, at any rate, beneficial in driving away the +musquitoes, which were so numerous as to prevent any enjoyment of the +open air, and to keep us confined to a tent filled with smoke, the only +remedy against their annoyance. + +[Sidenote: Tuesday, 25th.] We were still detained the two following +days, and the only things we saw were a grey wolf, some seals, and some +ducks. More tedious hours than those passed by us in the present +situation, cannot well be imagined. After the astronomical observations +had been obtained and worked, the survey brought up, a sketch made of +the encampment, and specimens of the plants and stones in the vicinity +collected, there was, literally, nothing to do. The anxiety which was +inseparable from such an enterprize as ours, at such an advanced period +of the season, left but little disposition to read, even if there had +been a greater choice of books in our travelling library, and still less +composure to invent amusement. Even had the musquitoes been less +tormenting, the swampiness of the ground, in which we sank ankle deep at +every step, deprived us of the pleasure of walking. A visit to the Rocky +Mountains was often talked of, but they were now at a distance of two +days' journey, and we dared not to be absent from the boats so long, +lest the ice, in its fickle movements, should open for a short time. +Notwithstanding the closeness of the ice, we perceived a regular rise +and fall of the water, though it amounted only to seven inches, except +on the night of the 24th, when the rise was two feet; but the direction +of the flood was not yet ascertained. We found a greater proportion of +birch-wood, mixed with the drift timber to the westward of the Babbage +than we had done before; between the Mackenzie and that river it had +been so scarce, that we had to draw upon our store of bark to light the +fires. Some lunar observations were obtained in the afternoon of the +25th, and their results assured us that the chronometers were going +steadily. At midnight we were visited by a strong S.W. breeze, +accompanied by rain, thunder, and lightning. This weather was succeeded +by calm, and a fog that continued throughout the next day, and confined +our view to a few yards. Temperature from 41 degrees to 43 degrees. +[Sidenote: Wednesday, 26th.] On the atmosphere becoming clear about nine +in the evening of the 26th, we discovered a lane of water, and +immediately embarking, we pulled, for an hour, without experiencing much +interruption from the ice. A fresh breeze then sprung up from the N.W., +which brought with it a very dense fog, and likewise caused the ice to +close so fast upon us, that we were compelled to hasten to the shore. We +had just landed, when the channel was completely closed. We encamped on +the western side of a river about two hundred yards broad, which, at the +request of Lieutenant Back, was named after Mr. Backhouse, one of the +under Secretaries of State for Foreign Affairs. It appeared that the +water that flowed from this channel had caused the opening by which we +had travelled from our last resting-place; for beyond it, the ice was +closely packed. + +[Sidenote: Thursday, 27th.] Some heavy rain fell in the night, and the +morning of the 27th was foggy; but the sun, about noon, having dispersed +the fog, we discovered an open channel about half a mile from the shore. +No time was lost in pushing the boats into it. By following its course +to the end, and breaking our way through some streams of ice, we were +brought, at the end of eight miles, to the mouth of a wide river that +flows from the British range of mountains. This being the most westerly +river in the British dominions on this coast, and near the line of +demarcation between Great Britain and Russia, I named it the Clarence, +in honour of His Royal Highness the Lord High Admiral. Under a pile of +drift timber which we erected on the most elevated point of the coast +near its mouth, was deposited a tin box, containing a royal silver +medal, with an account of the proceedings of the Expedition; and the +union flag was hoisted under three hearty cheers, the only salute that +we could afford. This ceremony did not detain us longer than half an +hour; when we launched into a larger space of open water than we had +seen since the 9th of the month. This circumstance, together with the +appearance of several seals, and the water becoming more salt, created a +hope that we should soon enter upon a brisker navigation. But this too +sanguine expectation was dispelled in little more than an hour, by a +close and heavy field of ice, which obliged us to pull to the shore. The +tent was pitched under a steep bank of mud, in latitude 69 degrees 38 +minutes N.; longitude 140 degrees 46 minutes W. The soundings this day +varied from two to ten fathoms; and the temperature of the air from 37 +degrees to 45 degrees. [Sidenote: Friday, 28th.] The ice having opened +near the beach by noon of the 28th, so as to admit the boats, we +embarked, to try if we could not advance by thrusting the masses aside +with poles. After spending several hours in this labour, and gaining +only two miles, further exertion became ineffectual, owing to the ice +being closely packed, and many of the pieces from fifteen to twenty feet +high, lying aground. We had however, gained by the removal the comforts +of dry ground, and good water, which had been wanting at the last +encampment. Among the drift timber on the beach was a pine tree, seven +feet and a quarter in girth, by thirty-six long. We had previously seen +several, little inferior in size. The temperature this day varied from +39 degrees to 48 degrees. We had observed, for the preceding fortnight, +that the musquitoes assailed us as soon as the temperature rose to 45 +degrees, and that they retired quickly on its descending below that +height. + +[Sidenote: Saturday, 29th.] The morning of the 29th opened with heavy +rain and fog; the precursors of a strong gale from E.N.E., which brought +back the ice we had already passed, and closely packed it along the +beach, but we could not perceive that the wind had the slightest effect +on the main body at a distance from the shore. This was a very cold, +comfortless day, the temperature between 38 degrees and 42 degrees. +[Sidenote: Sunday, 30th.] On the following morning a brilliant sun +contributed with the gale to the dispersion of the mist which had, for +some days past, overhung the Rocky Mountains, and we had the +gratification of seeing, for the first time, the whole length of the +British Chain of Mountains, which are more peaked and irregular in their +outline, and more picturesque than those of the Buckland Range. The +following observations were obtained here:--Latitude 69 degrees 38 +minutes N.; longitude 140 degrees 51 minutes W.; variation 45 degrees 43 +minutes E.; dip 83 degrees 27 minutes. In exploring the bed of a rivulet +we found several pieces of quartz, containing pyrites of a very bright +colour, which so much attracted the attention of the crews, that they +spent several hours in examining every stone, expecting to have their +labour rewarded by the discovery of some precious metal. + +The gale having abated in the evening, we quickly loaded the boats, and +pulled them into a lane of water that we had observed about half a mile +from the shore. This, however, extended only a short way to the west, +and at the end of a mile and a half inclined towards the beach, the ice +beyond it being closely packed. Before the boats could be brought to the +land, they received several heavy blows in passing through narrow +channels, and over tongues of grounded ice. I walked to the extreme +point that we had in view from the tent, and was rejoiced by the sight +of a large space of water in the direction of our course; but up to the +point the ice was still compact, and heavy. On my way I passed another +Esquimaux village, where there were marks of recent visitors. + +We witnessed the setting of the sun at eleven P.M.; an unwelcome sight, +which the gloomy weather had, till then, spared us; for it forced upon +our minds the conviction that the favourable season for our operations +was fast passing away, though we had, as yet, made so little progress. +This was not the only uncomfortable circumstance that attended us this +evening. Our friend Augustus was seized with a shivering fit, in +consequence of having imprudently rushed, when in full perspiration, +into a lake of cold water, to drag out a rein-deer which he had killed. +He was unable to walk on coming out of the water, and the consequence +would have been more serious had it not been for the kindness of his +companion, Wilson, who deprived himself of his flannels and waistcoat to +clothe him. On their arrival at the tent, Augustus was put between +blankets, and provided with warm chocolate, and the only inconvenience +that he felt next morning was pain in his limbs. + +[Sidenote: Monday, 31st.] We had several showers of rain during the +night, with a steady S.W. breeze, and in the morning of the 31st were +delighted by perceiving the ice loosening and driving off the land. We +were afloat in a few minutes, and enjoyed the novelty of pulling through +an uninterrupted channel as far as Point Demarcation, which has been so +named from its being situated in longitude 141 degrees W., the boundary +between the British and Russian dominions on the northern coast of +America. This point seems to be much resorted to by the Esquimaux, as we +found here many winter houses, and four large stages. On the latter were +deposited several bundles of seal and deer skins, and several pair of +snow-shoes. The snow-shoes were netted with cords of deer-skin, and were +shaped like those used by the Indians near the Mackenzie. A favourable +breeze now sprang up; and having ascertained, by mounting one of the +Esquimaux stages, that there was still a channel of open water between a +low island and the main shore, we set sail to follow its course. At the +end of three miles we found the water gradually to decrease from three +fathoms to as many feet, and shortly afterwards the boats repeatedly +took the ground. In this situation we were enveloped by a thick fog, +which limited our view to a few yards. We, therefore, dragged the boats +to the land, until we could see our way; this did not happen before ten +in the evening, when it was discovered from the summit of an eminence, +about two miles distant, that though the channel was of some extent, it +was very shallow, and seemed to be barred by ice to the westward. We +also ascertained that it was bounded to the seaward by a long reef. The +night proved very stormy, and we were but scantily supplied with drift +wood. + +[Sidenote: August 1st.] Though the morning of the 1st of August +commenced with a heavy gale from E.N.E., and very foggy weather, we +proceeded to the reef, after much fatigue in dragging the boats over +the flats, under the supposition that our best chance of getting forward +would be by passing on the outside of it. But there finding heavy ice +lying aground, and so closely packed as to preclude the possibility of +putting the boats into the water, it was determined to examine the +channel by walking along the shore of the reef. An outlet to the sea was +discovered, but the channel was so flat that gulls were, in most parts, +wading across; and there was, therefore, no other course than to await +the separation of the ice from the reef. On the dispersion of the fog in +the afternoon, we perceived that some of the masses of ice were from +twenty to thirty feet high; and we derived little comfort from +beholding, from the top of one of them, an unbroken surface of ice to +seaward. + +[Sidenote: Wednesday, 2nd.] The gale blew without the least abatement +throughout the night, and until noon of the 2nd, when it terminated in a +violent gust, which overthrew the tents. The field of ice was broken in +the offing, and the pieces put in motion; and in the evening there +appeared a large space of open water, but we could not take advantage of +these favourable circumstances, in consequence of the ice still closely +besetting the reef. We remarked large heaps of gravel, fifteen feet +above the surface of the reef, on the largest iceberg, which must have +been caused by the pressure of the ice; and from the top of this berg we +had the satisfaction of discovering that a large herd of rein-deer were +marching in line towards the opposite side of the channel. Our party was +instantly on the alert, and the best hunters were sent in the Reliance +in chase of them. The boat grounded about midway across, and the eager +sportsmen jumped overboard and hastened to the shore; but such was their +want of skill, that only three fawns were killed, out of a herd of three +or four hundred. The supply, however, was sufficient for our present +use, and the circumstances of the chase afforded amusing conversation +for the evening. The astronomical observations place our encampment in +latitude 69 degrees 43 minutes N.; longitude 141 degrees 30 minutes W. +The temperature this day varied from 40 degrees to 42 degrees. + +[Sidenote: Thursday, 3rd.] On the morning of the 3rd a strong breeze set +in from the east, which we were rejoiced to find caused a higher flood +in the channel than we had yet seen, and the hope of effecting a passage +by its course was revived; as the ice was still fast to the reef, and +likely to continue so, it was considered better to occupy ourselves in +dragging the boats through the mud, than to continue longer in this +irksome spot, where the wood was already scarce, and the water +indifferent. The boats, therefore, proceeded with four men in each, +while the rest of the crew walked along the shore, and rendered +assistance wherever it was necessary, to drag them over the shallow +parts. After four hours' labour, we reached the eastern part of the bay, +which I have had the pleasure of naming after my friend Captain +Beaufort, R.N., and which was then covered with ice. We had also the +happiness of finding a channel that led to seaward, which enabled us to +get on the outside of the reef; but as we pushed as close as we could to +the border of the packed ice, our situation, for the next four hours, +was attended with no little anxiety. The appearance of the clouds +bespoke the return of fog, and we were sailing with a strong breeze +through narrow channels, between heavy pieces of drift ice, on the +outside of a chain of reefs that stretched across Beaufort Bay, which we +knew could not be approached within a mile, owing to the shallowness of +the water. + +Beyond Point Humphrys, the water being deep close to the coast, we +travelled in more security, though the ice was less open than before. We +halted to sup on a gravel reef that extends from the main shore to Point +Griffin, having run twenty-eight miles, the greatest distance we had +made on one day since our departure from the Mackenzie. + +A black whale, and several seals, having been seen just before we +landed, the water now decidedly salt, and the ice driving with great +rapidity to the westward, were circumstances that we hailed with +heartfelt joy; as affording the prospect of getting speedily forward, +and in the evening we lost sight of Mount Conybeare, which had been +visible since the 9th of July. There were several huts on the reef, and +one large tent, capable of holding forty persons, which appeared to have +been lately occupied, besides eighteen sledges, that we supposed to have +been left by the men who had gone from Herschel Island, to exchange +their furs with the western Esquimaux. Among the baggage we found a +spoon, made out of the musk ox horn, like those used by the Canadian +voyagers. At six this evening we passed the termination of the British +Chain of Mountains, and had now arrived opposite the commencement of +another range, which I named after the late Count Romanzoff, Chancellor +of the Russian Empire, as a tribute of respect to the memory of that +distinguished patron and promoter of discovery and science. + +Having taken the precaution of supplying ourselves with fresh water, we +quitted the reef, to proceed on our voyage under sail, but shortly +afterwards arrived at very heavy ice, apparently packed. We found, +however, a narrow passage, and by forcing the boats through it, reached +a more open channel, where the oars could be used. This extended along a +reef, so that we could pursue our course with safety, being ready to +land in the event of the ice drifting upon us. [Sidenote: Friday, 4th.] +The sun set this evening at half past ten P.M.; and the temperature of +the air during its disappearance was 38 degrees. Between the reefs and +the low main land the water was entirely free from ice. After passing +Point Sir Henry Martin, we were tempted, by the appearance of a bay, to +steer within the reefs, as we could then use the sails, and make a more +direct course than by winding among the ice. The water proved so shallow +that the boats took the ground, at the distance of three miles from the +shore, which caused us to alter our plan, and follow the line of drift +ice near the border of the pack. The breeze died away; and in proceeding +under oars beyond Point Manning, we descried a collection of tents +planted on a low island, with many oomiaks, kaiyacks, and dogs around +them. The Esquimaux being fast asleep, Augustus was desired to hail +them, and after two or three loud calls, a female appeared in a state of +nudity; after a few seconds she called out to her husband, who awoke at +the first sound of her voice, and shouting out that strangers were close +at hand, the whole space between the tents and the water was, in a few +minutes, covered with armed, though naked, people. Their consternation +on being thus suddenly roused by strangers, of whose existence they had +never heard, can be better imagined than described. We drew near the +shore, to let Augustus inform them who we were, and of the purpose of +our visit, which produced a burst of acclamation, and an immediate +invitation to land. This we declined doing, having counted fifty-four +grown persons, and knowing that we had not the means of furnishing such +a number with the articles they might crave. Besides, it was evident, +from their hurried manner, that they were in a state of high excitement, +and might then, perhaps, have been disposed to seize upon everything +within their grasp. Four of the kaiyacks being launched, after we had +receded to a proper distance from the island, we allowed them to come +alongside; and presents were given to the men. We then learned that +these were the people who had conveyed the furs, &c., from Herschel +Island, and that the exchange with the Esquimaux had been made at the +place where they were encamped, only a few days before. They intended to +commence their return this day to Herschel Island, where the iron and +beads would be distributed among their relations, according to the +furs, &c. they had supplied. The Esquimaux saluted us at parting with +many vociferations of _teyma_, and we continued our journey for five +miles; at the end of which, the wind setting in strongly against us, we +landed at the western part of Barter Island, to refresh the crew. We +then found that a rapid tide was running to the eastward, and at eleven +the water had risen one foot, from the time of our landing. The tents +were scarcely pitched before we saw two kaiyacks coming towards us from +the westward, and the man in the headmost accepted, without hesitation, +our invitation to land. His companion was asleep, and his canoe was +driving with the wind and tide; but when awaked by the voice of +Augustus, he also came. These were young men returning from hunting to +the tents that we had passed; and being much fatigued, they made but a +short stay. The only information collected from them was, that the coast +before us was similar to that along which we had been travelling, and +that the ice was broken from the shore. The latitude 70 degrees 5 +minutes N.; longitude 143 degrees 55 minutes W.; variation 45 degrees 36 +minutes E.; were observed. + +As soon as the latitude had been obtained, we embarked, favoured by wind +and tide, to cross the bay, which has been named in honour of the +Marquess Camden. The water was of a seagreen colour, perfectly salt, and +from three to five fathoms deep; the temperature 35 degrees at the +surface, that of the air, 43 degrees. The day was very clear, and +exposed to our view the outline of the Romanzoff chain of Mountains, +whose lofty peaks were covered with snow. At the end of ten miles we +observed four tents planted on a reef, and several women standing about +them, who made many signs for us to land, but the surf was rolling too +heavily on the beach. As we proceeded, their husbands were perceived on +the main shore, in pursuit of a large herd of rein-deer, which they +seemed to be surrounding so as to drive the deer into the water, where +they would probably spear them to more advantage. + +Continuing along the shore beyond the reef at the distance of two miles +from the land, the boats touched the ground several times, which made us +conclude we were steering into a bay, though its outline could not be +seen. The wind changed at the time to the north, blew strong, and raised +a heavy swell, which induced us to haul out to seaward, and we soon +afterwards discovered an island, which we just reached under sail. From +its summit we perceived a chain of low reefs, extending from its +northern point for several miles to the westward, on which the wind was +then blowing, and bringing down the drift ice. We were, therefore, +compelled to halt, and await more moderate weather. This island, like +the projecting points of the main shore, is a mere deposit of earthly +mud, covered with verdure, about twenty or twenty-five feet high. There +was another island adjoining, which seemed to be a collection of boulder +stones; from whence it was named. + +The ice appeared closely packed to the seaward; nearer to the island +were icebergs aground, and within these, streams of loose pieces driving +towards the reefs. In the hurry of embarkation from Barter Island, one +of the crew of the Reliance left his gun and ammunition, which we +regretted the more, from being apprehensive that an accident might +happen to the natives. The circumstance was not known before the boats +were a great distance from the island, or we should have put back to +have recovered it. + +A very thick fog came on in the evening. This weather, however, did not +prevent our receiving a visit from two of the natives about midnight, +who told Augustus that, having scented the smoke of a fire from the +opposite side of the bay, they had come to ascertain who had made it. +They were armed with bows and arrows, and advanced towards the tent +without any alarm. We found that they had been hunting, with several +other men, at the foot of the Romanzoff Mountains, and that they were +now going to rejoin their friends at Barter Island, with the fruits of a +successful chase. Their knowledge of the coast terminated at this place, +which is as far to the westward as any of the party from Herschel Island +travel. + +The western Esquimaux had parted from them seven nights before, but they +supposed that they had not made much progress, as their oomiaks were +heavily laden. Those people had informed them that the coast to the +westward was low, and fronted by reefs, like that we had already passed; +the water also was very shallow; they therefore recommended that we +should keep on the outside of every reef. Our visitors had no sooner +received their presents than they raised a loud cry, which was intended +to bring their friends. On the dispersion of the fog at the time, we +discovered an oomiak, filled with people paddling, and some other men +wading towards us. [Sidenote: Saturday, 5th.] It being calm, and the +swell having abated, we did not wait for their arrival, but embarked at +one in the morning of the 5th, and pursued our course to the westward, +keeping on the outside of the reefs. The water, however, was very +shallow, even at the distance of two miles, and we were much teased by +the boats repeatedly touching the ground. This was particularly the +case when we arrived opposite to the large river, which was named in +honour of the late Mr. Canning, where we found the water perfectly +fresh, three miles from the land. The ice being more loose abreast of +this river, we pulled out to seaward into deep water. The land was then +hidden from our view by the haze, though not more than four miles +distant, and our course was directed by the masses of ice lying aground; +but at the end of three miles, our further progress was stopped at six +A.M., by the ice being closely packed on the outer border of a reef, in +latitude 70 degrees 7 minutes N.; longitude 145 degrees 27 minutes W. + +We perceived, on landing, by the driving of the loose pieces of ice, +that the tide was running strongly to the eastward, through the channel +we had passed along, and that it continued to do so, until ten this +morning, during which time the water was falling. It changed at ten, and +the water rose one foot before one P.M. This observation would indicate +the flood to come from the eastward, though contrary to what was +remarked at Barter Island the day before; but in a sea so closely beset +with ice, no accurate observations as to the direction of the tide could +be obtained. + +The Rocky Mountains either terminated abreast of our present situation, +or receded so far to the southward as to be imperceptible from the coast +a few miles beyond this reef. The ice being somewhat loosened by the +flood tide, we embarked at one P.M., to force the boats through the +narrow channels, and in the course of two hours reached Point Brownlow, +where we landed, for the purpose of ascertaining whether the ice could +be avoided by passing into the bay that then opened to our view, +trending to the south. We perceived that this bay was in every part +flat, and strewed with stones; and that the only prospect of getting +forward was by entering the ice again, and pushing to an island about +two miles further to the west, which we reached after receiving several +heavy blows in passing through the loose ice at the entrance of the +strait, between the central reef and the island, where the pieces were +much tossed by the tide. + +The view from the south-east part of the island led us, at first, to +suppose that we might proceed by keeping close to its south shore; but +in making the attempt, the boats repeatedly took the ground, and we were +obliged to seek a passage by the north side of the island. At the end of +a mile in that direction we were stopped by the ice being unbroken from +the shore, and closely packed to seaward. Since the day after our +departure from the Mackenzie, when we first came to the ice, we had not +witnessed a more unfavourable prospect than that before us. No water was +to be seen, either from the tents, or from the different points of the +island which we visited, for the purpose of examining into the state of +the ice. We were now scantily supplied with fuel; the drift timber being +covered by the ice high up the bank, except just where the boat had +landed. + +[Sidenote: Sunday, 6th.] In the evening a gale came on from the east, +and blew throughout the following day: we vainly hoped this would +produce some favourable change; and the water froze in the kettle on the +night of the 5th. The position of the encampment was ascertained by +observation to be, latitude 70 degrees 11 minutes N.; longitude 145 +degrees 50 minutes W.; variation 42 degrees 56 minutes E.; so that +notwithstanding the obstructions we had met, an advance of two degrees +of longitude had been made in the two preceding days. + +This island received the name of Flaxman, in honour of the late eminent +sculptor. It is about four miles long and two broad, and rises, at its +highest elevation, about fifty feet. In one of the ravines, where a +portion of the bank had been carried away by the disruption of the ice, +we perceived that the stratum of loose earth was not more than eighteen +inches thick, the lower bed being frozen mud; yet this small quantity of +soil, though very swampy, nourished grasses, several of the arctic +plants, and some few willows, that were about three inches high. Several +boulder stones were scattered on its beach, and also in the channel that +separates it from the main shore. + +[Sidenote: Monday, 7th.] An easterly wind gave place to a calm on the +morning of the 7th: and as this change, though it produced no effect in +loosening the ice to the north, caused more water to flow into the +channel between the island and the main, we succeeded with little +difficulty in crossing the flats that had before impeded us. Beyond this +bar the water gradually deepened to three fathoms; and a favourable +breeze springing up, we set the sail, and steered for the outer point of +land in sight. We continued in smooth water until we reached Point +Thompson, when, having lost the shelter of the ice which was aground on +a tongue of gravel projecting from Flaxman Island, we became exposed to +an unpleasant swell. + +The Lion was very leaky, in consequence of the blows she had received +from the ice; but as we could keep her free by baling, we did not lose +the favourable moment by stopping to repair her. Our course was +continued past Point Bullen, until we came to an island lying three +miles from the shore, which proved to be connected with the main land by +a reef. Dazzled by the glare of the sun in our eyes, the surf, which was +breaking on this reef, was mistaken for a ripple of the tide; and +although the sails were lowered, as a measure of precaution, we were so +near before the mistake was discovered, that the strength of the wind +drove the Lion aground, by which accident she took in much water. The +exertions of the crew soon got her afloat, and both boats were pulled to +windward of the island. The sails were then set, but as the wind had by +this time increased to a strong gale, they were close reefed. We stood +along the coast, looking for a favourable landing place, that we might +obtain shelter from an approaching storm which the appearance of the sky +indicated, and to repair the damage which the Lion had sustained. At +length, some posts that had been erected by the Esquimaux on a point, +denoted an approachable part of the coast, and we effected a landing +after lightening the boats, by carrying part of the cargo two hundred +yards through the water. The main shore to the westward of Flaxman +Island is so low that it is not visible at the distance of three miles, +with the exception of three small hummocks, which look like islands. + +[Sidenote: Tuesday, 8th.] The carpenter had finished the repairs of the +boat by midnight, and we were prepared to go forward, but were prevented +from moving by a very thick fog, which continued throughout the night, +and till eleven on the morning of the 8th. The storm continued violent +throughout the day, but the fog cleared away for the space of two hours, +and enabled us to perceive that the ice, which in the preceding evening +had been at a considerable distance from the land, was now tossing +about, in large masses, close to the border of the shallow water. We +were also enabled, during the interval of clear weather, to ascertain, +by astronomical observations, the latitude 70 degrees 16 minutes 27 +seconds N.; longitude 147 degrees 38 minutes W.; and variation 43 +degrees 15 minutes E. + +The hunters were sent out in pursuit of some deer that were seen, and +Augustus killed one. They ascertained, during the chase, that we were on +an island, separated from the main shore by a channel, fordable at low +water. At this encampment we remarked the first instance of regularity +in the tide. It was low water at half past nine on the evening of the +7th, and high water at half past two the following morning; the rise +being sixteen inches. An equally regular tide was observed on the 8th, +but we could not ascertain the direction of the flood. [Sidenote: +Wednesday, 9th.] After sunset the squalls became extremely violent; and +until three in the afternoon of the 9th, the fog was so dense that every +object more distant than forty yards, was hidden. After that period, a +partial clearness of the atmosphere discovered to us the waves more high +than the day before, and beating heavily against the weather beach of +the island. We rejoiced, however, at seeing a large stream of ice to +windward, supposing that its presence there would cause the swell to go +down, and that we should be able to proceed as soon as the wind should +fall. We employed ourselves in observing the dip with Meyer's and the +common needles, as well as the magnetic force. The mean dip was 82 +degrees 26 minutes. The temperature of the air this day varied from 38 +degrees to 45 degrees. High water took place at fifteen minutes after +three P.M., the rise being two feet. The water did not fall so low as +yesterday, owing to the wind blowing more across the mouth of the bay. + +[Sidenote: Thursday, 10th.] On the 10th, the continuance of the gale, +and of the fog more opaque, if possible, than before, and more wet, were +not only productive of irksome detention, but they prevented us from +taking exercise; our walks being confined to a space between the marks +which the Esquimaux had put up on two projecting points, whither we went +at every glimpse of clearness, to examine into the state of the waves. +We witnessed with regret, in these short rambles, the havoc which this +dreary weather made amongst the flowers. Many that had been blooming on +our arrival, were now lying prostrate and withered. These symptoms of +decay could not fail painfully to remind us that the term of our +operations was fast approaching; and often, at this time, did every one +express a wish that we had some decked vessel, in which the provision +could be secured from the injury of salt water, and the crew sheltered +when they required rest, that we might quit this shallow coast, and +steer at once towards Icy Cape. We designated this dreary place by the +name of Foggy Island. As an instance of the illusion occasioned by the +fog, I may mention that our hunters sallied forth, on more than one +occasion, to fire at what they supposed to be deer, on the bank about +one hundred yards from the tents, which, to their surprise, took wing, +and proved to be cranes and geese. + +[Sidenote: Friday, 11th.] The wind changed from east to west in the +course of the night, and at eight in the morning of the 11th, the fog +dispersed sufficiently to allow of our seeing a point bearing N.W. by +W., about three miles and a half distant which we supposed to be an +island. We, therefore, hastened to embark; but before the boats could be +dragged so far from the shore that they would float, the fog returned. +The wind, however, being light, we resolved to proceed, and steer by +compass, to the land that had been seen. Soon after quitting the beach +we met with shoals, which forced us to alter the course more to the +north; and having made the distance at which we estimated the point to +be, and being ignorant which way the coast trended beyond it, we rested +for some time upon the oars, in the hope that the fog would clear away, +even for a short time, to enable us to shape our course anew; but in +vain; all our movements in the bay being impeded by the flats that +surrounded us, we were compelled to return to Foggy Island. Scarcely had +the men made a fire to dry their clothes, which were thoroughly wet from +wading over the flats, than the fog again dispersing, we pushed off once +more. On this occasion we arrived abreast of the point whilst the +weather continued clear, but found a reef, over which the waves washed, +stretching to the north-west, beyond the extent of our view. Just as we +began to proceed along the reef, the recurrence of the fog rendered it +necessary for us to seek for shelter on the shore; and as we were +heartily tired of our late encampment, we endeavoured to find another, +but the shoals prevented our reaching any landing-place. We, therefore, +retraced our course, though with much reluctance, to Foggy Island, which +the men declared to be an enchanted island. Though our wanderings this +day did not exceed seven miles, the crews were employed upwards of two +hours in dragging the boats through the mud, when the temperature of the +water was at 40 degrees, and that of the air 41 degrees. They endured +this fatigue with the greatest cheerfulness, though it was evident they +suffered very much from the cold; and in the evening we witnessed the +ill effects of this kind of labour by finding their legs much swelled +and inflamed. The fear of their becoming ill from a frequent repetition +of such operations made me resolve not to attempt the passage of these +flats again till the weather should be so clear that we might ascertain +their extent, and see in what way they might be passed with less risk. +Fog is, of all others, the most hazardous state of the atmosphere for +navigation in an icy sea, especially when it is accompanied by strong +breezes, but particularly so for boats where the shore is +unapproachable. If caught by a gale, a heavy swell, or drifting ice, the +result must be their wreck, or the throwing the provisions overboard to +lighten them, so as to proceed into shoal water. Many large pieces of +ice were seen on the borders of the shallow water; and from the lowness +of the temperature, we concluded that the main body was at no great +distance. We had also passed through a stream of perfectly fresh water, +which we supposed was poured out from a large river in the intermediate +vicinity, but the fog prevented our seeing its outlet. [Sidenote: +Saturday, 12th.] The atmosphere was equally foggy throughout the night, +and all the 12th, although the wind had changed to the east, and blew a +strong breeze. Winds from this quarter had been extremely prevalent +since the preceding April: but on our former visit to the Polar Sea, +they had been of rare occurrence, and confined to the spring months, +which we passed at Fort Enterprize. The obstinate continuance of fog +forms another material difference between this season and the same +period of 1821. We were only detained three times in navigating along +the coast that year to the east of the Coppermine River; but on this +voyage hardly a day passed after our departure from the Mackenzie that +the atmosphere was not, at some time, so foggy as to hide every object +more distant than four or five miles. The day that I visited Mount +Conybeare, and that spent on Flaxman Island, form the only exceptions to +this remark. A question, therefore, suggests itself:--Whence arises this +difference? which, I presume, can be best answered by reference to the +greater accumulation of ice on this coast, and to the low and very +swampy nature of the land. There is a constant exhalation of moisture +from the ice and swamps during the summer months, which is, perhaps, +prevented from being carried off by the vicinity of the Rocky Mountains, +and, therefore, becomes condensed into a fog. The coast to the eastward +of the Coppermine River is high and dry, and far less encumbered with +ice. + +Some deer appearing near the encampment, a party was despatched in +pursuit of them; but having been previously fired at by Augustus, they +proved too wary. The exertions of the men were, however, rewarded by the +capture of some geese and ducks. The whole of the vegetation had now +assumed the autumnal tint. + +[Sidenote: Sunday, 13th.] There was not the least abatement in the wind, +or change in the murky atmosphere, throughout the 13th. The party +assembled at divine service, and afterwards amused themselves as they +could in their tents, which were now so saturated with wet as to be very +comfortless abodes; and in order to keep ourselves tolerably warm we +were obliged to cover the feet with blankets; our protracted stay +having caused such a great expenditure of the drift-wood, that we found +it necessary to be frugal in its use, and only to light the fire when we +wanted to cook the meals. The nights, too, we regretted to find, were +lengthening very fast; so that from ten P.M. to two A.M., there was too +little light for proceeding in any unknown tract. + +[Sidenote: Monday, 14th.] The wind this day was moderate, but the fog +was more dense, and very wet. Tired, however, of the confinement of the +tent, most of the party wandered out in search of amusement, though we +could not see one hundred yards; and some partridges, ducks, and geese, +were shot. + +[Sidenote: Tuesday, 15th.] The fog was dispersed at seven in the morning +of the 15th, by a north-east gale, which created too great a surf on the +beach for us to launch the boats, and the fog returned in the evening. +The temperature fell to 35 degrees, and in the course of the night ice +was formed on the small pools near the encampment. Augustus set off in +the afternoon to cross over to the main shore for the purpose of +hunting, and to see whether there were any traces of the western +Esquimaux, but he found none, and only saw three rein-deer. + +[Sidenote: Wednesday, 16th.] The weather again became clear, after the +sun rose, on the 16th, and we embarked as soon as the flowing of the +tide enabled us to launch the boats, all in the highest spirits at the +prospect of escaping from this detestable island. We took advantage of +the fair wind, set the sails, and steered to the westward parallel to +the coast. We had never more than from three to six feet water, for the +first seven miles, until we had passed round the reef that projects from +the point we had so often attempted to reach, and which was named Point +Anxiety. + +Between Point Anxiety and Point Chandos, which is eight miles further to +the westward, the land was occasionally seen; but after rounding the +latter point we lost sight of it, and steered to the westward across the +mouth of Yarborough Inlet, the soundings varying from five feet to five +fathoms. The fog returned, and the wind freshening, soon created such a +swell upon the flats, that it became necessary to haul further from the +land; but the drift ice beginning to close around us, we could no longer +proceed with safety, and, therefore, endeavoured to find a +landing-place. An attempt was made at Point Herald, and another on the +western point of Prudhoe bay, but both were frustrated by the shoalness +of the water, and the height of the surf. The increasing violence of the +gale, however, and density of the fog, rendering it absolutely +necessary for us to obtain some shelter, we stood out to seaward, with +the view of making fast to a large piece of ice. In our way we fell +among gravelly reefs, and arriving at the same time suddenly in smooth +water, we effected a landing on one of them. A temporary dispersion of +the fog showed that we were surrounded with banks nearly on a level with +the water, and protected to seaward by a large body of ice lying +aground. The patch of gravel on which we were encamped, was about five +hundred yards in circumference, destitute of water, and with no more +drift wood than a few willow branches, sufficient to make one fire. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +Commence Return to the Mackenzie--Delayed again at Foggy Island--Ice +packed on the Reefs near Beaufort Bay, and on the Coast about Clarence +River--Pass the Channels near Herschel Island in a Gale and Fog--A +sudden Gale--Escape an Attack which the Mountain Indians meditated--Enter +the Mackenzie--Peel River--Arrival at Fort Franklin. + + +[Sidenote: Wednesday, 16th.] The period had now arrived when it was +incumbent on me to consider, whether the prospect of our attaining the +object of the voyage was sufficiently encouraging to warrant the +exposure of the party to daily increasing risk, by continuing on. We +were now only half way from the Mackenzie River to Icy Cape; and the +chance of reaching the latter, depended on the nature of the coast that +was yet unexplored, and the portion of the summer which yet remained for +our operations. + +I knew, from the descriptions of Cook and Burney, that the shore about +Icy Cape resembled that we had already passed, in being flat, and +difficult of approach; while the general trending of the coast from the +Mackenzie to the west-north-west, nearly in the direction of Icy Cape, +combined with the information we had collected from the Esquimaux, led +me to conclude that no material change would be found in the +intermediate portion. + +The preceding narrative shows the difficulties of navigating such a +coast, even during the finest part of the summer; if, indeed, any +portion of a season which had been marked by a constant succession of +fogs and gales could be called fine. No opportunity of advancing had +been let slip, after the time of our arrival in the Arctic Sea; and the +unwearied zeal and exertion of the crews had been required, for an +entire month, to explore the ten degrees of longitude between Herschel +Island and our present situation, I had, therefore, no reason to suppose +that the ten remaining degrees could be navigated in much less time. The +ice, it is true, was more broken up, and the sea around our present +encampment was clear; but we had lately seen how readily the drift ice +was packed upon the shoals by every breeze of wind blowing towards the +land. The summer, bad as it had been, was now nearly at an end, and on +this point I had the experience of the former voyage for a guide. At +Point Turn-again, two degrees to the south of our present situation, +the comparatively warm summer of 1821 was terminated on the 17th of +August, by severe storms of wind and snow; and in the space of a +fortnight afterwards, winter set in with all its severity. Last year, +too, on the 18th and following days of the same month, we had a heavy +gale at the mouth of the Mackenzie; and appearances did not indicate +that the present season would prove more favourable. The mean +temperature of the atmosphere had decreased rapidly since the sun had +begun to sink below the horizon, and the thermometer had not lately +shown a higher temperature than 37 degrees. Ice, of considerable +thickness, formed in the night, and the number of the flocks of geese +which were hourly seen pursuing their course to the westward, showed +that their autumnal flight had commenced. + +While a hope remained of reaching Behring Straits, I looked upon the +hazard to which we had, on several occasions, been exposed, of shipwreck +on the flats, or on the ice, as inseparable from a voyage of the nature +of that which we had undertaken; and if such an accident had occurred, I +should have hoped, with a sufficient portion of the summer before me, to +conduct my party in safety back to the Mackenzie. But the loss of the +boats when we should have been far advanced, and at the end of the +season, would have been fatal. The deer hasten from the coast as soon as +the snow falls; no Esquimaux had been lately seen, nor any +winter-houses, to denote that this part of the coast was much +frequented; and if we did meet them under adverse circumstances, we +could not, with safety, trust to their assistance for a supply of +provision; nor do I believe that, if willing, even they would have been +able to support our party for any length of time. + +Till our tedious detention at Foggy Island, we had had no doubt of +ultimate success; and it was with no ordinary pain that I could now +bring myself even to think of relinquishing the great object of my +ambition, and of disappointing the flattering confidence that had been +reposed in my exertions. But I had higher duties to perform than the +gratification of my own feelings; and a mature consideration of all the +above matters forced me to the conclusion, that we had reached that +point beyond which perseverance would be rashness, and our best efforts +must be fruitless. In order to put the reader completely in possession +of the motives which would have influenced me, had I been entirely a +free agent, I have mentioned them without allusion to the clause in my +instructions which directed me to commence my return on the 15th or 20th +of August, "if, in consequence of slow progress, or other unforeseen +accident, it should remain doubtful whether we should be able to reach +Kotzebue's Inlet the same season." + +In the evening I communicated my determination to the whole party; they +received it with the good feeling that had marked their conduct +throughout the voyage, and they assured me of their cheerful +acquiescence in any order I should give. The readiness with which they +would have prosecuted the voyage, had it been advisable to do so, was +the more creditable, because many of them had their legs swelled and +inflamed from continually wading in ice-cold water while launching the +boats, not only when we accidentally ran on shore, but every time that +it was requisite to embark, or to land upon this shallow coast. Nor were +these symptoms to be overlooked in coming to a determination; for though +no one who knows the resolute disposition of British sailors can be +surprised at their more than readiness to proceed, I felt that it was my +business to judge of their capability of so doing, and not to allow +myself to be seduced by their ardour, however honourable to them, and +cheering to me. + +Compelled as I was to come to the determination of returning, it is a +great satisfaction to me to know, as I now do, that the reasons which +induced me to take this step were well-founded. This will appear by the +following extract from Captain Beechey's official account of his +proceedings in advancing eastward from Icy Cape, with which I have been +favoured. + +"Mr. Elson, (the master,) after quitting the ship off Icy Cape, on the +18th August, had proceeded along the coast without interruption, until +the 22nd of the month, when he arrived off a very low sandy spit, beyond +which, to the eastward, the coast formed a bay, with a more easterly +trending than that on the west side; but it was so low that it could not +be traced far, and became blended with the ice before it reached the +horizon. It was found impossible to proceed round the spit, in +consequence of the ice being grounded upon it, and extending to the +horizon in every direction, except that by which the boat had advanced, +and was so compact that no openings were seen in any part of it. This +point, which is the most northern part of the continent yet known, lies +in latitude, by meridian altitude of the sun, 71 degrees 23 minutes 39 +seconds N.; and longitude, by several sets of lunar distances, both +observed on an iceberg, 156 degrees 21 minutes W.; and is situated one +hundred and twenty miles beyond Icy Cape. Between these two stations, +and, indeed, to the southward of the latter, the coast is very flat, +abounding in lakes and rivers, which are too shallow to be entered by +anything but a baidar. The greater part of the coast is thickly +inhabited by Esquimaux, who have their winter-habitations close to the +beach. + +"The barge had not been off this point sufficiently long to complete the +necessary observations, when the same westerly wind, which had induced +me to proceed round Cape Lisburn, brought the ice down upon the coast, +and left the boat no retreat. It at the same time occasioned a current +along shore to the northward, at the rate of three and four miles per +hour. The body of ice took the ground in six and seven fathoms water, +but pieces of a lighter draft filled up the space between it and the +shore, and, hurried along by the impetuosity of the current, drove the +barge ashore, but fortunately without staving her. By the exertions of +her officers and crew she was extricated from this perilous situation, +and attempts were made to track her along the land wherever openings +occurred, in execution of which the greatest fatigue was endured by all +her crew. At length all efforts proving ineffectual, and the spaces +between the ice and the shore becoming frozen over, it was proposed to +abandon the boat, and the crew to make their way along the coast to +Kotzebue Sound, before the season should be too far advanced. +Preparations were accordingly made; and that the boat might not be +irrevocably lost to the ship, it was determined to get her into one of +the lakes, and there sink her, that the natives might not break her up, +and from which she might be extricated the following summer, should the +ship return. During this period of their difficulties they received much +assistance from the natives, who, for a little tobacco, put their hands +to the tow-rope. Their conduct had, in the first instance, been +suspicious; but in the time of their greatest distress, they were well +disposed, bringing venison, seal's flesh, oil, &c., and offered up a +prayer that the wind would blow off the shore, and liberate the boat +from her critical situation. Before the necessary arrangements were made +respecting the barge, appearances took a more favourable turn; the ice +began to move off shore, and after much tracking, &c., the boat was got +clear, and made the best of her way toward the sound; but off Cape +Lisburn she met with a gale of wind, which blew in eddies so violently, +that it is said the spray was carried up to the tops of the mountains; +and the boat, during this trial, behaved so well, that not a moment's +anxiety for her safety was entertained. I must not close the account +without expressing my warm approbation of the conduct of Mr. Elson." + +The barge rejoined Captain Beechey on the 10th September, at Chamisso +Island, the Blossom having gone thither to wood and water, and being +further forced to quit the coast to the northward, in consequence of +strong westerly winds. + +Could I have known, or by possibility imagined, that a party from the +Blossom had been at the distance of only one hundred and sixty miles +from me, no difficulties, dangers, or discouraging circumstances, should +have prevailed on me to return; but taking into account the uncertainty +of all voyages in a sea obstructed by ice, I had no right to expect that +the Blossom had advanced beyond Kotzebue Inlet, or that any party from +her had doubled Icy Cape. It is useless now to speculate on the probable +result of a proceeding which did not take place; but I may observe, +that, had we gone forward as soon as the weather permitted, namely, on +the 18th, it is scarcely possible that any change of circumstances could +have enabled us to overtake the Blossom's barge.