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- <fo:block text-align="start" font-size="10pt"
- font-family="sans-serif"
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- John Franklin - Journey to the Shores of the Polar Sea
- </fo:block>
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- font-size="10pt"
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- p. <fo:page-number/>
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-
- <!-- defines local TOC -->
- <fo:block font-size="10pt"
- font-family="serif"
- line-height="12pt"
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- padding-top="6pt">
- Journey across the barren Grounds - Difficulty and delay in crossing Copper-Mine River -
- Melancholy and fatal Results thereof - Extreme Misery of the whole Party - Murder of
- Mr. Hood - Death of several of the Canadians - Desolate State of Fort Enterprise -
- Distress suffered at that Place - Dr. Richardson's Narrative - Mr. Back's Narrative -
- Conclusion.
- </fo:block>
-
- <fo:block font-size="8pt"
- font-family="serif"
- font-style="italic"
- line-height="10pt"
- space-before.optimum="3pt"
- space-after.optimum="3pt"
- text-align="start">1821. August 17.
- </fo:block>
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- <!-- Normal text -->
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- MY original intention, whenever the season should
- compel us to relinquish the survey, had been to return by the way
- of the Copper-Mine River, and in pursuance of my arrangement
- with the Hook to travel to Slave Lake through the line of woods
- extending thither by the Great Bear and Marten Lakes, but our
- scanty stock of provision and the length of the voyage rendered it
- necessary to make for a nearer place. We had already found that
- the country, between Cape Barrow and the Copper-Mine River,
- would not supply our wants, and this it seemed probable would now
- be still more the case ; besides, at this advanced season, we expected
- the frequent recurrence of gales, which would cause great detention,
- if not danger in proceeding along that very rocky part of the coast.
- I determined, therefore, to make at once for Arctic Sound, where
- we had found the animals more numerous than at any other place ;
- and entering Hood's River, to advance up that stream as far as it
- was navigable, and then to construct small canoes out of the
- materials of the larger ones, which could be carried in crossing the
- barren grounds to Fort Enterprise.
- </fo:block>
-
- <fo:block font-size="8pt"
- font-family="serif"
- font-style="italic"
- line-height="10pt"
- space-before.optimum="3pt"
- space-after.optimum="3pt"
- text-align="start">August 19.
- </fo:block>
-
- <!-- Normal text -->
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- line-height="12pt"
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- We were almost beaten out of our comfortless abodes
- by rain during the night, and this morning the gale continued
- without diminution. The thermometer fell to 33 deg. Two men were
- sent with Junius to search for the deer which Augustus had killed.
- Junius returned in the evening bringing part of the meat, but owing
- to the thickness of the weather, his companions parted from him
- and did not make their appearance. Divine service was read. On
- the 20th we were presented with the most chilling prospect, the
- small pools of water being frozen over, the ground being covered
- with snow, and the thermometer at the freezing point at mid-day.
- Flights of geese were passing to the southward. The wind however
- was more moderate, having changed to the eastward. Considerable
- anxiety prevailing respecting Belanger and Michel, the two men
- who strayed from Junius yesterday, the rest were sent out to look
- for them. The search was successful, and they all returned in the
- evening. The stragglers were much fatigued, and had suffered
- severely from the cold, one of them having his thighs frozen, and
- what under our present circumstances was most grievous, they had
- thrown away all the meat. The wind during the night returned to
- the north-west quarter, blew more violently than ever, and raised a
- very turbulent sea. The next day did not improve our condition,
- the snow remained on the ground, and the small pools were frozen.
- Our hunters were sent out, but they returned after a fatiguing
- day's march without having seen any animals. We made a scanty
- meal off a handful of pemmican, after which only half a bag
- remained.
- </fo:block>
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- The wind abated after midnight, and the surf diminished rapidly,
- which caused us to be on the alert at a very early hour on the 22d,
- but we had to wait until six A.M. for the return of Augustus who
- had continued out all night on an unsuccessful pursuit of deer.