[3] + +[Sidenote: Thursday, 17th.] The wind changed to N.E. after midnight, the +squalls were more violent, and in the morning of the 17th such a surf +was beating on the borders of the reef, that the boats could not be +launched. The fog disappeared before the gale about eleven, and during +the afternoon we enjoyed the clearest atmosphere that we had witnessed +since our departure from Mount Conybeare. This was the first opportunity +there had been, for the seven preceding days, of making astronomical +observations, and we gladly took advantage of it, to observe the +latitude, 70 degrees 26 minutes N.; longitude 148 degrees 52 minutes W.; +and variation 41 degrees 20 minutes E. We had likewise the gratification +of being able to trace the land round Gwydyr Bay, to its outer point, +bearing S. 79 W. ten miles, which I have named after my excellent +companion Lieutenant Back, and of seeing a still more westerly hummock, +bearing S. 84 W., about fifteen miles, that has been distinguished by +the name of my friend Captain Beechey; at which point, in latitude 70 +degrees 24 minutes N., longitude 149 degrees 37 minutes W., our +discoveries terminated. The fog returned at sunset, and as the wind was +piercingly cold, and we had neither fire nor room for exercise, we crept +between the blankets, as the only means of keeping ourselves warm. + +[Sidenote: Friday, 18th.] The gale having considerably abated, and the +weather being clear, we quitted Return Reef on the morning of the 18th, +and began to retrace our way towards the Mackenzie. As the waves were +still very high to seaward, we attempted to proceed inside of the reefs, +but as the boats were constantly taking the ground, we availed ourselves +of the first channel that was sufficiently deep to pull on the outside +of them. The swell being too great there for the use of the oars, the +sails were set double reefed, and the boats beat to the eastward against +the wind, between the drift ice and the shallow water. + +A gale rose after noon from N.E. by N., which enabled us to shape a +course for Foggy Island, where we arrived at three P.M., just at a time +when the violence of the squalls, and the increased height of the swell, +would have rendered further proceeding very hazardous. We now enjoyed +the comforts of a good fire and a warm meal, which we had not had since +the evening of the 16th. The men were afterwards employed in erecting a +square pile of drift timber, on the highest part of the island fronting +the sea, on which a red cornet flag was left flying, and underneath it +was deposited, in a tin case, a letter for Captain Parry, containing an +account of our proceedings; also a silver medal and a halfpenny: and in +order that government might have some chance of hearing of our +proceedings, should any accident subsequently befal the party, there was +also deposited an unsealed letter, wrapped in bark, addressed to the +Russian Fur Traders, in the expectation that the Esquimaux might +probably convey it to their Establishment. An ice-chisel, a knife, a +file, and a hatchet, were hung up on the pile, for the Esquimaux. On +digging to erect these posts, the ground was found frozen at the depth +of sixteen inches; and the thermometer, during the day, seldom rose +above 37 degrees. This evening the temperature was 33 degrees. +[Sidenote: Saturday, 19th.] We were vexatiously detained the 19th, and +following day, by the continuance of the gale, and a thick fog; during +which time many large flocks of geese were observed passing away to the +westward. The tides were now much higher than during our first visit. + +[Sidenote: Monday, 21st.] The breeze was moderate on the morning of the +21st, yet we were prevented from embarking until ten o'clock, by the +return of the fog. We then hastened to escape from this ill-omened +island. The boats were pulled to seaward, so as to gain a sufficient +offing for them to pass on the outside of the shallow water; and by the +aid of the oars and sails we made good progress, and encamped within +sight of Flaxman Island. A black whale, a seal of the largest kind, and +numerous flocks of geese were seen in the course of this day. Several +stars were visible after ten P.M. [Sidenote: Tuesday, 22nd.] Showers of +snow fell during the night, but the morning of the 22nd was calm and +clear. We embarked at daylight, and in the course of three hours arrived +abreast of the east end of Flaxman Island. The ice had broken from the +northern shore during our absence, and was now lying about a mile from +the land, apparently aground on reefs, as we had observed it to be along +the outer border of the one at the west end of the island. The water was +much deeper between Flaxman Island and the main than when we passed in +the early part of August. Eastward of Point Brownlow there was an open +channel of three or four miles wide. And by keeping close to the borders +of the drift ice we avoided the shallows at the mouth of the Canning +River, and arrived at Boulder Island about noon. Here we found an +Esquimaux grave, containing three bodies, covered with drift timber, and +by their side there were placed the canoes, arrows, and fishing +implements of the deceased. Not being able to procure fresh water here, +we set forward to cross Camden Bay, touched at one of the points to fill +the water-casks, and reached Barter Island after dark; the crews much +fatigued, having been pulling for nineteen hours. We regretted to find +the Esquimaux had visited this spot during our absence, and carried away +the gun and ammunition which had been left by mistake at the encampment +on the 4th of August, because we were not only apprehensive that some +accident might have occurred in the attempt to discharge the gun, but +were desirous to prevent the introduction of fire-arms among these +people. [Sidenote: Wednesday, 23rd.] Being now near the point of the +coast at which we had seen a considerable number of the natives, we +remained at the encampment until ten o'clock on the morning of the 23d, +to clean the guns and issue a fresh supply of ammunition to the party. +The day was calm and cloudless; the whole range of the Romanzoff +Mountains was in sight, and they appeared to be more covered with snow +than when we passed to the westward. A few musquitoes made their +appearance, but they were very feeble. Having landed at Point Manning to +replenish the water-casks, we afterwards pulled throughout the day close +to the edge of the ice, which was still heavy, though loose, and +encamped near Point Griffin. Some large-sized medusae, and several of the +gelatinous substances known to seamen by the name of blubber, were found +on the beach, which accounted for the number of black ducks that had +been seen in the course of the day, as they feed on those substances. +The temperature varied this day from 35 degrees to 46 degrees; and the +thermometer rose to 64 degrees at two P.M., when exposed to the sun's +rays. + +[Sidenote: Thursday, 24th.] The morning of the 24th was calm; we set +forward at daylight, and having proceeded a few miles between heavy +floating ice, about half a mile from the shore we met with a large sheet +of bay ice of last night's formation, of sufficient thickness to impede +though not to stop the boats. Having arrived abreast of Point Humphrys, +we steered out to seaward, for the purpose of avoiding the shallows that +extend across Beaufort Bay, intending to direct our course in a line for +Mount Conybeare, which was in sight. We were then exposed to a long +rolling swell, and we soon afterwards perceived that it had driven the +ice upon the reefs at the eastern extremity of the bay, which would have +precluded our retreat to the shore in the event of the wind rising. It +therefore became necessary to penetrate into the pack, and keep by the +side of the reefs; but in doing so, the boats were exposed to no little +danger of being broken in passing through the narrow channels between +the masses of ice which were tossing with the swell, and from which +large pieces frequently fell. At six P.M. we passed our former +encampment on Icy Reef, and afterwards proceeded through an open space +to Demarcation Point, where we encamped, and hauled up the boats to +prevent them from being injured by the surf. We found here two families +of Esquimaux, which belonged to the party that had been to Barter +Island, waiting the return of a man from hunting, in order to follow +their companions to the eastward. They showed much joy at seeing us +again, and remained the greater part of the night talking with Augustus. +The most active young man of the party, not thinking himself +sufficiently smart for the occasion, retired to the oomiak to change his +dress and mouth ornaments, capering about on his return, evidently proud +of his gayer appearance. + +[Sidenote: Friday, 25th.] The morning was foggy, but there being little +wind, we launched the boats, and pulled for an hour close to the shore, +when we came to a body of ice so closely packed as scarcely to afford a +passage, and it was with difficulty that we arrived at Clarence River. +There we perceived four tents; near which we had been warned by our +visitors last night not to land, as the party had recently lost their +parents, and it was feared that, in the state of mind in which they then +were, they might be disposed to do us some injury. We pulled near enough +to inquire about the gun, and learned that the person who had it was +farther to the eastward. The difficulties of forcing a passage were not +diminished beyond this place, and we were further impeded in our +advance by new ice formed between the larger masses, which required +additional labour to break through. The fog cleared away at ten; we +halted to breakfast at Backhouse River, and remained whilst Augustus +went in pursuit of two rein-deer, one of which he killed. + +Renewing our course, we passed on the outside of the ice until we were +nearly abreast of Mount Conybeare, when the wind came strong from the +eastward, and obliged us to have recourse again to its shelter. This +barrier, however, terminated at the end of five miles, and being then +exposed to the wind and swell, against which the men were unable to +pull, we encamped. + +The experience we had now gained of the ice being packed upon this shore +by a wind from the sea, assured us of the correctness of the report +which the Esquimaux had given, and likewise afforded a reason for their +expression of surprise at our being unprovided with sledges, as it was +evident, unless a strong wind blew from the land, that the new ice would +soon unite the pack with the shore, and preclude the possibility of +making the passage in boats, unless by going outside of the ice, which +would be extremely hazardous, from the want of shelter in the event of a +gale springing up. The pieces of ice were generally from ten to fifteen +feet in height, many of them were from twenty to thirty feet: their +length was from twenty to one hundred yards. We saw several white whales +in the open water, and a flock of white geese at the encampment, which +were the first noticed on this coast. The rising of the wind from E.N.E. +this afternoon was accompanied by an increase of temperature from 43 +degrees to 53 degrees, and we felt a comfortable sensation of warmth, to +which we had been strangers for the preceding month. + +[Sidenote: Saturday, 26th.] We took advantage of a favourable breeze to +embark before daylight on the morning of the 26th; at sunrise it +increased to a gale, and raised a heavy sea. In two hours we ran to the +commencement of the intricate channels leading to Herschel Island, where +the Esquimaux seen at Barter Island were encamped on a reef, and +apparently gazing in astonishment at the speed of our boats. They made +many signs for us to land, which we were desirous of doing had it been +practicable for the surf. That the boats might be perfectly manageable, +we took two reefs in the sails, and shaped the course for Herschel +Island; but scarcely were the sails reset before a fog came on that +hid every mark that could guide us; a heavy swell was rolling at the +time, and to arrive at the island we had to pass through a channel only +about two hundred yards broad. To find this, surrounded as it was by +shoals, in the midst of a dense fog, was a task of considerable anxiety +and danger, and our situation was not rendered more agreeable by being +assailed the whole way with continued shouting from persons to us +invisible; our arrival having been communicated by the Esquimaux who +first descried us, to their companions on the neighbouring reefs. We +effected it, however, and landed in safety, though we did not discover +the island till we were within forty yards of its shore. We had scarcely +landed before the fog dispersed, and discovered to us a solitary tent on +an adjacent point. Three men soon paid us a visit, whom we had not seen +before, and they informed us that nearly the whole of the tribe was now +collected in the vicinity for the purpose of hunting deer, and catching +whales and seals for the winter's consumption. We quitted the island at +ten A.M., and steered directly for Point Kay, to avoid the sinuosities +of the coast, and the frequent interruption of the Esquimaux, whose +tents were observed to be scattered on the beach nearly the whole way to +Babbage River. Three men and some women came off to bring us fish, and +being liberally rewarded, they went away perfectly happy, singing the +praises of the white people. We passed round Point Kay at four P.M., +with a moderate breeze from W.N.W., and steered for Point King, keeping +about two miles from the land. As the afternoon wore away, gloomy clouds +gathered in the north-west; and at six a violent squall came from that +quarter, attended with snow and sleet. The gale increased with rapidity: +in less than ten minutes the sea was white with foam, and such waves +were raised as I had never before been exposed to in a boat. The spray +and sea broke over us incessantly, and it was with difficulty that we +could keep free by baling. Our little vessels went through the water +with great velocity under a close-reefed sail, hoisted about three feet +up the main-mast, and proved themselves to be very buoyant. Their small +size, however, and the nature of their construction, necessarily adapted +for the navigation of shallow rivers, unfitting them for withstanding +the sea then running, we were in imminent danger of foundering. I +therefore resolved on making for the shore, as the only means of saving +the party, although I was aware that, in so doing, I incurred the hazard +of staving the boats, there being few places on this part of the coast +where there was sufficient beach under the broken cliffs. The wind +blowing along the land we could not venture on exposing the boat's side +to the sea by hauling directly in, but, edging away with the wind on the +quarter, we most providentially took the ground in a favourable spot. +The boats were instantly filled with the surf, but they were unloaded +and dragged up without having sustained any material damage. Impressed +with a sense of gratitude for the signal deliverance we had experienced +on this and other occasions, we assembled in the evening to offer up +praise and thanksgiving to the Almighty. + +[Sidenote: Sunday, 27th.] On the 27th the weather was calm; but as a +heavy surf prevented our embarkation, we took advantage of the delay to +dry our bedding, clothes, and pemmican. The guns were likewise cleaned, +and every thing put in order. There was an Esquimaux party at this spot, +which had witnessed the landing of the boats in the storm with +astonishment, having expected to see every man drowned. Augustus passed +the night at their tents; and having brought the whole party to our +encampment, the women, with much good nature, sewed soles of seal-skins +to the men's mocassins, in order to fit them better for the operation of +tracking, in which they were soon to be employed. These Esquimaux had +recently returned from a visit to the gang that had pillaged the boats +at the mouth of the Mackenzie; and we now learned the intention that had +been entertained of destroying our party, along with the other +particulars that have been already mentioned. + +[Sidenote: Monday, 28th.] Our approach to the Mackenzie was marked by +the quantity of drift timber floating about. We passed several families +of the natives, without visiting them, until we perceived one party +taking some fish from their nets, which tempted us to land. The fish +were large _tittameg_ and _inconnu_, and proved remarkably fine. We +again embarked, but having to pull head to the sea, we took in much +water, and were glad to seek shelter on a gravel reef, where three +Esquimaux tents were pitched. The whole party quickly mustered around +us, and we were not a little surprised to find so many inhabitants as +twenty-seven, including women and children, in three tents only; but on +inquiry we found that the number was not greater than usual. Two of the +men were very aged and feeble, the rest were young and active. They +practise jumping, as an amusement, from their youth; and we had an +opportunity of witnessing some of their feats, which displayed much +agility. The women cheerfully repaired our mocassins, and their +industry, as well as the good conduct of the men, were rewarded by some +valuable presents. We were astonished to learn that there had been fog +only a day and a half in this neighbourhood since we passed, but the +wind had been generally strong. Augustus gained some information +respecting the western Esquimaux, and the coast to the westward, which +he did not communicate to me until some days afterwards, otherwise I +should have endeavoured to elicit more satisfactory details. It was to +the following purport:--The western Esquimaux having purchased the furs +from those men that dwell near the Mackenzie, at Barter Island, proceed +to the westward again without delay. A few days journey beyond a part of +the coast which Augustus understood from description to be Return Reef, +the sea is still more shallow than that which we had navigated, and the +water is still, except at certain periods of the year, when it is +agitated like a strong rapid, by the efflux of the waters of a deep +inlet, or strait. The land is visible on both sides from the middle of +this opening; the Esquimaux make for the west side, and on reaching it +relinquish their canoes, and drag their furs overland to the Russian +establishments, which are situated in the interior, where the land is +more elevated than on the coast. The Mountain Indians come down annually +in large parties to this inlet, and warm contests often arise between +them and the Esquimaux. The latter are frequently worsted, from their +inferior numbers, and lose their property, which the Indians bring by +land to the neighbourhood of Herschel Island, to dispose of to the +Esquimaux in that quarter. The direction of the inlet was supposed, by +Augustus, to be about south-west. I am inclined to think that it is the +estuary of a large river, flowing to the west of the Rocky Mountains, +obstructed by sand-banks, like the mouth of the Mackenzie. In the course +of the day three Esquimaux, who had seen our tent from a distance, came +to visit us. One of them was recognised to have been of the party which +attacked us at the mouth of the Mackenzie. He gave Augustus a detailed +account of their schemes on that occasion, which exactly corresponded +with that we had received on the preceding day. He further told us that +the party which had assailed us had certainly removed to the eastward; +but if any of them should have remained, to watch our motions, they +could be avoided by entering the river by a more westerly branch than +the one which we had descended, and offered to guide us thither. This +man was very intelligent, and having carefully examined the boats, +intimated that he would construct an oomiak after the same plan. We +embarked at four in the evening with our new friend for a guide, and in +a short time arrived at the main shore where his tent stood, and where +he asked the party to encamp, as he intended to go no farther. We were +not, however, so disposed; and having filled the casks with fresh water, +and made some presents to the women, we pushed off to take advantage of +the remaining daylight in getting round a reef which projected far +seaward. We could not effect this, and at sunset, not being able to land +on the reef on account of the shallowness of the water, we put back to +within a mile and a half of the Esquimaux tents. Garry Island was seen +soon after sunset; and the aurora borealis appeared in the night for the +first time this season. The temperature of the air varied from 30 +degrees to 49 degrees, and that of the sea water was 37 degrees 2 +minutes, a quarter of a mile from the shore. [Sidenote: Tuesday, 29th.] +A gale coming on in the night, and continuing till the following +evening, detained us on shore. During our stay we were visited by a +numerous party of Esquimaux, and found it necessary to draw a line round +the tents, which they were not permitted to pass. These people told us +that Dr. Richardson's party had been seen clear of the Mackenzie, and +had given kettles to men in three canoes, after escaping an attempt made +by the Esquimaux to drag the boats on shore. This account, showing that +the propensity to plunder was not confined to the Esquimaux with whom we +had met, excited painful apprehensions for the safety of the eastern +party, if they should find it necessary to return by the Mackenzie, +because we now learned that the natives collect in numbers near its +mouth at the close of summer. In ordinary seasons the weather is mild, +and the winds variable until the ice breaks up, which is usually about +the end of August, when north-west winds, and stormy weather, are +expected. In this season, however, the winds had been so boisterous that +the Esquimaux had seldom been able to venture out to sea, and their +whale fishery had consequently failed. Our visitors left us about two +P.M.; but, shortly afterwards, we heard loud cries, and on looking round +saw two young Esquimaux running in breathless haste to announce that a +large party of Indians had come down from the mountains with the express +purpose of attacking the boats and killing every man of the party. They +desired us to embark instantly, as the only means of escape; for the +Indians, they said, were already at the tents within our view, and when +they left them they were on the point of spreading round us to commence +the onset. They further said, that the Indians, having been provoked by +our trading with the Esquimaux, had been along the coast in search of +us, and that it was only this afternoon they had espied our tents, +which, by the fluttering in the wind, they knew did not belong to the +Esquimaux. On this discovery they had come to the nearest party of +Esquimaux to make known their intention, and to request their aid. They +were met by our two young friends, who were out hunting, but who +returned with them to their tents, and after learning the plans in +agitation, had stolen off to apprize us of our danger. As soon as Spinks +returned, who had gone to shoot, we shoved off; and never were men more +delighted than our two Esquimaux friends seemed to be at our escape; and +especially at that of Augustus, to save whom, they asserted more than +once, was their principal motive in coming to us. While Spinks was out +of sight, they climbed up to the top of an old house to look for him, +with the greatest apparent solicitude, and were the first to discover +him returning. Up to the time of his arrival they kept repeating every +particular respecting the Indians, and pointing out the mode of avoiding +them. It was their intention, they said, to pursue us to the Mackenzie, +but that we should get there before them, because there were two rivers +in the way which the Indians would have great difficulty in crossing, +being unprovided with canoes. They urged us to make all speed, and not +to halt in the night, nor to go to sleep; but, if the crew became tired, +to put up on an island out of gun-shot of the main shore, because the +Indians were armed with guns as well as bows. They instructed Augustus +minutely as to the course we were to steer round the reef, and directed +us to keep along the main shore until we should come to a large opening, +which was the western outlet of the Mackenzie, and had a deep channel. +We rewarded their friendly conduct by a considerable present of iron, +which they received with an indifference that showed them not to have +been actuated by interested motives in making the communications. +Previous to the arrival of these men we had perceived the smoke of a +distant fire, which we had little regarded, supposing it to have been +made by some Esquimaux who were hunting, but which, it seems, was the +fire of the Indians. Having pulled round the reef, and being aided by a +westerly breeze, we soon regained the main shore, and passed the mouth +of the two rivers of which the Esquimaux had spoken. The night beginning +to close in we pulled up to the head of an inlet; when heavy rain and +squalls coming on, we determined to halt. [Sidenote: Wednesday, 30th.] +As soon as the day dawned, which was about half-past two in the morning, +we returned to Shoal Water Bay; and, sailing along the coast for two or +three miles to the eastward, arrived at another opening, in which the +water was fresh, and we did not doubt but it would prove the deep +channel by which we had been instructed to ascend. There was plenty of +water near its mouth, but it gradually shoaled; and, at the distance of +four miles, we ascertained that this promising opening was likewise an +inlet. I now relinquished the search for a more westerly outlet than the +one by which we had descended, and, therefore, steered for Pillage +Point, which soon afterwards came in sight. After dragging the boats +for two hours, over the shoals, we rounded Pillage Point at ten A.M., +and reached the deep water most opportunely; for, almost at the instant, +a violent north-west gale came on, attended by thunder, lightning, and +torrents of rain. The wind, however, was fair, and brought so much water +into the channel of the river, that we passed, without obstruction, the +shallow parts above Pillage Point. A temporary cessation of the rain at +noon enabled us to land to breakfast; and we afterwards continued to +scud before the gale until sunset, when we encamped. The temperature +fell from 48 degrees to 40 degrees in the gale, and we had several +showers of snow. + +During the above run Augustus entertained us with an account, which he +had learned from the two Esquimaux, respecting the Mountain Indians; the +substance was as follows:--Seven men of that tribe had been to Herschel +Island to trade with the Esquimaux, who showed them the different +articles they had received from us, and informed them of our being still +on the coast, and that our return by this route was not improbable. This +intelligence they set off at once to communicate to the rest of their +tribe, who, supposing that we should ruin their trade with the +Esquimaux, resolved on coming down in a body to destroy us; and that +they might travel with expedition, their wives and families were left +behind. They came to the sea coast by the Mountain Indian River, +opposite Herschel Island, and finding that we had not returned, but +supposing it possible that we might pass them there, as they had no +canoes to intercept us, they determined on travelling to the mouth of +the Mackenzie, where they could conveniently subsist by fishing and +hunting until our arrival. They had been informed of the manner in which +we had been robbed by the Esquimaux at that place, and they formed a +similar plan of operations. When our crews were wading and launching the +boats over the flats in Shoal Water Bay, a few of them were to have +offered their assistance, which they imagined would be readily accepted, +as we should probably take them for Indians belonging to the Loucheux +tribe, with whom we were acquainted. While pretending to aid us they +were to have watched an opportunity of staving the boats, so as to +prevent them from floating in the deeper channel, which runs close to +the land near Pillage Point. The rest of the party, on a signal being +given, were then to rush forth from their concealment, and join in the +assault. They were, in pursuance of this plan, travelling towards the +Mackenzie, when they discovered our tents; and it appeared that the two +young men who brought us the intelligence, had been sent as an act of +gratitude by an old Esquimaux, to whom we had given a knife and some +other things, on the preceding day. After hearing the plans of the +Indians, he called the young men aside and said to them, "These white +people have been kind to us, and they are few in number, why should we +suffer them to be killed? You are active young men, run and tell them to +depart instantly." The messengers suggested that we had guns, and could +defend ourselves. "True," said he, "against a small force, but not +against so large a body of Indians as this, who are likewise armed with +guns, and who will crawl under cover of the drift timber, so as to +surround them before they are aware; run, therefore, and tell them not +to lose a moment in getting away, and to be careful to avoid the flats +at the mouth of the river by entering the western channel." + +As the goods which the Mountain Indians exchange with the Esquimaux at +Herschel Island, are very unlike those issued from any of the Hudson's +Bay Company's posts, I conclude that they obtain them from the Russians; +but the traders of that nation being prohibited by their government from +supplying guns to any Indians, I am at a loss to account for these +people having them;--perhaps, the prohibition only applies to the +Esquimaux, or the people on the sea coast. That the Mountain Indians +have fire-arms we learned, not only on the present occasion, but in our +first interview with the Esquimaux, at Herschel Island. + +The few general remarks which I have to offer, on the subject of a +North-West Passage, will appear in a subsequent part of the narrative; +and here I shall only state, that we traced the coast, westward from the +mouth of the Mackenzie, three hundred and seventy-four miles, without +having found one harbour in which a ship could find shelter. + +[Sidenote: Thursday, 31st.] On the 31st, we continued the ascent of the +river, and encamped in the evening within the limit of the spruce fir +trees. + +[Sidenote: September 1st.] Favoured by a strong north-west gale, on the +1st of September, we sailed the whole day along the western main shore, +and, generally, within view of the Rocky Mountains. One of the numerous +bends of the river took us within eight miles of part of the mountains, +which appeared to be composed of a yellow stone, and was from eight +hundred to a thousand feet in height. In the course of the day we came +to the most northerly poplars, where the foliage had now assumed the +yellow autumnal hue. [Sidenote: Saturday, 2nd.] The gale continued with +strong squalls on the 2nd, and we advanced rapidly under double-reefed +sails, though the course of the river was very winding. The temperature +of the air varied from 41 degrees to 35 degrees. [Sidenote: Sunday, +3rd.] On the third we had calm weather, and still keeping the western +land aboard, we were led into a river which we had not discovered in our +descent. The course of this river, was, for a time, parallel to our +route, and we took it at first for one of the channels of the Mackenzie; +but, in the afternoon, we saw a mountain to the eastward, and +ascertained that we were to the Southward of Point Separation. We, +therefore, began to descend the river again, and encamped shortly after +sunset. Just after it became dark, voices were heard on the opposite +side of the river, to which we replied, and soon afterwards, three +Indians were observed crossing towards us in canoes. They approached +cautiously, but on being invited to land, they did so, though one of +them was so great a cripple as to require being carried from the canoe +to the fire-side. The alarm these poor people had felt, was soon +dissipated by kind treatment. They were armed with bows and arrows only, +and clothed in hare skins and leather. Their trowsers were similar to +those worn by the lower Loucheux, to which tribe they, probably, +belonged. We could communicate with them only by signs, except by using +a few words of Chipewyan, which one of them appeared to understand. We +collected from them that they knew of Fort Good Hope, but none of them +seemed to have visited it, as they had not a single article of European +manufacture about their persons. They delineated on a stone the course +of the Mackenzie, and of the river we had newly discovered, which +appears to flow from the Rocky Mountains, and to break through the same +ridge of hill that the Mackenzie does at the Narrows. It is probable, +that it was to this river the Loucheux alluded, when they told Sir +Alexander Mackenzie, opposite the present site of Fort Good Hope, that +there was a river which conducted them to the sea in five days. I have +distinguished this river by the name of Peel, in honour of His Majesty's +Secretary of State for the Home Department. It is from a quarter to half +a mile wide, and its banks are clothed with spruce, birch, and poplar +trees, like those of the Mackenzie in the same parallel. [Sidenote: +Monday, 4th.] We set forward at four A.M. on the 4th, with a strong +favourable breeze, and in an hour, passed another river descending from +the Rocky Mountains, and nearly as large as the Peel, into which it +flows. We regained the Mackenzie at noon, and at five P.M. arrived at +Point Separation, where we encamped. Here we found the boat, rope, and +kettle, in the same state in which we had deposited them. The kettle was +a great acquisition to us, because we had suffered much inconvenience in +having only one for cooking, after the Esquimaux had robbed us of the +others. The temperature varied during the day from 29 degrees to 55 +degrees, and, in the evening, the sand flies were troublesome. +[Sidenote: Tuesday, 5th.] We quitted our encampment at day light on the +5th, and crossed the river to look for a mark which Dr. Richardson was +to have erected, if he returned by the Mackenzie; but not finding any, +we deposited a letter and a bag of pemmican, in case he should come at a +later period, and that his party should be in want of provision. In the +vicinity of the Red River, we met Barbue, the Chief of the Loucheux, and +two or three families, who seemed in a sorry condition from want of +food, the water being too low for fishing. The chief appeared very +anxious to communicate some intelligence, which he evidently considered +important, but we could not understand him. We learned afterwards at the +fort, that it related to the death of a chief by violence on the sea +coast; this had given rise to a rumour of the death of myself, and +afterwards of Dr. Richardson, which occasioned us, for a time, much +anxiety. The weather, on this and several days, was remarkably fine; +berries of various kinds were very abundant on the banks, and quite +ripe. [Sidenote: Thursday, 7th.] By the aid of the tracking line, with +the occasional use of the oars and sails, we proceeded up the river at a +quick rate, and reached Fort Good Hope, at half-past four on the 7th. In +consequence of the above-mentioned rumour, I requested Mr. Bell, the +gentleman in charge of the fort, to despatch two of the Loucheux as +quickly as possible to the eastern mouth of the river, in order to gain +any information the Esquimaux could give regarding Dr. Richardson's +party; and, that the messengers might not be delayed by hunting on the +way, I left a bag of pemmican for their use. We were sorry to learn that +there was some apprehension of a serious quarrel arising between the +upper and lower Loucheux, in consequence of one of Barbue's sons having +killed his wife, a woman of the latter tribe. + +[Sidenote: Friday, 8th.] We quitted Fort Good Hope at noon on the 8th, +arrived at the entrance of Bear Lake River on the 16th, and on the 21st +reached Fort Franklin, where we had the happiness of meeting our friends +in safety. [Sidenote: Thursday, 21st.] The eastern detachment had +arrived on the 1st of September, after a most successful voyage; and Dr. +Richardson being anxious to extend his geological researches, as far as +the season would permit, had gone in a canoe to the Great Slave Lake, +having previously sent a report of his proceedings, to meet me at Fort +Good Hope, in case of our being obliged to return by the Mackenzie; but +the bearer of them passed us without being seen. Having read Mr. +Kendall's journal, I drew up a brief account of the proceedings of both +parties for the information of His Majesty's Government, and transmitted +it by canoe, to Slave Lake on the following morning. + +The distance travelled in the three months of our absence from Fort +Franklin, amounted to two thousand and forty-eight statute miles, of +which six hundred and ten were through parts not previously discovered. + +I cannot close this account of our sea voyage without expressing the +deep obligation I feel to Lieutenant Back for his cordial co-operation, +and for his zealous and unwearied assiduity during its progress. Beside +the daily delineation of the coast in the field book, the service is +indebted to him for numerous drawings of scenery, as well as of the +natives; and for an interesting collection of plants. My warmest thanks +are likewise due to the men of my party, who met every obstacle with an +ardent desire to surmount it, and cheerfully exerted themselves to the +utmost of their power. Their cool, steady conduct is the more +commendable, as the sea navigation was entirely novel to the whole, +except the seamen Duncan and Spinks, and Hallom, the corporal of +Marines. The Canadian voyagers, Felix and Vivier, first saw the ocean on +this occasion. + +The following Chapters contain the narrative of the proceedings of Dr. +Richardson in his own words; and I embrace this opportunity of conveying +my sincere thanks to him, to Mr. Kendall, and to their respective crews. +I may be allowed to bear my testimony to the union of caution, talent, +and enterprise in the former, which enabled him to conduct, with +singular success, an arduous service of a kind so foreign from his +profession and ordinary pursuits; and to the science and skill, combined +with activity, of Mr. (now Lieutenant) Kendall, which must heighten the +character he has already obtained for general ability and energy in his +profession. I must not omit to state, that these officers describe the +conduct of their crews to have been excellent. + +_ABSTRACT of the Mean Temperature for each Day during the Voyage along +the Sea Coast west of the Mackenzie, and on the return to Bear Lake._ + + 1826. Daily + Date. Mean Wind and Weather. Situation. + ---------------------------------------------------------------------- + July. degs. + 1 52.8 NNW, WNW, moderate, gloomy Fort Good Hope + 2 58.3 West, fresh, clear } Mackenzie River, + 3 50.3 WNW, fresh, clear } betwn lat. 67 deg. + 4 55.8 West, SSW, N, light, gloomy } 28 min., & 60 deg. + 5 53.7 SW, NE, moderate, gloomy, foggy } 53 min. N., longitude + 6 45.1 NNW, ENE, fresh, moderate, rain } 130-1/2 deg. & + 7 41.6 SE, moderate, clear } 136-1/2 deg. W. + 8 } Not Mouth of the + } regist'd. Mackenzie. + 9 } Thermom. ENE, strong, fog and rain + 10 } stolen by } Between the + 11 } Esquimaux. } Mackenzie & + 12 51.6 EbyN. fresh, gloomy } Herschel Isld. + 13 53.3 Variable, fog and rain } lat 68 deg. 53 min. & + 14 50.5 Calm, rain, ENE, moderate, clear } 60 deg. 34 min. N., + 15 48.6 Calm, clear, NW, moderate, foggy } long. 136 deg. 19. min + 16 47.3 SSE, moderate, snow, fog } & 139 deg. 5 min. W. + 17 44.8 NW, North, moderate, hazy Herschel Island. + 18 43.6 NW, moderate, clear } + 19 43.4 NW, moderate, heavy rain and fog } + 20 39.3 NW, fresh, fog } + 21 51.3 East, SE, clear } + 22 58.5 SE, light, clear } Between Icy Reef & + 23 51.6 West, calm, East, clear } Herschel Island, + 24 45.6 Calm, variable, clear } latitude 69 deg. 34 + 25 42.0 West, light, calm, foggy } min. & 69 deg. 44 + 26 44.3 Calm, NW, fog } min. N., longitude 139 + 27 41.4 West, NW, moderate, fog } deg. 5 min. and 141 + 28 43.2 ENE, light, gloomy } deg. 30 min. W. + 29 41.6 ENE, strong, misty } + 30 40.3 ENE, fresh, moderate, clear } + 31 42.7 NE, moderate, clear, fresh and } + ----- foggy } + Mean 47.61 + ---------------------------------------------------------------------- + Aug. + 1 42.0 NE, gale, foggy } Between Icy Reef & + 2 44.6 ENE, strong, moderate, clear } Flaxman's Island, lat. + 3 44.1 ENE, moderate, clear } 69 deg. 44 min. & 70 + 4 40.7 East, moderate, clear } deg. 11 min. N., long. + 5 42.6 Calm, WbyN, moderate } 141 deg. 30 min. & 145 + 6 43.2 Calm, ESE, light, clear } deg. 50 min. W. + 7 42.8 ENE, fresh, clear _} + 8 42.9 ENE, strong, fog } + 9 41.6 NE, strong, fog } + 10 39.5 ENE, strong, fog } Foggy Island, lat. + 11 41.1 NE, moderate, fog } 70 deg. 16 min. N. + 12 41.1 East, moderate, very foggy } longitude 147 deg. + 13 41.6 NE, strong, foggy } 38 min. W. + 14 41.3 ENE, NE, moderate, foggy } + 15 38.1 NE, fresh, hazy } + +_ABSTRACT the Mean Temperature for each Day during the Voyage along the +Sea Coast west of the Mackenzie, and on the return to Bear Lake._ + + 1826. Daily + Date. Mean Wind and Weather. Situation. + ---------------------------------------------------------------------- + Aug. degs. + 16 35.0 ENE, fresh, foggy } Return Reef, lat. + 17 37.4 NE, gale, very foggy } 70 deg. 26 min. N. lg. + 18 36.2 NE, strong, clear _} 148 deg. 52 min. W. + 19 36.4 NE, strong, foggy } Foggy + 20 36.4 NE, fresh, foggy _} Island. + 21 35.7 NNE, North, moderate, clear } + 22 37.6 North, NE, light, clear } Between Foggy Island & + 23 41.0 Calm, clear } the Mouth of the + 24 39.4 Calm, clear, foggy in the night } Mackenzie, lat. 70 + 25 41.2 Calm, fog, NE, light, ESE, strong} deg. 16 min. and 68 + 26 39.6 WNW, NW, heavy gale, snow, sleet } deg. 53 min. N. lon. + 27 39.8 Calm, ESE, light, clear } 147 deg. 38 min. and + 28 43.0 SW, strong, clear } 136 deg. 19 min. W. + 29 52.5 SSW, heavy gale _} + 30 45.6 NW, Heavy gale, rain } Mackenzie + 31 42.4 Calm, SW, gloomy } River. + ----- + Mean 40.85 + ---------------------------------------------------------------------- + Sept. + 1 38.3 NW, gale, snow } + 2 38.6 NW, strong, clear } + 3 41.1 Calm, moderate, SE, clear } + 4 41.3 SE, NW, moderate, clear } + 5 45.9 SE, light, clear } + 6 51.0 Variable, light, clear } + 7 44.8 SE, light, NW, strong } + 8 41.0 NW, strong, snow } + 9 39.3 East, moderate, clear } + 10 45.8 SE, light, clear } Mackenzie + 11 45.8 NW, moderate rain } River. + 12 37.3 NW, moderate, gloomy } + 13 37.2 Calm, SE, light, clear } + 14 37.9 ESE, moderate, clear } + 15 42.7 Calm, moderate, fresh, gloomy } + 16 44.5 Variable, light, gloomy } + 17 36.9 Variable, moderate, rain } + 18 29.4 NW, fresh, gloomy } + 19 24.6 NW, moderate, gloomy } + 20 29.2 ESE, fresh, clear } + 21 31.1 ENE, fresh, clear Fort Franklin. + ----- + Mean 39.22 + ---------------------------------------------------------------------- + NOTE.--The thermometer used in this register, was compared with those + in use at Fort Franklin during ten days after our return, and found to + coincide with them. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[3] I have recently learned, by letter from Captain Beechey, that the +barge turned back on the 25th of August, having been several days beset +by the ice. He likewise informs me, that the summer of 1827 was so +unfavourable for the navigation of the northern coast of America, that +the Blossom did not reach so high a latitude as in the preceding year; +nor could his boat get so far to the east of Icy Cape, by one hundred +miles. The natives, he says, were numerous, and, in some instances, +ill-disposed. + + + + +DR. RICHARDSON'S NARRATIVE OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE EASTERN DETACHMENT +OF THE EXPEDITION. + +CHAPTER I. + +Leave Point Separation and descend the Eastern Channel of the +Mackenzie--Arrive at Sacred Island--Esquimaux Graves--Interview with the +Natives; their thievish disposition--Attempt to gain possession of the +Union--Heavy Gale--Find Shelter in Refuge Cove--Low +Coast--Mirage--Stopped by Ice at Point Toker--Reach the Sea. + + +[Sidenote: July 4th.] The two parties of which the Expedition was +composed, having spent the evening of the 3rd of July in cheerful +conversation about their future prospects, prepared to separate on the +morning of the 4th. By six o'clock all the boats were stowed; and +Captain Franklin, Lieutenant Back, and their party, had committed +themselves to the stream in the Lion and Reliance; while the Eastern +Detachment, drawn up on the beach, cheered them on their departure with +three hearty huzzas. The voices of our friends were heard in reply until +the current had carried their boats round a projecting point of land, +when we also embarked to proceed on our voyage. Our detachment was +composed of twelve individuals, distributed in two boats, named the +Dolphin and Union. + + IN THE DOLPHIN. IN THE UNION. + + Dr. Richardson. Mr. Kendall. + Thomas Gillet, _Coxswain_. John M'Leay, _Coxswain_. + John M'Lellan, _Bowman_. George Munroe, _Bowman_. + Shadrach Tysoe, _Marine_. William Money, _Marine_. + Thomas Fuller, _Carpenter_. John M'Duffey. + Ooligbuck, _Esquimaux_. George Harkness. + +The instructions we received were, to trace the coast between the +Mackenzie and Coppermine Rivers, and to return from the latter overland +to Great Bear Lake. Ice was the only impediment we dreaded as likely to +prove an obstacle to the execution of these orders. We knew that the +direct distance between the two rivers did not amount to five hundred +miles; and, having provisions for upwards of eighty days stowed in the +boats, we were determined not to abandon the enterprize on light +grounds, especially after we had seen the friends that had just parted +from us embark with so much cheerfulness in their more arduous +undertaking. + +On leaving Point Separation we pulled, for two hours, against the +current, to regain the entrance of the "Middle Channel," which was first +explored by Mackenzie, on his way to the sea, in 1798, and more +perfectly surveyed by Captain Franklin, on his voyage to Garry's Island, +last autumn. It has a breadth of nearly a mile, and a depth of from +three to five fathoms; though in one place, where there was a ripple, +the sounding lead struck against a flat bed of stone in nine feet water. +Having proceeded about ten miles in this channel, we entered a branch +flowing to the eastward, with the view of tracing the course of the main +land. Mackenzie, on his return from the sea by this route, observed many +trees having their upper branches lopped off by the Esquimaux, and we +saw several such trees in the course of the day. The lands are low and +marshy, and inclose small lakes which are skirted by willows. The +summits of the banks are loaded with drift-timber, showing that they are +all inundated by the spring floods, except a few sandy ridges which +bound the principal channels, and which are clothed with well-grown +white spruce trees. Our voyage amongst these uninteresting flats was +greatly enlivened by the busy flight and cheerful twittering of the +sand-martins, which had scooped out thousands of nests in the banks of +the river, and we witnessed with pleasure their activity in thinning the +ranks of our most tormenting foes the musquitoes. When our precursor, +Sir Alexander Mackenzie, passed through these channels on the 10th of +July, 1789, they were bounded by walls of ice veined with black earth, +but the present season was so much milder, that the surface of the banks +was every where thawed. + +An hour before noon we put ashore to cook our breakfast, near a clump of +spruce trees, where several fires had recently been made by a party +which had left many foot-prints on the sand; probably a horde of +Esquimaux, on their return from trading with the Indians at the Narrows. +A thunder storm that obscured the sky, prevented Mr. Kendall from +ascertaining the latitude at noon, which was the hour we chose for +breakfast throughout the voyage, in order to economize time, as it was +necessary to land to obtain the meridian observation of the sun. In the +afternoon we continued to descend the same channel, which has a smooth +and moderately rapid current, and a general depth of two or three +fathoms. At four P.M. we obtained a view of a ridge of land to the +eastward, which we have since learned is named by the natives the +Rein-Deer Hills, and at seven encamped near two conical hills of +limestone, about two hundred feet high, and clothed with trees to their +tops. The length of the day's voyage was forty-two miles. We selected a +sandy bank, covered with willows sixteen feet high, for our encamping +place; and here again we found that a party of Esquimaux had lately +occupied the same spot, the ashes of their fires being still fresh, and +the leaves of the willow poles to which they had attached their nets, +unwithered. Before we retired to bed, the arms were examined, and a +watch was set; a practice which we kept up for the remainder of the +voyage. Much rain fell in the night. + +[Sidenote: Wednesday, 5th.] On the 5th we embarked at four in the +morning, and soon afterwards, the channel conducting us to the base of +the Rein-Deer Hills, Mr. Kendall and I ascended an eminence, which was +about four hundred feet high. Its summit was thinly coated with gravel, +and its sides were formed of sand and clay, inclosing some beds of +brownish-red sandstone, and of gray-coloured slate-clay. Clumps of trees +grew about half way up, but the top produced only a thin wiry grass. At +eleven A.M. we landed to breakfast, and remained on shore until noon, in +the hope of obtaining an observation for latitude, but the sun was +obscured by clouds. In the afternoon I had an extensive view from the +summit of a hill of flat alluvial lands, divided into islands by +inosculations of the channels of the river, and bounded, at the distance +of about forty miles to the westward, by the Rocky Mountains. As we +advanced to the northward, we perceived the trees to diminish in size, +becoming more scattered, and ascend a shorter way up the sides of the +hills, and they altogether terminated in latitude 68 degrees 40 minutes, +in an even line running across the islands; though one solitary spruce +fir was seen in 68 degrees 53 minutes. Perhaps the lands to the +northward of this abrupt line were too low and wet for the growth of the +white spruce, the tree which attains the highest latitude on this +continent. + +We pitched our tents for the night on the site of another Esquimaux +encampment, where a small bit of moose deer's meat was still attached to +a piece of wood at the fire-place; and we saw, from the tracks of the +people and dogs in the sand, that a party had left the river here to +cross the Rein-Deer Hills. From information obtained through the +Sharp-eyed, or Quarreller tribe of Indians, this appears to be one of +the Esquimaux routes to a large piece of brackish water named Esquimaux +Lake, and alluded to by Mackenzie in several parts of his narrative. The +length of our voyage this day was forty-four miles, and our encampment +was opposite to an island named by Captain Franklin after William +Williams, Esq., late governor of Prince Rupert's land. We observed here +an unusually large spruce tree, considering the high latitude in which +it grew; it measured seven feet in circumference, at the height of four +feet from the ground. A hole was dug at the foot of the hill, in sandy +soil, to the depth of three feet without reaching frozen ground. + +[Sidenote: Thursday, 6th.] On the 6th, heavy and continued rain delayed +our embarkation until ten o'clock in the forenoon, and the weather, +during the rest of the day, was hazy, with occasional showers of small +rain. Before leaving the encampment, we lopped the branches from a tree, +and suspended to it a small kettle, a hatchet, an ice-chisel, and a few +strings of beads, together with a letter written in hieroglyphics, by +Mr. Kendall, denoting that a party of white people presented these +articles to the Esquimaux as a token of friendship.[4] As we advanced, +we came to the union of several ramifications of the middle channel with +the eastern branch of the river, and the breadth of the latter increased +to two miles; its depth of water being rarely less than three fathoms. +In latitude 69 degrees, the eastern channel of the Mackenzie makes a +turn round the end of the Rein-deer-hills which terminate there, having +previously diminished in height to about two hundred feet. At the +commencement of this turn, there is a small island nearly equal to the +main land in height, and appearing when viewed from the southward, to be +a continuation of it. Its position pointing it out to be the one +described by Mackenzie as possessing "a sacred character," and being +still a burial place of the Esquimaux, I named it Sacred Island. We saw +here two recent, and several more ancient graves. The bodies were +wrapped in skins closely covered with drift-wood, and laid with their +heads to the west; so that the rule mentioned by Captain Lyon in his +account of Melville peninsula, does not obtain on this part of the +coast; for there none but the bodies of infants are placed in that +direction. Various articles, such as canoes, sledges, and fishing nets, +were deposited near the graves. + +Sacred Island is formed entirely of layers of fine sand of different +colours, covered by a little vegetable mould. One of its sides being +steeply escarped by the waves, showed its structure completely. Amongst +the vegetable productions of this spot, we noticed the perennial lupine, +the narrow-leaved epilobium, and some currant bushes in full flower, and +growing with great luxuriance. From its summit we had a view of the +river flowing in many channels, both to the eastward and westward. The +islands lying in sight to the westward are low, and apparently inundated +when the river is flooded; but to the eastward, there are many islands +having hummocks as high as Sacred Island, and judging from those that +were near, they are, like it, composed of sand. The channels surrounding +the island appear to be shallow. + +After leaving that island, we steered along the main shore to a sandy +point about four miles distant, and encamped near a very recent resting +place of a large party of Esquimaux, not fewer than ten fires having +been made since the heavy rain of the morning. There was also vestiges +of five or six winter-houses on this point. Richards' Island, which was +named in honour of the Governor of the Bank of England, forms the +opposite bank of the channel here, and exhibits, like the neighbouring +islands, some sandy hummocks and cliffs. The length of the day's voyage +was twenty-five miles, and our encampment was situated in lat. 69 +degrees 4 minutes N., long. 134 degrees 10 minutes W. + +[Sidenote: Friday, 7th.] We embarked on the morning on the 7th at four +o'clock, in cold, hazy weather, and soon came to a point of Richards' +Island, on which there were four or five Esquimaux tents, with several +skin canoes, and boats lying on the beach. I had previously arranged +that on our first interview with the Esquimaux, I was to land with +Ooligbuck, whilst Mr. Kendall kept the boats afloat ready to lend us +such aid as might be required; conceiving that this was the best way of +inspiring the natives with confidence, should they be distrustful, or of +securing freedom of action to our crews should they prove unfriendly. +The muskets were kept in the arm-chest out of sight, but ready for +instant use. As we drew near the point, two women, who were walking +along the shore, looked at us with amazement for some minutes, and then +ran into the tents and alarmed their inmates. Several men instantly +rushed out, nearly naked, with their bows and quivers in their hands, +making furious gestures and apparently much frightened. I desired +Ooligbuck to speak to them, and called to them myself in their own +language that we were friends; but their terror and confusion was so +great, that they did not appear to comprehend us. I then took a few +beads, files, and knives, in my hand, and landing with Ooligbuck, made +some presents to the men, and told them I was come to trade. The moment +I mentioned the word "trade" (_noowoerlook_), their fears subsided, and +they sent away their bows, but retained their long knives; those that +were clothed thrusting them into their pockets or up their sleeves. An +old woman who seemed to have greater self-possession than the rest, and +to understand my meaning more readily, ran and fetched some dried fish, +for which I gave her beads; and the others then began to manifest an +eager desire of exchanging their fish for any thing that I offered. More +people coming from the tents, a crowd was formed, who obtained all the +trading articles I had brought on shore. As their surprise subsided, +their boldness and clamour increased, and some few of them began again +to use threatening expressions and gestures, either from a dislike to +strangers coming into their country, or for the purpose of intimidation +and extortion. When the interview assumed this disagreeable character, +Ooligbuck said that they were very bad people, and entreating me to +embark, took me on his back and carried me on board. At the same time, +several of the natives ran into the water and attempted to drag the boat +ashore, but on my calling to them they desisted. One fellow, whose +countenance, naturally disagreeable, had been rendered hideous by the +insertion of a large brass thimble into a perforation in the under lip, +seized upon our tea-kettle, and endeavoured to conceal it under water, +but being seen from the Union, he was made to return it. + +When we left the shore, all the males, twenty-one in number, embarked in +their small canoes or kaiyacks and accompanied us; and in less than a +quarter of an hour, the women had struck the tents and embarked them, +together with their children, dogs, and luggage, in their row boats or +oomiaks, and were in close pursuit. For a time we proceeded down the +river together in an amicable manner, bartering beads, steels, flints, +files, knives, hatchets, and kettles, for fish, adzes, spears, and +arrows. The natives seemed to have a correct idea of property, and +showed much tact in their commerce with us; circumstances which have +been held by an eminent historian to be evidences of a considerable +progress towards civilization[5]. They were particularly cautious not to +glut the market by too great a display of their stock in trade; +producing only one article at a time, and not attempting to out-bid each +other; nor did I ever observe them endeavour to deprive one another of +any thing obtained in barter or as a present. As is usual with other +tribes of Esquimaux, they asked our names and told us theirs, a practice +diametrically opposite to that of the Indians, who conceive it to be +improper to mention a man's name in his presence, and will not, on any +account, designate their near relatives, except by some indirect phrase. +They showed much more curiosity respecting the construction of our boats +than any of the tribes of Indians we had seen, and expressed great +admiration of the rudder, soon comprehending its mode of action, +although it is a contrivance of which they were previously ignorant. +They were incessant in their inquiries as to the use of every thing they +saw in our possession, but were sometimes content with an answer too +brief to afford much explanation; as in the following instance. +Ooligbuck had lighted his pipe and was puffing the smoke from his mouth, +when they shouted "_ookah, ookah_," (fire, fire,) and demanded to be +told what he was doing. He replied with the greatest gravity, +"_poo-yoo-al-letchee-rawmah_" (I smoke); and this answer sufficed. On my +referring to an Esquimaux vocabulary, Ooligbuck, in answer to their +questions, told them that the book spoke to me, when they entreated me +to put it away. I afterwards detected the rogue with the brass thimble +endeavouring to steal this book, and placed it, as I thought, out of his +reach; it was missing in the evening, but I never ascertained whether it +had been purloined by the Esquimaux or had fallen overboard in moving +some of the stores. Seeing me use my pocket telescope, they speedily +comprehended its use, and called it "_eetee-yawgah_" (far eyes) the name +that they give to the wooden shade which is used to protect their eyes +from the glare of the snow; and which, from the smallness of its +aperture, enables them to see distant objects more clearly. Of our +trading articles, light copper kettles were in the greatest request, and +we were often asked for the long knives which are used for flinching +whales. It is creditable to the Esquimaux habits of cleanliness, that +combs were in great demand, and we saw wooden ones of their own +manufacture, not dissimilar to ours in form. I distributed +looking-glasses to some of the young men, but they were mostly returned +again, although I do not know on what account. + +This party of Esquimaux, being similar in features and dress to the +tribe seen by Captain Franklin, and not differing materially from the +Esquimaux inhabiting Melville peninsula which have been so fully +described by Captains Parry and Lyon, it is not necessary to enter into +any detail here on those points. Ooligbuck's dialect and theirs differed +a little, but they mutually understood one another. I observed that they +invariably sounded the letter _m_ instead of _g_, when in the middle of +a word, calling Ooligbuck, Oolimbauk. Ooligbuck's attempts to pronounce +"Doctor" were sufficiently imperfect, but to our visitors, the word +seemed utterly unattainable, and they could designate me only by the +term _Eheumattak_ or chief. They succeeded better with the names of some +of the men, readily naming Tysoe, and calling Gillet "_Hillet_." The +females, as they passed in their oomiaks, bestowed on us some glances +that could scarcely be misconstrued,--their manners, in this respect, +differed widely from those of the Indian women, who have a modest and +even shy demeanour. Some of the young girls had a considerable share of +beauty, and seemed to have spared no pains in ornamenting their persons. +Their hair was turned up in a neat knot, on the crown of the head, and a +lock or queue, tied by a fillet of beads, hung down by the ears, on each +side. Mr. Nuttall, in his account of the Quapaws or Arkansas, mentions +that the unmarried women wear their hair braided into two parts, brought +round to either ear in a cylindrical form and ornamented with beads; and +a similar attention to head-dress is paid by some of the Indian women +inhabiting the borders of the great Canada lakes, and also by the +Tawcullies or Carriers of New Caledonia;[6] but the females of all the +tribes of Indians that we saw in our route through the northern parts of +the fur countries, suffer their hair to hang loose about their ears, +and, in general, adorn their persons less than the men of the same +tribes. The Esquimaux women dressing better, and being required to +labour less, than the Indian females, may be considered as a proof that +the former nation has made the greater progress towards civilization; +and I am of opinion that the Esquimaux would adopt European habits and +customs much more readily than the Indians. + +Though there are many circumstances which widely distinguish the +Esquimaux from their Indian neighbours, they might all, possibly, be +traced to the necessity of associating in numbers for the capture of the +whale, and of laying up large hoards of blubber for winter consumption. +Thus have they been induced to build villages for their common +residence, and from thence have originated those social habits which are +incompatible with the wandering and precarious life of an Indian hunter. +It would lead, however, to too long a digression, were I to enter into +details on this subject, and I resume, therefore, the narrative of the +voyage.[7] + +In the course of the morning we came to several other encampments, one +of them consisting of nine tents; and each party no sooner learnt who we +were, than they embarked bag and baggage and followed us. Some of the +new comers were shy, and kept aloof, but in general they were too +forward. Emboldened by their increase of numbers, they gradually became +more daring, and running their kaiyacks alongside, laid hold of the +boat's gunwale, and attempted to steal any thing within their reach. To +lessen their opportunities of annoying us, I was obliged to keep the +crews constantly rowing, for when we attempted to rest, three or four +fellows would instantly seize the opportunity of lifting the blades of +the oars and pushing their kaiyacks alongside, whilst others would cling +on by the bows and quarters, nor could they be dislodged without much +trouble. They manifested great cunning and dexterity in their pilfering +attempts, and frequently acted in concert. Thus, one fellow would lay +hold of the boat with both his hands; and while the coxswain and I were +disengaging them, his comrade on the other side would make the best use +of his time in transferring some of our property into his canoe, with +all the coolness of a practised thief. The smaller things being, +however, put as well out of the way as possible, and a strict look-out +kept, they were, in almost every instance, detected; and they restored, +with the most perfect good humour, every article they had taken, as soon +as it was demanded, often laughing heartily at their own want of +address. They succeeded only in purloining a bag of ball, and a +powder-horn, as the theft was not perceived at the time. I was +unwilling to check this conduct by a display of arms, because I was +desirous of gaining the natives by kindness and forbearance, the more +especially, as our ignorance of the state of the ice rendered it +doubtful, whether we might not be under the necessity of encamping, for +some time, in their neighbourhood. Had we resented their pilfering +attempts too hastily, we should have appeared the aggressors, for they +expressed great good-will towards us, readily answered such questions as +we were able to put to them about the course of the river, pointed out +to us the deepest channels, invited us to go ashore to cook our +breakfast, and even offered to provide us with wives, if we would pass +the night at their tents. For very obvious reasons we declined all their +invitations; but our crews being fatigued with continual rowing, and +faint from want of food, we halted at one P.M., by the side of a steep +bank, and breakfasted in the boats, insisting on the Esquimaux keeping +aloof whilst we were so engaged. + +In the afternoon we had to search for a passage amongst islands, there +being no longer water enough near the main shore to float our boats. The +Esquimaux undertook to guide us, but whether through accident or design, +they led us, on one occasion, into a shallow channel, where we grounded +on a sand-bank, over which there was a strong current setting; and we +had not only much difficulty in getting afloat, but had to pull, for an +hour, against the stream, to regain the passage we had left. Soon after +this, one of the natives made a forcible attempt to come into the +Dolphin, under the pretext of bartering two large knives which he held +in his hand; and the dexterity with which he leaped from his kaiyack was +remarkable. There were three other kaiyacks betwixt him and our boats, +which, on his giving the signal, were, by their owners laying their +broad paddles across, instantly converted into a platform, over which he +ran with velocity and sprang upon the stern seat of the Dolphin, but he +was immediately tumbled out again. Judging from the boldness of this +fellow's behaviour, and the general tenour of the conduct of the +natives, that sooner or later they might be tempted to make an attack +upon us, I adopted, as a measure of precaution, the plan of purchasing +their bows, which are their most powerful weapons. They were at first +unwilling to part with them; but finding that we would take nothing else +in exchange for the articles we had to dispose of, they ultimately let +us have a good number. The Esquimaux bows are formed of spruce-fir, +strengthened on the back by cords made of the sinews of the rein-deer, +and would have been prized, even beyond their favourite yew, by the +archers of Sherwood. They are far superior to the bows of the Indians, +and are fully capable of burying "the goose-wing of a cloth-yard shaft" +in the heart of a deer. + +Several of the young men tried the speed of their kaiyacks against our +boats, and seemed to delight in showing us how much their little vessels +excelled ours in velocity. Towards evening the women's oomiaks had all +gone ahead, and we were given to understand that they were about to +encamp for the night. Thinking that they would choose the best route, we +followed them into a channel, which proved too shallow; and when we put +about to try another, the natives became more urgent than ever that we +should land and encamp along with them. Just as we were about to enter a +passage which the Esquimaux, doubtless, knew was deep enough, and led by +the shortest route to the sea, the Union grounded upon a bank, about +half a bow-shot from the shore. Seven or eight of the natives instantly +jumped out of their kaiyacks, and laying hold of the boat's bow and +steering-sweep, attempted to drag her ashore. They were speedily joined +by others, who hurried from the beach with knives in their hands; and +Mr. Kendall seeing that he would almost immediately be surrounded by a +force too great to permit his men to act, called to me that he should be +obliged to fire. Fully aware of the necessity of prompt measures, I +answered that he was at liberty to fire if necessary. Upon which, +snatching up his fowling-piece, he presented it at three of the most +daring who had hold of the sweep-oar, and his crew who were now in the +water endeavouring to shove the boat off, and struggling with the +natives, jumped on board and seized their muskets. The crew of the +Dolphin likewise displayed their arms and stood ready, but I ordered +that no individual should fire until called upon by name. They were, +however, the instant that a shot was fired from the Union, to lay the +Dolphin aground alongside of her, that thus we might present only two +assailable sides to the enemy. Happily there was no occasion to fire at +all; the contests of the Esquimaux with the Indians had taught them to +dread fire-arms, and on the sudden sight of every man armed with a +musket, they fled to the shore. Until that moment we had kept our guns +carefully concealed in the arm-chest, to prevent any of the natives from +snatching them away and disarming us, and also that they might not deem +our intentions to be other than pacific. + +I do not believe that the natives had matured a plan of attack, but the +stranding of a boat on their own shore was too great a temptation to be +resisted. Some individuals had previously shown unequivocal signs of +good feeling towards us, such as bringing back the Union's sweep-oar, +which had slipped from the coxswain's hands; and also in pointing out +the channel we afterwards pursued to the sea, as preferable to the one +which the oomiaks had taken. Even the better-disposed, however, would, +doubtless, have joined the others, had they began to plunder with +success; for they told us in the forenoon that there was no one of their +horde acknowledged as a chief. It is probable that the Esquimaux were +doubtful as to the sex of some of our party, until they saw them prepare +for battle. None but women row in their oomiaks, and they had asked +Ooligbuck if all the white women had beards. + +The crews on this occasion behaved with a coolness and resolution worthy +of the utmost praise, executing without the slightest confusion the +orders they received. Mr. Kendall acted with his usual judgment; and his +prudence and humanity, in refraining from firing, merit the highest +encomiums. The Union being speedily set afloat by her crew, we pulled +together through a wide channel, three feet deep. The spot where this +transaction took place has been named Point Encounter, and is in +latitude 69 degrees 16 minutes N., and longitude 136 degrees 20 minutes W. + +The Esquimaux seemed to hold a consultation on the beach after we left +them; but, as none attempted to follow us immediately, we enjoyed the +respite from their forwardness and clamour, which had become very +harrassing, particularly to Mr. Kendall and myself, who had other duties +to attend to. He had full occupation in surveying and delineating the +route; and as the Dolphin led the way through a shoal and intricate +navigation, it was requisite that I should keep the sounding-lead +constantly going, and be on the watch for any change in the appearance +of the current which might indicate shoal water, the smallness of our +crews preventing me from appointing any man to that service. In about an +hour after leaving Point Encounter, we observed ten kaiyacks coming +towards us from a cluster of islands; they soon overtook us, but kept at +a reasonable distance, and no longer gave us any trouble by coming +alongside. We wished to show that we had no desire to hurt them, +notwithstanding their past conduct, and, therefore, began again to trade +with them; yet we were naturally anxious that they should leave us +before we encamped, because, from the fleetness of their kaiyacks, they +could soon collect a great number of their countrymen, and give us much +annoyance in the night. Our wishes were seconded by a fresh breeze of +wind springing up and enabling us to set the sails, by which the crews +enjoyed a rest, after fourteen hours' labour at the oars; and the +Esquimaux had greater difficulty in keeping up with the increased +velocity of our boats. Thinking that they would quit us as soon as they +lost the hope of getting more goods, I desired Ooligbuck to tell them I +would trade no more, and they accordingly, one by one, dropped behind +and left us. Three followed us longer than the others, and as they were +not of the party which attacked the Union, and had hitherto received +nothing from us, I made each of them a small present of beads and +fire-steels, when they also took leave, calling out "_teymah, +peechaw-ooloo_," "friendship is good." + +We learned in the course of the day, from the natives, that they call +themselves _Kitte-garroe-oot_, (inhabitants of the land near the +mountains,) and that they were now on their way to a place favourable +for the capture of white whales, as in the sea, which they said was many +days' march distant, there was too much ice to take the black whales at +this season. It also appeared that they annually ascend to the Narrows +of Mackenzie River, for the purpose of trading with the Quarrellers, and +were accustomed to spend their summers in a large lake of brackish +water, (Esquimaux Lake,) lying to the eastward, where they occasionally +meet parties of Loucheux. They informed us that the land to the eastward +of Encounter Point is a collection of islands, and that there were many +of their countrymen fishing in the rivers which separate them. They had +heard of the Esquimaux at the mouth of the Coppermine River, and knew +them by their name of _Naggoe-ook-tor-moe-oot_, (or Deer-horns,) but +said they were very far off, and that they had no intercourse with them; +adding, that all the inhabitants of the coast to the eastward were bad +people. They knew white people by the name of _Kabloonacht_, and Indians +by that of _Eitkallig_, the same appellations that are used by the +Esquimaux of Hudson's Bay; but their name for the black whale was +different from that given to it by Ooligbuck; and they also gave names +to some of their utensils which he had never heard before. Ooligbuck was +not of much use as an interpreter, in our intercourse with these people, +for he spoke no English; but his presence answered the important purpose +of showing that the white people were on terms of friendship with the +distant tribes of Esquimaux. As a boatman he was of the greatest +service, being strongly attached to us, possessing an excellent temper, +and labouring cheerfully at his oar. + +We could not ascertain the numbers of Esquimaux we saw in the course of +the day, because they were always coming and going, but we passed at +least thirty tents, and had reason to believe that on some of the +islands there were tents which we did not see. Four grown people is, +perhaps the average number of the inhabitants of each tent. A short time +before the attack on the Union, I counted forty kaiyacks round the two +boats. + +The wind freshened, and the night began to look stormy, as we stood +across a wide sound which was open from the N.W. to the N.E., and had a +depth of water varying from three to seven feet. White whales were seen; +and some of the crew thought the water tasted brackish. About nine P.M. +a drizzling rain came on, attended with very dark weather, which induced +us to make for a round islet, with a view of encamping, and securing the +boats for the night; it was skirted by shoals that prevented us from +landing, and we therefore anchored the boats by poles stuck in the mud, +raised the coverings of the cargo on masts and oars, so as to turn off +the rain; and after eating our supper and setting a watch, we +endeavoured to get some repose by lying down in our clothes, wet as they +were. We had scarcely laid down, however, before the wind changed and +began to blow with violence directly on the shore, so as to render it +necessary for us to shift our situation without delay. An attempt was +made to row the boats round to the other side of the islet, but they +drifted upon the shoals in spite of the exertions of the crew, and began +to strike violently. [Sidenote: Saturday, 8th.] In this perilous +situation we perceived some smooth water to leeward, upon which setting +the foresails, the boats were pushed over a sandy bar into two fathoms +water. We then stood towards the eastern shore, and keeping in deep +water, entered a small inlet, which received the name of Refuge Cove; +where having made fast the boats to the beach, pitched a tent on the +shore, and set a watch, we attempted a second time to obtain some rest. + +We were not, however, destined to enjoy much repose that night, for we +had scarcely overcome the chilliness occasioned by lying down in wet +clothes, when the Union broke from her moorings in a violent gust of +wind, and began to drive across the inlet towards the lee-shore, on +which there was a considerable surf. Mr. Kendall and one of the crew, +who were sleeping on board, to be ready in case of accident, lowered the +covering with the utmost expedition, and taking the oars, kept her from +driving far, until the rest of the party arrived to their assistance in +the Dolphin. The boats were brought to the beach and secured, and we had +again retired to rest, when the tent-pegs, although loaded with drift +timber, were drawn up by the force of the wind, and the tent, drenched +with rain, fell upon us. It was in vain to attempt to sleep after this, +benumbed as we were by the coldness of the weather; but the rain ceasing +about four in the morning of the 8th, we were enabled to make a good +fire, and dry our clothes. The cargo of the boats was then landed, the +wet packages spread out to dry, and the boats were drawn upon the beach +so as to form, with the baggage, a three-sided breast-work, to which we +could retreat, should the Esquimaux pay us a hostile visit. These +arrangements being made, the tent was removed to a more sheltered spot, +and we slept quietly until ten o'clock in the morning. In the night an +accident happened to Mr. Kendall, which might have had fatal +consequences, and alarmed us at the time exceedingly. The point of a +small two-edged knife which he wore in a sheath slung from his neck, +was, by his falling against one of the tent-poles, forced through the +sheath into his side, exactly in the region of the heart. Through the +mercy of Providence, its progress was arrested by one of the ribs, and +the wound healed in the course of a few days. At noon a meridian +observation was obtained, which placed the mouth of Refuge Cove in +latitude 69 degrees 29 minutes N.; and the sun's bearing showed the +variation of the magnetic needle to be 49-1/2 degrees easterly. The +length of our voyage the preceding day was fifty-seven miles. Refuge +Cove has an irregular form; its length is about two miles and a half, +and its greatest width one mile. It is upwards of two fathoms deep at +the entrance, and for some distance within; but a bar runs from Shoal +Islet to its north side. Its shores are flat and sandy, but here and +there hummocks rise abruptly to the height of one hundred feet, +resembling the downs on the Norfolk coast. The sandy hummocks are bound +together by the creeping fibrous roots of a species of grass, named +_Elymus mollis_; and many of them are covered by a coat of black +vegetable mould. Ruins of Esquimaux houses, that appeared to have been +deserted for many years, were scattered along the borders of the cove, +and much drift-timber lay on the low grounds. We saw some ducks and +geese, and two of the crew went to hunt round the harbour for deer, but +they had no success. + +The wind having moderated in the evening, we prepared to resume the +voyage, and had begun to load the boats, when I thought I saw a +_kaiyack_ paddle across the mouth of the cove. It was followed by many +others, that were in succession lost behind the point, with the +exception of one which seemed to return and look into the inlet. I +concluded that the natives were in search of us; and, as it was +desirable to have all the cargo on board when they arrived, the utmost +despatch was used in loading the boats. Before this operation was +completed, Mr. Kendall, on attentively examining one of the objects with +his telescope, suggested that it was not a kaiyack; and accompanying me +to a sandy eminence nearer the entrance of the cove, we ascertained that +the whole was an optical deception, caused by the haze of an easterly +wind magnifying the stumps of drift wood, over which the surf was +rolling. The imagination, no doubt, assisted in completing the +resemblance, but the deception, for a few minutes, was perfect. + +We quitted Refuge Cove at nine o'clock in the evening, and rounding +Shoal Islet, steered to the northward along the coast. The circuit of +Shoal Islet was made because there was too little water to float our +boats over the bar, which we had crossed the preceding evening. The +temperature of the air on leaving the cove, was 36 degrees, but it fell +at midnight to 32 degrees; and the night proved fine. When resting on +our oars, the boats were drifted to the westward, by a current which we +ascertained, by subsequent observations, to be the flood tide. + +[Sidenote: Sunday, 9th.] After pulling along the coast for some time, +the ice-blink appeared in the horizon, and about one o'clock in the +morning on the 9th, we could perceive a stream of ice lying at the +distance of eight or nine miles from the shore, and inclosing several +small icebergs. At four o'clock, a northerly breeze springing up, +brought a quantity of loose ice down upon us, and we made for the shore. +This part of the coast is skirted to the distance of two miles by flat +sands, on which there is not more than a foot or eighteen inches of +water. The depth of water gradually increases to four fathoms, which it +attains at the distance of six or seven miles from the shore, and the +heavy ice we saw outside, showed that the depth there was considerable. +Esquimaux winter-huts occur frequently on the coast, and the rows of +drift-trees planted in the sand with the roots uppermost, in their +vicinity, assume very curious forms, when seen through a hazy +atmosphere. They frequently resembled a crowd of people, and sometimes +we fancied they were not unlike the spires of a town just appearing +above the horizon. We learnt by experience that the shore was more +approachable at the points on which the Esquimaux had built, and we +effected a landing at one of those places, when, having discharged the +cargoes, we hauled the boats up, and pitched the tents. The water at our +landing-place was fresh, but too hard to make tea; and at four or five +miles from the shore, it was disagreeable to drink. Out of respect to +Captain Toker of the Royal Navy, under whom I had once the honour to +serve, his name was given to this Point. Mr. Kendall ascertained its +latitude to be 69 degrees 38 minutes N.; its longitude by reckoning, 132 +degrees 18 minutes W.; and the variation of the magnetic needle 50-1/2 +degrees easterly. The distance rowed from Refuge Cove was about twelve +miles. A tide pole was erected, by which it appeared that the ebb ran +from four o'clock, the time at which we landed, until ten in the +morning, producing a fall of eighteen inches; but the afternoon tide did +not rise so high, and at 10h. 50 minutes P.M. it was low water again, +the wind blowing fresh from the northward all the time. + +The vicinity of Point Toker, like the rest of the lands to the eastward +of Point Encounter, consists of level sands, inclosing pieces of water +which communicate with the estuary of the river, and interspersed with +detached conical hills rising from one to two hundred feet above the +general level. These hills are sometimes escarped by the action of the +water, and are then seen to consist of sand of various colours, in which +very large logs of drift-timber are imbedded. They are covered by a coat +of black vegetable earth, from six inches to a foot in thickness, which +shows that they cannot be of very recent formation, though at some +distant period they may have been formed by the drifting of moveable +sands. At present, the highest floods reach only to the foot of the +hills, where they deposit a thick layer of drift-timber. One straight +log of spruce fir, thirty feet long, was seven feet in circumference at +the small end, and twelve a short distance above the root. The branches +and bark are almost always rubbed off from the drift-timber which +reaches the sea, but a few of the main divisions of the root are +generally left. Various instruments tied up in bundles were suspended to +poles near some of the Esquimaux houses, such as spear-heads and ice +chisels made from the tooth of the narwhal, and spoons of musk-ox horn. +The marine animals that frequent this part of the coast, according to +the information we obtained from the Esquimaux, are, the white whale, +the narwhal, large and small seals, (_oggoe-ook_ and _nat-choe-ook_,) +and a species of black whale, named _aggee-woerk_. There are also many +sea-fish, of which the capeline (_ang-mag-goe-ook_,) that abound on the +shoals at this season, are most easily caught. The natives are +unacquainted with sea-horses. Swans, Canada and white geese, and Arctic +ducks, are numerous, and we killed several. Ooligbuck likewise killed a +rein-deer, which afforded us an agreeable change of diet. + +In the evening, having assembled in one of the tents, prayers were read, +a practice to which we adhered on every Sunday evening during the +voyage. At 10h. 45m. P.M., I lighted a piece of touchwood with a convex +lens, an inch in diameter, the altitude of the sun being then 3 degrees +6 minutes. It is seldom that the sun in warmer climates affords so much +heat at so low an altitude. + +[Sidenote: Monday, 10th.] The ice opening a little, we resumed the +voyage at five o'clock in the morning of the 10th, but had not rowed +above five miles, when our further progress was impeded by a ridge of +grounded-ice, extending apparently far out to sea. We landed to obtain a +view from a height, and took advantage of the opportunity to prepare +breakfast. Whilst thus engaged, we discovered, on the opposite side of a +bay which we had just crossed, two of the natives couched upon the sand, +and evidently watching us; but before we had concluded our meal, they +went off. On re-embarking, we went round the ice which was aground on +extensive sandy spits, and then pulled in for the shore; but a fresh +breeze of wind created such a swell, that we did not advance above three +miles in two hours. Deeming it unadvisable to fatigue the crews, while +the progress was so small, we pulled into a sandy bay, and made the +boats fast to one of many large pieces of ice which were stranded on the +beach, having gained since setting out in the morning, eight miles. + +Just as we made for the shore, we observed three Esquimaux regarding us +from an eminence, and two others soon afterwards joined them: the latter +being, as we discovered from the direction of their path over the sands, +the two we had seen at breakfast-time. They retired as we drew near the +beach, and on reconnoitring the neighbourhood, we discovered three +skin-tents, whose owners were running off with their effects in great +alarm. As we had experienced how troublesome the natives were, when +relieved from their fears, we did not seek an interview at this time; +and to guard against accidents from parties of them way-laying our men, +I determined that, while we remained in this anchorage, the crews should +land only to cook their provisions and then be accompanied either by Mr. +Kendall or myself. The water at our anchorage was decidedly brackish, +the beach was strewed with _sertulariae_ and other marine productions, +and several white whales were seen in the offing; all which +circumstances being considered as decided evidences of our having +reached the mouth of the river, that event was celebrated by issuing to +each of the men a glass of grog, which had been reserved for the +occasion. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[4] As the reader may desire to know what hieroglyphics were used to +express our intentions, a copy of the letter is annexed. + +[Illustration] + +[5] Robertson's _History of America_. + +[6] _Harmon's Journal_, p. 288. + +[7] The Esquimaux method of settling disputes, which we learned from +Augustus, deserves to be mentioned, not only as being very different +from the sullen conduct of an affronted Indian, but from its coincidence +with the practice of a people widely separated from them--the native +inhabitants of Sydney, in New South Wales. Mr. Cunningham, in his +entertaining work on New South Wales, says, "The common practice of +fighting amongst the natives is still with the _waddie_, each +alternately stooping the head to receive the other's blows, until one +tumbles down, it being considered cowardly to evade a stroke." The +Esquimaux use the fist instead of the waddie, in these singular duels, +but there is no other difference betwixt their practice and that of the +New South Wales' people. Another coincidence betwixt the Esquimaux and +the inhabitants of Australasia, is the use of the throwing stick for +discharging their spears. + + + + +CONTINUATION OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE EASTERN DETACHMENT. + +CHAPTER II. + +Detention by wind--Visited by Esquimaux--Cross a large Stream of fresh +Water--Winter Houses on Atkinson Island--Gale of Wind, and Fog--Run into +Browell Cove--Double Cape Dalhousie--Liverpool Bay and Esquimaux +Lake--Icy Cliffs--Meet another Party of Esquimaux--Cape Bathurst. + + +[Sidenote: Tuesday, 11th.] The wind blew so strongly during the 11th, +that we remained in our mooring-place, landing occasionally to take a +little exercise on the beach; and as it continued to freshen from the +north-east in the evening, most of the ice in the offing had drifted out +of sight, while a great reduction took place at the same time in the +number and size of the pieces of stranded ice. One of them which had +grounded about a mile outside of us, and rose fifteen feet above the +water, fell over and floated away with the ebb tide. Mr. Kendall +obtained a meridian observation for latitude, and afterwards took +several sets of lunar distances, whose results placed our anchorage in +latitude 69 degrees 42-1/2 minutes N., and longitude 131 degrees 58 +minutes W. In the afternoon two Esquimaux were seen walking fast over a +hill, and often stopping and looking anxiously around them. About +midnight two black foxes carried off the scraps of meat that had been +left at our cooking-place, and buried them carefully in the sand above +high-water mark. We observed that they dug separate hiding-places for +each piece, and that they were careful to carry the largest bits +farthest from the sea. The time spent inactively at the anchorage was so +irksome, that even the movements of these animals were a subject of much +interest to us, and we felt great regret when they were scared away by +the talking of the men in the boats. + +[Sidenote: Wednesday, 12th.] No material alteration took place in the +weather on the 12th. The temperature was 45 degrees; but from the force +of the wind, and our confinement in the boats, we felt cold. In the +evening two elderly Esquimaux came to us in their kaiyacks, shouting as +they approached the boats, and paddling boldly alongside. They told us +that they were the same two whom we had seen in the morning of the 10th +watching us while at breakfast, though they had first discovered us on +the 9th, and had seen Ooligbuck kill the deer, which had alarmed them +greatly; they had since been to inquire about us from the party at +Point Encounter, and having learnt that we were well-disposed, they had +come to open a communication. In allusion, I suppose, to the attempt on +the Union, they often said that the Esquimaux at the river's mouth were +bad people, but that they themselves were good-hearted men; and they +struck their breasts forcibly with their hands, to give energy to their +assurances. They told us that a large party of their countrymen, who +were at present fishing at the mouth of a river to the eastward, would +soon move in this direction to kill white whales. Eetkoo-yak, the +principal spokesman, invited us to go to his tents, where he said, the +women would be glad to receive us; and added, that next day he would +bring four of his countrymen to visit us. We made them a handsome +present of iron-work; and having paid, with beads, for some dried fish, +sent them away highly contented. + +[Sidenote: Thursday, 13th.] At seven o'clock in the morning of the 13th, +nine Esquimaux came to us, amongst whom were our two acquaintances of +yesterday. Some of the young men inquired when we were going away, and +seemed to be anxious that we should depart; but our friend Eetkoo-yak +gave us a pressing invitation to his tents, and wished to embark in the +boats to conduct us thither. We declined his proposal, and the wind +having moderated, we unmoored the boats, and rowed along the coast. The +natives followed us, and soon afterwards four women and two boys came +off in an oomiak, and exchanged some boots, pieces of leather, deer's +meat, and fish for beads. The point on which their tents were pitched +was named Point Warren after my friend Captain Samuel Warren, R.N. As we +continued our course the oomiak returned to the shore, and the men also +left us soon afterwards, apparently pleased with our departure; for the +knowledge of the effect of our muskets seemed to have impressed them +with some dread. They were tattooed across the cheeks. The tribes to the +westward of the Mackenzie are described by Captain Franklin, (p. 111,) +as following a different fashion in the application of this ornament. + +We coasted this day a flat shore, with dry sands running off to the +distance of two or three miles, and we passed within several shoals, on +which some heavy ice had grounded. Only a few small streams of ice were +seen, although the ice-blink was visible the whole day. Soon after +rounding Point Warren, we crossed the mouth of a large river, the water +being muddy and fresh for a breadth of three miles, and the sounding +lead was let down to the depth of five fathoms, without striking the +bottom. This river is, perhaps, a branch of the Mackenzie, and falls +into a bay, on which I have bestowed the name of my esteemed friend +Copland Hutchinson, Esq. Surgeon Extraordinary to His Royal Highness +the Duke of Clarence. On its east side there is an island, which was +named after Captain Charles Phillips, R.N. to whom the nautical world is +indebted for the double-capstan, and many other important inventions. + +At five o'clock in the afternoon, rainy weather setting in, we made for +a small island, and mooring the boats as near the beach as we could, +covered them up, and landed to prepare supper. The length of the day's +voyage was twenty-eight miles and a half. Mr. Kendall named the island +in honour of Mr. Atkinson, of Berry-House; it is situated in latitude 69 +degrees 55 minutes N., longitude 130 degrees 43 minutes W., and is +separated from a flat, and occasionally inundated shore, by a narrow +creek. It is bounded towards the sea by a bulwark of sand-hills, drifted +by the wind to the height of 30 feet. Under their shelter 17 +winter-houses have been erected by the natives besides a large building +which from its structure, seemed to be intended for a place of assembly +for the tribe. Ooligbuck thought it was a general eating-room, but he +was not certain, as his tribe erect no such buildings. + +I annex a section and ground plan of one of the largest of the +dwelling-houses. The centre (A) is a square of ten feet, having a level +flooring, with a post at each corner (D,D) to support the +ridge-poles,[8] on which the roof rests. The recesses (B) are intended +for sleeping-places. Their floors have a gentle inclination inwards, and +are raised a foot above the central flooring. Their back walls are a +foot high, and incline outwards like the back of a chair. The +ridge-poles are six feet above the floor, the roof being flat in the +centre, and sloping over the recesses. The inside of the building is +lined with split-wood, and the outside is strongly but roughly built of +logs, the whole being covered with earth. An inclined platform (C) forms +the ascent to the door, which is in the middle of one of the recesses, +and is four feet high; and the threshold, being on a level with the +central flooring, is raised three feet above the surrounding ground, to +guard against inundations. There is a square hole in the roof, near the +door, intended for ventilation, or for an occasional entrance. As we +observed no fire-places in these dwellings, it is probable that they are +heated, and the cookery performed in the winter, with lamps. Some of the +houses were built front to front, with a very narrow passage between +them leading to the doors, which were opposite to each other. This +passage must form a snug porch in the winter when it is covered with +slabs of frozen snow, and one end stopped up. Some of the larger houses +which stood single, had log-porches to shelter their doors; and near +each house there was a square or oblong pit, four feet beneath the +surface of the ground, lined and covered with drift timber, which was +evidently intended for a store-house. + +[Illustration] + +The large building for an assembly-room was, in the interior, a square +of 27 feet, having the log-roof supported on two strong ridge poles, two +feet apart, and resting on four upright posts. The floor in the centre, +formed of split logs, dressed and laid with great care, was surrounded +by a raised border about three feet wide, which was, no doubt, meant for +seats. The walls, three feet high, were inclined outwards, for the +convenience of leaning the back against them, and the ascent to the +door, which was on the south side was formed of logs. The outside, +covered with earth, had nearly a hemispherical form, and round its base +there were ranged the skulls of 21 whales. There was a square hole in +the roof, and the central log of the floor had a basin-shaped cavity, +one foot in diameter, which was, perhaps, intended for a lamp. The +general attention to comfort in the construction of the village, and the +erection of a building of such magnitude, requiring a union of purpose +in a considerable number of people, are evidences of no small progress +towards civilization. Whale skulls were confined to the large building, +and to one of the dwelling-houses, which had 3 or 4 placed round it. +Many wooden trays, and hand-barrows for carrying whale blubber, were +lying on the ground, most of them in a state of decay. + +Myriads of musquitoes, which reposed among the grass, rose in clouds +when disturbed, and gave us much annoyance. Many snow birds were +hatching on the Point, and we saw swans, Canada geese, eider, king, +arctic, and surf ducks; several glaucous, silvery, black-headed, and +ivory gulls, together with terns and northern divers. Some laughing +geese passed to the northward in the evening, which may be considered as +a sure indication of land in that direction. The sea-water at Atkinson +Island being quite salt, and the ponds on the shore brackish, we had +recourse to the ice that lay aground for a supply of fresh water. Strong +gales of wind, with heavy rain, continued all night. + +[Sidenote: Friday, 14th.] The rain ceasing at four o'clock in the +morning of the 14th, we embarked, and pulled along a sandy bar which +projected five or six miles from Atkinson Island, and was covered by +masses of ice. We had not left the beach above an hour, when a thick fog +hid the land from our view, and a noise of breakers being at the same +time heard, we deemed it prudent to moor the boats to a piece of +grounded ice, and wait for clear weather. After a time, the fog +dispersing partially, we made sail before a fresh breeze towards the +most easterly point of land in sight, but we had not advanced above five +or six miles before the looming of the shore on the larboard bow made it +necessary to haul to the wind; and the fog becoming as dense as ever, we +ran aground on some flats, where the surf nearly filled the boats. On +lowering the sails, deeper water was attained, but the wind began to +blow hard directly upon the shore, and we could not discover a +landing-place, nor did we even know our distance from the beach. In this +dilemma we saw a long line of floating sea-weed, and Ooligbuck +suggesting that it came from the mouth of a river, we followed its +direction, and, with the aid of the sounding lead, groped our way +betwixt two shoals into a well sheltered inlet. Here there was a good +landing-place, and we deemed ourselves peculiarly fortunate in reaching +so snug a harbour, for the fog continued all day, and the wind increased +to a heavy gale. + +The inlet was named Browell Cove, in honour of the Lieutenant-Governor +of the Royal Hospital at Greenwich, and the bay to the westward of it, +M'Kinley Bay, out of respect to Captain George M'Kinley, of the Naval +Asylum. The latitude of the mouth of Browell Cove is 70 degrees N., and +the longitude 130 degrees 19 minutes W. We did not ascertain its extent, +but as its water is brackish, it probably communicates with Esquimaux +Lake, which, according to Indian report, lies behind the islands that +form this part of the coast. Several large basins of salt water +communicate with the cove. Some herds of deer were seen, but too many +hunters going in pursuit of them they were frightened away. The +temperature throughout the day was 42 degrees. + +I observed forty species of plants in flower here, of which nearly +one-third were grasses and carices. The Thrift common on the sandy parts +of the British coast is a frequent ornament of Browell Cove; and seven +or eight of the other plants seen there, are natives of the Scottish +hills. Two dwarf species of willows were the only shrubs. + +[Sidenote: Saturday, 15th.] The fog clearing away, and the wind +moderating, we embarked about three in the morning of the 15th; and +steering along the coast, came to a group of low sandy islands, that +were separated by wide but very shallow channels, and skirted, to the +distance of five or six miles, by sand-banks, which were nearly dry at +low water. In rounding these banks our soundings varied from two feet to +two fathoms, and we were occasionally led almost out of sight of the +land. During the whole day we saw much ice to seaward, and in some +places it was so closely packed as to render it doubtful whether a ship +would have been able to make way through it. The line of deep water was +marked by large masses of ice lying aground, and was about ten miles +from the shore. As we could not reach the beach, we disembarked upon a +piece of ice at noon, and cutting up a spare seat for fire-wood, +proceeded to cook our breakfast, and make observations for latitude and +magnetic variation. + +After rounding the shoals, we made a traverse of ten miles across an +inlet, where the water ran out with a strong current; and, though five +fathoms deep, it was nearly fresh. This I supposed to be another +communication betwixt Esquimaux Lake and the sea, and named it Russel +Inlet, after the distinguished Professor of Clinical Surgery in the +University of Edinburgh. The land on its western side was called Cape +Brown, out of respect to the eminent botanist, whose scientific +researches reflect so much credit on British talent; and that to the +eastward of the inlet received the name of Dalhousie, in honour of His +Excellency the Governor-in-Chief of the Canadas. Cape Dalhousie consists +of a number of high, sandy islands, resembling those seen from Sacred +Island, in the mouth of the Mackenzie. We entered some deep inlets +amongst them, in search of a landing-place, but the beach was every +where too flat. At length, after dragging the boats through the mud for +a considerable way, and carrying the cargoes for a quarter of a mile +over a flat sand, we reached the shore, and pitched the tents. The +island on which we encamped was similar to the others, being from one +hundred to one hundred and fifty feet high above the water, and bounded +on all sides by steep, sandy cliffs, which were skirted by flat sands. +From the summit of the island we had the unpleasant view of a sea +covered with floating ice, as far as the eye could reach to the +eastward. Temperature during the greater part of the day 55 degrees; at +nine P.M. 52 degrees. Wind easterly. The length of this day's voyage was +thirty miles and a half; the latitude of the encampment 70 degrees 12 +minutes, and longitude 129 degrees 21 minutes W. + +[Sidenote: Sunday, 16th.] On the 16th the boats were afloat, and loaded +by seven in the morning, when we pulled round Cape Dalhousie, and found +the land trending as we wished to the south-east. Since reaching the +sea, the coast had gradually inclined to the northward, which with the +increased quantity of ice seen on the two or three last days, led us to +fear that a cape might exist, extending so far to the northward, as to +prevent us from reaching the Coppermine River within the period to which +our voyage was limited. It was, therefore, with peculiar satisfaction, +that, on putting ashore to cook breakfast, we saw distant land to the +S.E., apparently of greater height than that which we had recently +coasted; and we now flattered ourselves that we were about to leave +behind us the low coasts and shoals, which render the boat navigation +across the mouths of the Mackenzie and Esquimaux Lake so perplexing and +hazardous. Many deer were seen at our breakfasting-place, and the +musquitoes annoyed them so much that there would have been no difficulty +in approaching them, if we could have spared time to send out the +hunters. + +Having obtained an observation for latitude, we directed our course to a +projecting point across an inlet, with no land visible towards its +bottom. The soundings in the middle of the opening exceeded nine +fathoms; the water became less salt as we advanced, and at last could +only be termed brackish. The point proved to be an Island sixteen miles +distant from our breakfasting-place; and as we approached it, we had the +mortification to perceive a coast seven or eight miles beyond it, +apparently continuous, and trending away to the north-north-west. The +island was named Nicholson Island, as a mark of my esteem for William +Nicholson, Esq., of Rochester. It is bounded by high cliffs of sand and +mud, and rises in the interior to the height of four hundred feet above +the sea. The cliffs were thawed to the depth of three feet, but frozen +underneath, and the water issuing from the thawing ground caused the mud +to boil out and flow down the banks. There were many small lakes on the +island, and a tolerably good vegetation. Amongst other plants I gathered +here a very beautiful American cowslip, (_dodecatheon_,) which grew in +the moist valleys. From the summit of the island a piece of water, +resembling a large river, and bearing south, was seen winding through a +country pleasantly varied by gently swelling hills and dales, and +differing so much in character from the alluvial islands we had just +left, that I thought myself justified in considering it to be part of +the main land. From S.W. to W.N.W. open water was seen, broken only by a +few islands, that were named after Major-General Campbell, of the Royal +Marines. This large sheet of water is undoubtedly the Esquimaux Lake, +which, according to the natives, not only communicates with the eastern +branch of the Mackenzie, but receives, besides, two large rivers; and, +consequently, the whole of the land which we coasted from Point +Encounter, is a collection of islands. The temperature varied this day +from 38 degrees to 55 degrees. The length of the day's voyage was +thirty-three miles, the latitude of our encampment 69 degrees 57 +minutes, and longitude 128 degrees 18 minutes W. + +[Sidenote: Monday, 17th.] On the 17th a thick fog detained us until nine +o'clock in the morning, when it dispersed, and we left our encampment. +About two miles from Nicholson's Island the water was nine fathoms deep, +and had a brackish taste; but as we continued our course to the +northward, it became shoaler and salter. This added to the probability +of the winding channel, which bore south, being a large river; and that +opinion was further strengthened by our observing, when we landed to +breakfast, the shore to be strewed with tide-wrack, resembling that +which is generally found on the banks of rivers in this country, such as +pieces of willows, fragments of fresh-water plants, and lumps of peat +earth. We were delighted to find here a beach of sand and fine gravel, +bold enough to admit of our running the boats upon it. The fresh +footsteps of a party of Esquimaux were seen on the sand. + +After obtaining an observation for latitude, we embarked, and continued +our course along the coast until we came to the extremity of a cape, +which was formed by an island separated from the main by a shallow +channel. The cliffs of this island were about forty feet high, and the +snow which had accumulated under them in the winter, was not yet +dissolved, but, owing to the infiltration and freezing of water, now +formed an inclined bank of ice, nearly two-thirds of the height of the +cliff. This bank, or iceberg, being undermined by the action of the +waves, maintained its position only by its adhesion to the frozen cliffs +behind it. In some places large masses had broken off and floated away, +whilst in others the currents of melting snow floating from the flat +land above, had covered the ice with a thick coating of earth; so that +at first sight it appeared as if the bank had broken down; the real +structure of the iceberg being perceptible only where rents existed. In +a similar manner the frozen banks, or icebergs, covered with earth, +mentioned by Lieutenant Kotzebue, in his voyage to Behring Straits, +might have been formed. Had the whole mass of frozen snow broken off +from this bank, an iceberg would have been produced thirty feet wide at +its base, and covered on one side to the depth of a foot, or more, with +black earth. The island was composed of sand and slaty clay, into which +the thaw had not penetrated above a foot. The ravines were lined with +fragments of compact white limestone, and a few dwarf-birches and +willows grew on their sides. The sun's rays were very powerful this day, +and the heat was oppressive, even while sitting at rest in the boat; the +temperature of the air at noon being, in the shade, 62 degrees, and that +of the surface water, where the soundings were three fathoms, 55 +degrees. + +Immediately after rounding the cape, which was named after His +Excellency Sir Peregrine Maitland, Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada, +we entered a channel ten miles wide, running to the eastward, with an +open horizon in that direction; and a doubt arose as to whether it was a +strait, or merely a bay. Many large masses of ice were floating in it, +which proved to us that it had considerable depth; but the water being +only brackish, excited a suspicion that there was no passage through it. +While we were hesitating whether to hazard a loss of time by exploring +the opening, or to cross over at once to the northern land, several deer +were seen, and the hope of procuring a supply of fresh meat, induced us +to put ashore and encamp for the night, that the hunters might go in +chase. The beach here was strewed with fragments of dark-red sandstone, +white sandstone, white compact limestone, and a few pieces of syenite. +There were many large trunks of spruce-firs lying on the sand, +completely denuded of their bark and branches; and numerous exuviae of a +marine crustaceous animal (_gammarus borealis_) lay at high water mark. +Our hunters were successful, Ooligbuck and M'Leay each killing a deer. +Many of these animals had fled to the cool moist sands on the coast, but +even there the musquitoes tormented them so much as to render them +regardless of the approach of the hunters. The latitude of our +encampment was 70 degrees 7 minutes, longitude 127 degrees 45 minutes; +and the length of the day's voyage twenty-three miles. The temperature +varied from 52 degrees to 63 degrees. By watching the motion of the tide +for the greater part of the night, I fully satisfied myself that the ebb +set out of the opening, and that the flood came round the land on the +north side; hence I concluded that there could be no passage to the +eastward in this direction, and that the opening led into a bay, to +which the name of Harrowby was given, in honour of the Right Honourable +the Earl of Harrowby. + +[Sidenote: Tuesday, 18th.] Embarking on the 18th at three in the +morning, we set the sails to a favourable though light breeze, and using +the oars at the same time, crossed Harrowby Bay, at its mouth. During +the traverse, land was seen round the bottom of the bay. On nearing the +shore we distinguished twelve Esquimaux tents on an eminence; and a +woman who was walking on the beach gave the alarm, but not until we were +near enough to speak to her, her surprise having fixed her to the spot +for a time. The men then rushed out, brandishing their knives, and, +using the most threatening expressions, forbade us to land, and desired +us to return by the way we came. Ooligbuck endeavoured to calm their +fears, by telling them that we were friends, but they replied only by +repeating their threats, and by hideous grimaces and gestures, which +displayed great agility; frequently standing on one foot and throwing +the other nearly as high as the head. At length on my bawling +"_noowoerlawgo_," (I wish to barter,) they became quiet at once, and one +of them running to his kaiyack, and paddling off to us, was followed by +many of the others, even before they could witness the reception we gave +him. They came boldly alongside, and exchanged their spears, arrows, +bows, and some pieces of well-dressed seal-skin, for bits of old +iron-hoop, files and beads. They were not so well furnished with +iron-work as the Esquimaux we had seen further to the westward, and very +eagerly received a supply from us. In our intercourse with them we +experienced much advantage from a simple contrivance suggested by Mr. +Kendall, and constructed during our halt in Refuge Cove: it was a +barricade formed by raising the masts and spare oars eighteen inches +above the gunwale on two crutches or davits, which not only prevented +our Esquimaux visitors from stealing out of the boats, but, in the event +of a quarrel, could have been rendered arrow proof by throwing the +blankets or sails over it. On a light breeze springing up we set the +sails, and continuing to ply the oars, advanced at the rate of four +miles an hour, attended by eleven kaiyacks. Three oomiaks with the +women followed us, and we found that, when rowed by two women, and +steered by a third, they surpassed our boats in speed. + +The females, unlike those of the Indian tribes, had much handsomer +features than the men; and one young woman of the party would have been +deemed pretty even in Europe. Our presents seemed to render them +perfectly happy, and they danced with such ecstasy in their slender +boats as to incur, more than once, great hazard of being overset. A +bundle of strings of beads being thrown into an oomiak, it was caught by +an old woman, who hugged the treasure to her breast with the strongest +expression of rapture, while another elderly dame, who had stretched out +her arms in vain, became the very picture of despair. On my explaining, +however that the present was for the whole, an amicable division +instantly took place; and to show their gratitude, they sang a song to a +pleasing air, keeping time with their oars. They gave us many pressing +invitations to pass the night at their tents, in which they were joined +by the men; and to excite our liberality the mothers drew their children +out of their wide hoods, where they are accustomed to carry them naked, +and holding them up begged beads for them. Their entreaties were, for a +time, successful; but being desirous of getting clear of our visitors +before breakfast-time, we at length told them that our stock was +exhausted, and they took leave. + +These Esquimaux were as inquisitive as the others we had seen respecting +our names, and were very desirous of teaching us the true pronunciation +of theirs. They informed us that they had seen Indians, and had heard of +white people, but had never seen any before. My giving a little deer's +meat to one of them in exchange for fish, led to an inquiry as to how we +killed the animal. On which Ooligbuck showed them his gun, and obtaining +permission, fired it off after cautioning them not to be alarmed. The +report astonished them much, and an echo from some neighbouring pieces +of ice made them think that the ball had struck the shore, then upwards +of a mile distant. The women had left us previously; several of the men +departed the instant they heard the report; and the rest, in a short +time, followed their example. They applied to the gun the same name +they give to their harpoons for killing whales. + +We learned from these people that the shore we were now coasting was +part of the main land, and that some land to the northward, which +appeared soon after we had passed their tents, consisted of two islands; +between which and the main shore, there was a passage leading to the +open sea. On landing to cook breakfast and obtain a meridian observation +for latitude, we observed the interior of the country to be similar to +that seen from Nicholson's Island. The soil was in some spots sandy, +but, generally, it consisted of a tenacious clay which cracks in the +sun. The air was perfumed by numerous tufts of a beautiful phlox, and of +a still handsomer and very fragrant cruciform flower, of a genus +hitherto undescribed. + +On re-embarking we pulled about eight miles farther betwixt the islands +and the main, and found a narrow opening to the sea nearly barred up. +The bottom was so soft and muddy that the poles sunk deep into it, and +we could not carry the cargo ashore to lighten the boats. We succeeded, +however, in getting through, after much labour, and the moment we +crossed the bar, the water was greenish, and perfectly salt. The cape +forming the eastern point of this entrance lies in latitude 70 degrees +36 minutes N., longitude 127 degrees 35 minutes W. and proved to be the +most northerly part of the main shore which we saw during the voyage. It +is a few miles farther north than Return Reef of Captain Franklin, and +is most probably, with the exception of the land near Icy Cape, since +discovered by Captain Beechey, in the Blossom, the most northern point +of the American Continent. It was called Cape Bathurst, in honour of the +Right Honourable the Earl of Bathurst, and the islands lying off it were +named after George Baillie, Esq., of the Colonial Office. I could not +account in any other way for the comparative freshness of the sheet of +water we had left, than by supposing that a sand-bank extended from Cape +Dalhousie to Baillie's Islands, impeding the communication with the sea, +and this notion was supported by a line of heavy ice which was seen both +from Cape Bathurst and Cape Dalhousie, in the direction of the supposed +bar, and apparently aground. + +Taking for granted that the accounts we received from the natives were +(as our own observations led us to believe) correct, Esquimaux Lake is a +very extensive and curious piece of water. The Indians say that it +reaches to within four days' march of Fort Good Hope; and the Esquimaux +informed us that it extends from Point Encounter to Cape Bathurst, thus +ascribing to it an extent from north to south of more than one hundred +and forty miles, and from east to west of one hundred and fifty. It is +reported to be full of islands, to be every where brackish; and, besides +its communication with the eastern branch of the Mackenzie, to receive +two other large rivers. If a conjecture may be hazarded about the +original formation of a lake which we had so few opportunities of +examining, it seems probable that the alluvial matters brought down by +the Mackenzie, and other rivers, have gradually formed a barrier of +islands and shoals, which, by preventing the free access of the tide, +enables the fresh water to maintain the predominance behind it. The +action of the waves of the sea has a tendency to increase the height of +the barrier, while the currents of the rivers and ebb-tide preserve the +depth of the lake. A great formation of wood-coal will, I doubt not, be +ultimately formed by the immense quantities of drift-timber annually +deposited on the borders of Esquimaux Lake. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[8] The ridge-poles were omitted in the section by mistake. + + + + +CONTINUATION OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE EASTERN DETACHMENT. + +CHAPTER III. + +Double Cape Bathurst--Whales--Bituminous-shale Cliffs on Fire--Enter +Franklin Bay--Heavy Gale--Peninsula of Cape Parry--Perforated +Rock--Detention at Cape Lyon by Wind--Force of an Esquimaux Arrow--Meet +with heavy Ice--Pass Union and Dolphin Straits--Double Cape Krusenstern, +and enter George the Fourth's Coronation Gulph--Reach the Coppermine +River--Remarks--Meteorological Table. + + +As soon as we entered the clear green water off Cape Bathurst, we +perceived a strong flood tide setting against us, and saw several white +whales, and some black ones of a large size, but of a species unknown to +Ooligbuck.[9] The natives term them _aggeewoerk_, which is the name +given, by the Esquimaux of Hudson's Bay, to the black whales that +frequent the Welcome. Many large masses of ice were floating about, but +they were no impediment to the boats. The beach, from the time we left +Esquimaux Lake, was bold, there being two or three fathoms water close +to the shore. We hailed this change of circumstances with pleasure, for +the shoals and islands skirting Esquimaux Lake had embarrassed us much, +and the brackishness of the water, combined with the trending of the +coast to the northward, and even westward, had excited in our minds an +apprehension, that we might possibly be obliged to make a great circuit +in search of a passage, out of that extraordinary piece of water, and +that the opening, when found, might lie so far to the northward as to be +obstructed by an icy sea. Fortunately our fears were groundless; and, to +increase our joy, the coast-line from Cape Bathurst appeared to run in a +straight direction for Coppermine River. There were many winter-houses +built by the Esquimaux on Cape Bathurst. The cliffs facing the sea were +still frozen, but the water trickling down their sides showed that they +were thawing rapidly. We encamped on the beach in latitude 70 degrees +32-1/2 minutes N., longitude 127 degrees 21 minutes W., having sailed +that day thirty-seven miles. A plentiful supply of very fine sorrel +(_oxyria reniformis_) being obtained from the banks, proved an agreeable +addition to our supper. + +[Sidenote: Wednesday, 19th.] Embarking at four o'clock in the morning of +the 19th, we rowed along the coast close to the beach, in from two to +three fathoms water. We landed at noon to observe the latitude; and at +four P.M. a thunder-storm coming on, induced us to encamp for the night. +The day's voyage was thirty-two miles, and our encampment was situated +in latitude 70 degrees 11 minutes N., longitude 126 degrees 15 minutes +W., on a point which was named after Dr. Fitton, the distinguished +President of the Geological Society. No land was visible to seaward, nor +were any fields of ice or large floes seen, but we passed many smaller +pieces and some masses, that, having stranded on the beach, were +dissolving with great rapidity. A regular tide of six hours affecting +the rate of our progress, an allowance was made for it in the reckoning. + +The coast consists of precipitous banks, similar in structure to the +bituminous-shale cliffs at Whitby, in Yorkshire. They gradually increase +in altitude from Cape Bathurst, and near our encampment their height +exceeded two hundred and fifty feet. The shale was in a state of +ignition in many places, and the hot sulphureous airs from the land were +strongly contrasted with cold sea-breezes with which, in the morning, +they alternated. The combustion had proceeded to a considerable extent +on the point where we landed at noon. Much alum had formed, and the +baked clays of yellow, brown, white, and red colours, caused the place +to resemble a brick-field or a pottery. This point, which was named +after Dr. Traill, of Liverpool, lies in latitude 70 degrees 19 minutes +N. The interior of the country, as seen from the top of the cliffs, +appeared to be nearly level, and to abound in small lakes. The soil was +clayey, and from the recent thaw wet and soft. Tufts of the beautiful +phlox, before mentioned, were scattered over these, otherwise unsightly +wastes; and, notwithstanding the scanty vegetation, rein-deer were +numerous. Some of the young ones, to whom man was doubtless a novel +object, came trotting up to gratify their curiosity, and were suffered +to depart unmolested. The sea here abounds in molluscae, and many black +whales were seen; also king-ducks, eiders, snow-birds, hawks, and a +large moth. + +[Sidenote: Thursday, 20th.] We embarked at half-past two on the morning +of the 20th, and ran alongshore for two hours with a strong and +favourable breeze, when shoals lying off the mouth of a pretty large +river, led us six or seven miles from the coast. The breeze, which was +off the land, freshened considerably, and raised a short breaking sea, +through which we attempted to pull towards the shore, but the boats +shipped much water, and made little head-way. We, therefore, set the +sails again, and, fortunately fetched under a headland, and effected a +landing. The whole of the pemmican in the Union, and some of that in the +Dolphin, was wet on this occasion. In the morning we had passed two +Esquimaux tents, pitched on the beach, but the inmates seeming to be +asleep, we did not disturb them, being unwilling to lose the fair wind +by any delay. + +Soon after landing the weather became very foggy, and the wind increased +to a heavy gale. The cliffs at our encampment consisted of slate-clay, +and bituminous alum-slate, and were six hundred feet high. The river, +whose mouth we passed, ran close behind them, having a course parallel +to the coast for some miles before it makes its way to the sea. It was +named Wilmot Horton River, in honour of the Under Secretary of State for +the Colonial Department. Its breadth is about three hundred yards, and +it seems, from the quantity of drift-timber that was piled on the shoals +at its mouth, to flow through a wooded country. The length of this day's +voyage was twenty-four miles, and the position of our encampment was in +latitude 69 degrees 50 minutes N., longitude 125 degrees 55 minutes W. +At high-water, which took place at a quarter past four in the afternoon, +the small slip of beach on which we had encamped was almost covered, and +we had to pile the baggage on the shelving cliff. A very showy species +of gromwell grew near our encampment, in company with the common +sea-gromwell, (_lithospermum maritimum_.) + +[Sidenote: Friday, 21st.] On the 21st strong winds and foggy weather, +with a considerable surf on the beach, detained us until after eight +o'clock in the morning, when many large masses of ice coming in, took +the ground near the shore, and smoothed the water sufficiently to enable +us to embark. The fog was dense to seaward and over the land, but the +height of the cliffs left a space of about a mile from the beach, over +which it was carried by the violence of the wind. + +About two miles from our late encampment, the bituminous shale was again +noticed to be on fire, giving out much smoke; and as we advanced, the +cliffs became less precipitous, appearing as if they had fallen down +from the consumption of the combustible strata. They gradually +terminated in a green and sloping bank, whose summit, about two miles +from the sea, rose to the height of about six hundred feet. For the +information of the general reader, I may mention that the shale takes +fire in consequence of its containing a considerable quantity of sulphur +in a state of such minute division, that it very readily attracts oxygen +from the atmosphere, and inflames. The combustion is rendered more +lively by the presence of bitumen; and the sulphuric acid, which is one +of its products, unites with the alumina of the shale to form, with the +addition of a small quantity of potass, the triple salt, well known by +the name of alum. The moistening of the strata by the sea-spray +accelerates the process. In some alum-works, where nature has not been +so favourable as in the cliffs of Cape Bathurst, a deficiency of the +bituminous matter requisite to keep up the proper intensity of +combustion, is supplied by brush-wood, which is strewed in alternate +layers with shale that has been previously much divided by long exposure +to the weather, and the whole is then moistened with salt-water. A +further account of these cliffs is given in page xl. of the Appendix. + +In the forenoon we passed the mouths of two small rivers, which were +designated after Sir Henry Jardine, Bart., King's Remembrancer in the +Court of Exchequer for Scotland; and Dr. Burnett, Commissioner of the +Victualling Board. A meridian observation was obtained in latitude 69 +degrees 38 minutes N. + +In the afternoon the wind blowing more on the shore, caused a tumbling +sea. We sailed amongst much stranded ice, and, following the line of +coast, were gradually led into a deep bay, whose east side, having a +northerly direction, was formed by low land, and so much broken by +numerous and extensive inlets, as to look more like a collection of +islands than a part of the main land. We were now, reckoning by degrees +of longitude, fully half way from Point Separation to the Coppermine +River, and the coast from Cape Bathurst had been so exactly in the +proper direction, as to excite high hopes of a short and prosperous +voyage: it was, therefore, no pleasant sight to us to behold land +running out at right angles to our course, and we were willing to +believe that a passage existed betwixt it and the main. This opinion was +supported by the direction of the high land, which had hitherto skirted +the shore, continuing to be south-easterly, until lost to the sight at +the distance of fifteen or twenty miles. We, therefore, endeavoured to +find a passage, but the first opening that we came to, led into a +circular basin of water, apparently land-locked, and about five miles in +diameter. We halted at its entrance to cook our supper, and, during our +stay, perceiving that the ebb-tide set out of it, we determined on +searching for a passage elsewhere. This inlet is six fathoms deep at its +entrance, and would prove an excellent harbour for a ship, only for the +sand-banks, which skirt this part of the coast, and which render the +passage into it too intricate for vessels having a greater draught of +water than our boats. It was named Langton Harbour, after the agent for +the Hudson's Bay Company at Liverpool. + +Leaving this harbour, and steering to the northward, we passed several +inlets, into which the flood-tide set with a strong current. We could +not see land towards their bottoms, but their mouths were shoal, and we +felt convinced that there was no passage through them, because the +flood-tide entered them from the westward. [Sidenote: Saturday, 22nd.] +We, therefore, proceeded on our voyage without wasting time in examining +them; and at two o'clock, on the morning of the 22nd, having come +fifty-four miles, we encamped on a beach composed of small fragments of +limestone, and strewed with sea-weed. This beach, which received the +name of Point Stivens, separates an extensive sheet of salt-water from +the sea, and is similar in character to the Chesil Beach, that connects +the Isle of Portland to the shore. It varies in breadth from one hundred +yards to a quarter of a mile, is several miles long, has a northern +direction, and seems to have been formed by the sweep of the tide round +the bay, meeting the ebb from the basins that intersects the peninsular +promontory with which it is connected. There are several narrow breaches +in it through which the tide flows. Anxious to discover the termination +of this promontory which was leading us so much out of the direct course +to the Coppermine, I went to the summit of a rising ground, about five +miles distant, but the view was closed by some small hills, two or three +miles off. The soil was clayey, and vegetation scanty. + +In taking wood to make a fire, from a large pile of drift-timber which +had been collected by the Esquimaux, the nest of a snow-bird, containing +four young, was discovered. The parent bird was at first scared away, +but affection for its offspring at length gave it courage to approach +them with food; and as it was not molested it soon became quite +fearless, and fed them with the larvae of insects, whilst the party were +seated at breakfast close by the nest. + +At nine o'clock, A.M., we embarked again, and running before a +favourable breeze, came to a point consisting of cliffs of limestone, +twenty feet high, with a small island of the same kind of rock at its +extremity. Many large boulders of greenstone were seen here. After +ascertaining the latitude by meridian observation to be 69 degrees 42 +minutes N., we continued our voyage along a bold shore, consisting of +precipices of limestone, forty or fifty feet high, with three or four +fathoms of water at the base. In the evening, having reached a +projection which appeared to be the western pitch of the cape, we +encamped in a bay near a remarkable perforated rock, having come +twenty-six miles since leaving Point Stivens. In the course of the day's +voyage we had to make our way through some pretty extensive streams of +ice, composed of pieces which rose eight or ten feet above the water; +and we saw a considerable quantity of what is termed sailing ice to +seaward, being such as a ship could make her way through. I had now the +gratification of naming the extensive bay we had been coasting for three +days, after my friend and commanding officer; and to the several inlets +on its eastern side I assigned the names of Wright, Cracroft, and +Sellwood, in honour of his near relatives. A group of islands to the +northward was named Booth Islands on the same account. + +In bestowing the name of Franklin on this remarkable bay, I paid an +appropriate compliment to the officer, under whose orders and by whose +arrangements the delineation of all that is known of the northern coast +of the American Continent has been effected; with the exception of the +parts in the vicinity of Icy Cape discovered by Captain Beechey. It +would not be proper, nor is it my intention, to descant on the +professional merits of my superior officer; but after having served +under Captain Franklin for nearly seven years, in two successive voyages +of discovery, I trust I may be allowed to say, that however high his +brother officers may rate his courage and talents, either in the +ordinary line of his professional duty, or in the field of discovery, +the hold he acquires upon the affections of those under his command, by +a continued series of the most conciliating attentions to their +feelings, and an uniform and unremitting regard to their best interests, +is not less conspicuous. I feel that the sentiments of my friends and +companions, Captain Back and Lieutenant Kendall, are in unison with my +own, when I affirm, that gratitude and attachment to our late commanding +officer will animate our breasts to the latest period of our lives. +After this feeble but sincere tribute of respect and regard, in which I +hope I have not overstepped the proper bounds of a narrative, I hasten +to resume the details of the voyage. + +The country in the neighbourhood of the encampment consisted entirely of +limestone, mostly of the variety named dolomite, and, as is usual where +that stone prevails, it was extremely barren. The cliffs and points of +land present many caverns and perforated rocks, which have very strong +resemblances to the windows and crypts of Gothic buildings. The common +kittiwake breeds in great numbers on the rocky ledges in this quarter, +and their young were already fledged. The temperature during the day was +nearly stationary at 46 degrees, the wind south. The evening being very +fine, the pemmican was taken out of the bags, which were scraped and +dried; and our loss of provision, by the wetting it sustained in the +gale of the 20th, proved to be less than we had expected. + +[Sidenote: Sunday, 23rd.] Embarking at four o'clock, A.M. of the 23d, we +sailed with a favourable breeze for nine miles, betwixt Booth Islands +and a shore presenting alternately projecting rocky shoals and narrow +inlets. We then landed, and ascended a hill, about seven hundred feet +high, to ascertain the direction of the coast, and had the satisfaction +of finding that we had now reached the northern extremity of this +remarkable promontory. It was named Cape Parry after the distinguished +navigator whose skill and perseverance have created an era in the +progress of northern discovery, and a letter addressed to him, +containing information of our proceedings and of Captain Franklin's as +far as was known to us, was deposited under a pile of stones which we +erected on the summit of the hill. From this elevated situation, land +was faintly seen bearing S.E. by S., about forty miles distant; and from +thence round to Booth Islands there appeared an open sea, merely studded +with a few streams of sailing ice, but no islands were seen in that +direction. There are many well sheltered coves in the vicinity of Cape +Parry and amongst Booth Islands, but the bottom is rocky, and numerous +reefs render the navigation unsafe for a ship. The eastern side of Cape +Parry exhibits a succession of limestone cliffs, similar to those which +form its western shores; and as we continued our voyage, we passed many +excavations ornamented by graceful slender pillars, and exhibiting so +perfect a similarity to the pure Gothic arch, that had Nature made many +such displays in the Old world, there would be but one opinion as to the +origin of that style of architecture. A small island, on which we landed +to cook breakfast, was named after the late Daniel Moore, Esq., of +Lincoln's Inn. It was composed of a cellular limestone, containing many +crystals of quartz. The whole party went in pursuit of a polar hare +which was seen here, but, although it had no other shelter than the +rocks, it contrived to escape from us all. + +In the evening we encamped on an island, which was named by Mr. Kendall +after the Reverend Dr. Burrow of Epping. It is situated in latitude 69 +degrees 49 minutes N., longitude 123 degrees 33 minutes W. The length of +the day's voyage was thirty-one miles. Fine weather, and a temperature +of 52 degrees, entailed upon us a visit from the musquitoes. The sea +water here is of a light blue colour and clear, the bottom being +distinctly visible in five fathoms. Pieces of ice still adhered to the +cliffs. + +[Sidenote: Monday, 24th.] We were detained in the morning of the 24th by +a thick fog, which cleared up about eight o'clock; but the moon being +then in distance, we remained until noon, that Mr. Kendall might take +observations for lunars and latitude. These necessary operations being +completed, a short voyage of nine miles brought us to an island on which +we encamped, and which obtained from us the name of Clapperton, in +honour of the undaunted explorer of central Africa. In our way we passed +through several streams of ice, composed of pieces of considerable size, +but all evidently in a state of rapid dissolution, under a bright sun; +the water flowing from their surfaces in rivulets. Many black whales, +and various kinds of seals, were seen this day. We saw no black whales +farther to the eastward. + +From Clapperton Island we had a view of a ridge of hills, which, from +their direction, appeared to be a continuation of those on the west side +on Franklin Bay. The island itself, like the neighbouring coast, is +composed of limestone, and many detached rocks skirt it, rising from +water that is beautifully clear. When we landed there was a strong +current setting to the eastward, round the end of the island, but it +ceased at four P.M., the time of low water, and was probably produced by +the ebb setting out of some of the inlets of Cape Parry. In the evening +the ice made a noise so like the regular firing of half-minute guns, as +to excite, at first, an idea that we heard the guns of a ship. The +temperature at six o'clock in the evening was as high as 74 degrees in +the shade. + +Clapperton Island lies in latitude 69 degrees 41-1/2 minutes N., and +nearly in the longitude of Fort Franklin, from which it is distant +three hundred and thirteen miles in a straight line; but the distance +between the nearer part of the Great Bear Lake and the Arctic Sea here, +does not much exceed one hundred and ninety miles. + +[Sidenote: Tuesday, 25th.] Taking advantage of a light breeze and very +fine weather, we embarked at midnight, and crossed over to the east side +of the bay, passing through some heavy streams of ice by rather +intricate channels. At half past five in the morning of the 25th, we +landed on a point of the main shore, and Mr. Kendall took observations +for three sets of lunars. On re-embarking we proceeded a few miles +further, when a heavy gale of wind suddenly springing up, we ran for +shelter into a small creek at the extremity of a cape, which I named +after the distinguished traveller Captain G.F. Lyon, R.N. The bay which +lies betwixt it and Cape Parry, was called Darnley, in honour of the +Earl of Darnley. The distance from Clapperton Island to Cape Lyon is +fourteen miles. + +The country in the neighbourhood of Cape Lyon presents a surface varied +by gently swelling eminences, covered with a grassy sward, and +intersected by several narrow ridges of naked trap rocks, rising about +one hundred and fifty feet above the general level. The trap ridges, +when they reach the coast, form high cliffs, and the clay-slate and +limestone lie in nearly horizontal strata beneath them. The view inland +was terminated by the range of hills which we had seen at the bottom of +Darnley Bay, to which the name of Melville Range was now given, in +honour of the Right Honourable the Lord Viscount Melville. + +From the top of the highest trap-hill, near the extremity of the cape, +we saw some heavy ice to seaward, but with enough of open water for the +passage of a ship; and, occasionally, during our stay, there was an +appearance of land to the north-westward, occupying two points of the +compass; but we were uncertain whether it might not be a fog-bank +hanging over a field of ice. If it was land, it could not be less than +twenty-five or thirty miles distant, and must, from the portion of the +horizon it occupied, be a large island. Upon the summit of the hill we +erected a pile of stones, and deposited another letter for Captain +Parry, containing a short account of our proceedings. + +A gale of wind detained us two days at Cape Lyon, during which Ooligbuck +supplied us with rein-deer meat, and Mr. Kendall obtained several sets +of lunars. The latitude of our encampment, by the mean of three meridian +observations, was 69 degrees 46-1/2 minutes N.; and the longitude, by +lunar distances, 122 degrees 51 minutes W. The temperature of the air, +during the gale, was about 45 degrees, that of the water 35 degrees. +During our stay at Cape Lyon the tides were regular, but the rise and +fall were short of twenty inches. At midnight on the 26th of July, the +sun's lower limb was observed to touch the horizon for the first time +since our arrival on the coast. Some old winter houses were seen in our +walks, but we perceived no indications of the Esquimaux having recently +visited this quarter. + +[Sidenote: Thursday, 27th.] The gale moderated on the 27th, and at eight +in the evening it was sufficiently abated to permit us to proceed on our +voyage. After rowing about two miles, the horns of a deer were seen over +a rock at the summit of a cliff, on which M'Leay, the coxswain of the +Union, landed and killed it. This poor animal had been previously +wounded by an Esquimaux arrow, which had broken its shoulder bone. The +jagged bone-head of the arrow was buried in the flesh, and its copper +point bent up where it had struck the bone. The wound was open, and +seemed to have been inflicted at least a fortnight before, but the +animal was still fat. The extremity of Cape Lyon lies about three miles +north-east of the encampment we had left, and in its neighbourhood the +cliffs form bold headlands and several small rocky islands. Soon after +rounding it we came to a projecting point, consisting of cliffs of +limestone, in which there was a remarkable cave, opening to the sea by +an archway, fifty feet high and twenty wide. The walls of the cavern +were two hundred feet high, and a large circular aperture in the roof +gave free admission to the daylight. Mr. Kendall named this point after +Mr. Pearce, a particular friend of his. + +The night was fine but cold, the temperature having fallen to 35 degrees +soon after we started, and at midnight the sun sunk for nearly half an +hour beneath the horizon. [Sidenote: Friday, 28th.] We passed much heavy +stream-ice, and towards the morning a quantity of new, or, as the seamen +term it, "bay ice," having formed on the surface on the sea, the boats +were so much retarded that we put ashore at four o'clock of the 28th, to +wait until the increasing heat of the day dissolved it. The point on +which we landed was named after Admiral Sir Richard Godwin Keats, +G.C.B., Governor of Greenwich Hospital, and lies in latitude 69 degrees +49 minutes N. and longitude 122 degrees W., being about eighteen miles +distant from our encampment on Cape Lyon. The rocks at Point Keats +consist of flesh-coloured sandstone. The Melville range of hills +approaches there within eight or ten miles of the sea, and the +intervening country is traversed by ridges of greenstone. On the coast +from Cape Lyon to Point Keats there is a line of large drift timber, +evidently thrown up by the waves, about twelve feet perpendicular +height, above the ordinary spring tides: a sufficient proof of the sea +being nearly clear of ice at the time it was thrown up; for the presence +of any considerable quantity, even of stream-ice, prevents the waves +from rising high. After two hours halt, the bay-ice having dissolved we +re-embarked. + +From Cape Lyon to Point Keats the coast runs nearly east; after quitting +the latter we found it trending a little to the southward, and from a +point, which was named in honour of John Deas Thompson, Esq., +Commissioner of His Majesty's Navy, it has nearly a south-east +direction. We landed a little to the eastward of Point Deas Thompson, to +take a meridian observation for latitude, in a small bay, bounded by +cliffs of limestone, one hundred and forty feet high, in which the waves +had sculptured some beautiful Gothic arches. From the summit of the +cliffs we saw a dark appearance in the eastern horizon, but it was too +indistinct to permit us to decide whether it was land or merely a +fog-bank. To the eastward of these cliffs the coast decreased in height, +and, at the distance of five miles, we passed a small river, which was +named after Francis Palgrave, Esq. Near this river, on the summit of a +cliff, which was twenty-five feet high, we noticed several large logs of +drift timber, with some hummocks of gravel, that appeared to have been +thrown up by the waves. A portion of the Melville Range lies within +three miles of the shore there; and one of its most remarkable hills was +named after my esteemed friend, William Jackson Hooker, LL.D., Regius +Professor of Botany in the University of Glasgow; and another after +Colonel Colby, of the Royal Engineers, one of the Members of the Board +of Longitude. About four o'clock in the afternoon we came to a stream +flowing from a lake, and as it was an excellent boat harbour, we entered +it and encamped. It was named Roscoe, after the eloquent historian of +the Medici; and a conical hill of the Melville Range, visible from its +mouth, received the name of the venerable geographer Major Rennel. + +We passed this day through heavier and more crowded streams of ice than +any we had previously seen on the voyage. The navigation amongst it was +tedious and difficult, and just before we put ashore much motion was +imparted to it by a fresh south-west wind. The temperature during the +day varied from 35 degrees to 50 degrees. The mouth of Roscoe River lies +in latitude 69 degrees 41 minutes N., longitude 121 degrees 2 minutes +W., and is forty-eight miles distant from Cape Lyon. + +[Sidenote: Saturday, 29th.] We embarked on the 29th, with a fair wind; +but the ice lay so close, that we could not venture to set more than a +reefed foresail, and were ultimately obliged to lower the sail entirely, +and to find a passage through ice with oars and poles. The pieces of ice +were of sufficient magnitude to deserve the name of floes, and were +sometimes several fathoms thick. They were all moving before the breeze, +which caused them to arrange themselves in the form of streams parallel +to the coast, and, consequently, left lanes of open water in the +direction of our course. These lanes, however, were continually changing +their form; and, on several occasions, when we had been tempted by the +favourable appearance of a piece of open water to venture from the +coast, we had great difficulty in extricating ourselves from the ice +which closed around us. The thickness of the ice led me to conclude that +the sea had not been long open in this quarter; and I observed that the +vegetation was later on this part of the coast than on the western side +of Cape Parry. + +For the first twelve miles after leaving our encampment, the coast was +low and sandy; the Melville Range still forming the back-ground, at the +distance of four or five miles from the sea. The low beaches were +terminated by a rocky headland, which obtained from us the name of De +Witt Clinton, as a testimony of our sense of the urbanity and love of +science which had prompted his Excellency the Governor of the state of +New York[10] to show so much attention to the members of the Expedition, +in their passage through his government. Some miles beyond Point De Witt +Clinton we came to a steep cliff, where the ice was so closely packed +that we could not force a passage. The cargoes were, therefore, carried +along the foot of the cliff, and the boats launched for a few yards over +a piece of ice. In this operation, the shelving base of an iceberg, +which had formed under the cliff, and still adhered to it, but which was +undermined by the waves, gave way whilst several of the men were +standing upon it; but, fortunately, it did not overset, and they +received no injury, as it was large enough to support them in the water. +At nine o'clock, A.M., we were stopped by the closeness of the ice, and +put ashore until the tide or wind should produce some change. + +The tides, since leaving the Mackenzie, had never been observed to have +a greater rise than eighteen inches: but in the neighbourhood of our +encampment, the sea-wrack and lines of drift timber indicated a washing +of the sea to the perpendicular height of twenty feet. The country in +this vicinity consists of a bluish limestone, interstratified with +slate-clay: and naked and rugged ridges of trap rocks rise in various +places above the general level. The soil is composed of clay and +limestone gravel. The latitude of our encampment was ascertained, by +meridian observation, to be 69 degrees 29 minutes N.; its longitude was +120 degrees 20 minutes W.; and its distance from Roscoe River was +twenty-five miles. + +[Sidenote: Sunday, 30th.] A breeze of wind from the land having opened a +passage two miles wide, we embarked at two o'clock in the morning of the +30th, and ran seven miles under sail; when, having overtaken the ice +which had passed in the night, we found it too closely packed to allow +us to proceed. In making for the beach, the Union narrowly escaped being +crushed by two large floes of ice, which came together with violence +just as she was about to run betwixt them. The Dolphin had sailed +through the same passage not two minutes before. From an eminence near +our encampment, we had the unpleasant view of a sea covered, as far as +the eye could reach, with ice, excepting a few lanes of open water far +to seaward. The tide fell here seven inches in the morning, and eleven +in the evening, although the north-west wind increased in the afternoon +to a pretty strong gale. The greater fall of the water with that wind, +showing that it found an exit to the eastward, relieved us from an +apprehension, which we had begun to entertain, that we were entering a +deep bay, which might be encumbered by the drift-ice for many days. Much +ice drove past us in the course of the day, before a west-north-west +wind, its progress being only slightly checked for a time by the flood +tide. Recent footsteps of a small party of Esquimaux were seen on the +beach. Our encampment was situated in latitude 69 degrees 24 minutes N., +and longitude 120 degrees 03 minutes W. + +[Sidenote: Monday, 31st.] Embarking on the 31st, at two o'clock in the +morning, we succeeded in getting about six miles through the ice: when +we were again obliged to put ashore at the mouth of a small river, which +was named after James Buchanan, Esq., his Majesty's Consul at New York, +whose friendly attention to the officers of the Expedition well entitled +him to their gratitude. After waiting for a while the tide loosened the +ice a little, and we made some progress by debarking upon the floes, and +pushing them apart with poles, until a sufficient opening was made. This +operation was tedious, and not devoid of hazard to the boats, arising +from the rotatory motion frequently given to the floes, by the pressure +of the body of the ice. At noon, an observation for latitude was +obtained on a projecting point, which was named after William Tinney, +Esq., of Lincoln's Inn. At three in the afternoon, our progress being +again arrested by the compactness of the ice, we hauled the boats upon +the beach, and M'Leay having killed a fat buck rein-deer, the party had +an excellent supper after the fatigues of the day. The length of the +day's voyage was twenty-two miles; the latitude of our encampment, 69 +degrees 17-1/2 minutes N., and its longitude 119 degrees 27 minutes W. +The coast line in this quarter is lower, few of the cliffs exceeding +forty feet in height, and there is a greater proportion of flat beach +than occurs nearer Cape Lyon. The ground is strewed with gravel, +apparently arising from a limestone conglomerate which exists there in +considerable quantity. The Melville Range is within four or five miles +of the shore at this place, and does not rise more than five hundred +feet above the sea. Many small rivulets flow from the rising grounds +into the sea, through wide gravelly beds, indicating that at times they +swell into large torrents. + +[Sidenote: August 1st.] A light westerly wind having opened a narrow +channel between the ice and the shore, we embarked early in the morning +of the 1st of August, and, three miles from our encampment, came to a +river, which discharged itself by various shallow mouths, separated by +sand banks. Its westernmost and easternmost mouths were five miles +apart; and the latter, which was the largest, was one hundred and fifty +yards wide. Although the outlet of this river is so much barred up, it +discharges a considerable volume of water, and probably has its sources +in the hills which are visible from the northern shores of Great Bear +Lake. It was named after John Wilson Croker, Esq., Secretary to the +Admiralty. Further on we had a view of a high island, lying ten or +twelve miles from the shore, which received the appellation of Sir +George Clerk's Island. M'Leay, who was now acknowledged to be our best +hunter, was sent in pursuit of a deer, which we saw from the boats, and +being successful, we landed to cook our breakfast, after having rowed +twenty miles in the course of the morning. An observation for latitude +was obtained a mile further at a point which was named after Waller +Clifton, Esq., Secretary to the Victualling Board, The coast here makes +a turn to the southward, and about six miles further on, where it +resumes its easterly direction, a river about one hundred yards wide +flows into the sea, betwixt two sand hills. To this river Mr. Kendall +gave the name of Inman, out of respect to the Reverend and Learned +Professor of the Royal Naval College at Portsmouth. A conical hill, +about ten miles distant, in a south-west direction, was named after the +late President of the Royal Society, the highly distinguished Sir +Humphry Davy, Baronet. This was the last part we saw of the Melville +Chain. We encamped at half past seven in the evening, under a high cliff +of limestone, having advanced during the day thirty-seven miles. The +point on which we encamped, received from Mr. Kendall, the name of Wise, +after Captain M.F. Wise, of the Royal Navy, under whose command he +sailed in His Majesty's ship Spartan. It is situated in latitude 69 +degrees 03-1/2 minutes N., longitude 118 degrees W. + +The coast from Cape Clifton to Point Wise consists of limestone in +horizontal layers, forming cliffs, which are separated from each other +by intervening shelving beaches, and it is skirted to the distance of a +quarter of a mile by rocky shoals, having sufficient water on them for +our boats, but not enough to admit the heavy ice. This was the cause of +our making greater progress than we had been led to expect from the +appearance of the ice in the morning. The cliffs at Point Wise are two +hundred feet high, and from their summits, the ice appeared closely +packed, as far as the eye could reach; no lanes of open water being +visible. It was, however, composed of pieces, and not a continuous +field, for we could distinctly perceive that several of the hummocks it +inclosed were in motion. This was the first time during the voyage that +we saw ice so closely packed, as to appear impenetrable to a ship when +impelled by a good breeze, but it is necessary to state that, even from +a considerable height, we could not tell with certainty the state of the +ice six miles off; scattered pieces at that distance assuming the +appearance of a close pack. The weather this day was fine, the +temperature varying from 43 degrees to 50 degrees. + +[Sidenote: Wednesday, 2d.] Soon after setting out on the 2d, the +temperature, which had been about 40 degrees throughout the night, fell +to 34 degrees, and a fog came on. The wind also freshening and putting +the ice in motion, the boats received some heavy blows; but we continued +to advance, though slowly, and with much caution. About ten miles from +our encampment, we passed the mouth of a small river, which was named +after Captain Hoppner, of the Royal Navy, second in command to Captain +Parry, on his third voyage of discovery. Towards noon the fog cleared +away, and a meridian observation was obtained in latitude 68 degrees 56 +minutes N. Three miles further on we arrived at the mouth of a wide but +shallow river, which flowed over a rocky bottom, betwixt two sand hills, +and joined the sea by several mouths, separated by shoals. To this river +Mr. Kendall gave the name of his friend, Lieutenant Harding, of the +Royal Navy. Five miles beyond this river, on the extremity of a rocky +cape, the Esquimaux had constructed several store-houses, of drift +timber, which were filled with dried deer-meat and seal-blubber; along +with which, cooking kettles, and lamps made of potstone, copper-headed +spears, and various other articles, were carefully laid up. The ashes of +the recently extinguished fires showed that the natives had quitted this +place only a few days, and we felt much pleasure in figuring to +ourselves the surprise and joy with which they would behold, on their +return, the iron utensils that we deposited in the store-houses for +their use. The cape received the name of "Young," after the learned +Secretary to the Board of Longitude. + +From Cape Young we had a view of the sea thickly covered with ice, of a +greater thickness than any we had previously encountered; and we +perceived that there was a deeply indented bay lying in our route, and +so filled with ice, that our only method of passing it appeared to be by +keeping close to the shore, although under the disadvantage of trebling +the distance. The coast in this quarter is similar to that which we had +passed on the two or three preceding days, and is formed of high +limestone cliffs, with intervening shingly beaches; but the country is +still more barren, the quantity of limestone debris almost excluding any +soil. Flat limestone rocks, having only a few inches of water upon them, +skirt the beach, and terminate like a wall in four or five fathoms +water. The ice was closely packed against these rocks, and for five +miles after passing Cape Young, we made a way for the boats only by the +constant use of the hatchet and ice-chisel, and gladly encamped at six +o'clock in the evening, after a day's voyage of thirty-one miles. A herd +of twenty rein-deer were grazing on the beach, but our hunters were too +much fatigued to go in pursuit of them. The encampment was situated in +latitude 68 degrees 53 minutes N., and longitude 116 degrees 50 minutes +W. The temperature varied in the course of the day from 34 degrees to 50 +degrees. We observed that the ice continued to dissolve, but not so +rapidly as in the month of July, when the sun did not sink below the +horizon. + +[Sidenote: Thursday, 3rd.] We resumed our operations on the morning of +the 3d at the usual hour, and with great labour made a passage for the +boats. At eleven o'clock we landed to refresh ourselves on a projecting +point at the western entrance of a deep bay, having previously passed a +river which was about one hundred yards wide, but very shallow. After +breakfasting, and obtaining a meridian observation in latitude 68 +degrees 53 minutes N., we pushed off again, and for some time made very +slow progress. The shores of the bay consisted of beds of limestone, +which, shelving into the water, were covered with masses of ice, forced +up by the pressure of the pack outside. We were, therefore, compelled to +work our way in deeper water, and there the boats, which led by turns, +were occasionally exposed to the hazard of being overset by pieces of +buoyant ice, which frequently broke off from the bases of the floes. In +the language of the whalers, the ice is said to _calf_, when masses are +detached in this manner, and they are sometimes of sufficient magnitude +in the Greenland seas to endanger large vessels. The Dolphin was, at one +time, nearly crushed to pieces by the closing of two floes; but, +fortunately, she had reached a small recess, just as they came in +contact, and they recoiled sufficiently to leave a passage for her exit, +after she had sustained the trifling damage of a few cracks in the upper +planks. The rays of the sun, and the waves acting on the surface of the +floes, had, by thawing them irregularly, formed lakes of fresh water of +some extent upon their surface. When these pieces of water were of +sufficient depth, we availed ourselves of them to make some progress in +our voyage, and in this way we frequently sailed over a considerable +thickness of ice. + +At four o'clock P.M. we had advanced five miles, when to our joy we +found a lane of open water, which permitted us to cross to the other +side of the bay, where we encamped in latitude 68 degrees 51-1/2 minutes +N., and longitude 116 degrees 03 minutes W., having sailed in the course +of the day eighteen miles and a half. The bay was named Stapylton in +honour of Major-General the Honourable G.A.C. Stapylton, Chairman of the +Victualling Board; and on ascending a rising ground we perceived that it +communicates with a long, narrow lake. A few miles from the coast the +land rises from three to five hundred feet above the sea, and presents +many precipitous limestone cliffs, and chains of small lakes. The +country is very barren, the only plant we gathered being the yellow +poppy, (_papaver nudicaule_.) By our reckoning we were now nearly in the +longitude of the mouth of the Coppermine River, but about seventy miles +to the northward of it, we, therefore, entertained an opinion that we +were coasting a narrow peninsula, and that we should soon have the +pleasure of perceiving the coast take a southerly direction. It was, +consequently, with some hopes of beholding the sea on the opposite side +of the peninsula that I walked seven or eight miles to the eastward in +the night, but I was disappointed. In my way I had occasion to wade +through a small lake, when two birds, about the size of the _northern +diver_, and apparently of that genus, swam, with bold and angry +gestures, to within a few yards of me, evidently very impatient of any +intruder on their domain. Their necks were of a beautiful pale yellow +colour, their bodies black with white specks. I considered them to +belong to a species not yet described, and regretted that, having left +my gun at the tent, it was not in my power to procure one of them for a +specimen. + +[Sidenote: Friday, 4th.] Embarking at three A.M. on the 4th, we found +little difficulty in reaching the eastern cape of Stapylton Bay, the +wind having formed a narrow channel between the ice and the shore in the +night. The temperature was low, and in the morning some new ice was +formed which we easily broke. We noticed several eider ducks breaking a +way through the thin ice for their young ones with their wings, and in +this operation they made greater progress than we did in the boats. + +On reaching the cape[11] which was named after Vice-Admiral Sir William +Johnstone Hope, G.C.B., we descried another point about four or five +leagues distant, bearing east-north-east, the intervening bay being +filled with closely packed ice. We were now within twelve miles of Cape +Young, after a laborious navigation of four times that distance, and the +prospect of another bay, equally unpromising, was very vexatious; but +our apprehensions were increased by the view of a continuous line of +land, extending from north-north-west until it was hid behind the nearer +cape, which bore east-north-east, for we feared that it might prove to +be a continuation of the main shore. Our crews, though concerned at the +delay that so much ice was likely to occasion, set about overcoming the +obstacle with a hearty good will, and after an intricate and troublesome +navigation of ten or twelve miles amongst the ice, we found the bottom +of the bay more open, and were enabled to cross over to the eastern side +where we encamped. This bay received the name of the eminent astronomer +James South, Esq. + +Mr. Kendall having gone to ascertain from the higher ground the trending +of the coast, returned in about two hours with the cheering intelligence +that the land to the northward was unconnected with the main shore, and +that he had seen the latter inclining to the south-east, with a much +more open sea than we had lately been accustomed to. As soon as supper +was over, I also set out to enjoy the gratifying prospect, and from the +extremity of the cape on which we were encamped, and which was named in +honour of the Right Honourable Lord Bexley, I beheld the northern land +running from north-north-west till it was lost in the horizon on a north +73 degrees east bearing. It seemed to be pretty high but not +mountainous; and although broken towards the east, the principal portion +of it appeared to be continuous. This island, by far the largest one +that was seen, either in the present voyage or on Captain Franklin's +former Expedition, was named after that most distinguished philosopher +Dr. Hyde Wollaston. The main shore had a direction nearly parallel to +Wollaston Land, its most distant point in sight, which I estimated to be +fifteen miles off, bearing S. 61 degrees E. On the strait, separating +the two shores, I bestowed the names of our excellent little boats, the +Dolphin and Union. It varies in width from twelve to twenty miles, and +to the eastward seemed to contain merely detached streams of ice, not +likely to obstruct the progress of a vessel; but to the westward lay the +closely packed ice, filling South's Bay, and extending to seaward. The +ice did not, however, entirely close the strait, for I could discern +lanes of open water towards Wollaston Land. The packed ice which we had +seen lining the coast between Point Clifton and Cape Bexley, may be +perhaps considered as an illustration of the remark made by Captain +Parry, that the western sides of seas and inlets in those latitudes are +more encumbered with ice than the opposite sides; and it is very +probable that a ship might have found a passage by keeping along +Wollaston Land, an opinion which the appearance of the ice as seen from +Cape Bexley, tended to confirm. The latitude of our encampment was 68 +degrees 58 minutes N., and its longitude 115 degrees 47 minutes W.; it +was within ten miles of our encampment of the preceding night, although +we had travelled twenty-five miles in the course of the day. + +[Sidenote: Saturday, 5th.] The party embarked on the 5th, at the usual +hour in the morning, with their spirits pleasantly excited by the +intelligence of the favourable trending of the coast, communicated by +Mr. Kendall, and after doubling Cape Bexley, proceeded under sail, +before a west-north-west wind, with a rapidity to which they had lately +been unaccustomed. The point of land which Cape Bexley terminates, +consists entirely of horizontal beds of limestone, and is nowhere more +than three hundred feet above the sea. On the west side, the water is +two or three fathoms deep, close to the shore, and the land attains its +greatest elevation by a steep rise from the beach. On the east side +there are some precipitous cliffs, but the coast in general is skirted +by shelving rocks. No soil was seen on the Cape, nor any appearance of +vegetation, the ground being every where covered, to the depth of a +foot, by fragments of limestone, which are detached by the frost from +the solid strata lying beneath. We were much puzzled at first with the +appearance of several parallel trenches, a foot deep, running for a +great distance amongst the fragments, but on examination they were +ascertained to originate in fissures of the subjacent strata. Much +quartz being intermixed with the limestone of Cape Bexley, the fragments +which covered the ground had, by the action of the weather, lost most of +the softer calcareous matter, and were converted into a kind of rasp, +very annoying to pedestrians, being capable of destroying a pair of +stout English shoes in a walk of a few hours. + +At eleven o'clock we came to a pack of ice abutting against the shore, +but while we halted to cook breakfast, the wind opened a way for us. In +the course of the morning we passed many heavy streams of ice, separated +by lanes of open water, which would have afforded an easy passage for a +ship. Having obtained a meridian observation for latitude, we +re-embarked, and pulled for five miles through an open channel, to Point +Cockburn, on the opposite side of a bay, which appeared to be four or +five miles deep, and to be quite filled with drift-ice. Many deer were +seen grazing near this point, but we did not stop to send a hunter in +pursuit of them. We afterwards crossed several other indentations of the +coast, skirted by reefs of limestone and low islets, and encamped on +Chantry Island, lying close to the main shore, in latitude 68 degrees 45 +minutes N., longitude 114 degrees 23 minutes W., having sailed +thirty-nine miles in the course of the day. Two islands, lying opposite +to our encampment, received the appellations of Manners Sutton and Sir +Robert Liston's Islands. The degree of motion in the ice, which was +drifting between these islands and the shore, indicated a stronger +current of both flood and ebb than we had hitherto seen. + +[Sidenote: Sunday, 6th.] On the 6th, we commenced the day's voyage at +three in the morning, but were compelled to put ashore soon afterwards +by a stream of ice barring our way. At six o'clock, however, the flowing +tide opened it sufficiently to enable us to push the boats along with +poles, our progress being occasionally facilitated by the rocky reefs, +which kept the heavier masses from pressing down upon us. Much of the +ice lay aground, in nine fathoms, but none of it rose more than five or +six feet above the surface of the water. We estimated the velocity of +the flood tide, off some of the rocky points, at three miles an hour, +and at such places we had much trouble in endeavouring to keep the boats +clear of the drifting ice. The circular motion which the pieces +occasionally acquired was particularly difficult to guard against, and +had we not depended on the tongues of ice, which, lying deep under +water, prevented the upper parts of the floes to which they belonged +from coming in contact, we should scarcely have ventured amongst them. +We did not, however, entirely escape, for the Dolphin was caught between +a floe and a piece that lay aground, and fairly raised out of the water +by the pressure, which broke one of her timbers and several of her +planks. We put ashore on a small island to repair the damage, and during +our stay Mr. Kendall had a meridian observation in latitude 68 degrees +36-1/2 minutes N. Another island, lying about two miles from the main +land, was distinguished by the name of Aylmer Bourke Lambert, Esq., +Vice-President of the Linnean Society. The sea water there was +beautifully clear. + +At half-past one, the Dolphin being again rendered sea-worthy, we +prosecuted our voyage until five P.M., when the flood-tide set with such +velocity round a rocky point, and brought so much ice with it, that we +considered it prudent to put ashore. The violent eddies in the currents +there, and the sudden approach and collision of the large masses of ice, +reminded us forcibly of the poet's description of Scylla and Charybdis. +The length of the day's voyage was twenty-one miles, and our encampment +was situated in latitude 68 degrees 32 minutes N., longitude 113 degrees +53 minutes W. The temperature at nine P.M. was 60 degrees. + +Mr. Kendall and I took a walk of some miles along the shore, and were +happy to observe the coast inclining to the southward, although no doubt +now existed as to our accomplishing the voyage sufficiently early to +allow us to cross the barren grounds, to the eastward of Great Bear +Lake, before the cold weather set in. The flowering season for most of +the plants on the coast was already past, but our route for the +remainder of the distance to Bear Lake, inclining much to the southward, +would naturally have the effect of prolonging to us the duration of the +summer. A conspicuous hill, discovered in our walk, received the name of +Mount Barrow, in honour of John Barrow, Esq., Secretary to the +Admiralty; and two islands in the offing were named after Commanders +Bayfield and Douglas, of the Royal Navy, to both of whom the officers of +the Expedition were indebted for much assistance and personal kindness, +in their progress through Canada. The interior of the country was flat, +but the limestone formed cliffs on the shore two hundred feet high. From +the form of the islands, I was led to believe that they consisted of +trap rocks. Wollaston Land, as seen from this encampment, appeared to +recede gradually from the main, and it sunk under the horizon, on a +north-east bearing. By estimation, the most easterly part of it which we +saw, is in latitude 68 degrees 45 minutes N., and longitude 113 degrees +53 minutes W. The navigation of the Dolphin and Union Straits would be +dangerous to ships, from the many sunken rocks which we observed near +the southern shore. + +[Sidenote: Monday, 7th.] Embarking at two A.M. on the 7th, we crossed a +deeply indented bay, which was named after Lieutenant-Colonel Pasley, of +the Royal Engineers, to whose invention we owe the portable boat, named +the Walnut-shell, which we carried out with us. On the east side of +Pasley Cove there are some bold limestone cliffs, that form the +extremity of a promontory, to which we gave the name of Cape +Krusenstern, in honour of the distinguished Russian hydrographer. It +lies in latitude 68 degrees 23 minutes N., longitude 113 degrees 45 +minutes W., and is the most eastern part of the main land which we +coasted. From a cliff, two hundred feet high, two miles to the southward +of Cape Krusenstern, we had a distinct view of the high land about +Inman's Harbour, on the western side of Cape Barrow, which was the most +easterly land seen on this voyage, and lies in longitude 111 degrees 20 +minutes W. The space between Capes Barrow and Krusenstern is crowded +with islands. + +By entering George the Fourth's Coronation Gulf at Cape Krusenstern, we +connected the discoveries of this voyage with those made by Captain +Franklin on his former expedition, and had the honour of completing a +portion of the north-west passage, for which the reward of five thousand +pounds was established by his Majesty's Order in Council, but as it was +not contemplated, in framing the Order, that the discovery should be +made from west to east, and in vessels so small as the Dolphin and +Union, we could not lay claim to the pecuniary reward. + +While the party were at breakfast I visited Mount Barrow, which is a +steep hill about three hundred feet high, surrounded by a moat fifty or +sixty feet wide and twenty deep, and having a flat summit bounded by +precipices of limestone. Three banks, like causeways, afforded the means +of crossing the moat, and the hill altogether formed a remarkably +complete natural fortification. The Esquimaux had marked most of the +prominent points in this quarter, by erecting piles of stones similar to +the cairns built for land-marks by the shepherds in Scotland. These +erections were occasionally noticed, after doubling Cape Parry, but they +were more numerous here. The ice which we saw this day was in form of +loose streams, and offered no material impediment. Several wreaths of +snow lay at the base of the cliffs that had a northern exposure, being +the remains of that which had accumulated in the winter. + +The latitude 68 degrees 13 minutes N. was observed at noon on a low +point which projected from some higher lands. From this point, which was +named after Edward H. Locker, Esq., Secretary to the Royal Hospital at +Greenwich, we had a view of Cape Hearne, the form of which I thought I +recognised from my recollections of it on the former voyage. We reached +Cape Hearne in the evening, having in the afternoon skirted a low and +indented coast; a bay immediately to the north of it was named after +Captain Basil Hall, of the Royal Navy. Cape Hearne itself is a low +point, not visible from the mouth of the Coppermine; but the high land +behind it, when seen from a distance, appears like a steep promontory, +and is that designated as Cape Hearne in Captain Franklin's chart of his +former voyage. The latitude of this cape is 68 degrees 11 minutes N., +and its longitude 114 degrees 54 minutes W. The length of the day's +voyage was forty miles. Many deer were seen here, and Ooligbuck killed a +very fine one in the evening. After encamping I went a few miles into +the interior, and found that the country was composed of limestone, +which rose by a succession of terraces to the height of about three +hundred feet above the sea. The heat of the day was considerable, the +thermometer, when exposed to the rays of the sun, indicating 86 degrees, +without the bulb being blackened, or any other means used to retain the +heat. + +[Sidenote: Tuesday, 8th.] Embarking early on the eighth, and passing +through several loose streams of ice, some pieces of which were +twenty-four feet thick, we landed at nine o'clock on a bold cape to +prepare breakfast. It is formed of columnar greenstone, reposing on +slaty limestone, and rising precipitously from the sea to the height of +three hundred and fifty feet. I named this well marked point Cape +Kendall, after my highly esteemed friend and companion, and had the +pleasure of pointing out to him, from its summit, the gap in the hills +at Bloody Fall, through which the Coppermine River flows. Mr. Kendall +having taken the necessary bearings and sketches for the completion of +his chart, we descended the hill to announce to the men, that a short +traverse would bring us to the mouth of the Coppermine River. As we were +aware of the disappointment which often springs from the premature +excitement of hope, we had not previously acquainted them with our near +approach to the termination of our voyage; fearing that an unfavourable +trending of coast, or an intervening body of ice, might protract it +some days longer than we expected. The gratifying intelligence that we +now conveyed to them, was, therefore, totally unexpected, and the +pleasure they experienced found vent in heartfelt expressions of +gratitude to the Divine Being, for his protection on the voyage. At noon +the latitude of Cape Kendall was ascertained to be 67 degrees 58 minutes +N., and its longitude by reckoning was 115 degrees 18 minutes W. + +Re-embarking, we steered for the mouth of the Coppermine River with the +sails set to a fine breeze, plying the oars at the same time, and on +rounding Cape Kendall, we opened a magnificent inlet, or bay, rendered +very picturesque by the manner in which its lofty cliffs came +successively in sight as we crossed its mouth. We distinguished it by +the name of our mutual friend and companion Captain Back. One of +Couper's Islands, on which we landed, consists of greenstone, rising +from the water like steps of a stair; and from its summit we perceived +that a low piece of land, which, on the former voyage, had been mistaken +for an island, was, in fact, the extremity of Point Mackenzie, and that +Richardson River was merely a ravine, now dry.[12] Having reached the +mouth of the Coppermine River, we encamped within a hundred yards of the +position of the tents on Captain Franklin's former Expedition. Some +half-burnt wood, the remains of the fires then made, were still lying on +the spot; and I also recognised the Esquimaux stage, which we visited on +that occasion, but there were no skins nor utensils on it now. + +The completion of our sea voyage so early in the season was a subject of +mutual congratulation to us all; and to Mr. Kendall and myself it was +highly gratifying to behold our men still fresh and vigorous, and ready +to commence the laborious march across the barren grounds, with the same +spirit that they had shown in overcoming the obstacles which presented +themselves to their progress by sea. We all felt that the comfort and +ease with which the voyage had been performed, were greatly owing to the +judicious and plentiful provision of stores and food which Captain +Franklin had made for us; and gratitude for his care mingling with the +pleasure excited by our success, and directing our thoughts more +strongly to his party, the most ardent wishes were expressed that they +might prove equally fortunate. The correctness of Mr. Kendall's +reckoning was another source of pleasure. Having been deprived of the +aid of chronometers, by the breaking of the two intended for the eastern +detachment of the Expedition, during the intense winter cold, our only +resource for correcting the dead reckoning was lunar observations, made +as frequently as opportunities offered; yet when we approached the +Coppermine River, Mr. Kendall's reckoning differed from the position of +that place, ascertained on Captain Franklin's former Expedition, only +twenty seconds of time, or about two miles and a half of distance, which +is a very trifling difference when the length of the voyage and the +other circumstances are taken into consideration. The distance between +Point Separation and the mouth of the Coppermine River, by the route we +pursued, is nine hundred and two geographical miles. + +In our progress along the coast no opportunity was omitted of noting the +times of high-water, and a tide-table drawn up by Mr. Kendall, is given +in pages 236, 237. We nowhere observed the rise of the tide to exceed +twenty-two inches, and in some places it was not more than eight or +nine; but the velocity of the flood and ebb was greater than could have +been expected from so small a rise. Off the Alluvial Islands, lying +between the outlets of the Mackenzie River and Esquimaux Lake, it was in +the strength of the flood about a mile an hour; at Cape Bathurst it +exceeded a mile and a half; and in the Dolphin and Union Straits it was +fully three miles. The stream of the flood set every where from the +eastward. + +The variation of the magnetic needle, which was forty-six degrees +easterly at Point Separation, attained to 50 degrees at Refuge Cove, 53 +degrees at Point Maitland, and 56 degrees at Cape Parry; after which it +gradually decreased as we went to the south-east; and at the mouth of +the Coppermine, it was 48 degrees. + +We saw no ice that would have much impeded a ship, except between Sir +George Clerk's Island and Cape Bexley, where it was heavy and closely +packed. The appearance, however, of lanes of open water towards +Wollaston Land, opposite to Cape Bexley, induced us to think that there +might be a good passage for a ship on the outside of the ice, which +lined the south shore, and which seems to have been packed into the +indentations of the coast by the strong north-west winds that had +prevailed for some days. A ship would find shelter amongst the islands +of George the Fourth's Coronation Gulf, in Back's Inlet, in Darnley Bay, +and amongst Booth's Islands, lying off Cape Parry; but the bottom, at +the latter place, is rocky, and there are many sunken rocks along the +whole of that coast. To the westward of Cape Parry, we saw no ship +harbours, and the many sand-banks skirting the outlets of Esquimaux +Lake would render it dangerous for a ship to approach the shore in that +quarter. There is such an abundance of drift-timber on almost every part +of the coast, that a sufficient supply of fuel for a ship might easily +be collected, and wherever we landed on the main shore we found streams +or small lakes of fresh water. Should the course of events ever +introduce a steam-vessel into those seas, it may be important to know +that in coasting the shores between Cape Bathurst and the Mackenzie, +fire-wood sufficient for her daily consumption may be gathered, and that +near the Babbage River, to the westward of the Mackenzie, a tertiary +pitch-coal exists of excellent quality, which Captain Franklin describes +as forming extensive beds. + +The height to which the drift-timber is thrown up on the shores at the +western entrance of the Dolphin and Union Straits is, I think, an +indication of an occasional great rise in the sea, which, as the tides +are in comparison so insignificant, I can ascribe only to the north-west +winds driving the waters of an open sea towards the funnel-shaped +entrance of the straits. If this view is correct, Wollaston Land +probably extends far to the north, and closely adjoins to Banks' Land, +or is connected with it. Captain Parry found the strait between Melville +Island and Banks' Land obstructed by ice, and this will naturally be +generally the case, both there and in the Dolphin and Union Straits, if +they form the principal openings through a range of extensive islands, +which run north and south, and bound a large tract of sea, comparatively +free from land. The heat of the summer in that quarter seems to be +always or almost always sufficient to admit of the ice breaking up, but +not powerful enough to dissolve it entirely. Hence the loose ice driven +about by the winds, and carried to the lee-side of the wider expanses of +sea, is firmly packed in the narrow straits and winding passages amongst +the islands, from whence it can be dislodged only by a concurrence of +very favourable circumstances, and where the waste by the solar rays is +replaced by every breeze blowing from the open sea. The north-west winds +being the strongest and most prevalent in the latter part of the summer, +it is at the western end of a strait that the ice is most frequently and +closely packed. Captain Parry remarks that "there was something peculiar +about the south-west extremity of Melville Island, which made the icy +sea there extremely unfavourable to navigation, and which seemed to bid +defiance to all efforts to proceed farther to the westward in that +parallel of latitude." The Dolphin and Union Straits hold out greater +prospects of success for a similar attempt, not only from their more +southern position, but from the strong current of flood and ebb which +flows through them and keeps the ice in motion. + +We noticed on the coast about one hundred and seventy _phaenogamous_, or +flowering plants, being one-fifth of the number of species which exist +fifteen degrees of latitude farther to the southward. The grasses, +bents, and rushes, constitute only one-fifth of the number of species on +the coast, but the two former tribes actually cover more ground than all +the rest of the vegetation. The cruciferous, or cress-like tribes afford +one-seventh of the species, and the compound flowers are nearly as +numerous. The _shrubby plants_ that reach the sea-coast are the common +juniper, two species of willow, the dwarf Birch (_betula glandulosa_), +the common alder, the hippophae, a gooseberry, the red bearberry +(_arbutus uva ursi_), the Labrador tea plant, (_ledum palustre_,) the +Lapland rose (_rhododendron lapponicum_,) the bog whortleberry +(_vaccinium uliginosum_,) and the crow-berry (_empetrum nigrum_.) The +kidney-leaved oxyria grows in great luxuriance there, and occasionally +furnished us with an agreeable addition to our meals, as it resembles +the garden sorrel in flavour, but is more juicy and tender. It is eaten +by the natives, and must, as well as many of the cress-like plants, +prove an excellent corrective of the gross, oily, rancid, and frequently +putrid meat, on which they subsist. The small bulbs of the Alpine +bistort (_polygonum viviparum_,) and the long, succulent, and sweet +roots of many of the _astragaleae_, which grow on the sandy shores, are +eatable; but we did not learn that the Esquimaux were acquainted with +their use. A few clumps of white spruce-fir, with some straggling black +spruces and canoe birches, grow at the distance of twenty or thirty +miles from the sea, in sheltered situations, on the banks of rivers. + +_ABSTRACT of the Meteorological Register, kept by the Eastern +Detachment, in their Voyage between the Mouths of the Mackenzie and +Coppermine Rivers._ + + Temperature in the Shade. + Highest. Direction of + Date. Lowest. Mean. the Winds. Weather and Remarks. + ---------------------------------------------------------------------- + July + 9 32 38 35 East; NEbE. Fresh breezes. Clear sky with + fog over the ice. + 10 45 57 51 ESE. Strong breezes, clear weather. + 11 42 51 43 East. Strong breezes, clear sky, and + bright sun. + 12 45 50 47 Do. Ditto, ditto. + 13 46 57 52 East; SE. Moderate breezes. Clear sky; + rain in the night. + 14 42 42 42 West. Heavy gales. Thick fog. + 15 52 57 55 Nearly calm. Very fine weather. + 16 38 55 47 South. Moderate breezes. Cloudy A.M., + clear P.M. + 17 50 62 54 West; North. Fog A.M. When wind veered to + north cleared up. Temperature + of sea 55 degrees. + 18 45 56 50 South; East. Light airs A.M.; fresh breezes + P.M.; calm in the night. + 19 44 54 49 East; West. Fresh breezes and cloudy A.M. + Four P.M. West wind and foggy + weather. + 20 46 50 48 NW., WNW. Foggy; fresh breezes A.M. + Increased to a strong gale P.M. + 21 42 48 46 WNW.; NW. Fresh breezes and foggy A.M. + Fine and clear P.M. + 22 45 47 46 South. Fresh breezes A.M. Fine + weather P.M. + 23 46 58 52 SW. Moderate and cloudy. Many + Musquitoes. + +_Meteorological Register, &c.--Concluded._ + + Temperature in the Shade. + Highest. Direction of + Date. Lowest. Mean. the Winds. Weather and Remarks. + ---------------------------------------------------------------------- + July + 24 50 76 66 West. Moderate breezes. Foggy A.M. + Occasionally hazy P.M. Myriads + of Musquitoes. + 25 45 66 55 South; NE. Fine A.M. Strong gales and + partial fogs P.M. + 26 35 47 41 NE. Strong gales and clear. + Temperature of sea 35 deg. + 27 35 45 40 ENE. Moderate. + 28 35 50 42 Calm; North. Fine clear weather. + 29 37 41 38 WNW. Moderate breezes; foggy. + 30 36 40 38 WNW. Fog hanging over the ice; + clear inland; moderate breezes. + 31 38 45 41 NW. Moderate breezes; occasionally + hazy, fog over the ice. + Aug. + 1 43 50 48 West. Moderate breezes; hazy to seaward. + 2 34 50 41 West; variable. Hazy and occasionally foggy. + 3 38 43 40 NE.; East. Light breezes and clear. + 4 38 55 46 NE.; ESE. Fine clear weather. + 5 39 56 47 EbS.; WSW. Do. Moderate P.M. + 6 42 56 47 South; variable. Do. + 7 36 68 52 SSE. Fine and very clear. + Temperature in the sun 86 deg. + 8 44 60 52 North. Do. + ----------------- + 41.45 51.92 46.48 + +FOOTNOTES: + +[9] The appearance of whales on the north coast, nearly midway between +the nearest passages into Behring's and Barrow's Straits, and upwards of +a thousand miles distant from either, affords subject for interesting +speculation. It is known that they must come frequently to the surface +to breathe, and the following questions naturally arise:--Are there at +all seasons large spaces of open water in the Arctic Seas? or do these +animals travel from the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans immediately on the +breaking up of the ice off Cape Bathurst, and so early in the season as +the middle of July; while the sea, to the eastward and westward, is +still covered with ice? if the latter is the fact, it is a very curious +part of the natural history of these animals. The Esquimaux informed us, +that they are rarely seen when the ice lies close, and in accordance +with this remark Captain Franklin saw few to the westward, and we also +lost them as we approached the Coppermine River, and met with more ice. + +[10] Since the above passage was written, the world has had to mourn the +loss of this distinguished statesman and philosopher. + +[11] Its latitude was ascertained by meridional observations to be 68 +degrees 58 minutes N. + +[12] Captain Franklin has since transferred the name of Richardson to +the Bay between Point Mackenzie and the mouth of the Coppermine River. + + + + +PROCEEDINGS OF THE EASTERN DETACHMENT CONCLUDED. + +CHAPTER IV. + +Ascend the Coppermine River--Abandon the Boats and Stores--Commence the +Land Journey--Cross the Copper Mountains and Height of Land--Meet +Indians who bring Provisions--Arrive at Great Bear Lake--Detained by +want of a Boat--Send out Hunters--Arrival of Beaulieu--Collect the +Party, and proceed to Fort Franklin--Conclusion. + + +[Sidenote: Wednesday, 9th.] At four o'clock in the morning of the 9th of +August, we left our encampment at the mouth of the Coppermine River, and +proceeded in the boats to Bloody Fall, a distance of about eleven miles. +The river was very low, and, in many places, there was scarcely water +enough for our boats, which did not draw more than fourteen inches. On +the preceding evening an Esquimaux dog had come to our encampment: his +meagre aspect showed that he had fared badly, and hunger had rendered +him so tame that he readily ate from our hands. After following us a +considerable way up the river he left us; and we found, on our arrival +at Bloody Fall, that a party of Esquimaux had just quitted that place; +probably having discovered us from a distance. + +The Coppermine River, for forty miles above Bloody Fall, flows over an +uneven stony bed, betwixt precipitous rocky walls, and is full of +rapids. It is totally impracticable to ascend it in boats having a +greater draught of water than a few inches; and even a small canoe must +be frequently carried over land for considerable distances, to avoid the +numerous obstacles which occur. It was necessary, therefore, that we +should leave at this place the Dolphin and Union, and every thing that +was not absolutely necessary for our journey. We determined, however, on +taking with us Colonel Pasley's canvass boat, the Walnut-shell, in the +hope of its occasionally relieving the men of their burdens for a short +time, should any part of the river admit of its use. The afternoon +was employed in arranging the loads for crossing the barren grounds. Twenty +pounds of pemmican were allotted to each man, and the packages of +maccaroni, arrow-root, portable-soup, chocolate, sugar, and tea, were +equally distributed; together with the nautical almanack, astronomical +tables, charts, two fishing nets, the collection of plants, specimens of +rocks, and the portable boat, kettles, and hatchets; all of which, with +the blankets, spare shoes, guns, and ammunition, made a load of about +seventy-two pounds a man. Mr. Kendall undertook to carry the sextant and +azimuth-compass; and I took the artificial horizon and a package of +paper for drying plants, besides which we each carried a blanket, gun, +and ammunition. As I feared that some of the party would over-rate their +strength, and, through a desire of saving some favourite article, load +themselves too heavily at the outset, which could not fail to prove very +injurious to the regularity and speed of our march, I informed them, +that, as soon as we were at a convenient distance from our present +encampment, I should halt and examine all their bundles. + +The boats were drawn up on shore, out of the reach of any flood, and the +remainder of the articles, that we had brought to give the Esquimaux, +were put into boxes and placed in the tents, that they might be readily +found by the first party of that nation that passed this way. They +consisted of fish-hooks, lines, hatchets, knives, files, fire-steels, +kettles, combs, awls, needles, thread, blue and red cloth, gartering, +and beads, sufficient to serve a considerable number of Esquimaux for +several years. The tents were securely pitched, and the Union Jack +hoisted, partly for the purpose of attracting the attention of the +natives, and partly to show them the mode of using the tents, which may +prove to be very useful in their summer journeys. That no accident might +occur from the natives finding any of our powder, all that we did not +require to take with us was thrown into the river. + +[Sidenote: Thursday, 10th.] At six o'clock on the morning of the 10th, +after the men had been down to the beach to take a last look of our +little boats, we began our march to Bear Lake, intending to keep on the +banks of the Coppermine as far as its bend at the Copper Mountains, and +to strike from thence straight across the hills for the mouth of Dease's +River, which falls into the north-east arm of Bear Lake. We set off at a +pretty quick pace, and the first hill, after leaving our encampment, +being steep, tried the wind of most of the party, so that the few who +had loaded themselves with superfluous articles, were glad to throw +them away during a short halt on its summit, and when I examined their +packages, at the next resting-place, I found little to reject. A path +beaten by the rein-deer and the Esquimaux conducted us down the southern +face of this range of hill to the plain beneath, when we halted to +prepare breakfast, and to make some further arrangements, as several of +the party, being unaccustomed to carry loads, advanced slowly. After +breakfast the portable boat was put together, and the baggage being +placed in it, we endeavoured to tow it up the river, but found this to +be impracticable, owing to the badness of the towing-path, the numerous +high cliffs which bound the stream, and the form of the boat, which +permitted the water in strong rapids to flow over its bows. This boat +was admirably adapted for the purpose for which it was constructed by +Colonel Pasley, that of crossing a river or lake, as we had ascertained +by previous trials; but we knew that no river, except such as we could +ford, could occur on our route to Bear Lake; and I, therefore, +determined on leaving it, together with half a bag of arrow-root, and +five muskets, by which the loads were reduced about fifteen pounds a +man. The march was then resumed with alacrity, and, notwithstanding that +the day was hot and sultry, we proceeded with greater speed and +satisfaction. Mr. Kendall walked at the head of the line at a steady +pace, halting for five minutes every half hour to rest the party, and +prevent straggling. At five we encamped, having marched about six miles +in a direct line. The route throughout the journey was regulated, from +time to time, by our taking the bearing of a distant hill, or other +conspicuous object, by the compass, and walking directly for it; and the +distance was estimated by noting the time and guessing the rate of our +march. Of this, which was in general a little more than two miles an +hour, previous practice had enabled us to judge so correctly, that the +estimate seldom erred more than a mile a day. The error, whatever it +was, was always corrected at noon, when the latitude was observed, and +the course and distance were then calculated anew. + +During the day several small herds of rein-deer were seen, but I would +not permit any one to leave the line of march to go in pursuit of them; +after encamping, however, M'Leay killed a fine buck. A solitary stunted +spruce-fir grew near our encampment, and the most northerly clump on the +river was seen about two miles to the southward. When supper was over +and a watch set, we stretched ourselves on the ground, and soon sunk +into sound sleep. The temperature at sunset was 62 degrees. + +[Sidenote: Friday, 11th.] Setting out on the 11th, at six in the +morning, we halted to breakfast at nine, and Mr. Kendall took an +observation at noon, in latitude 67 degrees 33 minutes N. We encamped at +half past five P.M. amongst some small pines. The day was fine, and a +fresh easterly wind rendered it agreeable for walking; but the men were +much annoyed by their burdens, and appeared jaded when we halted for the +night. Their loads could not have exceeded fifty-two pounds each, but +the frequent ascent and descent in crossing the small hills that lay in +our way, and the occasional sponginess of the ground, and insecurity of +footing, rendered marching much more laborious than it would have been +on a hard English highway. The direct distance travelled this day was +about twelve miles. We saw many gray Arctic marmots (_Arctomys Parryi_,) +sporting near their burrows, and a little terrier dog, which had been +our fellow voyager from England, showed much dexterity in cutting off +their retreat, and succeeded in catching several of them. The dog's long +confinement in the boat rendered the exercise he now took very +fatiguing, and when we halted for the night he was the most tired of the +party. Many young rein-deer were also seen, and after we encamped +Ooligbuck killed one. The temperature in the evening was 50 degrees, but +the night was cold. + +[Sidenote: Saturday, 12th.] Our march on the 12th was rendered pleasant +by a cool northerly breeze, and the men being now familiar with their +loads, which had also suffered some diminution by the preceding +evening's repast, we made a more rapid progress. The length of the march +was seventeen miles, being, exclusive of the half hourly halts and the +time occupied by breakfast, at the rate of two miles and a half an hour. +In the course of the day we crossed several ridges of the Copper +Mountains to avoid a bend of the river. The Whisky-John (_corvus +Canadensis_) visited our encampment in the evening for the first time +since we left the Mackenzie. + +[Sidenote: Sunday, 13th.] On the 13th, commencing the day's march at +five A.M., we walked along the banks of the river until nine, when we +halted to prepare breakfast, at the place where Captain Franklin +encamped on the 11th of July 1821. After breakfast we forded the small +stream, on the banks of which several pieces of native copper and some +copper ore were found on the former Expedition. A quantity of ice formed +by snow, consolidated by the oozing of the stream, still remained in the +bed of this rivulet. + +At noon the latitude was observed in 67 degrees 13 minutes N., and as we +were now on the spot where the Coppermine makes the nearest approach to +the north-east arm of Bear Lake, we decided on striking directly from +this place to the mouth of Dease's River, and the course and distance +were accordingly calculated. Our route lay over rocks of old red +sandstone, clay-slate, and greenstone disposed in ridges, which had a +direction from E.S.E. to W.N.W. The sides of many of the ridges were +precipitous, and their uneven and stony summits were two hundred or two +hundred and fifty feet high. The valleys were generally swampy and +abounded in small lakes. A few scattered and thin clumps of pines +existed in the more sheltered spots, but the country was, in general, +naked. Several burrows of wolves were seen in the mountains. We crossed +two small streams in the course of the day, flowing towards the +Coppermine, and encamped at four P.M. on the banks of a small lake. +Sand-flies, the first we had seen this season, were numerous and +troublesome in the evening, the temperature then being 53 degrees. + +[Sidenote: Monday, 14th.] Setting out at five A.M. on the 14th, we +halted to breakfast at nine, after a pretty brisk walk through a country +entirely destitute of wood. Some partridges, which were so tame as to be +easily killed with stones, furnished us with an agreeable variety of +diet. A meridional observation was obtained in latitude 67 degrees 10 +minutes N. In endeavouring to get round the south end of a small chain +of lakes, which lay in our route, we were stopped by a narrow stream +about six feet deep, flowing from them towards the Coppermine River; +but, on sounding the lake a little way from the head of the stream, we +found that it was fordable without difficulty. We marched to a late hour +in search of fuel to cook some deer's meat, which M'Leay had procured in +the course of the day, and were fortunate in at length finding a wooded +valley on the banks of a small stream, that fell into the chain of lakes +which we had crossed. It is probably this river, and chain of lakes, +that the Indians ascend from the Coppermine River in canoes to the +height of land which they cross on their route to Bear Lake.[13] The +ridges of hill over which we marched on this day consisted of spotted +sandstone and porphyry. The temperature in the evening was 47 degrees, +and the night was frosty. Two white wolves took a survey of our +bivouack, but did not venture within gun-shot. + +[Sidenote: Tuesday, 15th.] Starting on the 15th at five o'clock, we +marched until eight, when we halted to breakfast. The air felt very +cold, although the thermometer was not below 39 degrees. In the early +part of the day we crossed some ridges of sandstone, and towards noon we +travelled over granite, similar to that which abounds in the +neighbourhood of Fort Enterprize. Much wood was seen in a valley far to +the westward, but the hills over which our course lay were quite naked. +The bog whortleberry (_vaccinium uliginosum_,) however, grew abundantly +on these hills, and as its fruit was now in the highest perfection, the +men at every resting-place threw themselves down, and indulged freely, +without sustaining any injury. + +In the afternoon our route was over nearly horizontal strata of spotted +sandstone and conglomerate. About three o'clock we had gained the summit +of the height of land separating the Coppermine River from Great Bear +Lake, and obtained from it an extensive view of a lower and well wooded +country; but all the grounds in our immediate neighbourhood consisted of +barren sandstone strata. After looking in vain for a comfortable +sleeping-place, as the night threatened to be stormy, and a moist and +cold fog was setting in, we were obliged to content ourselves with +building a rude shelter with blocks of sandstone; and to use for firing +a black lichen (_cornicularia divergens_,) which, fortunately, grew +plentifully in the crevices of the rock. The distance walked this day +was about fourteen miles. We had no meridional observations, because the +sky was obscured. + +We had supped, and most of the men had retired to rest, when Mr. +Kendall, in sweeping the horizon with his telescope, saw three Indians +coming down a hill, and directing their steps towards us. More moss was +immediately thrown on the fire, and the St. George's ensign hoisted on +the end of a musquet, to point out to the comers who we were; but as +they hid the youngest of their number in a ravine, at the foot of the +hill, and the two seniors seemed to approach slowly and with suspicion, +Mr. Kendall and I went unarmed to meet them. They came up, one with his +bow and arrows in his hand, and the other with his gun cocked; but as +soon as they recognised our dress, which was the same that I had worn in +our voyage round Bear Lake, the preceding autumn, when I had seen most +of the Hare Indian tribe, they shouted in an ecstasy of joy, shook hands +most cordially with us, and called loudly for the young lad to come up. +The meeting was no less gratifying to us: these people had brought furs +and provisions to Fort Franklin in the winter, and they now seemed to be +friends come to rejoice with us on the termination of our voyage. We +learned from them, partly by signs, and partly from the little we +understood of their language, that by the advice of It-chinnah, the +Hare Indian Chief, they had been hunting for some time in this +neighbourhood, in the hopes of falling in with us on our way from the +sea; that they would give us all the provision they had collected, +accompany us to Bear Lake, and warn all the Indians in the neighbourhood +of our arrival. They appeared much surprised, when, placing the compass +on the ground, we showed them the exact bearing of the mouth of Dease's +River; and they were not able to comprehend how we knew the way in a +quarter through which we had never travelled. They said, however, that +they would conduct us in the morning to the Indian portage road, where +we would have better walking than by keeping the direct route across the +hills. We had reserved but little that we could present to these kind +people, though every one contrived to muster some small article for +them, which they gratefully received. They were dressed, after the +manner of their tribe, with fillets of deer-skin round their heads and +wrists, and carried in their hands a pair of deer's horns and a few +willow twigs, which are all serviceable in enabling them to approach the +rein-deer, in the way described by Mr. Wentzel in the Narrative of +Captain Franklin's former voyage. + +Ooligbuck, who had gone out to hunt, returned in the night. He met an +Indian who had just killed a deer with an arrow, and had tried to +persuade him to come to us; but neither of them understood the other's +language, and the Indian, probably terrified by the sight of an +Esquimaux armed with a gun, presented him with a piece of the deer's +meat, and then made off in an opposite direction. Many of the Hare +Indians abstain from visiting the forts for several years, and it is +possible that this one had not heard of us, or at least had not received +a distinct account of our intention of returning his way, and of our +having an Esquimaux with us. Our Indian friends told us that they did +not know that any of their countrymen were hunting in the direction +which Ooligbuck pointed out. + +[Sidenote: Wednesday, 16th.] On the 16th a thick fog prevented us from +quitting our bivouack until seven o'clock, when the Indians led us down +the hill about a mile to the portage road, and we resumed the precise +line of march that we had followed from the Coppermine River, (S. 63 +degrees W.) Such of our Highlandmen as had been in the service of the +Hudson's Bay Company, and, consequently knew from experience the +difficulty of travelling through a country without guides, could not +help expressing their surprise at the justness of the course we had +followed. We had not concealed from them, that from want of +observations, or from the difficulty of estimating the distance walked, +we might err a mile or two in our reckoning, so that they were prepared, +on our reaching Bear Lake, to turn a little to the right or left in +search of the river; but they had scarcely hoped to have reached that +point without having to perform a single mile of unnecessary walking. + +The portage-road conducted us in a short time to the principal branch of +Dease's River, on the banks of which, at the distance of six miles from +our encampment, we halted to breakfast. The stream there receives +another branch, but it is fordable without difficulty, being nowhere +much above knee-deep. A little way further to the westward, however, it +is less rapid, and forms frequent lake-like expansions. Our march from +last night's encampment was over sandstone rocks, and down a pretty +rapid ascent. The ground was barren in the extreme, except at our +breakfasting place, where there was a convenient clump of wood and a +profusion of whortleberries. Having finished this meal, we resumed the +march, with the intention of halting a few miles further on, that our +Indian friends might rejoin us with their provision, which lay in store +to the southward of our route. We therefore encamped at half past two +o'clock in a pleasant pine clump, and immediately set fire to a tree to +apprize the Indians of our situation. They arrived at sunset, heavily +laden with tongues, fat, and half-dried meat; and M'Leay also killed two +deer after we encamped, so that we revelled in abundance. The length of +the day's journey was fourteen miles, and the estimated distance of the +mouth of Dease's River twenty miles. + +[Sidenote: Thursday, 17th.] The provisions obtained from the Indians +being distributed amongst the men, we commenced the march at five +o'clock in the morning, and walked, until the usual breakfasting hour, +over a piece of fine level ground. A range of sandstone hills rose on +our left, and the river ran nearly parallel to our course on the right, +but we walked at the distance of one or two miles from it, to avoid its +windings and the swampy grounds on its borders. Pine-trees grow only in +small detached clumps on its south bank; but the uneven valley, which we +saw spreading for ten or twelve miles to the northward, was well wooded. +The Needagazza Hills, which lie on the north shore of the Bear Lake, +closed the view to the westward. Several columns of smoke were seen to +the westward, and one to the southward; the latter, the Indians informed +us, was made by It-chinnah. We breakfasted on the banks of a small +stream, where the whortleberry bushes were loaded with fruit of a finer +flavour than any we had previously met with. At noon we crossed a hill, +on the summit of which Mr. Kendall had an observation, that placed it in +66 degrees 58 minutes of north latitude. Our route afterwards led us +across several deep ravines close to the river, which there runs by the +base of some lofty cliffs, of light red sandstone, and we pushed on in +great spirits, and at a rapid pace, with the intention of reaching Bear +Lake that evening; but the Indians complaining that they were unable to +keep up with us, we halted at three P.M. Several trees were then set on +fire to apprize It-chinnah and his party of our approach; and, after +supper, I went to the summit of a hill, and readily recognised the +islands in Dease's Bay of Bear Lake, from their peculiar form and +disposition. + +[Sidenote: Friday, 18th.] Setting out at three A.M. on the 18th, the +Indians conducted us over a rising ground, covered with white spruces, +to a bay of the Great Bear Lake, about a mile from Dease's River. After +breakfast, our stock of provisions being examined, it was found that we +had two days' allowance remaining. A party was next sent to Dease's +River to make a raft for setting the two nets, and they were also +directed to look for traces of Beaulieu and his party. He had been +ordered by Captain Franklin to leave the fort on the 6th of August, and +to make the best of his way to the rendezvous, where he was to remain to +the 20th of September. The length of his voyage, allowing for two or +three days detention by adverse winds, was not expected to exceed seven +or eight days, nor to be protracted, under any circumstances, beyond ten +or twelve. We had, therefore, reason to suppose that he might have +reached Dease's River by this time. He was fully aware of the +inconvenience that we might experience, should we reach the appointed +spot and find no provisions there; and to stimulate him to make as much +haste as possible, I had promised him a fowling-piece, on condition that +we found him waiting for us on our arrival. Huts were made to sleep in, +and several trees set on fire to point out our position to the Indians +in the neighbourhood. + +[Sidenote: Saturday, 19th.] The mossy ground near our encampment caught +fire in the night, and the flames spread so rapidly that we were obliged +on the morning of the 19th, to move to the banks of the river, where we +made new huts. Owing to the loss of a hatchet in driving the stakes, +only one net had been set the preceding evening, and in it we took eight +carp. The raft being made of green wood was not sufficiently buoyant, +and a new one was, therefore, constructed this day of dried timber. The +carp afforded a breakfast for the party, and supper consumed all our +deer's meat, together with a portion of the remainder of the pemmican. +The young Indian went off in the afternoon in quest of It-chinnah's +party. A strong easterly wind blowing all this day, was adverse to +Beaulieu's advance. + +[Sidenote: Sunday, 20th.] On Sunday, the 20th, prayers were read, and +thanks returned to the Almighty for his gracious protection and the +success which had attended our voyage. The nets yielding seventeen pike, +carp, and white fish, provided an ample breakfast for the party, and +before supper time the young Indian returned with two of his countrymen, +bringing meat sufficient for three days consumption. Part of it was the +flesh of the musk-ox, which was fat and juicy, but had a high musky +flavour. We had seen none of these animals on our march from the +Coppermine River, although we frequently noticed their foot marks. +Frequent squalls during the day brought much rain, but the huts which we +had made of pine branches kept us dry. We could not but consider +ourselves fortunate in having had no rain in the journey overland, when +there was not sufficient wood to afford us the shelter we now +experienced. + +[Sidenote: Monday, 21st.] On the 21st the nets yielded sixteen fish, +which were enough for breakfast. Mr. Kendall crossed the river on a +raft, and went to the top of a hill to the westward to look for +Beaulieu; and, by way of keeping the men employed, I sent M'Leay and +some of our best hunters in quest of deer, and set the carpenter and the +remainder of the party to make oars. Our Indian friends left us to warn +some more of their countrymen, of our situation, and five others arrived +in the evening, bringing meat and large basketfuls of whortleberries. +M'Leay and the other hunters returned without having seen any deer. + +[Sidenote: Tuesday, 22nd.] To secure a stock of provision for our +journey to the fort, in the event of any accident preventing the arrival +of the boat, I resolved to send half the party on a distant excursion, +and on the 22nd, Gillet, M'Leay, M'Duffie, M'Lellan, and Ooligbuck, were +despatched to hunt in the neighbourhood of Limestone Point, on the north +shore of the lake, with orders not to extend their excursions beyond +Haldanes River, which falls into the lake about sixty miles to the +westward of Dease River. If they went on to Haldanes River, they were to +set up a mark on Limestone Point, that I might know whether they had +passed or not. They took with them a small supply of provision, and an +Indian guide. In the evening two Indians came with more meat. They were +desirous of being paid with ammunition, which they much needed, but we +had none to give them, and they cheerfully took our notes of hand for +payment, on their arrival at the fort in the winter. + +[Sidenote: Wednesday, 23rd.] The 23d day of August having passed away +like the four preceding ones, in anxious expectation of Beaulieu's +arrival, I began to apprehend that some serious accident had happened to +his boat, and to fear that we should be obliged to walk round the Lake +to the Fort. The distance exceeding three hundred miles, we could not +expect to accomplish it in less than three weeks, and not without much +fatigue and suffering, for the men's stock of shoes was nearly +exhausted, their clothing ill adapted for the frosty nights that occur +in September, and deer do not frequent, at this season, much of the +country through which our route lay. I naturally looked forward to such +a march with uneasiness, yet, as the season was drawing to a close, I +determined not to delay setting out beyond the 28th, when I intended to +engage some Indians as guides, and to take with us as much dried meat as +we could carry. The wind blew from the south-west this day, and we were +much tormented by sand-flies. + +[Sidenote: Thursday, 24th.] On the evening of the 24th, as we were about +to retire to bed, having given up all hopes of Beaulieu's arrival that +day, we heard people talking in the direction of the mouth of the river, +and soon afterwards saw a boat and several canoes. A musket being fired +to show them our position, they steered for the encampment, and landed +opposite to the huts. They proved to be Beaulieu's party, consisting of +four Canadians, four Chipewyan hunters, and ten Dog-Ribs, which, with +their wives and children, amounted to about thirty in all. We learnt +from Beaulieu, that he had been sent off from the Fort by Mr. Dease, on +the 6th, with strict injunctions to proceed to the rendezvous with his +utmost speed; but he pleaded the badness of the weather and the adverse +winds as the cause of his delay. He had not seen the five men I sent off +on the 22d, though he had noticed a fire in a bay near Limestone Point, +which I had no doubt was made by them; I therefore embarked directly to +rejoin them at that place, accompanied by Mr. Kendall and the remainder +of our party, two of the Canadians, and an Indian named the Babillard; +directing Beaulieu to stay at the huts until he heard from us again. We +rowed all night, and soon after day-break reached the spot where the +fire had been made, but found no marks to indicate which way our men had +gone: neither was there any mark at Limestone Point; I therefore caused +a large fire to be made at the latter place, and remained there the +whole day. + +[Sidenote: Saturday, 26th.] Our people not appearing on the 26th, I +returned in the boat to Dease River, leaving Mr. Kendall and the +Babillard at Limestone Point. Beaulieu had seen nothing of the +absentees, and it was therefore evident that they had gone on to Haldane +River, whither I resolved to proceed in search of them; but that they +might not suffer from want of food, if by any chance we missed them, I +directed Beaulieu's party to remain where they were, until I sent them +permission to depart by two Canadians, whom I took with me on purpose in +a small canoe. Mr. Dease had directed Beaulieu to go to M'Tavish Bay to +hunt deer, and dry meat for the fort, as soon as we arrived; and as the +boat was well adapted for carrying dried provision, I now exchanged it +with his north canoe. + +[Sidenote: Sunday, 27th.] We rejoined Mr. Kendall at Limestone Point at +day-break on the morning of the 27th, and afterwards paddled along the +coast until two P.M., when a strong head-wind obliged us to put ashore. +As soon as we landed, I set out with the Babillard for Haldane River, +carrying a small quantity of pemmican, lest the people should be in want +of food; and after a walk, or rather a run, of five miles, I had the +happiness of finding them all well, and with plenty of provisions, as +they had killed six deer. Their Indian guide had taken them a little +inland, by which they had missed Limestone Point; but they were very +sorry it had so happened, when they learned the anxiety they had +occasioned to Mr. Kendall and myself, by their not erecting the mark +there as they had been directed to do. The wind moderating after sunset, +Mr. Kendall joined us with the two canoes, so that the party was again +happily reunited. [Sidenote: Monday, 28th.] On Monday the 28th, I sent +back the small canoe with the Babillard and two Canadians, to join +Beaulieu, and proceed with the rest of the party in the larger canoe to +Fort Franklin, where we arrived on Friday, the 1st of September, and +received a warm welcome from Mr. Dease, after an absence of seventy-one +days, during which period we had travelled by land and water one +thousand seven hundred and nine geographical, or nineteen hundred and +eighty statute miles. + +Having now brought the Narrative of the proceedings of the Eastern +Detachment to a conclusion, the pleasing duty remains of expressing my +gratitude to the party for their cheerful and obedient conduct. Not a +murmur of discontent was heard throughout the voyage, but every +individual engaged with alacrity in the laborious tasks he was called +upon to perform. Where all behaved with the greatest zeal, it would be +invidious to particularize any; and I am happy in having it in my power +to add, that since our return to England, Gillet, Fuller and Tysoe, who +were in His Majesty's service previous to their being employed on the +Expedition, have been rewarded by promotion. Our good-natured and +faithful Esquimaux friend Ooligbuck, carried with him to his native +lands the warmest wishes and esteem of the whole party. His attachment +to us was never doubtful, even when we were surrounded by a tribe of his +own nation. + +The general abilities and professional skill of my companion, Lieutenant +Kendall, are duly appreciated in higher quarters, and can derive little +lustre from any eulogium from me; but I cannot deny myself the +gratification of recording my deep sense of the good fortune and +happiness I experienced in being associated with a gentleman of such +pleasing manners, and one upon whose friendly support and sound judgment +I could with confidence rely, on occasions of difficulty and doubt +inseparable from such a voyage. + +_End of Dr. Richardson's Narrative of the Proceedings of the Eastern +Detachment._ + + + + +_TABLE of the distances travelled by both Branches of the Expedition, +and of the extent of their Discoveries in 1827._ + + BY THE WESTERN PARTY. _Statute Miles._ + ---------------------------------------------------------------------- + From Fort Franklin, by Fort Norman, to Point Separation (river + course) 525 + Point Separation to Pillage Point, at the Mouth of the Mackenzie 129 + Pillage Point to Return reef (sea-voyage out) 374 + Return Reef, back to Fort Franklin, including Peel River 1020 + ---- + Distance travelled by the Western Party in July, August, + September, 1826. 2048 + + BY THE EASTERN PARTY. + ---------------------------------------------------------------------- + From Fort Franklin to Point Separation, along with the western + party 525 + Point Separation to Point Encounter (river course.) 159 + Encounter to the Coppermine River (sea-voyage[14]) 863 + The mouth of the Coppermine, over land to Fort Franklin 433 + ---- + Distance travelled by the Eastern Party in July and + August, 1826 1980 + + EXTENT OF THE DISCOVERIES OF THE WESTERN PARTY IN 1826. + ---------------------------------------------------------------------- + From Point Separation to the mouth of the Mackenzie, by a western + branch, not previously known 129 + Pillage Point by the sea-coast to Point Beechey, which was + seen from Return Reef 391 + Peel River and a branch of the Mackenzie surveyed for the first + time, on the return 90 + ---- + 610 + + EXTENT OF THE DISCOVERIES OF THE EASTERN PARTY IN 1826. + ---------------------------------------------------------------------- + From Sacred Island to Point Encounter, being a portion of the + river lying to the eastward of Mackenzie's route 37 + Point Encounter, along the coast to the Coppermine River 863 + The Copper Mountains, overland to Bear Lake 115 + ---- + 1015 + +_TABLE of Times of High Water, reduced to Full and Change, by E.N. +Kendall, Lieutenant, R.N._ + + Geographic Times of High Water. Winds. + Position. + Reduced + Names of Places Lat Lon. to full Direction. + Date. of Observations. N. W. Observed & change. Force. + + General Remarks. + ---------------------------------------------------------------------- + 1825. d. m. d. m. h. m. h. m. + Aug. + 16 Garry Island 69 29 135 41 1 0 P.M. 10 19 N.E. 6 + No ice visible. + 1826. + July + 9 Point Toker 69 38 132 18 4 25 P.M. 1 45 N.E.b.E. 5 + Loose ice covering the sea. Rise of water 20 in. + + 10 } Bay between } { 5 0 P.M. 0 56 East. 8 + } Points Toker } 69 43 131 58 { Heavy pieces of ice. + 12 } and Warren } { 6 48 P.M. 1 48 - 5 + Little ice visible. + + 13 Atkinson Island 69 55 130 43 7 0 P.M. 0 32 S.E. 1 + Rise and fall 18 inches. + + 14 Browell Cove 70 00 130 20 7 0 P.M. 1 12 West. 6 + Very little rise and fall. + + 18 Point Sir 70 08 127 45 3 15 A.M. 3 47 Calm. - + P. Maitland + 19 Near Cape Bathurst 70 33 127 21 1 30 A.M. 1 28 E.S.E. 6 + { In the mouth of Harrowby Bay, round + (18 & 19) { which the tide appeared to flow. + { Flood setting from the Eastward. + { Rise and fall 14-1/2 inches. + + 20 Point Fitton 70 11 126 14 4 00 A.M. 3 18 N.W. 6 + Rise and fall 13 inches. + +_TABLE of Times of High Water, &c.--Concluded._ + + Geographic Times of High Water. Winds. + Position. + Reduced + Names of Places Lat Lon. to full Direction. + Date. of Observations. N. W. Observed & change. Force. + + General Remarks. + ---------------------------------------------------------------------- + 1826. d. m. d. m. h. m. h. m. + July + 20 W. Horton River 69 50 125 55 4 15 P.M. 3 15 W.N.W. 9 + + 21 - - - - - 5 0 A.M. 3 49 - 7 + + 27 Cape Lyon 69 46 122 51 {11 50 A.M. 6 33 E.N.E. 8 + { Stream of flood from the + { Eastward. Rise and fall + 30 {Three miles from } { 14 inches. + {Buchanan River } 69 24 120 03 { 5 0 P.M. 8 20 W.N.W. 8 + Ice close and heavy, Rise and fall 9 inches. + Aug. + 1 Point Wise 69 03 119 00 8 30 P.M. 7 04 West. 4 + Compact ice. + + 3 Stapylton Bay 68 52 116 03 9 0 P.M. 8 22 East. 2 + In a bay filled with ice. + + 4 { Between C. Hope } + { and C. Bexley } 68 57 115 48 3 15 P.M. 8 25 E.S.E. 4 + Ice to seaward. + + 5 Chantry Island 68 45 114 23 8 30 P.M. 7 22 W.S.W. 3 + Loose masses of ice. + + 6 {Seven miles from } + {C. Krusenstern } 68 32 113 53 9 00 P.M. 7 13 Variable. - + Flood from the S.E. Velocity 3 miles an hour. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[13] Franklin's First Journey to the Polar Sea, p. 337. + +[14] All the distances mentioned in the narrative of the proceedings of +the eastern detachment, are geographical miles. + + + + +CAPTAIN FRANKLIN'S NARRATIVE RESUMED. + +CHAPTER VI. + +Brief Notices of the Second Winter at Bear Lake--Traditions of the +Dog-Ribs--Leave Fort Franklin--Winter Journey to Fort Chipewyan--Remarks +on the progress of improvement in the Fur Countries--Set out in Canoes +on the Voyage Homeward--Join Dr. Richardson at Cumberland House--Mr. +Drummond's Narrative--Arrival in Canada, at New York, and London. + + +[Sidenote: Thursday, 21st] During our absence on the sea-coast, Mr. +Dease had employed the Canadians in making such repairs about the +buildings as to fit them for another winter's residence, but he had not +been able to complete his plans before the arrival of Dr. Richardson's +party, through whose assistance they were finished shortly after our +return. The inconvenience arising from the unfinished state of the +houses was a trifle, when compared to the disappointment we felt at the +poverty of our store, which contained neither meat nor dried fish, and +the party was living solely on the daily produce of the nets, which, at +this time, was barely sufficient for its support. Notwithstanding the +repeated promises which the Fort hunters and the Dog-Ribs in general had +given us, of exerting themselves to collect provisions during the +summer, we found that they had not supplied more than three deer since +our departure. The only reason they assigned to Mr. Dease, on his +remonstrating with them, was, that they had been withheld from hunting +at any great distance from the Fort, by the fear of meeting the Copper +Indians, who, they fancied, would be lying in wait to attack them. This +excuse, however, had been so often alleged without a cause, that it was +considered mere evasion, and we attributed their negligence to the +indolence and apathy which mark the character of this tribe. + +I need not dilate upon the anxieties which we felt at the prospect of +commencing the winter with such a scanty supply of food. We at once +sent off five men, provided with nets and lines, to the fishery in +M'Vicar's Bay, which had been so productive in the preceding year, in +the hope that, besides gaining their own subsistence, they might store +up some fish for us, which could be brought to the Fort when the lake +was frozen. Our anxiety was, in some measure, relieved on the 28th of +September, by the arrival of Beaulieu and some hunters, from the north +side of Bear Lake, with a supply of dried meat. The term of Beaulieu's +engagement being now expired, he was desirous of quitting our service; +and though he was our best hunter, Mr. Dease advised me to comply with +his request, as he had collected a number of useless followers, whom we +must have fed during the short days. He accordingly took his departure, +accompanied by seventeen persons, which was a very important relief to +our daily issue of provision. I furnished them with ammunition from the +store to enable them to hunt on their way to Marten Lake, where they +intended to fish until the return of spring. + +[Sidenote: October.] Calculating that the stores, which had been ordered +from York Factory, must have arrived at Fort Norman, I despatched Mr. +Kendall for them; and he returned on the 8th of October, with as much of +them as his canoe would carry. The men were immediately furnished with +warm clothing, of which the eastern party were in great need, having +left every thing on quitting the sea-coast, except one suit each. We +were rejoiced at the receipt of a large packet of letters from England, +dated in the preceding February. They brought out the gratifying +intelligence that my friend Lieutenant Back had been promoted, in +December, 1825, to the rank of Commander. I likewise received a large +packet of news papers from his Excellency the Earl of Dalhousie, +Governor-in-Chief of Canada, to whom I take this opportunity of +returning my best thanks for the warm interest he took in the welfare of +the Expedition. + +I shall now briefly trace the advance of winter: the nights were frosty +and the weather was unsettled and gloomy, from the time of our arrival +to the close of September. Heavy rain fell on the 2nd of October, which +on the following day was succeeded by hard frost and much snow. The snow +which fell on the 8th remained on the ground for the rest of the season. +The small lake was frozen on the 12th, from which day we dated the +commencement of winter as we had done in the preceding year. There was a +succession of gales, and almost constant snow from that time to the +close of the month; and on the 30th the thermometer first descended +below zero. The snow then was much deeper than at the close of November +in the former year. The last of the migratory birds, which were a few +hardy ducks, took their departure on the 18th of October. + +[Sidenote: November.] Stormy weather kept the Bear Lake open until the +16th of November, nine days later than the year before; and for some +weeks we received no assistance from the nets, which again reduced our +stock of meat to a small quantity. The same occupations, amusements, and +exercise, were followed by the officers and men as in the former +residence; and the occurrences were so similar, that particular mention +of them is unnecessary. On the 25th of November we despatched some men +with dogs and sledges to bring the remainder of the stores from Fort +Norman. As it was my intention, as soon as the maps and drawings could +be finished, to proceed on the ice to Fort Chipewyan, in order to secure +provisions for the out-going of the party, and to reach England by the +earliest conveyance, I requested of Mr. Brisbois to provide a cariole, +sledges, and snow-shoes, for my journey, the birch of which they are +made being plentiful in the neighbourhood of Fort Norman, and he having +a better workman than any at our establishment. On the 28th Mackenzie +arrived from M'Vicar's Bay, with an acceptable supply of fine +white-fish. We learned from him that our party, as well as the Indians, +were living in abundance; and that the latter had shown their wisdom +this season, not only in taking up their quarters at that place, instead +of remaining about the Fort, as they had done in the former year, but +also in building themselves houses like those of our men, and thus +having more comforts and better shelter than they had ever before +enjoyed. The fishery opposite the Fort was now sufficiently productive +for our wants, though the fish, from being out of season, disagreed so +much with several of the men as to cause great debility, which was the +more distressing to us, as we were unable to supply the invalids with +meat on more than two days in the week. Contrary to what had happened +last season, we did not receive meat this year from more than six or +seven persons of either the Hare Indians or Dog-Rib tribes, after the +ice set in; this happened, probably, from our being now unprovided with +goods to exchange for their furs; though they had been expressly told in +the spring, that we should have abundance of ammunition, tobacco, and +other supplies, to purchase all the meat they would bring. + +By the return of our men from Fort Norman, we learned that one of our +Dog-Rib hunters had murdered a man of his tribe, in the autumn, near +the mouth of the Bear Lake River. The culprit being at the house, we +inquired into the truth of the report, which was found correct; and he +was in consequence instantly discharged from our service. His victim had +been a man of notoriously loose habits, and in this instance had carried +off the hunter's wife and child, while he was in pursuit of deer, at a +great distance from the Fort. The husband pursued the guilty pair the +moment he discovered their flight, and, on overtaking them, instantly +shot the seducer; but the woman escaped a similar fate, by having the +presence of mind to turn aside the muzzle of the gun when in the act of +being discharged. She did not, however, escape punishment: her husband +struck her senseless to the ground with the stock of his gun, and would +have completed her destruction, but for the cries and intreaties of +their only child. This transaction adds another to the melancholy list +of about thirty murders which have been perpetrated on the borders of +this lake since 1799, when the first trading post was established. + +The Dog-Rib Indians, being derived from the same stock with the +Chipewyans, have many traditions and opinions in common with that +people. I requested Mr. Dease to obtain answers from the old men of the +tribe to a few queries which I drew up, and the following is the +substance of the information he procured, which may be compared with the +more extended statements by Hearne and Mackenzie, of the general belief +of the Chipewyans. + +The _first man_, they said, was, according to the tradition of their +fathers, named Chapewee. He found the world well stocked with food, and +he created children, to whom he gave two kinds of fruit, the black and +the white, but forbade them to eat the black. Having thus issued his +commands for the guidance of his family, he took leave of them for a +time, and made a long excursion for the purpose of conducting the sun to +the world. During this, his first absence, his children were obedient, +and ate only the white fruit, but they consumed it all; the consequence +was, that when he a second time absented himself to bring the moon, and +they longed for fruit, they forgot the orders of their father, and ate +of the black, which was the only kind remaining. He was much displeased +on his return, and told them that in future the earth would produce bad +fruits, and that they would be tormented by sickness and +death--penalties which have attached to his descendants to the present +day. Chapewee himself lived so long that his throat was worn out, and he +could no longer enjoy life; but he was unable to die, until, at his own +request, one of his people drove a beaver-tooth into his head. + +The same, or another Chapewee (for there is some uncertainty on this +head,) lived with his family on a strait between two seas. Having there +constructed a weir to catch fish, such a quantity were taken, that the +strait was choked up, and the water rose and overflowed the earth. +Chapewee embarked with his family in a canoe, taking with them all +manner of birds and beasts. The waters covered the earth for many days, +but, at length, Chapewee said, we cannot live always thus, we must find +land again, and he accordingly sent a beaver to search for it. The +beaver was drowned, and his carcase was seen floating on the water; on +which Chapewee despatched a musk-rat on the same errand. The second +messenger was long absent, and when he did return was near dying with +fatigue, but he had a little earth in his paws. The sight of the earth +rejoiced Chapewee, but his first care was about the safety of his +diligent servant, the rat, which he rubbed gently with his hands, and +cherished in his bosom, until it revived. He next took up the earth, and +mouldering it with his fingers, placed it on the water, where it +increased by degrees until it formed an island in the ocean. A wolf was +the first animal Chapewee placed on the infant earth, but the weight +proving too great, it began to sink on one side, and was in danger of +turning over. To prevent this accident the wolf was directed to move +round the island, which he did for a whole year, and in that time the +earth increased so much in size, that all on board the canoe were able +to disembark on it. Chapewee, on landing, stuck up a piece of wood, +which became a fir-tree, and grew with amazing rapidity, until its top +reached the skies. A squirrel ran up this tree, and was pursued by +Chapewee, who endeavoured to knock it down, but could not overtake it. +He continued the chase, however, until he reached the stars, where he +found a fine plain, and a beaten road. In this road he set a snare made +of his sister's hair, and then returned to the earth. The sun appeared +as usual in the heavens in the morning, but at noon it was caught by the +snare which Chapewee had set for the squirrel, and the sky was instantly +darkened. Chapewee's family on this said to him, you must have done +something wrong when you were aloft, for we no longer enjoy the light of +day; "I have," replied he, "but it was unintentionally." Chapewee then +endeavoured to repair the fault he had committed, and sent a number of +animals up the tree to release the sun, by cutting the snare, but the +intense heat of that luminary reduced them all to ashes. The efforts of +the more active animals being thus frustrated, a ground mole, though +such a grovelling and awkward beast, succeeded by burrowing under the +road in the sky, until it reached and cut asunder the snare which bound +the sun. It lost its eyes, however, the instant it thrust its head into +the light, and its nose and teeth have ever since been brown, as if +burnt. Chapewee's island, during these transactions, increased to the +present size of the American Continent; and he traced the course of the +rivers, and scraped out the lakes by drawing his fingers through the +earth. He next allotted to the quadrupeds, birds, and fishes, their +different stations, and endowing them with certain capacities, he told +them that they were in future to provide for their own safety, because +man would destroy them whenever he found their tracks; but to console +them, he said, that when they died they should be like a seed of grass, +which, when thrown into the water, springs again into life. The animals +objected to this arrangement, and said, let us when we die be as a stone +which, when thrown into a lake, disappears forever from the sight of +man. Chapewee's family complained of the penalty of death entailed upon +them for eating the black fruit, on which he granted that such of them +as dreamed certain dreams should be men of medicine, capable of curing +diseases and of prolonging life. In order to preserve this virtue, they +were not to tell their dreams until a certain period had elapsed. To +acquire the power of foretelling events, they were to take an ant alive, +and insert it under the skin of the palm of the hand, without letting +any one know what they had done. + +For a long time Chapewee's descendants were united as one family, but at +length some young men being accidentally killed in a game, a quarrel +ensued, and a general dispersion of mankind took place. One Indian fixed +his residence on the borders of the lake, taking with him a dog big with +young. The pups in due time were littered, and the Indian, when he went +out to fish, carefully tied them up to prevent their straying. Several +times as he approached his tent, he heard a noise of children talking +and playing; but on entering it he only perceived the pups tied up as +usual. His curiosity being excited by the noises he had heard, he +determined to watch, and one day pretending to go out and fish, +according to custom, he concealed himself in a convenient place. In a +short time he again heard voices, and rushing suddenly into the tent, +beheld some beautiful children sporting and laughing, with the dog-skins +lying by their side. He threw the skins into the fire, and the children, +retaining their proper forms, grew up, and were the ancestors of the +Dog-Rib nation. + +On Mr. Dease questioning some of the elderly men as to their knowledge +of a supreme Being, they replied--"We believe that there is a Great +Spirit, who created every thing, both us and the world for our use. We +suppose that he dwells in the lands from whence the white people come, +that he is kind to the inhabitants of those lands, and that there are +people there who never die: the winds that blow from that quarter +(south) are always warm. He does not know the wretched state of our +island, nor the pitiful condition in which we are." + +To the question, whom do your medicine men address when they conjure? +They answered,--"We do not think that they speak to the master of life, +for if they did, we should fare better than we do, and should not die. +He does not inhabit our lands." + +[Sidenote: December.] On the evening of the 1st of December a brilliant +comet appeared in the western quarter, which had been indistinctly seen +the two preceding nights. A line drawn through alpha and eta Ursae Majoris +led to its position; it also formed a trapezium with alpha Aquilae and alpha +Lyrae and alpha Coronae Borealis. This was the last night of its being +visible. The temperature had been unusually high for several days, about +this time +18 above zero; and, with the exception of the night of the +1st, the atmosphere gloomy; and we amused ourselves with conjecturing, +whether this extraordinary warmth, and the density of the clouds, could +in any way be ascribed to the comet. + +At Christmas we were favoured by a visit from Mr. Brisbois, to whom we +felt much obliged for the care he had taken of our sea-stores, beside +many personal civilities. The visit of a stranger is always heartily +welcomed in such a desolate region, and to provide for the entertainment +of the party during Mr. Brisbois's stay, Captain Back and Mr. Kendall +displayed their ingenuity in cutting out several pasteboard figures, to +represent behind an illuminated screen the characters of a comic piece, +which Captain Back had written for the occasion. The exhibition was +entirely new to most of the party, and its execution afforded such +general amusement, that it was repeated on three nights at the request +of the men. [Sidenote: January.] The New Year was celebrated by a dance, +which closed our festivities; and on Mr. Brisbois quitting us the +following day, we resumed our ordinary occupations. Two Hare Indians +arrived at the fort, whom Mr. Kendall recognised as the persons who had +brought provisions to Dr. Richardson's party, as soon as they had heard +of his having reached the Bear Lake Portage; and we had much pleasure +in rewarding their promptitude on that occasion, by a substantial +present and a silver medal. They were particularly pleased at the +medals, and assured us that they should be proud to show them to the +rest of their tribe as tokens of our approbation. + +On the evening of the 4th of January, the temperature being -52.2 +degrees, Mr. Kendall froze some mercury in the mould of a pistol bullet, +and fired it against a door at the distance of six paces. A small +portion of the mercury penetrated to the depth of one eighth of an inch, +but the remainder only just lodged in the wood. Much snow fell in the +second week of January; and on the 12th, we ascertained that its average +depth was two feet in the sheltered parts of the woods. The weather +became mild after the 20th; and on the 22nd, the sun's rays were so +powerful as to raise a spirit thermometer with a blackened bulb, to ++30.5 degrees, when the temperature of the air was -3.5 degrees. A very +brilliant and clearly defined parhelion was visible at the time, and +there were only a few light clouds. The wind was east, and as usual, +with the wind from that quarter when the sky is clear, the distant land +appeared much distorted by refraction. + +The documents which had been preparing being now nearly finished, we +sent for the cariole, &c. from Fort Norman. [Sidenote: 18th.] When the +men came back, they brought the information, that, according to the +report of the Indians, the ice was so rough on the Mackenzie above Fort +Norman, that travelling would be extremely difficult. I therefore +abandoned the intention of proceeding by that way, and resolved on +passing through the woods to Fort Simpson, as soon as guides could be +procured. The delay afforded me the opportunity of registering the +lowest temperature we had witnessed in this country. [Sidenote: +February.] At a quarter after eight in the morning of the 7th of +February, the thermometer descended to -58 degrees; it had been -57.5 +degrees, and 57.3 degrees thrice in the course of this and the preceding +day--between the 5th and 8th, its general state was from -48 degrees to +-52 degrees, though it occasionally rose to -43 degrees. + +At Fort Enterprise, during a similar degree of cold, the atmosphere had +been calm: but here we had a light wind, which sometimes approached to a +fresh breeze. The sky was cloudless the whole time. Some of our men, as +well as the Indians, were travelling on the lake during this cold +without experiencing any greater inconvenience than having their faces +frost bitten. The dogs, however, suffered severely, three being +completely lamed by the frost, and all of them becoming much +thinner.[15] These cold days were followed by windy though mild weather, +which brought the rein-deer nearer to the Establishment; and our hunters +killed seven within a day's march. Their reappearance in our +neighbourhood was very gratifying to the whole party, as we were +heartily tired of a fish-diet, and I felt an especial pleasure at being +able to quit the place without the least apprehension of the party being +in want of provision. + +The following is a list of the amount of provision we obtained at Fort +Franklin, from the time of Mr. Dease's arrival to the close of January +1827; independent of the supplies of pemmican, &c. for the sea voyage, +which were procured from the Hudson's Bay Company. + +Small Fish, Bear Lake Herring, 79,440.--Trout, 3,475.--Pounds of fresh +meat, 24,053.--Dried ribs of Rein Deer, 2,370.--Pounds of pounded deer's +meat, 1,744.--Pounds of fat or tallow, 2,929.--Rein-deer tongues, +1,849.--Beaver, 12.--Partridges, 386.--Hares, 52. + +On the 16th of February, Augustus and two Dog-Ribs were sent forward to +be at the track in the line of my intended route. My departure being +fixed for the 20th, the charts, drawings, journals, and provisions were +distributed between the cariole and three sledges of which my train +consisted; and as the dogs were in too weak a condition for drawing +heavy burdens, two Indians were engaged, to accompany us four days, for +the purpose of carrying part of the pemmican. I afterwards delivered +written instructions to Captain Back, directing him to proceed to York +Factory as soon as the ice should break, and from thence, by the +Hudson's Bay ship, to England, taking with him the British party, but to +send the Canadians to Montreal. Augustus and Ooligbuck were to be +forwarded to Churchill, that they might rejoin their relatives. + +[Sidenote: Tuesday, 20th.] At ten A.M., I quitted the Fort, accompanied +by five of our men and the two Indians, the latter dragging each sixty +pounds of pemmican on their sledges. Captain Back, the officers, and men +assembled to give us a farewell salute of three hearty cheers, which +served to renew my regret at leaving a society whose members had +endeared themselves to me by unremitting attention to their duties, and +the greatest personal kindness. We crossed the lake expeditiously, +favoured by a north-west gale, and then continued our course to the +southward until sunset. The mode of bivouacking in the winter, as well +as the course of proceeding, having been so fully described in my former +Narrative, and by several other travellers in this country, I need not +repeat them. We usually set forward at the first appearance of light and +marched until sunset, halting an hour to breakfast. The rate of walking +depended on the depth of snow; where the track was good, we made about +two miles in the hour. + +On the evening of the second day, we were deserted by our Indian +companions, who, as we afterwards learned, took advantage of the rest of +the party being some distance in advance of them, to turn back to the +nearest wood, and there deposit the pemmican on a stage which they +constructed by the road side. Supposing that they had only halted in +consequence of the gale that was then blowing, we did not send to look +after them before the following morning, when every trace of their path +was covered with the snow drift; and as I considered we might possibly +spend some time in a fruitless search, I thought the wisest course was +to put the party and dogs on a shorter allowance than usual, and proceed +on our journey. Their conduct affords another instance of the little +dependence that ought to be placed on the Indians of this country, when +more than ordinary exertion is required. + +[Sidenote: March.] We travelled fifty miles through a swampy level +country, thinly wooded, with a few ridges of hills visible in the +distance, east and west of our course. The country was uneven and better +wooded for the succeeding thirty miles. We next crossed a steep range of +hills elevated about eight hundred feet above the surrounding land, and +then passing over a succession of lower hills and vallies, descended to +the Mackenzie, and following that river for thirty miles, came to Fort +Simpson on the 8th of March; the whole distance being two hundred and +twenty miles, and for the last one hundred and seventy miles, through a +well wooded country. We crossed several rivers which flow into the +Mackenzie, and some considerable lakes which are laid down in the map. +But one solitary family of Indians were seen on the journey, and these +were stationed within a day's march of Fort Simpson. They had inclosed +large tracts of ground with hedges, in which they set snares for hares, +and, being very successful, were living in abundance, and were well +clothed, their dress consisting principally of hare skins. + +As soon as Mr. Smith, the chief Factor of the District, was informed of +our approach, and that we were short of provisions, in consequence of +the Indians having made off with the pemmican, he kindly sent a supply +of fresh meat for our use; and on our arrival at the Fort, he gave us +the most friendly reception. Our Indian guide had never been nearer to +Fort Simpson by land, than the Lake of the Elevated Land, and only once +by the course of the Mackenzie, many years before the Fort was built; +and yet if he had not been led aside by falling upon the track leading +to the Indians above-mentioned, he would have come upon the Mackenzie, +directly opposite Fort Simpson. His course he told me was governed by +his recollection of a particular mountain, which he remembered to have +noticed from the Mackenzie, and which we now passed within two miles, +but on his former visit, he did not approach it nearer than eighteen +miles. Its outline must have appeared so different when seen from these +distances, that one can hardly imagine a less observant eye than that of +an Indian recognising any of its distinguishing points, especially as it +was not a detached mountain, but formed one of a line of hills of +considerable extent. Our dogs being completely tired, I remained a week +to recruit their strength. During this interval I had the opportunity of +examining all the accounts which the Hudson's Bay Company had to present +for supplies to the Expedition from this department, and of making +provision for the outward journey of Captain Back and his party. +Arrangements were also made, that the Hudson's Bay Company should take, +at a valuation, the spare stores of the Expedition on its quitting Bear +Lake. I accompanied Mr. Smith to a part of the River of the Mountains, +where a portion of the bank, several acres in extent, had been torn off, +and thrown a considerable distance into the channel of the river. The +disruption took place in the preceding November, some days after the +water had been frozen, and when there was no apparent cause for its +separation. When the water is flowing over the banks, and the earth is +in consequence loosened, the falling of the bank is not unfrequent in +the Mackenzie, though on a much smaller scale than in this instance. I +can only account for the separation of the mass after the ground had +been frozen, by the supposition, that there was some spring of warm +water in its rear, which loosened the soil, and that the pressure of the +ice contributed, with the weight of snow at the top, to its overthrow. + +At the time of my visit, an Indian woman committed suicide, by hanging +herself, in a fit of jealousy, at an encampment a short distance from +the Fort. I had thought that suicide was extremely rare among the +Northern Indians; but I subsequently learned that it was not so uncommon +as I had imagined, and I was informed of two instances that occurred in +the year of 1826. The weather was remarkably mild; during my stay +icicles were formed on the southern front of the house, and there were +many other indications of an early spring. + +[Sidenote: Thursday, 15th.] On the afternoon of the 15th of March I took +leave of Mr. Smith, who kindly furnished me with his best dog for my +cariole, one of mine having proved unfit for the journey to Slave Lake; +we were also indebted to him for the skin of a mountain goat and a lynx; +and to Mr. M'Pherson for the skins of several smaller animals and birds, +from the neighbourhood of the Rocky Mountains, which they added to our +collection. Having sent back one of my men with the Indian guides to +Bear Lake, we had now only two sledges; but as we were unable to carry +the whole of our lading, Mr. Smith had the goodness to send a sledge and +one of his men to convey a part of the provisions for four days. At the +distance of eight miles we met two men with a cariole and sledge, which +Mr. M'Vicar had sent for my use from Slave Lake; but being well provided +I did not require the services of this party, though we derived great +benefit from their track as we proceeded, and also from some deposits of +provision which they had made on the route. + +[Sidenote: Wednesday, 21st.] Following the course of the Mackenzie, we +arrived, on the 21st, at the expansion of the river called the Little +Lake, and there had the pleasure of meeting two Canadians, on their way +to Bear Lake, with a packet of letters from England. We hastened towards +the shore and encamped; and though the night was piercingly cold, I +spent the greatest part of it most agreeably, scanning the contents of +the box by the unsteady light of a blazing fire. After breakfast next +morning I despatched the packet to its destination, under the charge of +M'Leay, who had accompanied me from Bear Lake, and retained one of the +Canadians in his stead. We arrived at Fort Resolution, on the Slave Lake +to breakfast, on the 26th, and I once more had the happiness of +receiving the friendly attentions of Mr. M'Vicar, to whom it will be +remembered by the readers of my last Narrative, that the members of that +Expedition were so greatly indebted for his tender care of them after +their sufferings. Dr. Richardson had quitted this place in the preceding +December, for the purpose of joining Mr. Drummond, the Assistant +Botanist in the Saskatchawan River, and that he might have the benefit +of an earlier spring than in this quarter to collect plants. The +prospect here being completely wintry, I made another halt of eight +days, being desirous of remaining as long as I could, without incurring +the risk of exposure to the thaw on my way to Fort Chipewyan. + +I was glad to find that the Chipewyans and Copper Indians were at length +employing dogs to drag their sledges. A superstitious belief that their +own origin was derived from those animals, had for several years past +thrown this laborious and degrading occupation on the poor women, who, +by the change, experienced a most happy relief. It was indeed, highly +gratifying to observe that these Indians no longer beat their wives in +the cruel manner to which they had been formerly accustomed; and that, +in the comparative tenderness with which they now treat the sex, they +have made the first and greatest step to all moral and general +improvement. + +It will be recollected that on receiving, at Bear Lake, a report of the +traces of white people having been seen near the sea-coast, I had +requested that Mr. M'Vicar would collect a party of Indians, and send +them to the spot to convey a letter from me to Captain Parry. Mr. +M'Vicar now informed me that some Indians had left his Fort for the +purpose, under the charge of a Canadian, named Joseph St. Pierre, who +volunteered for the occasion, but the Indians continued with him only +for a short distance beyond the east end of Slave Lake, when they became +weary of their journey, and dropping off one by one, left him alone. St. +Pierre, however, having determined to deliver the letter to Captain +Parry, if possible, persevered for many days in a fruitless search for +the river on the banks of which the marks were reported to have been +seen; even after he had sustained the loss of all his clothes (except +those on his person,) by the grass catching fire when he was asleep; but +at length, being short of food, his shoes worn out, and almost without +covering for his feet, he was compelled to return to the Fort. He was +not at the house at the time of my visit, but I left an order with Mr. +M'Vicar, that he might be rewarded for his zeal and exertions, and +handsomely remunerated for his loss. + +[Sidenote: April.] The subsequent journey to the Athabasca Lake occupied +eight days; we arrived at Fort Chipewyan in the afternoon of the 12th of +April. I found Mr. Stewart, the Chief Factor of the Department, +surrounded by a large body of Indians, who quitted the Fort as soon as +they had exchanged their furs, in order to seek their living by fishing +and hunting wild fowl, instead of passing four or five weeks in +indolence about the Establishment, as had been their custom at this +season for many preceding years. This beneficial change of conduct, on +their part, is owing to the Hudson's Bay Company having ceased to bring +spirits into the northern department; and to some other judicious +regulations which the Directors have made respecting the trade with the +natives. The plans now adopted offer supplies of clothes, and of every +necessary, to those Indians who choose to be active in the collection of +furs; and it was pleasing to learn, that the natives in this quarter had +shown their acquiescence in these measures by increased exertion during +the preceding winter. Some other very wholesome regulations have been +introduced by the Company; amongst others, the Sabbath is ordered to be +properly observed, and Divine Service to be read at every post. They +have also directed, where the soil will allow, a portion of ground to be +cultivated for the growth of culinary vegetables at each of their +establishments, and I witnessed the good effects of this order, even at +this advanced post, where the ground is rocky; the tables of the +officers being supplied daily, and those of the men frequently, with +potatoes and barley. Such luxuries were very rarely found beyond +Cumberland House, on the route that we travelled during my former +journey. + +Feeling a deep interest in the welfare of this country, in which I have +spent a large portion of the last seven years, I have much pleasure in +recording these improvements; and in stating my conviction, that the +benevolent wishes of the Directors, respecting the inhabitants of their +territories, will be followed up with corresponding energy by the +resident Governor, the chief factors, and the traders of the Company. + +I mentioned in my former Narrative, that the Northern Indians had +cherished a belief for some years, that a great change was about to take +place in the natural order of things, and that among other advantages +arising from it, their own condition of life was to be materially +bettered. This story, I was now informed by Mr. Stewart, originated with +a woman, whose history appears to me deserving of a short notice. While +living at the N.W. Company's Post, on the Columbia River, as the wife of +one of the Canadian servants, she formed a sudden resolution of becoming +a warrior; and throwing aside her female dress, she clothed herself in a +suitable manner. Having procured a gun, a bow and arrows, and a horse, +she sallied forth to join a party of her countrymen then going to war; +and, in her first essay, displayed so much courage as to attract general +regard, which was so much heightened by her subsequent feats of bravery, +that many young men put themselves under her command. Their example was +soon generally followed, and, at length she became the principal leader +of the tribe, under the designation of the "Manlike Woman." Being +young, and of a delicate frame, her followers attributed her exploits to +the possession of supernatural power, and, therefore, received whatever +she said with implicit faith. To maintain her influence during peace, +the lady thought proper to invent the above-mentioned prediction, which +was quickly spread through the whole northern district. At a later +period of her life, our heroine undertook to convey a packet of +importance from the Company's Post on the Columbia to that in New +Caledonia, through a tract of country which had not, at that time, been +passed by the traders, and which was known to be infested by several +hostile tribes. She chose for her companion another woman, whom she +passed off as her wife. They were attacked by a party of Indians, and +though the Manlike Woman received a wound in the breast, she +accomplished her object, and returned to the Columbia with answers to +the letters. When last seen by the traders, she had collected volunteers +for another war excursion, in which she received a mortal wound. The +faith of the Indians was shaken by her death, and soon afterwards the +whole of the story she had invented fell into discredit. + +In the Athabasca department, which includes Slave Lake and Peace River, +as well as in the more southern districts, the autumn of 1826, and the +following winter, were unusually mild. Near the Saskatchawan River, +there was so little snow before the middle of January, that the sledges +could not be used; but at Bear Lake, and throughout the Mackenzie, the +weather was severe during the same periods, and the snow came early; +hence it would appear, that even in this climate the meteorological +register kept at any one place, affords no index from whence we can +judge of the season at another. In my journey from Slave Lake to the +Athabasca we had a snow-storm for three days, which we found did not +extend beyond sixty miles; and on our arrival at Fort Chipewyan, we +learned there had not been a single shower during these days. The only +coinciding circumstance, at the different stations this year, was the +prevalence of north-east winds. + +[Sidenote: Sunday, 15th.] We welcomed the appearance of two of the +large-sized swans on the 15th April, as the harbingers of spring; the +geese followed on the 20th; the robins came on the 7th May; the house +martins appeared on the 12th, and in the course of a week were busily +employed repairing their nests; and the barn or forked-tail swallows +arrived on the 20th; and on the same day, the small-sized swans were +seen, which the traders consider the latest of the migratory birds. + +[Sidenote: May, 20th.] The only symptoms of reviving vegetation at this +period, were a few anemones in flower, and the bursting of some catkins +of willows; but we learned by an arrival of a boat from the Peace River +that, even so early as the 14th, the trees were in full foliage at not +more than a day's journey from the lake. The barley was sown at Fort +Chipewyan on the 15th May, potatoes on the 21st, and the garden seeds on +the 22d, which were expected to be ready for use by the close of the +following September. As an experiment, whether the barley would yield a +better crop by remaining in the ground through the winter, some had been +sown in the preceding autumn, but only a few of the plants appeared at +the close of this month, and the crop did not promise favourably. + +Some canoes having arrived on the 26th of May with the furs from Slave +Lake, the last of the Company's brigade of boats was despatched to York +Factory. Augustus, who was desirous of seeing Dr. Richardson again +before his departure from the country, and two other men of the +Expedition, embarked in them. I embarked on the 31st May in the +Company's light canoe with Mr. Stewart and Mr. M'Vicar, having +previously made the necessary arrangements for the passage of Captain +Back and his party. We reached Cumberland House on the 18th June, where +I had the happiness of meeting Dr. Richardson after a separation of +eleven months. I learned from him that during our absence in the north, +Mr. Drummond the Assistant Botanist had been indefatigable in collecting +specimens of Natural History, having been sent for that purpose to the +Rocky Mountains at the head of the Athabasca River; in the course of +which service, he had been exposed to very great privations. To his +perseverance and industry, science is indebted for the knowledge of +several new and many rare quadrupeds, birds, and plants. That the reader +may form some notion of the labour he sustained, and the zeal he +displayed in making his very valuable and highly interesting +collections, and to point out to the naturalist, the districts from +whence they were brought, I subjoin his brief account of his journey in +his own words. + +[Sidenote: 1825, June.] "I remained at Cumberland House about six weeks +after the departure of Captain Back and Mr. Kendall, in June, 1825, when +the Company's boats with the brigade of traders for the Columbia, +arriving from York Factory, I accompanied them up the Saskatchawan River +two hundred and sixty miles to Carlton House. The unsettled state of the +Indians in that neighbourhood rendering excursions over the plains very +unsafe, I determined on proceeding with the brigade as far as the Rocky +Mountains. We left Carlton House on the 1st of September, and reached +Edmonton, which is about four hundred miles distant on the 20th of the +same month. Sandy plains extend without material alteration the whole +way, and there is, consequently, little variety in the vegetation; +indeed, I did not find a single plant that I had not seen within ten +miles of Carlton House, although I had an opportunity of examining the +country carefully, having performed the greater part of the journey on +foot. After a halt of two days at Edmonton, we continued our route one +hundred miles farther to Fort Assinaboyn on the Red Deer River, one of +the branches of the Athapescow. This part of the journey was performed +with horses through a swampy and thickly wooded country, and the path +was so bad, that it was necessary to reduce the luggage as much as +possible. I therefore took with me only one bale of paper for drying +plants, a few shirts, and a blanket; Mr. M'Millan, one of the Company's +chief traders, who had charge of the brigade, kindly undertaking to +forward the rest of my baggage in the ensuing spring. [Sidenote: +October, 2d.] We left Fort Assinaboyn to proceed up the Red Deer River +to the Mountains, on the 2d of October; but the Canoe appointed for this +service being very much lumbered, it was necessary that some of the +party should travel by land, and of that number, I volunteered to be +one. A heavy fall of snow, on the third day after setting out, rendered +the march very fatiguing, and the country being thickly wooded and very +swampy, our horses were rendered useless before we had travelled half +the distance." + +"We reached the mountains on the 14th, and I continued to accompany the +brigade, for fifty miles of the Portage-road, to the Columbia, when we +met a hunter whom Mr. M'Millan hired to supply me with food during the +winter. The same gentleman having furnished me with horses and a man to +take care of them, I set out with the hunter and his family towards the +Smoking River, one of the eastern branches of the Peace River, on which +we intended to winter. [Sidenote: December.] My guide, however, loitered +so much on the way, that the snow became too deep to admit of our +proceeding to our destination, and we were under the necessity of +leaving the Mountains altogether, and taking up our winter-quarters +about the end of December, on the Baptiste, a stream which falls into +the Red Deer River. During the journey, I collected a few specimens of +the birds that pass the winter in the country, and which belong +principally to the genera _tetrao_ and _strix_. I also obtained a few +mosses, and on Christmas day, I had the pleasure of finding a very +minute _gymnostomum_, hitherto undescribed." + +"In the winter, I felt the inconvenience of the want of my tent, the +only shelter I had from the inclemency of the weather being a hut built +of the branches of trees. Soon after reaching our wintering ground, +provisions became very scarce, and the hunter and his family went off in +quest of animals, taking with them the man who had charge of my horses +to bring me a supply as soon as they could procure it. I remained alone +for the rest of the winter, except when my man occasionally visited me +with meat; and I found the time hang very heavy, as I had no books, and +nothing could be done in the way of collecting specimens of Natural +History. I took however, a walk every day in the woods to give me some +practice in the use of snow shoes. The winter was very severe, and much +snow fell until the end of March, when it averaged six feet in depth; in +consequence of this, I lost one of my horses, and the two remaining ones +became exceedingly poor. The hunter was still more unfortunate, ten of +his young colts having died." + +[Sidenote: April 1826.] "In the beginning of April, 1826, setting out +for the Columbia Portage road, I reached it after a fatiguing march on +the sixth day, and two days afterwards, had the pleasure of meeting Mr. +M'Millan, who brought me letters from Dr. Richardson, informing me of +the welfare of the Expedition; and he also placed me in comparatively +comfortable circumstances by bringing my tent, a little tea and sugar, +and some more paper. [Sidenote: May, 6th.] I remained on the Portage +preparing specimens of birds until the 6th of May, when the brigade from +the Columbia arrived. On that day the _Anemone cuneifolia_, and +_Ludoviciana_ and _Saxifraga oppositifolia_, began to flower in +favourable situations. My hunter, who had, in the mean time, returned to +our late wintering ground, now sent me word that he had changed his +mind, and would not accompany me into the Mountains, as he had engaged +to do. His fickleness deranged my plans, and I had no alternative but to +remain with the man who had charge of the horses used on the Columbia +Portage, and botanize in that neighbourhood." + +[Sidenote: August.] "On the 10th of August, I set out with another +hunter, upon whom I had prevailed to conduct me to the Smoking River, +although, being disappointed in a supply of ammunition, we were badly +provided. We travelled for several days without meeting with any +animals, and I shared the little dried provision which I had with the +hunter's family. On the 15th we killed a Mountain sheep, which was +quickly devoured, there not being the smallest apprehension at the time +that famine would overtake us--day after day, however, passed away +without a single head of game of any description being seen, and the +children began to complain loudly; but the hunter's wife, a young +half-breed woman, bore the abstinence with indifference, although she +had two infant twins at the breast. On the 21st, we found two young +porcupines, which were shared amongst the party, and two or three days +afterwards, a few fine trout were caught. We arrived in the Smoking +River on the 5th of September, where the hunter killed two sheep, and a +period was put to our abstinence, for before the sheep were eaten, he +shot several buffaloes." + +[Sidenote: September.] "We proceeded along the Mountains until the 24th +of September, and had reached the head waters of the Peace River, when a +heavy fall of snow stopped my collecting plants for that season. I was, +however, very desirous of crossing the Mountains to obtain some +knowledge of the vegetation on the Columbia River, and, accordingly, I +commenced drying provisions to enable me to accompany the Columbia +brigade, when it arrived from Hudson's Bay. [Sidenote: October.] I +reached the Portage on the 9th of October, and on the 10th the brigade +arrived, and I received letters from Captain Franklin, instructing me to +descend in the spring of 1827, time enough to rejoin the Expedition on +its way to York Factory. It was, therefore, necessary that I should +speedily commence my return, and having gone with the brigade merely to +the west-end of the Portage, I came back again on the 1st of November. +The snow covered the ground too deeply to permit me to add much to my +collections in this hasty trip over the Mountains, but it was impossible +to avoid remarking the great superiority of climate on the western side +of that lofty range. From the instant the descent toward the Pacific +commences, there is a visible improvement in the growth of timber, and +the variety of forest trees greatly increases. The few mosses that I +gleaned in the excursion were so fine, that I could not but deeply +regret that I was unable to pass a season or two in that interesting +region." + +"Having packed up all my specimens, I embarked on the Red Deer River, +with Mr. M'Donald, one of the Company's officers, who was returning from +a long residence on the Columbia with his family, and continued to +descend the stream until we were set fast by the frost. I then left Mr. +M'Donald in the charge of the baggage, and, proceeding on foot to Fort +Assinaboyn, for the purpose of procuring horses, I reached it on the +fifth day. It was several days before the horses could be obtained, and +they were several more in travelling from the Fort to Mr. M'Donald, +during which time that gentleman and his family were very short of +provisions. The relief, however, arrived opportunely, and they reached +the Fort in safety. After resting a few days, I set out for Edmonton, +where I remained for some months." + +[Sidenote: March.] "The winter express brought me a letter from Dr. +Richardson, requesting me to join him at Carlton House in April, and I +accordingly set out for that place on snow shoes, on the 17th of March, +taking with me single specimens of all the plants gathered on the +Mountains, lest any accident should happen to the duplicates which were +to come by canoe in the spring. [Sidenote: April.] Two men with a sledge +drawn by dogs accompanied me, but the Indian inhabitants of the plains +being very hostile, we made a large circuit to avoid them, and did not +reach Carlton House before the 5th of April. We suffered much from +snow-blindness on the march, the dogs failed from want of food, we had +to carry the baggage on our backs, and had nothing to eat for seven +days. These sufferings were, however, soon forgotten in the kind welcome +I received from Dr. Richardson, and Mr. Prudens, the Company's Chief +Trader at Carlton, and the hospitable entertainment and good fare of the +latter gentleman's table enabled me speedily to recruit my lost +strength." + +"My collections on the Mountains amounted to about fifteen hundred +species of plants, one hundred and fifty birds, fifty quadrupeds, and a +considerable number of insects." + +[Sidenote: June.] There being yet two months in which Mr. Drummond might +continue his researches, before Captain Back could arrive at Cumberland +House, Dr. Richardson had left him on the Saskatchawan River. + +[Sidenote: 18th.] After remaining part of a day at Cumberland House, we +proceeded on our journey, Dr. Richardson following in one of the +Company's boats. I reached Norway House on the 24th of June, and Dr. +Richardson on the third day after. Mr. Simpson, the resident Governor of +the Company, was absent on urgent business at York Factory; but, +previous to his departure, he had provided a canoe, and some additional +men, with every other requisite for my journey. We found here Mr. +Douglass, who had been sent to the Columbia River by the Horticultural +Society, as a Collector of Natural History, and who had recently crossed +the Rocky Mountains, for the purpose of proceeding to England from +Hudson's Bay. This gentleman being desirous of occupying himself +previous to the arrival of the ship, in making an addition to his +collection from the neighbourhood of the Red River Colony, I felt happy +in being able to give him a conveyance, in the canoe with Dr. Richardson +and myself, through Lake Winipeg, to Fort Alexander, where he met +another canoe that was going to the Colony. + +On quitting Norway House we took leave of our worthy companion, +Augustus, who was to wait there until Captain Back should arrive. The +tears which he shed at our parting, so unusual in those uncultivated +tribes, showed the strength of his feelings, and I have no doubt, they +proceeded from a sincere affection; an affection which, I can venture to +say, was mutually felt by every individual. With great regret he learned +that there was no immediate prospect of our again meeting, and he +expressed a very strong desire to be informed, if another Expedition +should be sent to any of the northern parts of America, whether by sea +or land; and repeatedly assured me, that he and Ooligbuck would be ready +at any time to quit their families and their country, to accompany any +of their present officers, wherever the Expedition might be ordered.[16] + +We reached Fort Alexander on the 8th of July, and Mr. Douglass having +left us, I was enabled to offer a passage, as far as Montreal, to +Monsieur Picard, one of the clergymen attached to the Roman Catholic +Mission at the Red River Colony. [Sidenote: August.] We arrived at +Lachine, near Montreal, on the 18th of August, and were hospitably +entertained by Mr. James Keith, Chief Factor, and Agent of the Hudson's +Bay Company, with whom we remained five days, to settle the accounts of +the Expedition. After I had paid my respects to his Excellency, the Earl +of Dalhousie, Governor in Chief of Canada, we proceeded to New York by +the way of Lake Champlain. In our passage through the United States, we +received the same kind attentions we had before experienced; our +personal baggage, and the collections of Natural History, were forwarded +by the officers of the customs without examination, and every assistance +we required was promptly rendered. + +[Sidenote: September.] Having embarked, in the packet ship, on the 1st +of September, we reached Liverpool on the 26th, after an absence of two +years, seven months and a half. Captain Back, Lieutenant Kendall, and +Mr. Drummond, with the rest of the British party, arrived at Portsmouth +on the 10th of October. I then received the distressing intelligence of +the death of two excellent men, on their homeward passage from Bear Lake +to York Factory; Archibald Stewart, who died from consumption; and +Gustavus Aird, who was drowned in consequence of his jumping out of the +boat, in his exertions to save her, when she was hurrying down the +Pelican Fall, in Slave River. Until this account reached me, I had +cherished the hope that our Expedition would have terminated without my +having to record a single casualty. The loss of these men was the more +deeply felt by me, from their uniform, steady, obedient, and meritorious +conduct, which I had repeated opportunities of observing and admiring, +while they were my companions in the Lion, during the voyage along the +coast. + +I must be allowed to add, that in this long homeward journey, in which +there were no fresh discoveries to be made, nor any of those excitements +that relieve the monotony of constant labour, and in which they had to +contend with a succession of dangerous rapids, there was the same +masterly skill and exemplary conduct evinced by Captain Back and +Lieutenant Kendall; and the same patient and ready obedience by the +men[17], which had marked their whole conduct, while more immediately +under my own observation. + +On my arrival in London, on the 29th of September, accompanied by Dr. +Richardson, I had the honour of laying the charts and drawings before +his Royal Highness the Lord High Admiral, and Mr. Secretary Huskisson; +and, from the latter, I received directions to publish an account of our +proceedings. + + * * * * * + +In concluding this Narrative, I feel it incumbent on me to offer a few +remarks on the subject of a _North-West Passage_, which, though it has +not been the immediate object of the enterprises in which I have been +engaged, is yet so intimately connected with them, as to have naturally +excited in my mind, a strong and permanent interest. It is scarcely +necessary to remark, that the opinion I ventured to express in my former +work, as to the practicability of the passage[18], has been considerably +strengthened by the information obtained during the present Expedition. +The Northern Coast of America has now been actually surveyed from the +meridian of 109 degrees to 149-1/2 degrees west; and again by the +exertions of Captain Beechey, in His Majesty's ship the Blossom, from +Icy Cape eastward to about 156 degrees west, leaving not more than fifty +leagues of unsurveyed coast, between Point Turnagain and Icy Cape. +Further, the delineation of the west side of Melville Peninsula, in the +chart of Captain Parry's Second Voyage, conjoined with information which +we obtained from the Northern Indians, fairly warrants the conclusion, +that the coast preserves an easterly direction from Point Turnagain +towards Repulse Bay; and that, in all probability, there are no +insurmountable obstacles between this part of the Polar Sea and the +extensive openings into the Atlantic, through Prince Regent Inlet and +the Strait of the Fury and Hecla. + +Whenever it may be considered desirable to complete the delineation of +the coast of the American Continent, I conceive that another attempt +should be made to connect Point Turnagain with the important discoveries +of Captain Parry, by renewing the Expedition which was undertaken by +Captain Lyon, and which, but for the boisterous weather that disabled +the Griper, must have long since repaid his well known zeal and +enterprize with discoveries of very great interest. + +In considering the best means of effecting the North-West Passage in a +ship, it has hitherto been impossible not to assent to the opinion so +judiciously formed, and so convincingly stated, by Captain Parry, that +the attempt should be made from the Atlantic rather than by Behring's +Straits, because the enterprise is then commenced after a voyage of +short duration, subject to comparatively few vicissitudes of climate, +and with the equipments thoroughly effective. But important as these +advantages are, they may, perhaps, be more than balanced by some +circumstances which have been brought to light by our Expedition. The +prevalence of north-west winds during the season that the ice is in the +most favourable state for navigation, would greatly facilitate the +voyage of a ship to the eastward, whilst it would be equally adverse to +her progress in the opposite direction. It is also well known, that the +coast westward of the Mackenzie is almost unapproachable by ships, and +it would, therefore, be very desirable to get over that part of the +voyage in the first season. Though we did not observe any such easterly +current as was found by Captain Parry in the Fury and Hecla Strait, as +well as by Captain Kotzebue, on his voyage through Behring's Straits; +yet this may have arisen from our having been confined to the navigation +of the flats close to the shore; but if such a current does exist +throughout the Polar Sea, it is evident that it would materially assist +a ship commencing the undertaking from the Pacific, and keeping in the +deep water, which would, no doubt, be found at a moderate distance from +the shore. + +The closeness and quantity of the ice in the Polar Seas vary much in +different years; but, should it be in the same state that we found it, I +would not recommend a ship's leaving Icy Cape earlier than the middle of +August, for after that period the ice was not only broken up within the +sphere of our vision, but a heavy swell rolling from the northward, +indicated a sea unsheltered by islands, and not much encumbered by ice. +By quitting Icy Cape at the time specified, I should confidently hope to +reach a secure wintering place to the eastward of Cape Bathurst, in the +direct route to the Dolphin and Union Straits, through which I should +proceed.[19] If either, or both, of the plans which I have suggested be +adopted, it would add to the confidence and safety of those who +undertake them, if one or two depots of provisions were established in +places of ready access, through the medium of the Hudson's Bay Company. + +Arctic discovery has been fostered principally by Great Britain; and it +is a subject of just pride that it has been prosecuted by her from +motives as disinterested as they are enlightened; not from any prospect +of immediate benefit to herself, but from a steady view to the +acquirement of useful knowledge, and the extension of the bounds of +science. Each succeeding attempt has added a step towards the completion +of northern geography; and the contributions to natural history and +science have excited a general interest throughout the civilized world. +It is, moreover, pleasing to reflect that the loss of life which has +occurred in the prosecution of these discoveries does not exceed the +average number of deaths in the same population at home under +circumstances the most favourable. And it is sincerely to be hoped that +Great Britain will not relax her efforts until the question of a +north-west passage has been satisfactorily set at rest, or at least +until those portions of the northern shores of America, which are yet +unknown, be laid down in our maps; and which with the exception of a +small space on the Asiatic continent eastward of Shelatskoi Noss, are +the only intervals wanting to complete the outline of Europe, Asia, and +America. + +END OF THE NARRATIVE. + +_Summary of the Distances travelled by the Expedition, from its Landing +in America, until its Embarkation._ + + _Statute Miles._ + Distance travelled in 1825, as given in page 60 5,803 + Dr. Richardson and Mr. Kendall's excursion on the ice to + the eastern parts of Bear Lake, in the Spring of 1826 359 + Distance travelled by the Western Party in 1826 + (given in p. 235.) 2,048 + Distance travelled by the Eastern Party in 1826, after + its separation from the Western Party 1,455 + Return from Fort Franklin to New York 4,000 + Captain Back and Lieutenant Kendall's journey to York + Factory, after quitting Captain Franklin's route 520 + ------ + Distance travelled by the Expedition in going and returning, + including the excursions of detached parties 14,185 + ------ + Number of miles surveyed and laid down in the maps, but not + all included under the head of discoveries, because the + routes have been traversed by Traders 5,000 + +FOOTNOTES: + +[15] Notwithstanding the severity of the weather, we had great +difficulty in causing these animals to depart from their usual custom of +sleeping in the snow, and in inducing them to occupy the warm houses +which were built for them. + +[16] I have pleasure in mentioning that, by permission of Government, +the pay which was due to Augustus and Ooligbuck, has been delivered to +the Directors of the Hudson's Bay Company, who have undertaken to +distribute it to them annually, in the way suited to their wants. + +[17] I am happy to add, that those men who had been in His Majesty's +service before the present Expedition, have been rewarded by promotion. + +[18] See page 388. + +[19] See Dr. Richardson's opinion in favour of this route, p. 218. + + + + +APPENDIX. + +TOPOGRAPHICAL AND GEOLOGICAL NOTICES, BY JOHN RICHARDSON, M.D., F.R.S., +&c. SURGEON AND NATURALIST TO THE EXPEDITION. + +[_Read before the Geological Society._] + + +A very limited portion of my time could be allotted to geological +inquiries. For eight months in the year the ground in the northern parts +of America is covered with snow; and during the short summer, the +prosecution of the main object of the expedition rendered the slightest +delay in our journey unadvisable. The few hours that could be stolen +from the necessary halts, for rest and refreshment, were principally +occupied in the collection of objects for the illustration of botany +and zoology. It is evident, that an account of the rock formations, +drawn up under such circumstances, cannot be otherwise than very +imperfect; but I have been led to publish it from the belief that, in +the absence of more precise information, even the slightest notice of +the rocks of the extreme northern parts of the American continent would +be useful to those employed in developing the structure of the crust of +the earth; the more especially, as it is not probable that the same +tract of country will soon be trod by an expert geologist. The specimens +of rocks I obtained have been deposited in the Museum of the Geological +Society, and are referred to in the ensuing pages by the numbers affixed +to them. The notices are arranged nearly in the order of the route of +the expedition, commencing with Great Bear Lake, where our winter +quarters were situated. + + +GREAT BEAR LAKE. + +Great Bear Lake is an extensive sheet of water, of a very irregular +shape, being formed by the union of five arms or bays in a common +centre. The greatest diameter of the lake, measuring about one hundred +and fifty geographical miles, runs from the bottom of Dease Bay, which +receives the principal feeding stream, to the bottom of Keith Bay, from +whence the Bear Lake River issues, and has a direction from N.E. to S.W. +The transverse diameter has a direction from N.W. by W. to S.E. by E., +through Smith and M'Tavish Bays, and is upwards of one hundred and +twenty miles in length. M'Vicar Bay, the fifth arm of the lake, is +narrower than the others, and being a little curved at its mouth, +appears less connected with the main body of water. The light +bluish-coloured water of Great Bear Lake is every where transparent, and +is particularly clear near some primitive mountains, which exist in +M'Tavish Bay. A piece of white rag, let down there, did not disappear +until it descended fifteen fathoms. The depth of water, in the centre of +the lake was not ascertained; but it is known to be very considerable. +Near the shore, in M'Tavish Bay, forty-five fathoms of line did not +reach the bottom. Owing to the barometers supplied to the expedition +having been broken in an early period of its progress, the height of the +surface of Bear Lake above the Arctic Sea could not be ascertained; but +it is, probably, short of two hundred feet.[20] If this supposition +comes near the truth, the bottom of M'Tavish Bay is below the level of +the sea, and towards the centre of the basin of the lake the depression +is probably still greater. The great lakes, Huron, Michigan, and +Superior, which discharge their waters into the St. Lawrence, are +reported to sink three hundred feet below the level of the ocean; and +the Lake of the Mountains, or Chipewyan Lake and Great Slave Lake,[21] +through which the Mackenzie flows, have, it is highly probable, some +portions of their beds below the sea level. + +In the autumn of 1825, I coasted the western and northern shores of the +Great Bear Lake; and in the spring of 1826, travelled on the ice along +its eastern and southern arms, leaving no part of its shores unexamined +on these two surveys, except the north side of M'Tavish Bay. I did not, +however, on these occasions, make excursions inland. + + +PRIMITIVE ROCKS.--GREAT BEAR LAKE. + +At the south-east corner of M'Tavish Bay, primitive rocks form a hilly +range which, at the distance of a mile or two from the shore, attains +an elevation of eight hundred or one thousand feet. The steep face of +the range forms the shore of the lake for fifteen miles, and perhaps +further, on a direction from N.W. by W. to S.E. by E., and is prolonged +on the latter bearing, at the back of the lower country lying towards +Point Leith. The general form of the hills is obtuse-conical, in some +instances approaching to dome-shaped. None of them rise much above the +others, and the vallies between them are seldom wide or deep. At a +distance, some of the masses of rock appear round-backed; and in certain +points of view, the crest of the ridge seems to consist of mammillary +peaks. On a nearer approach, the individual hills are found to be +composed of rounded eminences, having summits, generally, of an oblong +form, and consisting of smooth, naked rock. Small mural precipices are +frequent, and many detached blocks of stone lie beneath them. Between +the eminences, there are level spots destitute of vegetation, and +covered with small stones or gravel not much worn. A considerable +portion of the gravel is granite or quartz, the debris, perhaps, of the +rocks, of which the hills consist; it contains also some pieces of +slate, and not a few of quartzose sandstone, neither of which I observed +_in situ_. In the course of a walk of two miles over these hills, the +only rock I observed was granite, verging in a few places towards +gneiss, and generally whitish, with black mica. Sometimes the felspar is +brownish-red, and the rock not unfrequently contains disseminated +augite? The weathered surface of the stone was every where of a +brick-red colour. In many spots the rocks split into such thin slaty +looking tables that they have the appearance of being stratified. The +slaty masses are, generally, vertical; but in one hill they were +observed dipping 80 degrees to the south-east. The direction of the +tabular masses is mostly across the oblong summits of the hills. The +appearances of stratification were not observed to extend through a +whole hill, and seemed, in fact, to be confined to the more decomposable +granites; but the naked rocks are every where traversed by smooth +fissures. The blocks, which lie under the cliffs, have sometimes a +tabular form, but more generally come nearer to a cube or rhomboid, and +present one or two very even faces. Few veins were noticed. In the more +sheltered vallies, some clumps of white or black spruce trees occur; but +the hills are barren. + +The point of land which lies between M'Tavish and M'Vicar Bays has low +shores; but five or six miles inland, an even-backed ridge rises +gradually to the height of three or four hundred feet, and abuts +obliquely against the primitive hills. I did not visit this ridge, and +the snow prevented me from seeing any flat beds of rocks, if such exist +on the shore. On one point, however, near the north end of Dease Bay, +many large angular blocks of whitish dolomite were piled up, and I have +little doubt of the rock existing _in situ_ in that immediate +neighbourhood. + +M'Tavish Bay is forty miles long, and twenty wide, and its depth of +water, near the eastern shore, exceeds forty-five fathoms. Some shoals +of boulders skirt the coast near Point Leith. M'Vicar Bay is about +seventy miles long, and from eight to twelve wide; and at the "fishery," +in a narrow part, not far from its bottom, its depth of water, two miles +from the shore, is twelve fathoms. Dease Bay is equal to M'Tavish Bay in +extent, and opens to the S.W. into the body of the lake. The high lands +at the N.E. end, or bottom of this bay, have an even outline, and appear +to attain an elevation of eight or nine hundred feet, at the distance of +six or seven miles from the shore. Near its east side lie the lofty +islands of Narrakazzae which rise seven hundred feet above the lake. +Dease River, the principal feeder of the lake, falls into the bottom of +Dease Bay. It is two hundred yards wide, and from one to three fathoms +deep near its mouth. A few miles up this river a formation of soft red +sandstone occurs, which will be noticed hereafter. + + +LIMESTONE.--GREAT BEAR LAKE. + +[Sidenote: 228*] At the mouth of Dease river there are hills five or six +hundred feet high, composed principally, or entirely, of dolomite in +horizontal strata. Some of the beds consist of a thick-slaty, +fine-grained dolomite, containing dispersed scales of mica, which is +most abundant on the surfaces of the slates. [Sidenote: 228] Most of the +beds, however, consist of a thin-slaty, dull, purplish dolomite, +traversed by veins of calc-spar. The structure of this rock is compact, +approaching to fine granular; and some of the beds have what quarry-men +term "clay-facings," that is, they are encrusted with a thin film of +indurated clay. + +Greenstone slate? occurs in horizontal beds on the north shore, eight or +nine miles to the westward of Dease River: and at Limestone Point,[22] +about twenty miles from the river, a small range of hills terminates on +the borders of the lake, in shelving, broken cliffs, about two hundred +feet high. These cliffs consist chiefly of nearly compact light-coloured +dolomite, interstratified with greenstone, and a brownish-red limestone, +such as occurs in the hills at the mouth of the Dease River. In contact +with the greenstone, there is a bed of talcose limestone, having a +curved, slaty structure; most of the beds of dolomite are hard, and pass +into chert. + + +ALUMINOUS SHALE.--GREAT BEAR LAKE. + +The north shore of Bear Lake is low, and is skirted by many shoals, +formed by boulders of limestone. No rocks, _in situ_, are exposed +between Limestone Point and the Scented Grass Hill, a remarkable +promontory, which separates Smith and Keith bays. Its height above the +lake is betwixt eight and nine hundred feet, and in form and altitude it +corresponds with the Great Bear Mountain, which, lying opposite to it, +separates M'Vicar and Keith bays. I did not ascend either of these +hills; but cliffs, corresponding in character to those of the aluminous +shale-banks at Whitby, flank their bases; and the same formation +probably extends along the north shore of Keith Bay, and some way down +Bear Lake River. The ground skirting the Scented Grass and Great Bear +Mountains is much broken, and consists of small, rounded and steep +eminences, separated by narrow vallies and small lakes. Several shelving +cliffs, about one hundred feet high, and some miles in extent are washed +by Bear Lake. [Sidenote: 251] They consist of slate-clay and shale, more +or less bituminous, and the dip of the strata is in several places to +the N.W. by N. [Sidenotes: 244, 246, 247] At the foot of the Scented +Grass Hill a rivulet has made a section to the depth of one hundred +feet, and here the shaly beds are interstratified with thin layers of +blackish-brown, earthy-looking swinestone, containing selenite and +pyrites. Globular concretions of the same stone, and of a poor clay +iron-stone, also occur in beds in the shale. [Sidenotes: 249, 250, 248] +The surfaces of the slates were covered with an efflorescence of alum +and sulphur. Many crystals of sulphate of iron lie at the bottom of the +cliff, and several layers of plumose alum, half an inch thick, occur in +the strata. At the base of Great Bear Mountain, the bituminous shale is +interstratified with slate-clay, and I found imbedded in the former a +single piece of brown coal, in which the fibrous structure of wood is +apparent. Sections of slate-clay banks, and more rarely of bituminous +shale, occur in several places on the north shore of Keith Bay. In one +place, about seven or eight miles from Bear Lake River, a bed of plastic +and bituminous clay occurs, and in another, near Fort Franklin, there is +a deposit of an earthy coal, which possesses the characters of _black +chalk_. + +It is probable that a magnesian limestone underlies this formation of +bituminous shale. I have already mentioned the beds of dolomite, which +are exposed on the north side of Bear Lake, and similar beds occur to +the southward of the Great Bear Mountain, forming cliffs on the shores +of M'Vicar Bay. At Manito Point, on the west side of the isthmus that +connects Great Bear Mountain to the main shore, a low ridge of limestone +rocks terminates on the borders of the lake, forming some bold cliffs +and a remarkable cave. The stone has a gray colour and bituminous smell, +and contains much interspersed calc-spar. The strata dip to the +north-west. + + +VICINITY OF FORT FRANKLIN, GREAT BEAR LAKE. + +Fort Franklin stands on the northern shore of Keith Bay, about four +miles from Bear Lake River, upon a small terrace, which is elevated +twenty-five or thirty feet above the lake. The bay, contracting towards +the river, is about four miles wide opposite to the fort, and the depth +of water there does not exceed four fathoms. Farther from the river, the +east and west shores of Keith Bay recede to the distance of thirty miles +from each other, and the depth of water in the centre of the channel +greatly increases. The bottom of this bay, wherever it could be +distinguished, was observed to be sandy, and thickly strewed with round +boulders[23] of various primitive rocks of large size, which were +particularly abundant near the river, and with large square blocks of +limestone, most plentiful near the cape formed by the Scented Grass +Hill. In the small bay between the fort and the river, shoals are formed +by accumulations of boulders, and the shores are thickly strewed with +them. [Sidenote: 261 to 308] Many of these travelled blocks consist of +flesh-red granite, having only a small quantity of black mica, exactly +resembling the primitive rocks seen in M'Tavish Bay, but noticed no +where else near the lake. Boulders of the same description occur in +shoals at the mouth of M'Tavish Bay, and on the shores which skirt the +Scented Grass Hill which faces that bay, to all which places they may +have been brought from the parent rock, by a current flowing from the +east. On the northern shore of Bear Lake the great majority of the +boulders consists of limestone. [Sidenote: 266 282] Two varieties of +granite, which occur amongst the boulders, were recognised as being +abundant rocks at Fort Enterprise, which is situated about one hundred +and seventy miles south-east from M'Tavish Bay. Some of the boulders +were of a peculiar-looking porphyry exactly resembling that which occurs +in the height of land betwixt the Coppermine River and Dease Bay; +several of sandstone and conglomerate, which probably came from the same +quarter; of greenstone, perhaps, from the Copper Mountains, and of +limestone from the northern shores of the lake, and from the isthmus of +the Great Bear Mountain; all these places lying to the eastward or +north-east. + +The soil in the immediate vicinity of Fort Franklin is sandy, or +gravelly, and covers, to the depth of one or two feet, a bed of clay of +unknown thickness. Gravel taken from a spot thirty feet above the +present high-water level of the lake, and out of the reach of any stream +or torrent, contained rounded pebbles of granite, of greenstone, of +quartz rock, of lydian stone, and of various sandstones, of which some +were spotted, and others presented zones of different colours. These +sandstones form a considerable portion of the gravel.[24] + +The clay which lies under the soil is of a bluish-gray colour, and is +plastic but not very tenacious. It is more or less mixed with gravel. +During the greater part of the year it is firmly frozen; the thaw in the +two seasons we remained there never penetrating more than twenty-one +inches from the surface of the earth. In spots where the sandy soil is +wanting, the clay is covered a foot deep, or more, by mosses, mostly +_bryum palustre_, and some marsh _hypna_ and _dicrana_, in a living +state, for they seem to be converted very slowly into peat in this +climate. + +The ground rises gradually behind the fort, until it attains, at the +distance of half a mile from the lake, the height of two hundred feet, +forming, when viewed from the southward, an even ridge, running nearly +east and west--which ridge is, in fact, the high bank of the lake, as it +corresponds in height with the summit level of the banks of Bear Lake +River, and of the southern shore of Keith Bay. The country extending to +the northward, from the top of the bank, is nearly level, or has a very +gentle ascent for about five miles, when a more abrupt ridge rises to +perhaps three hundred or four hundred feet above the lake. The view from +the summit of this second eminence is very extensive, the whole country +as far as the eye can reach appearing to be a level, from which several +narrow precipitous ridges of limestone arise. But, although the country +around these ridges appears from a distance to be level, or very +slightly undulated, yet it abounds in small eminences and steep-sided +vallies of various shapes, some being rounded and basin-shaped, others +long and narrow. Lakes and swamps are here so numerous, that the +country, for at least sixty miles to the northward, is impassable in +summer, even to the natives. There are many mounds of sand and gravel, +and fragments of sandstone are frequent; but having travelled in this +direction only in winter, when the ground was covered to the depth of +upwards of three feet with snow, I had not an opportunity of examining +its geological structure. White spruces cover the drier spots; larches, +black spruces, and willows abound in moist places; the sandy hillocks +are clothed with aspens, and the sides of the vallies support some canoe +birches, with a thick undergrowth of dwarf birches, alders, and +rose-bushes. The eminence from whence the view just described was +obtained, appears like a ridge only in approaching it from the lake, for +it rises very little above the general level of the country behind it. +It has a direction from N.W. by N. to S.E. by S., and terminates about +eight miles to the eastward of the fort, in a small bluff point on the +shores of the lake and there the strata consist of slate-clay slightly +bituminous. The banks immediately behind the fort also exhibit, in their +ravines, a bluish slate-clay. + +The land on the south side, or bottom, of Keith Bay, presents a nearly +similar aspect to that just described, rising, on the borders of the +lake, to the height of one hundred and fifty feet, and then running back +to a great distance nearly level. It may be characterized as full of +hollows, narrow vallies, ravines, and lakes; but it is not hilly, +although it is traversed by ridges of limestone, which rise like walls +through the flat country. The nearest of these ridges terminates on the +borders of the lake at the _Manito Point_, (noticed in page vii.) It may +be proper to remark here, that, in addition to the limestone ridges +visible from Fort Franklin, or from the heights behind it, the summit of +Clark Hill, bearing south, and forming part of a ridge about fifty miles +distant, was distinctly seen. This hill lies behind Old Fort Norman on +the Mackenzie, and has more the outline of a granitic rock, although +some of the peaks which skirt it have the serrated crests which the +limestone ridges in this quarter show. It was guessed to be 1500 feet +high above the Mackenzie. + +This sketch of the general features of the country about Fort Franklin +being premised, the ensuing geological notices follow in the order of +the route of the Expedition. + + +BEAR LAKE RIVER--SANDSTONE, LIMESTONE. + +Bear Lake River is about seventy miles long, from its origin in the lake +till it falls into the Mackenzie, and throughout its whole length, its +breadth is never less than one hundred and fifty yards, except at the +_Rapid_, a remarkable place, about the middle of its course. It is from +one to three fathoms deep, and very rapid, its velocity being estimated +at six miles in the hour. Its waters are clear as they issue from the +lake, but several branches of considerable size bring down muddy water, +particularly one which flows from the north, and falls in below the +rapid. + +Above the rapid, the valley of the river is very narrow, the banks every +where sloping steeply from the level of the country. Their summit line, +which is nearly straight, is about one hundred and fifty feet above the +bed of the river. In some places they have an even face elevated at an +angle of about forty-five degrees, and they are not unfrequently cut by +ravines into pretty regular figures, resembling hay-ricks, or the +parapet of a fort, the ravines representing the embrasures. Sections +made by the river presented generally sand or clay; the sand probably +proceeding from the disintegration of a friable, gray sandstone, which +showed itself occasionally in a more solid form. The rapidity of our +voyage, however, afforded us little opportunity of searching for the +solid strata which are generally hid by the debris of the bank. About +twelve miles above the rapid, a small-grained, friable sandstone, of a +yellowish gray colour, and irregular earthy fracture, is associated with +beds of bluish-gray slate-clay. These beds consist of concretions of +various sizes and irregular shapes, but which may be said to approach in +general to a depressed orbicular form; their surfaces are coloured +purplish-brown by iron, and studded with crystals of sulphate of lime. +This slate-clay contains many small round grains of quartz, and is +exactly similar to that which occurs at the rapid, and which will be +afterwards noticed. In other places the banks are covered by the debris +of a slate-clay slightly bituminous, resembling wacke in its mode of +disintegrating. + +The _Rapid_ is caused by the river struggling through a chasm bounded by +two perpendicular walls of sandstone, over an uneven bed of the same +material. On escaping from this narrow passage, it winds round the end +of a lofty cliff of limestone, which forms part of a ridge that is +continued through the country on both sides of the river. + +Viewed from the summit of this ridge, which rises about eight hundred +feet above the river, the country towards Bear Lake appears level. The +view down the river presents also a plain country, bounded on the +Mackenzie by another limestone ridge, which, unless the eye was deceived +by the distance, gradually inclined to the one at the rapid, and +appeared, by joining it to the northward, to form a great basin. These +ridges are also prolonged to the southward. The plain is covered with +wood, intersected by chains of lakes, and seemed to lie rather below the +summit level of the banks of Bear Lake River. It is only comparatively, +that the country deserves the name of plain, for its surface is much +varied by depressions, ravines, and small eminences, that do not, +however, destroy the general level appearance when seen from a distance. +The view from the hill is terminated, to the westward, by the distant +chain of the Rocky Mountains, running nearly N.W. by N. A little below +the rapid, a small stream from the southward flows into the Bear Lake +River, near whose sources the Indians procure an excellent common salt, +which is deposited from the springs by spontaneous evaporation. + +The walls of the rapid are about three miles long, and 120 feet high. +[Sidenote: 25] They are composed of horizontal beds, the lower of which +consist of an earthy-looking stone, intermediate between slate-clay and +sandstone, having interiorly a dull yellowish-gray colour. Concretions, +with smooth surfaces, about the thickness of a swan's quill, pass +perpendicularly through the beds like pins, are prolonged beyond the +partings, and bear some resemblance to portions of the roots or branches +of a tree. The seam surfaces are very uneven. [Sidenote: 18] These beds +are parted by thin, slaty layers, of a stone similar in appearance, but +rather harder, and containing many interspersed scales of mica, and also +some minute portions of carbonaceous matter in the form of lignite. +[Sidenotes: 19, 1827] The thin layers contain impressions of ferns, and +from the debris at the bottom of the cliff I gathered impressions of the +bark of a tree (lepidodendron) and some ammonites in a brown iron-shot +sandstone.[25] [Sidenote: 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28] The upper +beds are composed of a fine grained, quartzose, gray sandstone, having +an earthy basis, and occasionally interspersed carbonaceous matter. Some +of the beds are a foot and a half thick, and have sufficient tenacity to +be fitted for making grindstones; most of the sandstone is, however, +rather friable. Near the summit there is interposed a bed of +fine-grained dolomite, and a friable sandstone, which forms the crest of +the cliff, and exhibits in its weathering battlement-shaped projections +and pinnacles. [Sidenote: 29] Covering this sandstone, but not quite to +the margin of the cliff, there is a layer of slaty limestone, having a +bluish or blackish-gray colour, a dull fracture, and rather compact +structure. [Sidenote: 30] In the lower beds of the cliff there are some +globular and disk-shaped concretions, of an indurated iron-shot +slate-clay, or poor clay-iron-stone, containing pyrites. They vary in +magnitude from six inches to a foot and a half in diameter, and appear +to be formed of concentric layers, which are rendered apparent by the +weathering of the stone. The sandstones and shales of the rapid have a +strong resemblance in appearance to those of the coal measures; but +pitch-coal was not detected at this place. Several distinct concretions +of indurated slate-clay, assuming the appearance termed _cone in cone_, +were picked up among the boulders on the banks of Bear Lake River, some +way below the rapid, but they were not traced to their parent beds. They +effervesce with acids. + +Between the walls of the rapid and the limestone ridge there is a piece +of meadow-ground, having a soft, clayey soil, in which, near the base of +the hill, a small rivulet flows to join the river. The bed of this +rivulet presents accumulations of boulders of large size, arranged so as +to form two terraces, the upper of which is considerably above the +highest level either of the rivulet, or of Bear Lake River. The boulders +consist of varieties of granite, gneiss, mica-slate with garnets, +greenstone and porphyry. [Sidenote: 50] One of the porphyries is a +beautiful stone, composed of hyacinth-red felspar, and irregular +crystals of milky quartz, with a few specks of a dark green mineral, +and very much resembles a rock which is not uncommon in the gneiss +districts about Fort Enterprize. [Sidenotes: 45, 47, 50, 51, 49] Many of +the boulders consist of conglomerates and sandstones that strongly +resemble those of the old red sandstone formation, which forms the +height of land between Dease Bay and Coppermine rivers. Also some flinty +slates, mixed, in thin layers, with compact, yellowish limestone, and +some pebbles of jasper interleaved with flinty slate. + +The limestone ridge below the rapid stands on a narrow base, whose +transverse diameter does not exceed a quarter of a mile. Its summits are +generally conical, but very rugged and craggy; the highest peak I had an +opportunity of visiting is about a mile from Bear Lake River, and it has +been already stated to be estimated at eight hundred feet above that +stream, or nine hundred and fifty above the sea. The general direction +of the ridge is from S.E. by S. to N.W. by N., or nearly parallel to the +great Rocky Mountain chain, and to the smaller ridges betwixt it and +that chain. Its prolongation through the flat surrounding strata, to the +southward of Bear Lake River, can be traced for at least forty miles, +and it is visible at nearly an equal distance, as it runs through the +still more level country to the northward; but here, as has been already +said, it appears to incline towards the similar ridge which is cut by +the Mackenzie, at the mouth of the Bear Lake River, and is about +twenty-five miles to the W.S.W., in a direct line. That part of the +ridge which I had an opportunity of visiting, consisted entirely of +limestone, generally in thick beds. Its stratification was not very +evident, and in my very cursory examination the general dip was not +clearly ascertained. A precipitous cliff, four hundred feet high, facing +the S.E., and washed by the Bear Lake River, presents strata, inclined +to the S.W. at an angle of 45 degrees, which may be perhaps considered +as the general dip; for the ridge on that side slopes down to the +surrounding country at an angle of about 30 degrees or 40 degrees, while +on the N.E. side it presents lofty precipices formed by the cropping out +of the strata. [Sidenote: 39, 34] Many of the beds in this hill +consisted of a blackish-gray fine grained limestone, intersected by +veins of calc-spar; [Sidenotes: 40; 35, 36; 42, 43, 44] but several +layers of gray and dark coloured dolomites, and some of a yellowish-gray +_rauchwacke_, were interstratified with them, and the upper parts of the +precipitous cliff, [Sidenote: 35, 36] and also of the highest peak, +consisted of a calcareous breccia, containing rounded pieces of brown +limestone, and angular fragments of chert; and the faces of some +cliffs, on the N.E. side of the hill, were incrusted with a fine +crystalline gypsum to the depth of from one to two feet.[26] + +The banks of Bear Lake River below the rapid have a more gentle +declivity than those above it, and they occasionally recede from the +stream, so as to leave a grassy slope varying from a few yards to half a +mile in breadth. The sections of these banks by torrents present only +sand or clay; and the hollows of the ravines are lined with boulders +principally of primitive rocks. No stone was observed _in situ_ from the +rapid until we came to the junction of the river with the Mackenzie. + +The Bear Lake River flows into the Mackenzie at a right angle, and on +its north bank, at its mouth, there is a hill, which has been already +noticed as forming part of a ridge visible from the one at the rapid, +with which it probably unites to form a great basin. These two hills +seem to belong to the same formation. [Sidenote: 61, 62, 60] The body of +the hill consists of highly-inclined beds of blackish-gray limestone, +with sparry veins, and of brownish-gray dolomite, which cannot be +distinguished in hand specimens from that of the hill at the rapid. The +superior beds are formed of a calcareous breccia.[27] [Sidenote: 57, +58, 59, 63, 64, 65] Associated with these strata, however, there are +beds of limestone, highly charged with bitumen; and at the base of the +hill there are beds of bituminous shale, some of which effervesce with +acids, whilst others approach in hardness, and other characters, to +flinty slate. These shaly beds were seen by Captain Franklin and Mr. +Kendall in autumn 1825, and they also saw, at that time, some +sulphureous springs and streams of mineral pitch issuing from the lower +parts of the limestone strata: but the whole of them were hid by the +height of the waters of the Mackenzie in the spring of 1826.[28] +[Sidenote: 69, 66, 67, 68] The same cause prevented me from seeing some +beds of lignite and sandstone, at the same place, of which Captain +Franklin obtained specimens. + + +LIGNITE FORMATION.--MACKENZIE'S RIVER. + +Having noticed the general features of this portion of the river, I have +next to state, that the formation constituting its banks may be +characterized as consisting of wood-coal in various states, alternating +with beds of pipe-clay, potter's clay, which is sometimes bituminous, +slate-clay, gravel, sand, and friable sandstones, and occasionally with +porcelain earth. The strata are generally horizontal, and as many as +four beds of lignite are exposed in some parts, the upper of which are +above the level of the highest river-floods of the present day. + +The _lignite_, when recently detached from the beds, is pretty compact, +but soon splits into rhomboidal pieces, which again separate into slates +more or less fine. It burns with a very fetid smell, somewhat resembling +that of phosphorus, with little smoke or flame, leaving a brownish-red +ash, not one-tenth of the original bulk of the coal. The blacksmith +found it unfit for welding iron when used alone, but it answered when +mixed with charcoal, although the stench it created was a great +annoyance. [Sidenote: 48] Different beds, and even different parts of +the same bed, presented specimens of the fibrous brown-coal, earth-coal, +conchoidal brown-coal, and trapezoidal brown-coal of Jameson. Some of +the pieces have the external appearance of compact bitumen, but they +generally exhibit, in the cross fracture, the fibrous structure of wood +in concentric layers, apparently much compressed. Other specimens have a +strong external resemblance to charcoal in structure, colour, and +lustre. A frequent form of the lignite is that of slate, of a dull, +brownish-black colour, but yielding a shining streak. The slate is +composed of fragments, resembling charred wood, united together by a +paste of more comminuted woody matter, mixed, perhaps, with a small +portion of clay. In the paste there are some transparent crystals of +sulphate of lime, and occasionally some minute portions of a substance +like resin. These shaly beds bear a strong resemblance to peat, not only +in structure but also in the mode of burning, and in the light whitish +ashes which are left. The external shape of stems or branches of trees, +is best preserved in some fragments impregnated with slate-clay, and +occasionally with siliceous matter, which occur imbedded in the coal. +The bark of these pieces has been converted into lignite. Some of them +exhibit knots, such as occur where a branch has decayed, and others +represent the twists and contortions of wood of stunted growth. The +lignite is generally penetrated by fibrous roots, probably +_rhizomorpha_, which insinuate their ramifications into every crevice. + +The beds of lignite appear to take fire spontaneously when exposed to +the atmosphere. They were burning when Sir Alexander Mackenzie passed +down the river in 1789, and have been on fire, in some part or other of +the formation, ever since. In consequence of the destruction of the +coal, large slips of the bank take place, and it is only where the +debris has been washed away by the river that good sections are visible. +The beds were on fire when we visited them, and the burnt clays, +vitrified sand, agglutinated gravel, &c. gave many spots the appearance +of an old brick-field. + +[Sidenote: 81] The _gravel_ interstratified with the lignite, consists +of smooth pebbles of Lydian stone, of flinty slate, of white quartz, of +quartzose sandstone, and conglomerate, like the sandstones and +conglomerates of the old red sandstone formation, of claystone, and of +slate-clay, varying in size from a pea to that of an orange. The gravel +is often intermixed with a little clay, which gives the bed sufficient +tenacity to form cliffs, but does not prevent the pebbles from +separating, in the attempt to break off hand specimens. It is seamed by +thin layers of fine sand: beds of sandstone are of occasional +occurrence. + +_Potter's clay_ occurs in thick beds, has generally a gray or brown +colour, and passes, in some places, into a highly bituminous thick-slaty +clay, penetrated by ramifications of carbonaceous matter resembling the +roots of vegetables. + +The _pipe-clay_ is deserving of particular notice. It is found in beds +from six inches to a foot thick, and mostly in contact with the lignite. +It has commonly a yellowish-white colour, but in some places its hue is +light lake-red. The natives use it as an article of food in times of +scarcity and it is said to have sustained life for a considerable time. +It is termed _white mud_ by the traders, who whitewash their houses with +it. It occurs also in lignite deposits on the upper branches of the +Saskatchewan, and is associated with bituminous shale on the coast of +the Arctic Sea. Mr. Nuttall mentions a similar substance, under the name +of pink-clay, as being found in the lignite deposits on the Arkansa.[29] + +The _porcelain earth_ was observed only at one place where the beds were +highly inclined, and there it appeared to replace the sandstones of +other parts of the deposit. It has a whitish colour, and the appearance, +at first sight, of chalk; but some of its beds, from the quantity of +carbonaceous matter interspersed through them, having a grayish hue. Its +beds are from two to three yards thick. + +In a note[30] I have mentioned the most remarkable sections of this +formation which occur on the banks of the Mackenzie. The depth of the +formation was not ascertained, but the sections will show the thickness +of the beds which were exposed. The height above the sea of the summit +of the banks it forms on the Mackenzie, was estimated to be from two +hundred and fifty to three hundred feet. + + +NOTICES OF OTHER LIGNITE FORMATIONS. + +Similar formations of lignite occur near the foot of the Rocky Mountain +range farther to the southward; but I have not, after many inquiries, +heard of any traces of them in the eastern parts of the Hudson's Bay +lands. Sir Alexander Mackenzie, after describing the general course of +the Rocky Mountains, says that "along their eastern edge, there occurs a +narrow strip of marshy, boggy, and uneven ground, which produces coal +and bitumen;" and that "he saw these on the banks of the Mackenzie in +lat. 66 degrees, and, in his second journey, on the Peace River, in lat. +56 degrees and 146 degrees W. long.;" and further, that "the same was +observed by Mr. Fidler, on the south branch of the Saskatchewan, in lat. +52 degrees long. 112-1/2 degrees W." Mr. Alexander Stewart, an +intelligent chief factor of the Hudson's Bay Company, and well +acquainted with those countries, informs me that there are beds of coal +on fire, on the Smoking River, or east branch of the Peace River, and on +the upper parts of the _Riviere la biche_, or Elk River; and that coal, +although not on fire, occurs at Lesser Slave Lake, on a line with the +other two localities. Mr. Small, a clerk to the Hudson's Bay Company, +likewise acquaints me, that coal occurs at Edmonton, on the north branch +of the Saskatchewan, in beds, sometimes seven or eight feet thick. Most +of the coal is thin-slaty; but some beds yield shining, thick lumps, +which break, as he expresses it, like Spanish liquorice. It lies over +beds of bluish-gray sandstone, and is associated with a white clay, +which froths in water and adheres to the fingers. + +Mr. Drummond brought specimens from the spot which Mr. Small alludes to +and remarks, that the lignite occurs in beds from six inches to two feet +thick, separated by clay and sandstones. [Sidenote: 1051, 1052, 1053] +His specimens of the lignite are precisely similar to the slaty and +conchoidal varieties, which occur at the mouth of the Bear Lake River; +[Sidenote: 1055] and there is an equal resemblance betwixt the +sandstones from the two places. [Sidenote: 1053] The slaty beds of +lignite, at Edmonton, pass into a thin, slaty, friable sandstone, much +impregnated by carbonaceous matter, and containing pieces of fibrous +lignite. [Sidenote: 1056, 1062] In the neighbourhood of the lignite +there are some beds of rather indurated, but highly bituminous shale, +and the clayey banks contain clay-iron stones, in form of septaria. Mr. +Drummond likewise found beds of a beautiful bituminous coal, which +Professor Buckland, from its peculiar fracture, considers to be tertiary +pitch-coal. [Sidenote: 1058, 1059, 1060] The banks of the Saskatchewan, +near the same place, exhibit beds of a very compact stone, having a +brown colour, and inclosing many fragments of bituminous limestone and +some organic remains; likewise beds of a somewhat similar stone, but +full of drusy cavities, and more resembling a recent calcareous tufa. I +could not learn how far these beds were connected with the lignite +deposit. + +Captain Franklin[31] saw beds of lignite and tertiary pitch-coal at +Garry's Island, off the mouth of the Mackenzie, and there is an +extensive deposit of it near the Babbage River, on the coast of the +Arctic Sea, opposite to the termination of the Richardson chain of the +Rocky Mountains. + + +MACKENZIE RIVER FROM SLAVE LAKE TO THE BASE OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. + +Having now described the strata in Bear Lake River, together with the +exposed beds of the lignite at its mouth, as far as opportunities of +observation enable me, and also added a slight account of similar +formations which occupy a like situation at the foot of the Rocky +Mountain range, were I to adapt the order of my notices strictly to the +route of the expedition, I should next describe the banks of the +Mackenzie from the junction of the Bear Lake River downwards to the +Arctic Sea. It seems, however, more advisable to commence at the origin +of the Mackenzie, in Great Slave Lake, and give as connected a view as I +can of the principal geological features of that great river. + +The west end of Slave Lake is bounded by horizontal strata of a +limestone, whose characters shall be afterwards given in detail; and I +have merely to remark, at present, that it forms flat shores, which are +skirted by shoals of boulders of limestone, and of primitive rocks. Much +drift timber is accumulated in the small bays at this end of the lake, +which, in process of time, is converted into a substance like peat. A +chain of islands extends obliquely across the lake at the origin of the +river, or where the current is first felt; and the depth of the water +there is less than six feet. Below this, there is a dilatation termed +the _first little lake_, and the river afterwards contracts to less than +a mile in breadth; forming in one place, when the water is low, a strong +rapid. A second dilatation, about twenty-five miles below the first, is +termed the _second little lake_. The shores throughout this distance are +generally flat and covered with boulders of limestone, compact felspar, +granite, gneiss, and sienite, and there are many of these stones +imbedded in a tenacious clay, which forms the beach. A ridge, having an +even outline, and apparently of small elevation, commences behind Stony +Point, in Slave Lake, some distance inland, and, running nearly parallel +to the river, disappears about Fishing River, a stream which joins the +Mackenzie, below the Second Little Lake. The Horn Mountains, a ridge of +hills, of considerably greater elevation, and having a more varied +outline than that on the south shore, are first visible on the north +side of the Second Little Lake, and continue in sight nearly as far as +the junction of the "River of the Mountains," or "Forks, of the +Mackenzie," as the traders term the union of the two rivers. [Sidenote: +120, 121] The only rocks seen _in situ_ between Slave Lake and the +Forks, were a bituminous shale of a brownish-black colour, in thin +slates, and a slate-clay of a pure yellowish-gray colour, which, as well +as the bituminous shale, forms steep banks. + + +ROCKY MOUNTAINS. + +About twenty-five or thirty miles below the forks, the first view is +obtained of the Rocky Mountains, which there appear to consist of +short-conical peaks, scarcely rising two thousand feet above the river. +Some distance lower down, the river, changing its course from W.N.W. to +N.N.E., turns sharply round the mountains, which are there disposed in +ridges, having bases from one to two miles wide, and a direction of +S.S.W. or S.W. by S. being nearly at right angles to the general course +of the great range to which they belong. The eastern sides of the ridges +present a succession of wall-sided precipices, having beneath them +shelving acclivities formed by debris, and exhibiting on their faces +regular lines of stratification. The western sides of the ridges are of +more easy ascent. The vallies which separate these ridges and open +successively to the river, are narrow, with pretty level bottoms, but +very steep sides well clothed with trees. In the first ridge, the strata +seemed to dip to the northward at an angle of 35 degrees. In some of the +others they were horizontal, or had a southerly dip. The third ridge +presents, when viewed from the westward, a magnificent precipice, +seemingly about one thousand two hundred feet high, and which extends +for at least fifteen miles. After passing this ridge, the river +inclines to the eastward, and the forms of the hills are less distinctly +seen. + +As I could not visit the Rocky Mountains, I know nothing of their +structure except from report. An interpreter in the Hudson's Bay +Company's service, who had travelled over them, informed me that there +are fourteen or fifteen ridges, of which the three easternmost are the +most rugged, those that succeed being broader and more rounded. +[Sidenote: 122] This man gave me a specimen of a pearl-gray semi-opal, +resembling obsidian, brought from the third or fourth ridge. The +natives, by means of fire, cause this stone to break off in thin, flat, +conchoidal fragments, with which they form arrow-heads and knives. The +thin pieces are nearly transparent on the edges. [Sidenote: 123] He also +gave me a specimen of plumbago, from the same quarter, and some specular +iron. + +Mr. Macpherson, of the Hudson's Bay Company, in a letter respecting the +Rocky Mountains, near _Fort au Liard_, on the River of the Mountains, or +south branch of the Mackenzie, informs me, that "these mountains may be +traced into somewhat uniform ranges, extending north-westerly and +south-easterly, nearly parallel with the River of the Mountains, and are +in appearance confusedly scattered and broken, rising here and there +into high peaks." [Sidenote: 124, 125] This gentleman had the kindness +to send me specimens of a cherty rock, some of which, he states, were +from the third range westward from the river, and others from a spur +which projects in a southern direction from the fourth range, and rises +about six hundred feet above the adjacent valley. These specimens cannot +be distinguished from those of Limestone Point, on the north shore of +Great Bear Lake[32], Mounts Fitton and Conybeare, two remarkable peaks +which terminate the Eastern range of the Rocky Mountains on the shores +of the Arctic sea, were found by Captain Franklin to consist of +transition rocks, of which an account is given in the subjoined +note.[33] + +Sir Alexander Mackenzie, towards the conclusion of the interesting +narrative of his voyages, says, of the Rocky Mountain range, "The last +line of division is, the immense ridge, or succession of ridges of the +stony mountains, whose northern extremity dips in the Arctic Sea in +latitude 70 degrees north, and longitude 135 degrees west, running +nearly south-east, and begins to be parallel to the coast of the Pacific +ocean from Cook's inlet, and so onwards to the Columbia. From thence it +appears to quit the coast, but still continuing with less elevation to +divide the waters of the Atlantic from those of the Pacific. In these +snow-clad mountains rises the Mississippi, if we admit the Missouri to +be its source, which flows into the Gulph of Mexico; the river Nelson +which is lost in Hudson's Bay; Mackenzie's river that discharges itself +into the North Sea, and the Columbia emptying itself into the Pacific +Ocean. The breadth of the mountains from Cook's inlet to the Columbia is +from four to eight degrees easterly." I may add, that the great rivers +mentioned by Mackenzie not only take their origin from the same range of +mountains, but almost from the same hill; the head waters of the +Columbia and Mackenzie being only about two hundred yards apart in +latitude 54-1/2 degrees. Mr. Drummond, who crossed the mountains at that +place, informs me, that the Eastern side of the range consists of +conglomerate and sandstone, to which succeed limestone hills exceedingly +barren, and afterwards clay-slate and granite. + +James, the intelligent naturalist, who accompanied Major Long on his +first expedition, says of the Rocky Mountains to the southward of the +Missouri, "They rise abruptly out of the plains which lie extended at +their base on the east side, towering into peaks of great height, which +renders them visible at the distance of more than one hundred miles from +their base. They consist of ridges, knobs, and peaks, variously +disposed, among which are interspersed many broad and fertile valleys. +James's peak, one of the more elevated, was ascertained by +trigonometrical measurement to rise 8500 feet above the common level. +The rocky formations are uniformly of a primitive character, but a deep +crust of secondary rocks appears to recline on the east side of the +mountains, extending upwards from their base many hundred feet." In +another place, he says, "The woodless plain is terminated by a range of +naked and almost perpendicular rocks, visible at the distance of several +miles, and resembling a vast wall parallel to the base of the mountain. +These rocks are sandstone, and rise abruptly to an elevation of one +hundred and fifty or two hundred feet." The sandstone walls seem to +present an appearance not very dissimilar to some of the cliffs seen +from the Mackenzie. + +Having thus mentioned as briefly as I could the extent of the +information I was able to collect, respecting the Rocky Mountain range, +I may remark, that a formation of primitive rocks, but little elevated +above the general level of the country, appears to run from near the +west end of Lake Superior, gradually and slightly converging towards the +Rocky Mountains, until it attains the east side of Great Bear Lake. In +lat. 50 degrees, the two ranges are nearly seven hundred miles apart, +and there, and as far as lat. 60 degrees, the space between them is +principally occupied by horizontal strata of limestone. There is also +much limestone in the narrower interval north of 60 degrees, but the +strata are more inclined, and form abrupt hills and ridges, particularly +about lat. 66 degrees, where the primitive rocks on the east of Bear +Lake are within two hundred miles of the Rocky Mountains. Sir Alexander +Mackenzie has noticed that a chain of great lakes skirts this eastern +range of primitive rocks, where they are approached by the flat +limestone strata which lie to west of them. Thus the primitive rocks +bound Great Slave Lake to the eastward of Slave River, and the flat +limestone strata occupy the country westward of that lake, as has been +already mentioned. + +After this digression, which seemed necessary for the purpose of giving +a general idea of the structure of the country, I return to the +description of the banks of the Mackenzie. + + +MACKENZIE RIVER FROM THE FIRST SIGHT OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS TO BEAR LAKE +RIVER. + +At the sharp turn of the river round the Rocky Mountains, its east bank +swells gently into a hill several feet high. Below this the banks are +broken into conical masses by ravines, and present a finely variegated +outline. A pretty high ridge, looking like a continuation of the Horn +Mountains, is visible on the east side some distance inland. Opposite to +the Big Island there is a green hill three or four hundred feet high, +which, as we descended the river, showed itself to be part of a range +that had a direction apparently to the N.N.W., and towards its northern +end became more rugged and craggy, exhibiting cliffs and rude +embrasures, at the same time increasing in height to eight hundred or +one thousand feet. The boulders on the beach change their character +considerably about this place. Farther up, the yellowish-white limestone +which occurs in Slave Lake formed a great portion of them; but here a +greenish-gray, and rather dark-coloured, compact limestone, with a flat +conchoidal fracture, replaces it. Variegated-sandstone, and some +purplish, felspathose-sandstone, or compact felspar, also occur pretty +frequently, together with slaty limestone, bituminous-shale, +lydian-stone, pitchstone-porphyry, and various sienites, granites, and +greenstones, almost all porphyritic. + +The Rock by the river's side presents the first solid strata that occur +on the immediate banks of the river after passing the Forks. It is a +round bluff hill about five hundred feet high, with a short +obtuse-conical summit. A precipice three hundred feet high, washed by +the river, is composed of strata of limestone, dipping N.W. by W. at an +angle of 70 degrees; but the strata in other parts of the hill have in +appearance the saddle-formed arrangement. [Sidenote: 127] The limestone +is of a blackish-gray colour, slightly crystalline structure, and much +resembles the stone of the principal beds in the hills at the rapid and +mouth of Bear Lake River. Its beds are from one to two feet thick, and +much intersected by small veins of calc-spar. There are also some larger +veins a foot and a half thick, which traverse the strata obliquely, +having their sides lined with calc-spar, and their centres filled with +transparent gypsum. [Sidenote: 128] I observed a small imbedded pebble +of white sandstone in the gypsum. [Sidenote: 127] Some of the beds of +limestone consist of angular distinct concretions. [Sidenotes: 131, 132] +A small island lying off this rock, having its strata dipping south at +an angle of 20 degrees, presents a bed a foot thick, entirely composed +of these angular concretions, covered by a thin-slaty limestone, and +reposing on thicker beds, all of which are dark-coloured. No organic +remains were observed. + +A few miles below the "Rock by the river side," a very rugged ridge +appears on the eastern bank. It has sharp craggy summits, and is about +five or six hundred feet high. For nearly sixty miles below this place +the river continues about eight hundred yards wide, bounded by banks +chiefly of clay; but in some places of a clayey shale having a bluish +colour. The banks are in many places one hundred and fifty feet high, +with a beach beneath covered with boulders. A little above the site of +the Old Fort Norman the river dilates, and is full of islands; and a +short way inland, on the east side, stands Clark's Hill, which is +visible from Fort Franklin, and is supposed to be near 1500 feet high. +It is shaped somewhat like the amphibolic-granite mountain of Criffel in +Galloway, and in its immediate neighbourhood there are some less lofty, +but very rugged and precipitous hills, resembling in outline the ridges +of limestone on Bear Lake River. From this place to the commencement of +the lignite formation, already described, the banks of the Mackenzie are +high and clayey. + + +MACKENZIE RIVER FROM BEAR LAKE RIVER TO THE NARROWS. + +Below Bear Lake River the general course of the Mackenzie for eighty +miles is about N.W. by W., when a remarkable rapid is produced by ledges +of stone which cross its channel. The width of the river varies in this +distance from one to three miles, but the water-course is narrowed by +numerous islands, and the current continues strong. The Rocky Mountains +are visible, running in a direction from S.E. to N.W. Judging merely by +the eye, we did not estimate their altitude above four thousand feet, +and I may remark, that the snow disappears from their summits early in +the summer. A back view of the hill at the mouth of Bear Lake River is +also obtained for upwards of twenty miles, but the ridge of which it +forms a part curves inland, probably uniting, as was formerly remarked, +with the one which crosses Bear Lake River near the middle of its +course. The banks of the Mackenzie are in general from one hundred and +twenty to one hundred and fifty feet high in this part, and there are +occasional sections of them, but we had little leisure to examine their +structure. In the voyage of 1826 we drifted down the stream night and +day, landing only when necessary to cook our provisions; and in the +following geological notices, as far as the passage of the river named +the _Narrows_, I have done little more than describe the specimens +collected by Captain Franklin, when he ascended the river by the +tow-line in 1825. The few notes that the rapidity of our voyage +permitted me to make, as to the direction of the strata, &c., were +inserted in the book that was purloined by the Esquimaux at the mouth of +the river. + +About fifty miles below Bear Lake River there is an almost precipitous +cliff of bituminous-shale, one hundred and twenty feet high, strongly +resembling the cliffs which occur near the bases of the hill of +Scented-Grass and Great Bear Mountain in Bear Lake already +described[34], and at the mouth of the Clear Water River in lat. 56-1/2 +degrees. In the two former localities the shale is in the neighbourhood +of horizontal strata of limestone; and in the latter it actually reposes +on the limestone, which extends in horizontal strata as far as Great +Slave Lake, is connected with many salt springs, and possesses many of +the characters ascribed to the zechstein formation. [Sidenote: 133] +Captain Franklin observed the beach under the shale cliffs of the +Mackenzie to be strewed not only with fragments of the shale, but also +with much lignite, similar to that which occurs at the mouth of the Bear +Lake River. Twelve or fourteen miles below these cliffs there is a reach +seventeen or eighteen miles long, bounded by walls of sandstone in +horizontal beds. [Sidenotes: 134, 135] Specimens obtained by Captain +Franklin at the upper end of the reach consist of fine-grained quartzose +sandstone[35] of a gray colour, and having a clayey basis, resembling +those which occur in the middle of Bear Lake River. At the commencement +of the "Great Rapid of the Mackenzie" there is a hill on each side of +the river, named by Captain Franklin the eastern[36] and Western +mountains of the Rapid. The Rocky Mountains appear at no great distance +from this place, running about N.W. by W., until lost to the sight; and +as the Mackenzie for forty or fifty miles below, winds away to the +northward, and, in some reaches, a little to the eastward, they are not +again visible, until the river has made a bend to the westward, and +emerges from the defile termed "the Narrows." + +The "Eastern mountain of the rapid" seems to have a similar structure, +with the "Hill by the River's side," the hill at the mouth of Bear Lake +River, and the other limestone ridges which traverse this part of the +country. [Sidenote: 136] From some highly inclined beds near its base I +broke off specimens of a limestone, having an imperfectly crystalline +structure, and a brown colour, which deepens into dull black on the +surfaces of its natural seams. [Sidenotes: 137, 138, 139, 141] A piece +of dark-gray, compact limestone, having the peculiar structure to which +the name of "_cone in cone_" has been given, was found on the beach; +also several pieces of chert, and some fragments of a trap-rock, +consisting of pieces of greenstone, more or less iron-shot, cemented by +calc-spar. + +Immediately below the rapid there are horizontal layers of sandstone +which form cliffs, and also the bed of the river. Captain Franklin +obtained specimens of this stone, which do not differ from the +sandstones above the rapid. [Sidenote 142, 143, 140] And amongst the +debris of the cliff he found other specimens of the "_cone in cone_," +such as it occurs in the clayey beds of the coal measures, and also some +pieces of crystallized pyrites. + +[Sidenote: 144, 144a, 145, 146, 147, 144b] About forty miles below the +rapid, the river flows through a narrow defile formed by the approach of +two lofty banks of limestone in highly-inclined strata, above which +there is a dilatation of the river, bounded by the walls of sandstone, +which have weathered, in many places, into pillars, castellated forms, +caves, &c. The sandstone strata are horizontal, have slate-clay +partings, and seams of a poor clay-iron stone, but do not differ in +general appearance from the sandstone beds at the rapid, except that a +marly stone containing corallines, and having the general colour and +aspect of the sandstone beds, is associated with them at this place. + +The very remarkable defile, below these sandstone beds, is designated +"the _second rapid_" by Sir Alexander Mackenzie, and "the _ramparts_" by +the traders, a name adopted by Captain Franklin. Mackenzie states it to +be three hundred yards wide, three miles long, and to have fifty fathoms +depth of water. If he is correct in his soundings, its bed is probably +two hundred and fifty feet below the level of the sea. The walls of the +defile rise from eighty to one hundred and fifty feet above the river, +and the strata are inclined to the W.N.W., at an angle of seventy or +eighty degrees. It is worthy of remark, that the course of the river +through this chasm is E.N.E., and that just above the eastern mountain +of the rapid it runs about W.S.W. through the sandstone strata, as if it +had found natural rents by which to make its escape through the ridge of +hills which cross its course here. Similar elbows occur in various parts +of the River, and they may be almost always traced to some peculiarity +in the disposition of the hills which traverse the country. + +Captain Franklin gathered many specimens of the limestone strata of the +Ramparts, which are specified in a note.[37] [Sidenote: 148, 149] Some +of the beds at the upper part of the Ramparts consist of a granular +foliated limestone, which was not noticed elsewhere on the banks of the +river, but the greater part are of limestone, strongly resembling that +which has been already described, as forming the ridges in this quarter. +Most of the beds are impregnated wholly, or in patches, with bitumen. +Some of these specimens contain corallines and terebratulae; and at the +lower end of the defile there are horizontal strata of limestone, +covered by a thin layer of flinty slate. + +Below the _ramparts_ the river expands to the width of two miles, and +for a reach or two its banks are less elevated. In lat. 66-3/4 degrees, +about thirty miles from the ramparts, there are cliffs which Captain +Franklin in his notes, remarks, "run on an E. by S. course for four +miles, are almost perpendicular, about one hundred and sixty feet high, +and present the same castellated appearances that are exhibited by the +sandstone above the defile of the "ramparts." [Sidenote: 159, 160, 161, +162] The cliffs[38] are, in fact, composed of sandstones similar, in +general appearance, to those which occur higher up the river; but some +of the beds contain the quartz in coarser grains, with little or no +cement. [Sidenote: 163, 164, 165, 166] The beds are horizontal, and +repose on horizontal limestone,[39] from which Captain Franklin broke +many specimens in 1825. [Sidenote: 167, 168, 169, 170] We landed at this +place in 1826 to see the junction of the two rocks, but the limestone +was concealed by the high waters of the river. Captain Franklin's +specimens are full of shells, many of which are identical with those of +the flat limestone strata of the Athabasca River. [Sidenote: 171] One +bed appears to be almost entirely composed of a fine large species of +terebratula, not yet described, but of which Mr. Sowerby has a specimen +from the carboniferous limestone of Neho, in Norway. Some of the beds +contain the shells in fragments; in others, the shells are very entire. + +About forty miles below these sandstone walls the banks of the river are +composed of marl-slate, which weathers so readily, that it forms +shelving acclivities. [Sidenote: 172] In one reach the soft strata are +cut by ravines into very regular forms, resembling piles of cannon shot +in an arsenal, whence it was named _Shot-reach_. + +The river makes a short turn to the north below Shot Reach, and a more +considerable one to the westward, in passing the present site of Fort +Good Hope. The banks in that neighbourhood are mostly of clay, but beds +of sandstone occasionally show themselves. The Indians travel from Fort +Good Hope nearly due north, reach the summit of a ridge of land on the +first night, and from thence following the course of a small stream they +are conducted to the river _Inconnu_, and on the evening of the 4th day +they reach the shores of Esquimaux Lake. Its water is brackish, the tide +flowing into it. The neck of land which the Indians cross from Fort Good +Hope is termed "isthmus" on Arrowsmith's map, from Mackenzie's +information; and its breadth, from the known rate at which the Indians +are accustomed to travel, cannot exceed sixty miles. The ridge is named +the Carreboeuf, or Rein-deer Hills, and runs to lat. 69 degrees, forming +a peninsula between the eastern channel of the Mackenzie and Esquimaux +Lake. + +A small stream flows into the Mackenzie some way below Fort Good Hope, +on the banks of which, according to Sir Alexander Mackenzie, the Indians +and Esquimaux collect flints. He describes these banks as composed of "a +high, steep, and soft rock, variegated with red, green, and yellow hues; +and that, from the continual dripping of the water, parts of it +frequently fall, and break into small, stony flakes, like slate, but not +so hard. Amongst these are found pieces of petroleum, which bears a +resemblance to yellow wax, but is more pliable." The flint he speaks of +is most probably flinty-slate; but I do not know what the yellow +petroleum is, unless it be the variety of alum, named rock-butter, which +was observed in other situations, forming thin layers in bituminous +shale. + +About twenty miles below Fort Good Hope there are some sandstone +cliffs,[40] which Captain Franklin examined in 1825. [Sidenote: 173, +174] The sandstones are similar to those occurring higher up the river, +but some of the beds contain small pieces of bituminous shale; and they +are interstratified with thin layers of flinty-slate, and of +flinty-state passing into bituminous shale. [Sidenote: 175, 176] The +flinty-slate contains iron pyrites, and its layers are covered with a +sulphureous efflorescence. Some of the beds pass into a slate-clay, +which contains vegetable impressions, and some veins of clay-iron stone +also appear in the cliff. + +Sixty miles below Fort Good Hope the river turns to the northward, and +makes a sharp elbow betwixt walls of sandstone eighty or ninety feet +high, which continue for fifteen or twenty miles. Captain Franklin named +this passage of the river "The Narrows."[41] [Sidenotes: 178, 179] The +sandstones of the _Narrows_ lie in horizontal beds, and have generally a +dark gray colour. [Sidenotes: 180, 181, 182] They are parted by thin +slaty beds of sandstone, containing small pieces apparently of +bituminous coal, and some casts of vegetables. [Sidenote: 183] Most of +the beds contain scales of mica, and some of them have nodules of +indurated iron-shot clay which exhibit obscure impressions of shells. A +bed of imperfectly crystalline limestone was seen by Captain Franklin +underlying the sandstones. + + +MACKENZIE RIVER BELOW "THE NARROWS." + +The Mackenzie, on emerging from the Narrows, separates into many +branches, which flow to the sea through alluvial or diluvial deltas and +islands. The Rocky Mountains are seen on the western bank of the river, +forming the boundary of those low lands; and the lower, but decided +ridge, of the Rein-deer Hills holds nearly a parallel course on the east +bank. The estuary lying between these two ranges, opens to the N.W. by +N. into the Arctic Sea. I have already mentioned the specimens of rocks +obtained at the few points of the Rocky Mountains that were visited,[42] +and therefore shall now speak only of the Rein-deer Hills. We did not +approach them until we had passed for thirty miles down a branch of the +river which winds through alluvial lands. At this place there are +several conical hills about two hundred feet high, which appeared to +consist of limestone. Specimens taken from some slightly-inclined beds +near their bases, consisted of a fine-grained, dark, bluish-gray +limestone. After passing these limestone rocks, the Rein-deer Hills were +pretty uniform in appearance, having a steep acclivity with rounded +summits. Their height, on the borders of the river, is about four +hundred feet, but a mile or two inland they attain an elevation of +perhaps two hundred feet more. Their sides are deeply covered with sand +and clay, arising most probably from the disintegration of the subjacent +rocks. [Sidenote: 184, 185] A section made by a torrent, showed the +summit of one of the hills to be formed of gray slate-clay, its middle +of friable gray sandstone much iron-shot, and its base of dark +bluish-gray slaty clay. The sandstone predominates in some parts of the +range, forming small cliffs, underneath which there are steep +acclivities of sand. It contains nearly an equal quantity of black +flinty slate, or lydian stone, and white quartz in its composition, and +greatly resembles the friable sandstones of the lignite formation at the +mouth of Bear Lake River. [Sidenote: 186] In some parts the soil has a +red colour from the disintegration of a reddish-brown slate-clay. +[Sidenote: 187] The summits of the hills that were visited were thinly +coated with loose gravel, composed of smooth pebbles of lydian-stone, +intermixed with some pieces of green felspar, white quartz, limestone, +and chert. In some places almost all the pebbles were as large as a +goose-egg, in others none of them exceeded the size of a hazel nut. The +Rein-deer Mountains terminate in lat. 69 degrees, having previously +diminished in altitude to two hundred feet, and the eastern branch of +the river turns round their northern extremity. White spruce trees grow +at the base of these hills as far as lat. 68-1/2 degrees; north of which +they become very stunted and straggling, and very soon disappear, none +reaching to lat. 69 degrees. + +Sir Alexander Mackenzie, who, on his return from the sea, walked over +these hills, says, "Though the country is so elevated, it is one +continued morass, except on the summits of some barren hills. As I +carried my hanger in my hand, I frequently examined if any part of the +ground was in a state of thaw, but could never force the blade into it +beyond the depth of six or eight inches. The face of the high land +towards the river is, in some places, rocky, and in others a mixture of +sand and stone, veined with a kind of red earth, with which the natives +bedaub themselves." It was on the 14th of July that he made these +observations. On the 5th of the same month, in a milder year, we found +that the thaw had penetrated nearly a foot into the beds of clay at the +base of the hills. + + +ALLUVIAL ISLANDS AT THE MOUTH OF THE MACKENZIE. + +The space between the Rocky Mountains and Rein-deer Hills, ninety miles +in length from lat. 67 degrees 40 minutes to 69 degrees 10 minutes, and +from fifteen to forty miles in width, is occupied by flat alluvial +islands, which separate the various branches of the river. Most of these +islands are partially or entirely flooded in the spring, and have their +centres depressed and marshy, or occupied by a lake; whilst their +borders are higher and well clothed by white spruce trees. The spring +floods find their way, through openings in these higher banks, into the +hollow centres of the islands, carrying with them a vast quantity of +drift timber, which, being left there, becomes water-soaked, and, +finally, firmly impacted in the mud. The young willows, which spring up +rapidly, contribute much towards raising the borders of the stream, by +intercepting the drift sand which the wind sweeps from the margin of the +shallow ponds as they dry up in summer. The banks, being firmly frozen +in spring, are enabled to resist the weight of the temporary floods +which occur in that season, and before they are thawed the river has +resumed its low summer level. The trees which grow on the islands +terminate suddenly, in lat. 68 degrees 40 minutes. + +I have already mentioned, that a large sheet of brackish water, named +Esquimaux Lake, lies to the eastward of the Rein-deer Mountains, running +to the southward, and approaching within sixty miles of the bend of +Mackenzie's River at Fort Good Hope. This lake has a large outlet into +Liverpool Bay, to the westward of Cape Bathurst, and there are many +smaller openings betwixt that bay and Point Encounter, near the north +end of the Rein-deer Hills, which are also supposed to form +communications betwixt the lake and the sea. The whole coast-line from +Cape Bathurst to the mouth of the Mackenzie, and the islands skirting +it, as far as Garry and Sacred Islands, present a great similarity in +outline and structure. They consist of extensive sandy flats, from which +there arise, abruptly, hills of an obtuse conical form, from one to two +hundred feet above the general level. Sandy shoals skirt the coast, and +numerous inlets and basins of water divide the flat lands, and +frequently produce escarpments of the hills, which show them to be +composed of strata of sand of various colours, sometimes inclosing very +large logs of drift timber. There is a coating of black vegetable earth, +from six inches to a foot in thickness, covering these sandy hummocks, +and some of the escarped sides appeared black, which was probably caused +by soil washed from the summit. + +It is possible that the whole of these eminences may, at some distant +period, have been formed by the drifting of moveable sands. At present +the highest floods reach only to their bases, their height being marked +by a thick layer of drift timber. When the timber has been thrown up +beyond the reach of ordinary floods, it is covered with sand, and, in +process of time, with vegetable mould. The _Elymus mollis_, and some +similar grasses with long fibrous roots, serve to prevent the sand-hills +from drifting away again. Some of the islands, however, consist of mud +or clay. Captain Franklin describes Garry's Island as presenting cliffs, +two hundred feet high, of black mud, in which there were inclined beds +of lignite. [Sidenote: 188] Specimens of this lignite have the same +appearance with the fibrous wood-coal occurring in the formation at the +mouth of Bear Lake River, and, like it, contain resin. [Sidenotes: 189, +190] Imbedded in the same bank, there were large masses of a dark-brown +calc-tuff, full of cavities containing some greenish earthy substance. +Some boulders of lydian stone strew the beach. The cliffs of +Nicholson's Island also consisted of sand and mud, which, at the time +of our visit, (July 16th,) had thawed to the depth of three feet. This +island rises four hundred feet above the level of the sea, and is +covered with a thin sward of grasses and bents. + + +SEA-COAST.--BITUMINOUS ALUM SHALE. + +The main land to the east of Nicholson's Island, as far as Cape +Bathurst, presents gently swelling hills, which attain the height of two +hundred feet at the distance of two miles from the beach, and the ground +is covered with a sward of moss and grasses. At Point Sir Peregrine +Maitland there are cliffs forty-feet high of sand and slaty clay, and +the ravines are lined with fragments of whitish compact limestone, +exactly resembling that which occurs in Lakes Huron and Winipeg, and +which was afterwards seen forming the promontory of Cape Parry, bearing +E.N.E. from this place. The beach, on the south side of Harrowby Bay, +not far from Point Maitland, was thickly strewed with fragments of dark +red and of white sandstone, together with some blocks of the +above-mentioned limestone, and a few boulders of sienite. + +From Cape Bathurst the coast line has a S.E. direction, and is formed by +precipitous cliffs, which gradually rise in height from thirty feet to +six hundred. The beds composing these cliffs appear to be analogous to +those of the alum-shale banks at Whitby, and similar to those which +skirt the Scented-grass Hill and Great Bear Mountain, in Great Bear +Lake. The Scented-grass Hill is distant from Cape Bathurst about three +hundred miles, on a S.E. bearing, which corresponds, within a point, +with the direction of the principal mountain chains in the country. +[Sidenote: 191] There is evidently a striking similarity in the form of +the ground plan of these two promontories. At the extremity of Cape +Bathurst the cliffs consist of slaty-clay, which, when dry, has a light +bluish-gray colour, a slightly greasy feel, and falls down in flakes. +The rain-water had penetrated the cliff to the depth of three yards from +the summit; and this portion was frozen, on the 17th July, into an icy +wall, which crumbled down as it thawed. On proceeding a little further +along the coast, some beds were observed that possessed, when newly +exposed to the air, tenacity enough to be denominated stone, but which, +under the action of water, speedily softened into a tenacious +bluish-clay. + +[Sidenotes: 192, 193, 197, 198, 199] At Point Traill we were attracted +by the variegated colours of the cliff, and on landing found that they +proceeded from clays baked by the heat of a bed of bituminous-alum-shale +which had been on fire. Some parts of the earth were still warm. The +shale is of a brown colour and thin slaty structure, with an earthy +fracture. It contains many interspersed crystals of selenite; between +its lamina there is much powdery alum, mixed with sulphur, and it is +traversed by veins of brown selenite, in slender prismatic crystals. +[Sidenotes: 200, 194, 195, 196] The bed was much broken down, and hid by +the debris of the bank, but in parts it was several yards thick, and +contained layers of the wax-coloured variety of alum, named Rock-butter. +The shale is covered by a bed of stone, chiefly composed of oval +distinct concretions of a poor calcareous clay-iron stone. These +concretions have a straight cleavage in the direction of their short +axis, and are often coated by fibrous calc-sinter and calcedony. The +upper part of the cliff is clay and sand passing into a loosely cohering +sandstone. The strata are horizontal, except in the neighbourhood of +ravines, or of consumed shale, when they are often highly inclined, +apparently from partial subsidence. The debris of the cliff form +declivities, having an inclination of from fifty to eighty degrees, and +the burnt clays variously coloured, yellow, white, and deep red, give it +much the appearance of the rubbish of a brick-field. The view of the +interior, from the summit of the cliff, presents a surface slightly +varied by eminences, which swell gently to the height of fifty or sixty +feet above the general level. The soil is clayey, with a very scanty +vegetation, and there are many small lakes in the country. + +[Sidenote: 201] Ten miles further on, the alum-shale forms a cliff two +hundred feet high, and presents layers of the Rock-butter about two +inches thick, with many crystals of selenite on the surfaces of the +slates. The summit of the cliff consists of a bed of marly gravel two +yards thick, which is composed of pebbles of granite, sienite, quartz, +lydian-stone, and compact limestone, all coated by a white powdery marl. +The dip of the strata at this place is slightly to the northward. + +A few miles to the south-east of Wilmot Horton River the cliffs are six +hundred feet high, and present acclivities having an inclination of from +thirty to sixty degrees, formed of weathered slate-clay. Some beds of +alum-shale are visible at the foot of these cliffs, containing much +sulphate of alumina and masses of baked clay. + +Two miles further along the coast the shaly strata were on fire, giving +out smoke, and beyond this the cliffs become much broken but less +precipitous, having fallen down in consequence of the consumption of the +combustible strata. These ruined cliffs gradually terminated in green +and sloping banks, whose summit was from one to two miles inland, and +about six hundred feet above the sea level. Considerable tracts of level +ground occurred occasionally betwixt these banks and the beach. Wherever +the ground was cut by ravines, beds of slate-clay were exposed. On +reaching the bottom of Franklin Bay, we observed the higher grounds +keeping an E.S.E. direction until lost to the view, becoming, however, +somewhat peaked in the outline. + + +SEA COAST.--LIMESTONE. + +Parry's Peninsula, where it joins the mainland, is very low, consisting +mostly of gravel and sand, and is there greatly indented by shallow +bays, but it gradually increases in height towards Cape Parry. The bays +and inlets are separated from the sea by beaches composed of rolled +pieces of compact limestone; and which, although they are in places only +a few yards across, are several miles in length. The northern part of +Parry's Peninsula belongs entirely to a formation which appears from the +mineralogical characters of the stone composing the great mass of the +strata, and the organic remains observed in it, to be identical with the +limestone formations of Lakes Winipeg and Huron. + +[Sidenotes: 202, 204] On the north side of Sellwood Bay, in lat. 69 +degrees 42 minutes, cliffs about twenty feet high are composed of a +fine-grained[43] brownish dolomite, in angular distinct concretions, and +containing corallines and veins of calc-spar. [Sidenote: 203] In the +same neighbourhood there is a bed of grayish-black compact luculite with +drusses of calc-spar, very similar to the limestone which occurs in +highly inclined strata at the "Rock by the River Side," on the +Mackenzie, and in horizontal strata in an island near that rock, where +it forms angular concretions. + +After passing Sellwood Bay, the north and east shores of Cape Parry, and +the islands skirting them, present magnificent cliffs of limestone, +which, from the weathering action of the waves of the sea, assume +curious architectural forms. Many of the insulated rocks are perforated. +Between the bold projecting cliffs of limestone there are narrow +shelving beaches, formed of its debris, that afford access to the +interior. The strata have generally a slight dip to the northward, and +the most common Rock is a yellowish-gray dolomite which has a very +compact structure, but presents some shining facets of disseminated +calc-spar. This stone, which is not to be distinguished by its +mineralogical characters from the prevailing limestone of Lake Winipeg, +and at the passage of _La cloche_ in Lake Huron, forms beds six or eight +feet thick, and is frequently interstratified with a cellular limestone, +approaching to chert in hardness, and exhibiting the characters of +rauchwacke. In some parts, the rauchwacke is the predominating rock, and +has its cells beautifully powdered with crystals of quartz or of +calc-spar, and contains layers of chert of a milky colour. The chert has +sometimes the appearance of calcedony, and is finely striped. + +[Sidenote: 208, 209] The extremity of Cape Parry is a hill about seven +hundred feet high, in which beds of brownish dolomite, impregnated with +silica, are interstratified with a thin-slaty, gray limestone, having a +compact structure.[44] The vegetation is very scanty, and there are some +spots covered with fragments of dolomite, on which there is not the +vestige even of a lichen. Many large boulders of greenstone were thrown +upon the N.W. point of Cape Parry. The islands in Darnley Bay, between +Capes Parry and Lyon, are composed of limestone. + + +SEA-COAST.--FORMATION OF SLATE-CLAY, SANDSTONE, AND LIMESTONE, WITH +TRAP-ROCKS. + +From Cape Lyon to Point Tinney, the rocks forming the coast-line are +slate-clay, limestone, greenstone, sandstone, and calcareous +puddingstone. + +[Sidenote: 214] Near the extremity of Cape Lyon the _slate-clay_ +predominates, occurring in straight, thin, bluish-gray layers, which are +interspersed with detached scales of mica. [Sidenote: 215] It sometimes +forms thicker slates, that are impregnated with iron, and occurs alone, +or interstratified in thin beds with a reddish, small-grained limestone. +The strata, in general, dip slightly to the N.E., and form +gently-swelling grounds, which at the distance of about fifteen miles to +the southward terminate in hills, named the Melville Range. These hills +are apparently connected with those which skirt the coast to the +westward of Parry's Peninsula, have rather a soft outline, and do not +appear to attain an altitude of more than seven or eight hundred feet +above the sea. Ridges of naked trap-rocks, which traverse the lower +country betwixt the Melville hills and the extremity of the Cape, rise +abruptly to the height of one hundred or one hundred and fifty feet, and +have, in general, an E.N.E. direction. When these trap ridges reach the +coast, they form precipices which frequently have a columnar structure, +and the nearly horizontal strata of slate-clay are generally seen +underlying the precipices. In many places the softer clay strata are +worn considerably away, and the columns of greenstone hang over the +beach. Columns of this description occur at the north-eastern extremity +of the Cape, and the slate-clay is not altered at its point of contact +with the greenstone. The soil in this neighbourhood is clayey, and some +small streams have pretty lofty and steep clayey banks; the shaly strata +appearing only at their base. A better sward of grasses and carices +exists at Cape Lyon, than is usual on those shores. Many boulders of +greenstone and large fragments of red sandstone strew the beach. + +At Point Pearce, four or five miles to the eastward of Cape Lyon, a +reddish, small-grained limestone forms perpendicular cliffs two hundred +feet high, in which a remarkable cavern occurs. Near these cliffs the +slate-clay and reddish limestone are interstratified, and form a bold +rocky point, in which the strata dip to the N.E. at an angle of 20 +degrees. The coast line becomes lower to the eastward, and at Point +Keats a fine-grained, flesh-coloured sandstone occurs. This sandstone is +quartzose, does not possess much tenacity, and is without any apparent +basis. + +At Point Deas Thompson the limestone re-appears, having reddish-brown +and flesh-red colours, and a splintery fracture. There are some +beautiful Gothic arches formed in the cliffs there by the weathering of +the strata. + +Five miles farther along the coast, near Roscoe River, the same kind of +limestone forms cliffs twenty-five feet high, and is covered by thin +layers of soft slate-clay. On the top of these cliffs we observed a +considerable quantity of drift-timber and some hummocks of gravel. The +spring tides do not rise above two feet. The Melville Range approaches +within three miles of the coast there, and presents a few short conical +summits, although the hills composing it are mostly round-backed. + +[Sidenotes: 217, 218, 219] At Point De Witt Clinton, a compact +blackish-blue limestone, traversed by veins of calc-spar, forms a bed +thirty feet thick, which reposes on thin layers of a soft, compact, +light, bluish-gray limestone or marl. The cliffs at this place are +altogether about seventy feet high, but their bases were concealed by +accumulations of ice. Veins filled with compact and fibrous gypsum +traverse the upper limestone. Naked and barren ridges of greenstone, +much iron-shot, cross the country here, in the same manner as at Cape +Lyon. The soil consists of gravel and clay; the former mostly composed +of whitish magnesian limestone; and the vegetation is very scanty. + +At Point Tinney, in lat. 69 degrees 20 minutes, cliffs of a calcareous +puddingstone, about forty feet high, extend for a mile along the coast. +The basis, in most of the beds, is calc-spar; but in some small layers +it is calcareous sand. The imbedded pebbles are smooth, vary in +magnitude, from the size of a pea to that of a man's hand, and are +mostly or entirely of chert, which approaches to calcedony, and, when +striped, to agate in its characters. Perhaps, much of the gravel which +covers the country is derived from the destruction of this conglomerate +rock. + + +SEA COAST.--LIMESTONE. + +From Point Clifton to Cape Hearne, the whole coast consists of a +formation of limestone precisely similar to that which occurs on Lake +Winipeg and Parry's Peninsula. + +Dolomite, the prevailing rock in this formation, is generally in thin +layers, and has a light smoke-gray colour, varying occasionally to +yellowish gray, and buff. Its structure is compact, with little lustre, +except from facets of disseminated calc-spar. It sometimes passes into +milk-white chert, which forms beds. In some places the dolomite +alternates with cellular limestone, which is generally much impregnated +with quartz, and has its cavities powdered with crystals of that +mineral. No organic remains were observed in the strata, but fragments, +evidently derived from some beds of the formation, contained +orthoceratites, like those of Lake Huron. The strata, though nearly +horizontal, appear to crop out towards the north and east, forming +precipices about ten feet high, facing in that direction, and running +like a wall across the country. In many places, however, and +particularly at Cape Krusenstern, the strata terminate in magnificent +cliffs upwards of two hundred feet high, the country in the interior +remaining level. Mount Barrow is a small hill of limestone, of a +remarkable form, being a natural fortification surrounded by a moat. The +coast line is indented by shallow bays, and skirted by rocks and +islands. + +In the whole country occupied by this formation, the ground is covered +with slaty fragments, sometimes to the depth of three feet or more. +These slates appear to have been detached from the strata they cover, by +the freezing of the water, which insinuates itself betwixt their layers. +At Cape Bexley, the fragments of dolomite cover the ground to the +exclusion of all other soil; and in a walk of several miles, I did not +see the vestige of a vegetable, except a small green scum upon some +stones that formed the lining of a pond which had dried up. In this +neighbourhood there are a number of straight furrows a foot deep, as if +a plough had been drawn through the loose fragments. After many +conjectures as to the cause of this phenomenon, I ascertained that the +furrows had their origin in fissures of the strata lying underneath. + +At the commencement of this formation between Point Tinney and Point +Clifton, the coast is low, and a stream of considerable magnitude, named +Croker River, together with many rivulets, flow into the sea. Its +termination to the southward of Cape Hearne is also marked by a low +coast line, which is bounded by the bold rocky hills of Cape Kendall. + + +FORMATION SIMILAR TO THAT AT CAPE LYON. + +The beach between Cape Hearne and Cape Kendall is in some places +composed of slate-clay, and of a clay resembling wacke. Many large +boulders of greenstone occur there. Cape Kendall is a projecting rocky +point, about five or six hundred feet high, and nearly precipitous on +three sides, which are washed by the sea. On the north, its rocks +consist entirely of greenstone, but on the south side of the Cape the +greenstone in lofty columns reposes on thin-slaty beds of fine-grained, +bluish-gray limestone. Back's Inlet presents on each side a succession +of lofty precipitous headlands, which have the shape termed, by seamen, +"the gunner's quoin." Most of the islands and points near the mouth of +the Coppermine have this form, and are composed of trap rocks. +[Sidenote: 220] One of Cowper's islands on which we landed consists of +beds of greenstone cropping out like the steps of a stair. + +A low ridge of greenstone exists at the mouth of the Coppermine river, +and from thence to Bloody-fall, a distance of ten miles, the country is +nearly level, with the exception of some low ridges of trap which run +through it. The channel of the river is sunk about one hundred and fifty +feet below the surrounding country, and is bounded by cliffs of +yellowish white sand, and sometimes of clay, from beneath which, beds of +greenstone occasionally crop out. + +At Bloody-fall, a round-backed ridge of land, seven or eight hundred +feet high, crosses the country. It has a gentle ascent on the north, but +is steep towards the south. The river at the fall makes its way through +a narrow gap, whose nearly precipitous sides consist of tenacious clay, +the bed and immediate borders of the stream being formed of +greenstone.[45] From thence to the Copper Mountains, gently undulated +plains occur, intersected in various parts by precipitous ridges of trap +rocks, and the river flows in a narrow chasm, sunk about one hundred +feet below their level. A few miles above Bloody-fall, strata of light +gray clay-slate, dipping to the north-east, at an angle of 20 degrees, +support some greenstone cliffs on the banks of the river. [Sidenotes: +222, 223, 224] From this place to the Copper Mountains the rocks +observed in the ravines were a dark reddish-brown, felspathose +sandstone, and gray slate-clay, in horizontal strata, with greenstone +rising in ridges. The soil is sandy, and in many places clayey, with a +pretty close grassy sward. Straggling spruce trees begin to skirt the +banks of the river about eighteen or twenty miles from the sea. + + +COPPER MOUNTAINS. + +The Copper Mountains rise perhaps eight or nine hundred feet above the +bed of the river, and at a distance, present a somewhat soft outline, +but on a nearer view they appear to be composed of ridges which have a +direction from W.N.W. to E.S.E. Many of the ridges have precipitous +sides, and their summits, which are uneven and stony, do not rise more +than two hundred, or two hundred and fifty feet above the vallies, which +are generally swampy and full of small lakes. The only rocks noticed +when we crossed these hills on the late journey, were clay-slate, +greenstone, and dark red sandstone, sometimes containing white +calcareous concretions, resembling an amygdaloidal rock. On our first +journey down the Coppermine River, we visited a valley where the Indians +had been accustomed to look for native copper, and we found there many +loose fragments of a trap rock, containing native copper, green +malachite, copper glance, and iron-shot copper green; also trap +containing greenish-gray prehnite with disseminated native copper, +which, in some specimens was crystallized in rhomboidal dodecahedrons. +Tabular fragments of prehnite, associated with calc-spar and native +copper, were also picked up, evidently portions of a vein, but we did +not discover the vein in its original repository. The trap-rock, whose +fragments strewed the valley, consists of felspar, deeply coloured by +hornblende. A few clumps of white spruce trees occur in the vallies of +the Copper Mountains, but the country is in general naked. The +Coppermine River makes a remarkable bend round the end of these hills. + +After quitting the Copper Mountains, and passing a valley occupied by a +chain of small lakes in lat. 67 degrees 10 minutes, long. 116 degrees 45 +minutes, we travelled over a formation whose prevailing rocks are +spotted sandstone and conglomerate, and which forms the _height of land_ +betwixt Bear Lake and the Coppermine River. The ascent to this height +from the eastward is gradual, but the descent towards Bear Lake is more +rapid. The country is broken and hilly, though the height of the hills +above the sea is perhaps inferior to that of the Copper Mountains. The +vallies through which the small streams that water the country flow, are +narrow and deep, resembling ravines, and their sides are clayey. The +ground is strewed with gravel. + +The _sandstone_ has very generally a purplish colour, with gray spots of +various magnitudes. It is fine grained, hard, has a somewhat vitreous +lustre and contains little or no disseminated mica. + +The _conglomerate_ consists of oval pebbles of white quartz, sometimes +of very considerable magnitude, imbedded in an iron-shot cement. Many of +the pebbles appear as if they had been broken and firmly re-united +again. The conglomerate passes into a coarse sandstone. + +Porphyry and granite form hills amongst the sandstone strata. + +The _porphyry_ has a compact basis, like hornstone, of a dull brown +colour, which contains imbedded crystals of felspar and quartz, and +occasionally of augite. It forms some dome-shaped and short conical +hills. + +The _granite_ is disposed in oblong ridges, with small mural precipices. +It has, generally, a flesh-red colour, and contains some specks of +augite, but little or no mica. The granite and porphyry were observed +only on the east side of the height of land, the brow of which, and its +whole western declivity, is formed of sandstone. Boulders of granite and +porphyry, precisely similar to the varieties which occur _in situ_ on +the height of land, are common on the beach at Fort Franklin, and on the +banks of the Mackenzie above Bear Lake. + +To the westward of the height of land, the country on the banks of Dease +River is more level, and few rocks _in situ_ were seen, until within +five or six miles of Bear Lake, where the stream flows through a chasm, +whose sides are composed of a soft, fine-grained red sandstone, like +that which occurs in the vale of Dumfries, in Scotland. Several ravines +here have their sides composed of fine sand, inclosing fragments of soft +sandstone. + +About three miles from the mouth of Dease River we came to a limestone +formation, which has been already noticed in the account of the +geological structure of the shores of Great Bear Lake. + + +EASTERN CHAIN OF PRIMITIVE ROCKS. + +The preceding part of the paper describing the rock formations which +were noticed on the route of the expedition from Great Slave Lake down +the Mackenzie along the shores of the Arctic Sea, the Coppermine, Great +Bear Lake, and Great Bear River, being a distance of three thousand +miles, I shall, by way of supplement, mention very briefly some of the +more southern deposits. + +The first I have to speak of is the chain of primitive rocks to which I +have alluded in page 289, as extending for a very great distance in a +north-west direction, and inclining in the northern parts slightly +towards the Rocky Mountain Chain. Dr. Bigsby, in his account of the +geology of Lake Huron says, that "The primitive rocks on the northern +shores of that lake are part of a vast chain, of which the southern +portion, extending probably uninterruptedly from the north and east of +Lake Winipeg, passes thence along the northern shores of Lakes Superior, +Huron, and Simcoe, and after forming the granitic barrier of the +Thousand Isles, at the outlet of Lake Ontario, spreads itself largely +throughout the state of New York, and there joins with the Alleghanies, +and their southern continuations." It is not my intention to say any +thing further of the rocks in the districts of which Dr. Bigsby speaks, +although in travelling from the United States to Lake Winipeg the +expedition passed over them. That zealous geologist has already given, +in various publications, many interesting and accurate details of the +formations on the borders of the great lakes; an account of those which +lie some degrees farther to the north is inserted in the second volume +of the Geological Transactions,--and there are some notices of them in +the Appendix to the narrative of Captain Franklin's First Journey. My +object at present is, merely to trace the western boundary of the +primitive rocks in their course through the more northerly parts of the +American continent. + +I have already quoted Sir Alexander Mackenzie's original and important +remark, of the principal lakes in those quarters being interposed +betwixt the primitive rocks and the secondary strata, lying to the +westward of them--Lake Winipeg is an instance in point. It is a long, +narrow lake, and is bounded throughout on its east side by primitive +rocks, mostly granitic, whilst its more indented western shore is formed +of horizontal limestone strata. The western boundary of the primitive +rocks, extending on this lake about two hundred and eighty miles, has +nearly a north-north-west direction. From Norway Point, at the north end +of the lake, to Isle a la Crosse, a distance of four hundred and twenty +miles in a straight line, the boundary has a west-north-west direction. +For two hundred and forty miles from Isle a la Crosse to Athabasca Lake, +the course of the primitive rocks is unknown to me; but from Athabasca +Lake to M'Tavish's Bay, in Great Bear Lake, a distance of five hundred +miles, their western edge runs about north-west-by-west, and is marked +by the Slave River, a deep inlet on the north side of Great Slave Lake, +and a chain of rivers and lakes, (including great Marten Lake,) which +discharge themselves into that inlet. + +Captain Franklin on his voyage crossed this primitive chain nearly at +right angles to its line of direction, in proceeding from Hudson's Bay +to Lake Winipeg--it was there two hundred and twenty miles wide. + +The hills composing the chain are of small elevation, none of them +rising much above the surrounding country. They have mostly rounded +summits, and they do not form continuous ridges; but are detached from +each other, by vallies of various breadth, though generally narrow, and +very seldom level. The sides of the hills are steep, often precipitous. +When the vallies are of considerable extent, they are almost invariably +occupied by a lake, the proportion of water in this primitive district +being very great; from the top of the highest hill on the Hill River, +which has not a greater altitude than six hundred feet, thirty-six lakes +are said to be visible. The small elevation of the chain may be inferred +from an examination of the map, which shows that it is crossed by +several rivers, that rise in the Rocky Mountains, the most considerable +of which are the Churchill and the Saskatchewan, or Nelson River. These +great streams have, for many hundred miles from their origin, the +ordinary appearance of rivers, in being bounded by continuous parallel +banks; but on entering the primitive district, they present chains of +lake-like dilatations, which are full of islands, and have a very +irregular outline. Many of the numerous arms of these expansions wind +for miles through the neighbouring country, and the whole district bears +a striking resemblance, in the manner in which it is intersected by +water, to the coast of Norway and the adjoining part of Sweden. The +successive dilatations of the rivers have scarcely any current, but are +connected to each other by one or more straits, in which the +water-course is more or less obstructed by rocks, and the stream is very +turbulent and rapid. The most prevalent rock in the chain is gneiss; but +there is also granite and mica-slate, together with numerous beds of +amphibolic rocks. + + +LIMESTONE OF LAKE WINIPEG. + +To the westward of the chain of primitive rocks, through a great part, +if not through the whole of its course, lies an extensive horizontal +deposit of limestone. + +Dr. Bigsby, in the Geological Transactions, has described, in detail, +the limestone of Lake Huron, and is disposed to refer "the cavernous and +brecciated limestone of Michilimackinac to the magnesian breccia, which +is in England connected with the red marl;" whilst the limestones of St. +Joseph, and the northern isles, he considers as more resembling the +well-known formation of Dudley, in Staffordshire. The limestone of +Thessalon Isle, in which there occurs the remarkable species of +orthoceratite which he has figured, he describes as decidedly magnesian. +I observed this orthoceratite in the limestone strata of one of the +isles forming the passage of La Cloche in Lake Huron. The limestone +deposits of Lake Winipeg and Cape Parry exactly resemble that of La +Cloche in mineralogical characters, and in containing the same +orthoceratite which was also found by Captains Parry and Lyon at +Igloolik. + +The colour of the limestone of Lake Winipeg is very generally +yellowish-white, passing into buff, on the one hand, and into ash-gray +on the other. A reddish tinge is also occasionally observed. Much of it +has a flat fracture, with little or no lustre, and a fine-grained +arenacious structure. A great portion of it, however, is compact, and +has a flat conchoidal and slightly splintery fracture. This variety +passes into a beautiful china-like chert. [Sidenote: 1001, 1014] Many of +the beds are full of long, narrow vesicular cavities, which are lined +sometimes with calc-spar, but more frequently with minute crystals of +quartz. The beds of this formation seldom exceed a foot in thickness, +and are often very thin and slaty. The arenacious and cherty varieties +frequently occur in the same bed; sometimes they form distinct beds. The +softer kinds weather readily into a white marl, which is used by the +residents to whitewash their houses. Wherever extensive surfaces of the +strata were exposed, as in the channels of rivers, they were observed to +be traversed by rents crossing each other at various angles. The larger +rents, which were sometimes two yards or more in width, were however, +generally parallel to each other for a considerable distance. + +Professor Jameson enumerates _terebratulae_, _orthoceratites_, +_encrinites_, _caryophyllitae_, and _lingulae_, as the organic remains in +the specimens brought home by Captain Franklin on his first expedition. +Mr. Stokes and Mr. James De Carle Sowerby have examined those which we +procured on the last expedition, and found amongst them +_terebratulites_, _spirifers_, _maclurites_, and _corallines_. The +maclurites belonging to the same species, with specimens from Lakes Erie +and Huron, and also from Igloolik, are perhaps referrible to the +_Maclurea magna_ of Le Sueur. [Sidenote: 1015, 1019] Mr. Sowerby +determined a shell, occurring in great abundance in the strata at +Cumberland-house, about one hundred and twenty miles to the westward of +Lake Winipeg, to be the _Pentamerus Aylesfordii_. + +The extent to the westward of the limestone deposit of Lake Winipeg is +not well known to me; but I have traced it as far up the Saskatchewan as +Carlton House, and its breadth there is at least two hundred and eighty +miles. For about one hundred miles below Carlton House, the river +Saskatchewan flows betwixt banks from one to two hundred feet in height, +consisting of clay or sand, and the beds of limestone are exposed in +very few places. The plains in the neighbourhood of Carlton abound in +small lakes, some of which are salt. The country which the Saskatchewan +waters for one hundred and ninety miles before it enters Lake Winipeg, +is of a different kind. It is still more flat than that about Carlton, +and is so little raised above the level of the river, that in the +spring-floods the whole is inundated, and in several places the river +sends off branches which reunite with it after a course of many miles. +In this quarter the soil is generally thin, and the limestone strata are +almost every where extensively exposed. To the southward of Cumberland +House, the Basquiau Hill has considerable elevation. I had not an +opportunity of visiting it; but in the flat limestone strata, near its +foot, there are salt springs, from which the Indians sometimes procure a +considerable quantity of salt by boiling; and there are several +sulphureous springs within the formation. + +I observed no beds of conglomerate in it, and no sandstone associated +with it; but the extensive plains which lie betwixt Carlton House and +the Rocky Mountains are sandy, and beds of sandstone are said to be +visible in some of the ravines. + +The line of contact of the limestone with the primitive rocks of Lake +Winipeg, is covered with water; but at the Dog's-Head, and near the +north end of Beaver Lake, they are exposed within less than a mile of +each other. To the southward of the Dog's-Head in Lake Winipeg, and in a +few other quarters, some schistose rocks, belonging to the transition +series, are interposed between the two formations. + +Before quitting the formations of Lake Winipeg, I may remark, that the +height of that lake above the sea is perhaps equal to that of Lake +Superior, which is eight hundred feet. + + +LIMESTONE OF THE ELK AND SLAVE RIVERS. + +The next formation I have to mention is one which appears to possess +most of the characters ascribed by German geologists to the zechstein. +It extends from the north side of the Methy carrying-place down the +Clearwater, Elk, and Slave Rivers, and along the south shore of Great +Slave Lake to the efflux of the Mackenzie. The line I have traced was +the route of the expedition, and is also very nearly that of the eastern +boundary of the limestone. Primitive rocks occur in Lake Mammawee, +Athabasca Lake, and on the Stony River; and on several parts of the +Slave River they are separated from the limestone only by the breadth of +the stream. On Great Slave Lake, the Stony Island, on the north-east +side of the mouth of Slave River, is composed of granite, whilst the +limestone strata are exposed at Fort Resolution on the south-west side. + +[Sidenote: 1027, 1028] The limestone in this extensive tract is commonly +in thin and nearly horizontal beds, and much of it exactly resembles in +mineralogical characters the dolomite and chert of Lake Winipeg. It is +interstratified with thin beds of soft white marl; and in a few places +with a marly sandstone. Extensive beds of stinkstone also occur, and +many beds of limestone containing fluid bitumen in cavities. The bitumen +is in such quantity, in some quarters, as to flow in streams from +fissures in the rock; and in an extensive district, around Pierre au +Calumet on the Elk River, slaggy mineral pitch fills the crevices in the +soil, and may be collected in large quantities by digging a well. + +A calcareous breccia also exists in various places, particularly on the +Slave River. Springs depositing from their waters sulphur, and sulphate +of lime, slightly mixed with sulphate of magnesia, muriate of soda, and +iron, are common and copious. A few miles to the westward of the Slave +River, there is a ridge of hills several miles long, and about two +hundred feet high, having several beds of compact, grayish gypsum +exposed on its sides. From the base of this hill there issue seven or +eight very copious, and many smaller springs, whose waters deposit a +great quantity of very fine muriate of soda by spontaneous evaporation. +The collected rivulets from these springs form a stream which is, at its +junction with the Slave River, sixty yards wide and eight or ten feet +deep. + +[Sidenote: 1020 to 1026] The organic remains, in this deposit, according +a list kindly furnished by Mr. Sowerby, consist of _spirifers_, +[Sidenote: 1029 to 1032] one of which is the _spirifer acuta_; several +new _terebratulae_, of which one resembles the _T. resupinata_, a +_cirrus_, some crinoidal remains, and corals. + +At the union of Clearwater and Elk Rivers, the limestone beds are +covered to the depth of one hundred and fifty feet with bituminous +shale. + +I have stated, that on Slave River this limestone formation succeeds +immediately to primitive rocks, but I am not acquainted with the rocks +that lie to the eastward of it on the Elk River. The traders report that +there are extensive deposits of sandstone on the eastern arm of the +Athabasca Lake, and, perhaps, these sandstones extend nearly to +Clearwater River. Sand covers the limestone on that river to the depth +of eight or nine hundred feet, and the fragments of sandstone in it are +large, numerous, and not worn. + +The quantity of gypsum in immediate connection with extremely copious +and rich salt springs, and the great abundance of petroleum in this +formation, together with the arenacious, soft, marly, and brecciated +beds interstratified with the dolomite, and above all, the circumstance +of the latter being by far the most common and extensive rock in the +deposit, led me to think that the limestone of the Elk and Slave Rivers +was equivalent to the zechstein of the continental geologists. My +opinion, however, on this subject is, from a total want of practical +acquaintance with the European rock formations, of little weight; and +several eminent geologists are, after an examination of the organic +remains and mineralogical characters of the specimens brought home, +inclined to consider the formation as analogous to the carboniferous or +mountain-limestone of England. + +As to the limestone formation of Lake Winipeg, I have no doubt of its +identity with that occurring in the islands at the passage of La Cloche, +in Lake Huron, and also with that at Cape Parry and at Cape Krusenstern, +on the coast of the Arctic Sea. It is probable, also, that these four +deposits belong to the same epoch with the limestone of Elk and Slave +Rivers, although they differ in containing little or no petroleum. It is +proper to mention, however adverse it may be to the opinion I have +ventured to hint at above, of these extensive horizontal deposits of +limestone being referable to the zechstein, that the limestone of Lake +Huron is generally considered as belonging to the mountain-limestone; +and Professor Jameson, from a review of the organic remains occurring in +the Lake Winipeg deposit, considered that it also belonged to that +formation. The formation of Cape Lyon may be, with less danger of a +mistake, referred to the transition or mountain-limestone. + +THE END. + +[Illustration] + +FOOTNOTES: + +[20] This was estimated by allowing one foot descent per mile for Bear +Lake River, whose length is seventy miles; and three inches per mile for +the descent of Mackenzie River, from the junction of the former river to +the sea, being a distance of five hundred miles. + +[21] In our former journey, we sounded near the Rein-Deer Islands in +Slave Lake, with sixty-five fathoms line, without reaching the bottom. + +[22] Section of the cliffs at Limestone Point--strata dipping to the +N.N.W. + +[Illustration] + +In the section the strata are represented much more inclined than they +really are. + +231 Fine-grained, nearly compact, yellowish-gray dolomite, forming the +summit of the hill, but the first, or lowest stratum, in the language of +geologists. + +232 Compact, splintery dolomite, with a conchoidal fracture, and +wax-yellow colour--second stratum. + +233 A cherty dolomite; containing calc-spar--third stratum. + +234 Bluish-gray dolomite, traversed by calc-spar--is nearly compact, and +has an uneven, splintery fracture--forms the uppermost portion of the +fourth stratum. + +235 Talcose? limestone, having a curved slaty structure, and containing +cherty portions--from the lower part of the fourth stratum. + +236, 237 Earthy greenstone? forms the fifth stratum. + +238 Brownish-red dolomite, with an uneven fracture; scarcely splintery. +It has a compact structure, and is intersected by veins of +calc-spar--from the sixth stratum. + +239 Light yellowish gray dolomite, passing into chert--seventh stratum. + +240, 241 Thin slaty beds of brownish-red dolomite, like 238--eighth +stratum. + +242 Bluish-white porcelain chert, sometimes mixed with red +dolomite--243--ninth stratum. + +[23] _List of boulders gathered on the beach at Fort Franklin._ + +261 Coarse crystalline granite; felspar flesh-red in large crystals; +quartz gray; mica black. + +262 Granite; felspar paler, and less distinctly crystallized; quartz in +small quantity, gray; mica blackish, and rather abundant. + +263 Granite; felspar partly reddish, partly yellowish-white, quartz in +small grains; mica equalling the quartz in quantity, black. + +264 Granite, fine-grained: quartz and felspar, white, the former nearly +transparent, black mica in small specks, garnets. + +265, 268 Granite; quartz in regular crystals; mica blackish, in small +quantity. + +266 Granite? red felspar in large crystals; quartz gray; mica replaced +by chlorite? + +267 Granite; felspar gray; chlorite? in small quantity. + +269 Granite, small grained, passing into gneiss; reddish-brown felspar +and gray quartz, intimately mixed, and having in the aggregate, a +vitreous lustre; mica in layers. + +270 Granite coarser grained than the preceding, containing more quartz; +the mica disseminated. + +271, 273 Granite with little mica, some portions of the felspar tinged +green. + +272, 274, 275, 277, 278, 279, 280, Granite grayish and small grained +mica black. + +276 Granite; brick-red felspar; quartz; and augite?--no mica. + +The mica is mostly black in all the granite boulders that occur here, +the felspar most frequently reddish. + +281 Porphyritic granite? felspar imperfectly crystallized, containing +large, imbedded crystals; quartz; and chlorite? + +282 Granite? composed of felspar, of quartz, with, perhaps, a few minute +grains of chlorite? + +283 Granite? contains little quartz, and a few scales of mica, with some +chlorite? + +284 Sienite; felspar somewhat granular, a little quartz and chlorite? + +285 Porphyritic sienite? having a basis of slightly granular felspar, +with light-coloured crystals of felspar, some quartz and disseminated +grains of chlorite? + +286 Reddish-brown hornstone porphyry. + +287 Crystalline greenstone. + +288 Fine-grained greenstone. + +289 Porphyritic greenstone. + +290 Pitchstone porphyry. + +291 Greenstone slate with pyrites. + +292 Amygdaloidal claystone porphyry. + +293 Compact grayish-blue dolomite. + +294 Splintery dolomite. + +295 Cellular dolomite. + +296 Swinestone. + +297 Limestone with corallines. + +298 Chert. + +299 White quartz. + +300 Quartz-rock. + +301 Coarse sandstone. + +302 Fine-grained white sandstone. + +303 Fine-grained red sandstone. + +304 Fine-grained striped sandstone. + +305 Fine-grained spotted sandstone. + +306 Slaty sandstone verging towards slate-clay. + +307 Dark-red claystone. + +308 Light-coloured claystone. + +[24] _List of Specimens from Diluvial Gravel, Fort Franklin._ + +1 Amphibolic granite, rather coarse crystalline, felspar flesh-red. + +2 Ditto, approaching to gneiss. + +3 Gneiss approaching to mica-slate, felspar white, and in small +quantity. + +4 Greenstone with much felspar and minute disseminated pyrites. + +5 Quartz rock? having brownish and imperfect crystals, and a reddish +disintegrated mineral disseminated. + +6 Brownish-red and fine granular quartz-rock, with a somewhat splintery +fracture. It has the aspect of compact felspar. + +7 Quartz rock, reddish crystalline texture, and vitreous lustre, but +with small rounded grains imbedded in it, bringing it near to sandstone. + +8 Coarse sandstone; rounded grains of quartz united by a clayey basis. + +9 Fine-grained purplish sandstone, with grayish spots. This sandstone +occurs _in situ_ near the Copper Mountains, between Dease Bay and the +Coppermine River. + +10 Fine-grained yellowish-white sandstone. + +11 Yellowish-gray sandstone, composed of small rounded grains of quartz +united by a powdery white basis. + +12 Yellowish-gray sandstone, composed of fine grains of vitreous quartz. + +13 Sandstone, having different shades of brownish-red colour, in layers. + +14 Lydian stone. + +[25] Mr. Sowerby, who inspected all the specimens containing organic +remains, says of this species of ammonite, "it is, as far as I can +discover, new. It contains sulphate of barytes, and is probably +referrible to some of the Oolites near the Oxford clay." Although it was +found lying on the beach, I have no doubt of its having fallen from some +of the beds of clayey sandstone, which form the walls of the rapid. + +[26] 33 This limestone appears as if composed of an aggregate of small +crystals, and presents many drusy cavities. + +34 Is an adjoining bed of a similar colour, of a fine crystalline +texture, but without the drusy cavities. It appears to be a dolomite. +These two beds dip to the northward. + +35, 36 Calcareous breccia. The two preceding beds (33 and 34) were from +the summit of the portion of the hill which forms the cliff, but taken a +little farther to the N.W. In the cliff the beds dip, as has been +stated, to the S.W. The following beds occur in going to the +north-westward, towards the summit of the highest peak, commencing near +its base, in a valley behind the cliff. + +37 A fine-grained blackish-gray dolomite, having interspersed many +nodules of chert, or grayish-white quartz, not crystallized. + +38 A very compact, opaque limestone, of a smoke-gray colour, having a +flat and slightly splintery fracture. Effervesces briskly. + +39 Blackish-gray rather compact limestone, having a flat and dull +fracture, and intersected by small veins of calc-spar. This is a +prevalent stone in the hill, and also occurs in quantity in other +limestone ridges in the neighbourhood. + +40 An ash-gray, fine-granular dolomite. + +41 A conglomerate, forming the summit of the highest peak. + +[27] 57 This breccia has a white calcareous basis, which incloses +angular fragments of compact, yellowish-gray limestone, with smooth dull +surfaces. + +58 Grayish-white limestone, having a fine crystalline texture, with +drusy cavities, incrusted with bitumen. + +59 Limestone, apparently composed of crystalline fragments, highly +charged with bitumen, cemented by a whitish carbonate of lime in minute +crystals. I could not satisfy myself whether this variety of colour +proceeded from partial impregnations of bitumen, or from a brecciated +structure. Specimens 58 and 59 were from beds near the western part of +the hill. + +60 A fine-grained dolomite, approaching to compact, having a flat and +somewhat splintery fracture, and a brownish-gray colour. + +61, 62 Limestone in the body of the hill, resembling No. 39 in the hill +at the rapid in Bear Lake River, but with larger veins of calc-spar. + +63, 64 Dark blackish-brown bituminous shale, veined with calc-spar, and +passing into bituminous marl-slate. It contains nodules of iron pyrites. + +65 Thin bed of indurated shale, approaching to flinty-slate, lying at +the foot of some beds of bituminous limestone. Their connection not +clearly made out. + +66, 67, 68 Bluish-gray, fine-grained sandstone, some of them passing +into slate-clay, and scarcely to be distinguished from those at the +rapid in Bear Lake River. Capt. Franklin took these specimens from +horizontal beds at the foot of the hill facing Bear Lake River. + +[28] Sir Alexander Mackenzie, in p. 95 of his Voyage to the Arctic Sea, +states, that he saw several small mineral springs running from the foot +of this mountain, and found lumps of iron ore on the beach. + +[29] Travels in the Arkansa, p. 52-54. + +[30] Section I. + + The section of the bank at the mouth of the Bear Lake River + is as follows, beginning with the lowest bed:-- + + 81 Gravel, with thin layers of sand rising from the water's + edge in a perpendicular cliff, to the height of 30 feet + Lignite (70 to 80 and 84) 1 + 83 Potter's clay of a bluish gray colour, alternating + with layers of sand 40 + A sloping uneven brow, covered with soil, extends + to the summit of the bank 20 + ---- + 91 + +Lydian stone is the most abundant, and whitish quartz the least so of +the pebbles mentioned in the text as entering into the composition of +the gravel. + +[Sidenote: 82] A little farther up the Mackenzie, this bed of gravel +passes into sand, which, in some spots, has sufficient coherence to +merit for it the name of sandstone. During a great part even of the +summer season, all the beds of sand are frozen into a hard sandstone; +but a piece having been broken off and put into the pocket, speedily +thawed into sand. + +[Sidenote: 83] Specimens of the clay, which I have denominated potter's +clay, taken from near the beds of lignite, have a colour intermediate +between yellowish-gray and clove-brown, a dull earthy fracture, and a +slightly greasy feel. It is not gritty under the knife, and acquires a +slightly shining smooth surface, adheres slightly to the tongue, and, +when moistened with water, assumes a darker colour, and becomes plastic. + +Section II. + + About five miles above Bear Lake River, the cliff consists + of Slaty sandstone evidently composed of the same materials + with the friable kinds described in the text, but having + tenacity enough to form a building stone. It incloses some + seams of lignite 10 feet + Lignite 4-1/2 + Clay and Sand 50 + Irregular slope from top of cliff to summit of bank 90 + --------- + 154-1/2 + +Section III. + + A little farther up the river than the preceding:-- + + 85 Pipe-clay on a level with the water 1 foot + 86 Lignite 1 + 90 Potter's clay 14 feet + 87 Pipe-clay 1 foot + 89 Lignite 1 + 91 Potter's clay 10 feet + Lignite 1 foot + Sandstone 8 feet + Lignite 2-1/2 + Potter's clay 10 + 94 Friable sandstone and clay 20 + Sandstone a little more durable 12 + Sloping Summit 40 + --------- + 121-1/2 + +The pipe-clay, when taken newly from the bed, is soft and plastic, has +little grittiness, and when chewed for a little time, a somewhat +unctuous but not unpleasant taste. When dried in the air it acquires the +hardness of chalk, adheres to the tongue, and has the appearance of the +whiter kinds of English pipe-clay, but is more meagre. + +Section IV. + + A little above the preceding:-- + + A precipitous bank of gravel 12 feet + Lignite and clay, the beds concealed by debris 40 + Friable sandstone 30 + ---- + Height of the cliff 82 + +Section V. + + Ten miles above Bear Lake River, at the junction of a small torrent + with the Mackenzie, there is a cliff about forty feet high, in which + the strata have a dip of sixty degrees to the southward. + + 98 Bed, No. 1 Porcelain clay 2 yards + 2 Potter's clay slightly bituminous + 99 3 Thin-slaty lignite, with two seams of 2-1/2 + 100, 101 clay-iron stone, an inch thick + 4 Pipe clay, (nine inches) 1/4 + 104 5 Porcelain clay 3 + 105 6 Bituminous clay 3 + 106 7 Lignite, with a conchoidal fracture 2 + 8 Pipe clay 1/4 + 107 9 Porcelain clay 3 + 10 Bituminous clay 3 + 110 11 Lignite, earthy paste, enclosing 2 + fibrous fragments + 12 Porcelain earth } + 13 Bituminous clay } 9 + 14 Porcelain earth } + ---------- + 31 yards. + +The three last beds it is probable, once inclosed seams of coal which +have been consumed, but the quantity of debris prevented this from being +ascertained satisfactorily during the hurried visit I paid to them. + +[Sidenote: 108] Over these inclined beds there is a shelving and +crumbling cliff of sand and clay covered by a sloping bank of vegetable +earth. A layer of peat at the summit has a thin slaty structure, and +presents altogether, except in colour and lustre, a striking resemblance +to the shaly lignite, forming bed No. 3 in the preceding Section. + +104, 98. The substance composing beds Nos. 1 and 5, which I have +denominated Porcelain clay, has a fine, granular texture, and the +appearance of some varieties of chalk. It adheres slightly to the +tongue, yields readily to the nail, is meagre, and soils the fingers +slightly. There are many specks of coaly matter disseminated through it, +and some minute scales of mica, and perhaps of quartz. When moistened +with water, it becomes more friable, and is not plastic. It does not +effervesce with acids. + +Bed No. 9 is the same mineral that forms beds 1 and 5; but it has a +grayer colour from the greater quantity of coaly particles, and its +structure is slightly slaty. + +The bituminous clay of bed No. 6, has a thick-slaty structure, a +grayish-black colour, and a shining resinous streak. It is sectile, but +does not yield to the nail. Pieces of lignite occur imbedded in it, and +it is traversed by fibrous ramifications of carbonaceous matter. + +Specimens 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, are of substances altered by contact +with beds of burning coal. + +[31] See Page 50 of the Narrative. + +[32] Noticed in page 267. + +[33] List of specimens, collected by Captain Franklin, on the sea-coast, +to the westward of the Mackenzie. + +_From Mount Fitton in the Richardson Chain._ + +344 Grauwacke-slate in columnar concretions, detached from the rocky +strata by an Esquimaux. + +348 Grauwacke-slate, resembling the preceding, from the same place. Used +by the Esquimaux as a whetstone. + +345, 346 Globular balls of dark, blackish-gray, splintery limestone, and +of flinty-slate, traversed by minute veins of calc-spar. Picked up at +the base of the mountain. + +347 Worn pebbles of quartz, lydian stone, splintery limestone, and +grauwacke, from the same spot. + +349 Fine-grained, mountain-green clay-slate, approaching to potstone; +quarried by the Esquimaux in the Cupola Mountain of the same chain, and +used to form utensils. + +350 Rock-crystal from the same chain of mountains. + +_From the beach between Point Sabine and Point King._ + +351 Brown-coal, woody structure scarcely perceptible. There are beds of +this coal in the earthy cliffs where the party was encamped on the 13th +and 14th July near Point King. + +352 Clay-iron stone, forming boulders in the channels of the rills, +which cut the earthy banks containing coal. + +353, 354 Pitch-coal, having a fibrous structure and a very beautiful +fracture, presenting a congeries of circles. (This coal was recognised +by Professor Buckland to be a tertiary pitch-coal, and is precisely +similar to specimens brought from the upper branches of the +Saskatchewan, by Mr. Drummond: see page 284.) The specimen was picked up +from the gravelly beach at the mouth of the Babbage River. + +355 Greenish-gray limestone, with a somewhat earthy granular aspect; +containing shells which Mr. Sowerby considers to be very like the +_cyclas medius_ of the Sussex weald-clay. Picked up at the same place +with the preceding specimen. + +Captain Franklin remarks, that "the Babbage flows between the mountains +of the Richardson Chain, and that there were no solid strata nor any +large boulders near its mouth. The gravel consisted of pebbles of red +and white sandstone, slaty limestone, greenstone, and porphyry, much +worn by attrition." + +_From Mount Conybeare, in the Buckland Chain._ + +356 Greenish-gray grauwacke slate, (resembling No. 348,) with specks of +effervescent carbonate of lime. The surfaces of the slates exhibit +interspersed scales of mica. The specimens were broken from the summit +of Mount Conybeare, at the western extreme of the Buckland Chain: +latitude 69 degrees 27 minutes, longitude 139 degrees 53 minutes west. + +358 Fine-grained grauwacke-slate in columnar concretions, from the same +place with specimen 356. + +357 Grauwacke-slate, in thick slaty columnar concretions, besprinkled +with scales of mica. Taken from a bed about the middle of Mount +Conybeare. The resemblance of this stone to that of Mount Fitton (No. +344) is very remarkable. + +360 Similar rock to 358, with an adhering portion of a vein of +crystallized quartz, and on one side a bit of bluish-gray slate. From +the middle of Mount Conybeare. + +359 Columnar concretion of a slaty rock, like 356, but more quartzose, +breaking into rhomboidal fragments. From the middle of Mount Conybeare. + +361, 362 Grauwacke-slate, with a thin adhering vein of carbonate of lime +and numerous particles of disseminated mica. From the middle of Mount +Conybeare. + +363 Bluish-gray grauwacke-slate, resembling Nos. 348 and 344. From the +Upper Terrace, at the base of Mount Conybeare. + +364 Dark-bluish gray and very fine-grained grauwacke-slate, with a +glimmering lustre, traversed by a vein of quartz. From the same place. + +365 A thick-slaty angular concretion of a very quartzose +grauwacke-slate, (similar to Nos. 348 and 358,) decomposed on the +surface and breaking into rhomboidal fragments. From the middle Terrace +at the base of Mount Conybeare. + +366 A somewhat rhomboidal portion of flinty-slate, apparently part of a +bed. From the Lower Terrace of Mount Conybeare, which is composed of +this rock. The terrace is ten miles distant from the sea-coast, and the +intervening ground is swampy. + +The whole series of specimens from Mount Conybeare, (Nos. 356 to 366,) +appear to belong to transition rocks; and the continuity of the +formation with that of Mount Fitton is rendered probable, both by the +resemblance of the specimens and the geographical situation of the +mountains. + +Captain Franklin saw no rocks, _in situ_, on the coast to the westward +of the Richardson Chain; but he gathered boulders of the following rocks +from the bed of the Net-setting Rivulet, which flows from the British +Chain of the Rocky Mountains, and falls into the Arctic Sea, between Sir +P. Malcolm River and Backhouse River. + +367 Greenstone; 368, yellowish-gray sandstone; 369, dark-coloured +splintery-limestone; 370, 371, 372, dolomite; 373, quartzose sandstone, +like the old red sandstone; 374, grauwacke-slate; 375, quartz and iron +pyrites. + +Boulders of the under-mentioned rocks were gathered on Flaxman Island. + +378 Fine-grained, greenish clay-slate, obviously of primitive rock, +abundant in the neighbourhood, and supposed to have been brought down by +the rivulets which flow from the Romanzoff Chain. 379, quartz. + +376 and 377 were from Foggy Island, and are rolled specimens of +flinty-slate; one of them containing corallines. + +[34] Page 268. + +[35] 134. These specimens have a wood-brown colour internally, and +appear to be composed of minute grains of quartz, variously coloured, +white, yellowish-brown and black, cemented together by an earthy basis. +It is a hard and apparently durable stone, occurring in layers an inch +thick, and having its seam-surfaces of a grayish-black colour, with +little lustre, as if from a thin coating of bituminous clay. + +135, are specimens of a more compact, harder, and finer-grained +quartzose sandstone, with less cement, and of a deeper bluish-gray +colour. + +[36] Mackenzie attempted to ascend this hill, but was compelled to +desist by clouds of musquitoes, (July 6th, 1789. _Voyage to the Arctic +Sea_, p. 40.) + +136 This limestone effervesces strongly with acids, breaks into +irregular fragments, but with an imperfect slaty structure, and has a +brown colour, with considerable lustre in the cross fracture. + +The specimens collected by Captain Franklin were as follows:-- + +144a Sandstone of an ash-gray colour, composed of rounded grains of +semi-transparent quartz of various sizes, imbedded in a considerable +proportion of a powdery basis which effervesces with acids. This bed +weathers readily. + +145 Thick-slaty sandstone passing into slate-clay, having a very +fine-grained earthy fracture, and a light bluish-gray colour. It is very +similar to some of the softer sandstones that occur in the coal field at +Edinburgh, particularly in the Calton Hill. + +146 Sectile ash-gray slate-clay which forms the partings of the beds. + +144b Bluish-gray marl, impregnated with quartz, forming a moderately +hard stone, and containing corallines (_amplexus_.) + +[37] _Upper part of the ramparts._ + +148 A fine-granular, foliated limestone, of a white colour, having large +patches stained yellowish-brown, apparently by bitumen. + +149 A yellowish-gray slightly granular limestone, with disseminated +calc-spar. + +150 Compact, white limestone, which, when examined with a lens, appears +to be entirely composed of madrepores. + +151 Specimens of limestone, having a crystalline texture, a brownish +colour and slaty structure. + +152 The seams are dark, as if from the carbonaceous matter--portions of +this bed have the appearance of old mortar; but contain obscure +madrepores. + +_From the middle of the ramparts._ + +153 Fine-granular limestone, having a pale, wood-brown colour, and a +splintery fracture. It resembles the limestone of the hill at the mouth +of Bear Lake River. + +154 Pale yellowish-brown limestone, with a dull fracture, but +interspersed with small, shining, sparry plates, and traversed by +concretions of calc-spar, that appear to have originated in corallines. + +155 Yellowish-gray limestone, passing into a soft marl slate. + +156 Some beds contain a shell, which Mr. Sowerby refers, though with +doubt, to the species named terebratula sphaeroidalis, a fossil of the +cornbrash. The substance of the shells is preserved. + +Some of the specimens contain _producti_, and fragments of the coral +named _amplexus_. + +_Lower end of the ramparts._ + +157 Fine-grained limestone, of a dark-brown colour, containing some +small, round, smooth balls of dark limestone--occurs in horizontal +strata. + +158 Brownish-black flinty-slate, which forms a layer an inch thick, and +covers the horizontal beds of limestone last mentioned. (157.) + +[38] _Specimens from the cliffs in lat. 66-3/4 degrees._ + +159 Very fine-grained sandstone, with much clayey basis--portions of the +bed iron-shot. + +160 Sandstone fine-grained, and appearing, when examined with a lens, to +be composed of minute grains of whitish translucent quartz, black Lydian +stone, and ochre-coloured grains, probably of disintegrated felspar. + +161 Rounded grains of nearly transparent quartz united without +cement--this stone is friable. + +162 Sandstone composed of grains like the preceding, united by a basis, +and forming a firmer stone. + +163 Hard, thin, slaty, bluish-gray sandstone, much iron-shot. + +164 Fine-grained, bluish-gray sandstone, not to be distinguished in +hand-specimens from some of the sandstones which occur at the rapid in +Bear Lake River. + +[39] _Horizontal limestone beds lying under the sandstone._ + +166 Fine-grained limestone, with an earthy fracture, coloured brown and +grayish-white in patches. + +167, 168 Similar stone to preceding, containing many shells. Some beds +contain only broken shells. + +169 Bed of imperfectly crystalline limestone, of a brownish-gray colour, +traversed by veins of calc-spar. + +170 Fragments containing madrepores and chain coral--occur amongst the +debris of the limestone cliffs. + +[40] _Sandstone cliffs twenty miles below Fort Good Hope._ + +173 Friable sandstone, composed of grayish-white quartz, in smooth, +rounded grains, cemented by a brownish basis. Some carbonaceous matter +is interspersed through the stone, and it contains small fragments of +bituminous shale. + +174 Calcareous sandstone passing into slate-clay--bluish-gray colour. + +175 Black, flinty-slate, with a flat conchoidal cross fracture. Some of +the pieces appear to be rhomboidal distinct concretions. + +176 Dull, flinty-slate, with an even fracture. + +178 Thin-slaty blackish-gray sandstone, much indurated, containing +scales of mica. + +179, 180 Bluish-gray sandstone, containing many minute specks of +carbonaceous matter; also, in patches, grains of chert, and +flinty-slate, and imbedded pieces of iron-shot clay, which has obscure +casts of shells. Scales of mica are interspersed through this stone. + +181, 182 Sandstone containing specks of bituminous? coal, and casts of +some vegetable? substance. + +183 Gray limestone, much impregnated with quartz, and having an +imperfect crystalline structure. + +[41] Mackenzie notices the precipices of "gray stone," which bound the +river here, p. 71. + +[42] See page 288. + +[43] Specimens from Sellwood Bay. + +202 Fine-grained dark brownish-gray dolomite, with corallines filled +with white calc-spar. + +203 Lucullite grayish-black, compact, and without lustre. + +204 Gray dolomite. + +205 A rolled piece, evidently of the same rock with the preceding, +containing the impression of a _cardium_. + +206 + +[44] Specimens from the Promontory of Cape Parry, which rises into a +hill, seven hundred feet high. Strata dipping lightly to the northward. + +207 Yellowish-gray dolomite, imperfectly crystalline, being similar to +the limestone of Lake Winipeg. + +208 Brownish dolomite impregnated with silica. + +209 Thin-slaty, gray limestone. Very common also in Lake Winipeg. + +210, 211 Boulders of dolomite. + +212 + +213 Brown dolomite, with drusy cavities and veins, lined by calc-spar. + +[45] In the geological notices appended to the narrative of Captain +Franklin's Journey to the Coppermine, I have termed this rock a dark +purplish-red felspar rock. On examining it again on this journey, I +perceived it to be a greenstone, whose surfaces weather of a rusty brown +colour. + + +Transcriber's Notes: + +The original makes extensive use of sidenotes, and several sidenotes +are often associated with a single paragraph, especially within the +final chapter. Because of this, inline sidenotes have been used and +are positioned as close to the relevant passage as was possible during +proofing. + +Old spellings are retained, e.g. musquitoes, felspar, Esquimaux, +kaiyacks, imbedded, incloses, inclosing, inquiry, inquiries, moveable, +incrusted, trowsers, bivouack, referrible, teazing. Both vallies and +valleys are used interchangably and this has not altered. Names with +suffixes "Mc" or "Mac" written as "M'" throughout text; this convention +is retained. Only printer's errors have been corrected. + +"A.M." and "P.M." are shown without an internal space--spaces have been +removed where they were present in manuscript. Usage was inconsistent, +perhaps to better justify text. Internal spaces have also been removed +from initials such as R.N., F.R.S., K.G., &c., to improve rewrap +behaviour. Decimal points were locally denoted by commas. This +convention is replaced by standard decimal point notation throughout. +Degree, minute and second have been spelled out, replacing symbols in +the original. + +Lengthy quotations were denoted by a leading quotation mark in the first +column of each line. They are replaced with standard opening and closing +quotation marks for each quoted passage. + +Italic text is surrounded by _underscores_. Greek letters are only used +in a single paragraph concerning astronomy on page 244 and have been +written as their English names. Small caps have been rendered as upper +case. The oe ligature symbol in the original is represented by oe in +this text. + +"Dog-Rib" Indians were sometimes referred to as "Dog-rib". Usage is now +"Dog-Rib" throughout. + +Specific corrections made to text follow. Note that examples are given +after a colon and are the corrected text. All other printer's errors +remain. + + Page Comment + ---------------------------------------------------------------------- + 14,51,79 "water-proof" changed to "waterproof". + 16 "depot" changed to "depot". + 17 "Hudsons's Bay Company" corrected to "Hudson's Bay Company". + "bat-/teau" corrected to "bateau" to be consistent with rest + of text. Typo was across end of line hyphen. + 24 "Hudson's Bay-Company" corrected to "Hudson's Bay Company". + 25 "was dragged by other eight men" corrected to "was dragged by + another eight men". + 26 "Riviere" corrected to "Riviere". + "Hudson" corrected to "Hudson's". + 27 "or" corrected to "on": "live on dried provision". + 28 "depend" corrected to "depends". + 29 "chace" corrected to "chase". Whilst both forms are acceptable + for the time, both were used in the book. The change makes + everything consistent. See also page 65. + "of" inserted: "under the roof of our hospitable friend". + 30 "Winnipeg" corrected to "Winipeg" to be consistent with rest + of manuscript. + 32,51 "northwest" corrected to "north-west" for consistency. + 34 "eastermost" corrected to "easternmost". + 39,53,65,96,202 "day-light" changed to daylight". + 42 "sandbanks" changed to "sand-banks" for consistency with rest + of manuscript. + 48,51 "rein deer" corrected to "rein-deer" twice on this page to + be consistent with rest of manuscript. + 52,299 "lydianstone" corrected to "lydian-stone". + 49 "Rocky mountains" capitalised to "Rocky Mountains". + 52 "occurence" corrected to "occurrence". + 53 "chissel" changed to "chisel": "ice-chisel". + Inserted comma after "ice-chisel" to correct list punctuation. + 54 "Cannon-shot" changed to "Cannon-Shot" for consistency in + place name "Cannon-Shot Reach". + 56 "where-ever" across end of line changed to "wherever" twice on + this page. + 62 "skreening" amended to "screening": "screening us from the + snow". + 65 "bag-pipes" to "bagpipes". + "chace" corrected to "chase". + 70 "Chepewyan" corrected to "Chipewyan". + "invariable" corrected to "invariably": "the needle almost + invariably remained stationary". + 77 "temperature in the shade +8 degrees 5 minutes": odd use of + minutes noted. It is not immediately obvious what is + intended. + 80 "dimunition" corrected to "diminution". + 83 "canvass" corrected to "canvas": "waterproof canvas". + 88 "aud" corrected to "and": "iron-work, knives, and beads". + 92 "northeast" changed to "north-east". + 94 "Francois" changed to "Francois". + "westermost" changed to "westernmost". + 95 "36' N" changed to "36' N.". + 101 "mall" corrected to "small": "so small a number". + 109 "mases" to "masses": "the larger masses". + 111 "Copper-mine" to "Coppermine": "the Coppermine River". + "tatoed" to "tattoed": "men being tattoed". + 112,119,130,132,172,173,190 "oomiacks" changed to "oomiaks". + 115 "Rocky mountains" capitalised to "Rocky Mountains". + 117 "liittle" to "little": "our little friend". + 122 "seperated" corrected to "separated". + 124 "ancle" amended to "ankle". + 126 "Dip" made lower-case "dip" since mid-sentence. + 129 "British chain" changed to "British Chain" for consistency. + 132 "visiters" corrected to "visitors". + "oomiack" corrected to "oomiak". + 132,148,152,190 "oomiack" corrected to "oomiak". + 146 "ice chissel" changed to "ice-chisel". + 147 "and the main, that when" changed to "and the main than when" + to correct typos. + 148 "Humphreys" changed to "Humphrys" to be consistent. + 156 "Capitalised start of sentence: "be killed? You are active". + Added closing quotation marks after "depart instantly". + 157 "hair skins" changed to "hare skins" since "their dress + consisting principally of hare skins" is noted on page 247. + 160 Degree symbol used instead of minute symbol. Correct form: + "latitude 69 deg 34 min & 69 deg 44 min N." + 163 Comma changed to full-stop since it occurs at end of sentence: + "white spruce trees. Our voyage amongst these". + 166 "Richard's" changed to "Richards'" since the governor was John + Baker Richards. + "island" changed to "Island": "Richards' Island". + 167 Comma changed to full-stop since it occurs at end of sentence: + "intimidation and extortion. When the interview". + "kaiyaks" changed to "kaiyacks". + 173 "harassing" changed to "harrassing". + 174 It is unclear whether these Eskimo words were meant to have oe + or ae. The printer seems to have used the oe ligature + indifferently for ae, as sometimes happened at this period. + Cf. sertulariae p. 179 etc. And the only such word in + non-italic has ae: Narrakazzae p. 266. At any rate, later + writers certainly seem to have read them all as oe. + "peechaw-ooloo" has a macron (overscore) diacritical mark on + its final letter; this has been omitted. + 177 "ice-bergs" changed to "icebergs". + 180 "Wednesday 12th" changed to "Wednesday, 12th" to be consistent + with other sidenotes. + 184 "grounded-ice" amended to "grounded ice". + 185 "K'Kinley" corrected to "M'Kinley": "Captain George M'Kinley". + 189 "sine" changed to "side". + 190 "ecstacy" changed to "ecstasy". + "their wide boots" changed to "their wide hoods", cf. pp. 44, + 110. + 195 "head-land" changed to "headland". + 199 "preservance" corrected to "perseverance". + "from" changed to "form": "those which form its western". + 200 "short-voyage" changed to "short voyage". + Comma changed to full-stop since it occurs at end of sentence: + "south-east direction. We landed a little to the eastward". + 202 "head-lands" changed to "headlands". + "day-light" changed to daylight". + 204 "closenes" corrected to "closeness". + 207 "lime-stone" corrected to "limestone". + 208 "deers-meat" corrected to "deer-meat". + 211 "semed" corrected to "seemed": "seemed to contain". + 214 "lime-stone" corrected to "limestone". + 225 "several of of them" changed to "several of them". Word was + repeated across end of line. + "dimunition" corrected to "diminution": "suffered some + diminution". + 226 Comma changed to full-stop since it occurs at end of sentence: + "on their route to Bear Lake. The ridges of hill". + 227 "ecstacy" corrected to "ecstasy". + 230 "68" changed to "66": 3 days ago they were at 67 deg. 10', heading + SW; the northernmost point of Great Bear Lake is at about + 67 deg.. + 232 "Thursday 24th" changed to "Thursday, 24th" to be consistent with + other sidenotes. + "I I therefore embarked" changed to "I therefore embarked"; + repeat was across line break. + 237 "Krusensten" changed to "Krusenstern" since the latter is used + in the rest of the text. + 240 "indvalids" corrected to "invalids". + 244 "extrordinary" corrected to "extraordinary" + "Corona" corrected to "Coronae". + 245 "+30.5 degrees." changed to "+30.5 degrees,". + 246 "re-appearance" corrected to "reappearance". + 257 "house changed to "House". + 261 "depots" changed to "depots". + 268 "sulphat" corrected to "sulphate": "crystals of sulphate of + iron". + 271 "moses" corrected to "mosses": "is covered a foot deep, or + more, by mosses". + 274 "off" corrected to "of": "at the bottom of the cliff". + 278 "sandsone" corrected to "sandstone". + 279 "sand-stones" corrected to "sandstones". + "oscasionally" corrected to "occasionally". + 280 "clay-stone" to "claystone". + 283 "long;" changed to "long.;". + 284 "formation" corrected to "formations": "similar formations + which occupy". + 285 "limetone" corrected to "limestone". + 290 "swells gently into a hill several feet high"; should this be + "several hundred feet high"? + "Horn Mountain" changed to "Horn Mountains". + "sienities" changed to "sienites". + 293 "in some, reaches" changed to "in some reaches,". + Footnote 36: "very-fine grained" changed to "very fine-grained. + 295 "specifind" corrected to "specified". + "sphoeroidalis" corrected to "sphaeroidalis". + "corbrash" corrected to "cornbrash". + 296 Removed spurious opening quotation mark before "ramparts", + thereby balancing quotation marks. + 297 "terrebratula" corrected to "terebratula". + 303 "coasted" changed to "coated". + 308 "othoceratites" changed to "orthoceratites". + 318 "Sowbery" changed to "Sowerby". + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Narrative of a Second Expedition to +the Shores of the Polar Sea, by John Franklin and John Richardson + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NARRATIVE: THE POLAR SEA *** + +***** This file should be named 33467.txt or 33467.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/3/4/6/33467/ + +Produced by Carlo Traverso, Adam Styles and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by the Bibliotheque nationale de France (BnF/Gallica) at +http://gallica.bnf.fr) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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