- It appears that he had walked a few miles farther along the coast,
- than the party had done on the 18th, and from a sketch he drew on
- the sand, we were confirmed in our former opinion that the shore
- inclined more to the eastward beyond Point Turnagain. He also
- drew a river of considerable size, that discharges its waters into
- Walker's Bay; on the banks of which stream he saw a piece of
- wood, such as the Esquimaux use in producing fire, and other marks
- so fresh that he supposed they had recently visited the spot. We
- therefore left several iron materials for them. Our men, cheered by
- the prospect of returning, embarked with the utmost alacrity; and,
- paddling with unusual vigour, carried us across Riley's and Walker's
- Bays, a distance of twenty miles before noon, when we landed on
- Slate-Clay Point, as the wind had freshened too much to permit us
- to continue the voyage. The whole party went to hunt, but returned
- without success in the evening, drenched with the heavy rain which
- commenced soon after they had set out. Several deer were seen,
- but could not be approached in this naked country; and as our
- stock of pemmican did not admit of serving out two meals, we went
- dinnerless to bed.
- </fo:block>
-
- <!-- Normal text -->
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- line-height="12pt"
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- Soon after our departure to-day, a sealed tin-case, sufficiently
- buoyant to float, was thrown overboard, containing a short account of
- our proceedings, and the position of the most conspicuous points.
- The wind blew off the land, the water was smooth, and as the sea
- is in this part more free from islands than in any other, there was
- every probability of its being driven off the shore into the current ;
- which, as I have before mentioned, we suppose, from the circumstance
- of Mackenzie's River being the only known stream that
- brings down the wood we have found along the shores, to set to the
- eastward.
- </fo:block>
-
- <fo:block font-size="8pt"
- font-family="serif"
- font-style="italic"
- line-height="10pt"
- space-before.optimum="3pt"
- space-after.optimum="3pt"
- text-align="start">August 23.
- </fo:block>
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- A severe frost caused us to pass a comfortless night.
- At two P.M. we set sail, and the men voluntarily launched out to
- make a traverse of fifteen miles across Melville Sound, before a
- strong wind and heavy sea. The privation of food, under which
- our voyagers were then labouring, absorbed every other terror;
- otherwise the most powerful persuasion could not have induced
- them to attempt such a traverse. It was with the utmost difficulty
- that the canoes were kept from turning their broadsides to the
- waves, though we sometimes steered with all the paddles. One of
- them narrowly escaped being overset by this accident, happening
- in mid-channel, where the waves were so high that the mast-head
- of our canoe was often hid from the other, though it was sailing
- within hail. The annexed plate, from Mr. Back's sketch, will convey
- to the reader an accurate idea of the peril of our situation.
- </fo:block>
-
- <!-- Normal text -->
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- The traverse, however, was made;we were then near a high
- rocky lee shore, on which a heavy surf was beating. The wind
- being on the beam, the canoes drifted fast to leeward; and, on
- rounding a point, the recoil of the sea from the rocks was so great
- that they were with difficulty kept from foundering. We looked in
- vain for a sheltered bay to land in ; but, at length, being unable to
- weather another point, we were obliged to put ashore on the open
- beach, which, fortunately, was sandy at this spot. The debarkation
- was effected in the manner represented in the plate; and, fortunately,
- without further injury than the splitting of the head of
- the second canoe, which was easily repaired.
- </fo:block>
-
- <!-- Normal text -->
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- Our encampment being near to the place where we killed the deer
- on the 11th, almost the whole party went out to hunt, but they
- returned in the evening without having seen any game. The
- berries, however, were ripe and plentiful, and, with the addition
- of some country tea, furnished a supper. There were some showers
- in the afternoon,and the weather was cold, the thermometer
- being 42 deg, but the evening and night were calm and fine. It may be
- remarked that the mosquitoes disappeared when the late gales
- commenced.
- </fo:block>
-
- <fo:block font-size="8pt"
- font-family="serif"
- font-style="italic"
- line-height="10pt"
- space-before.optimum="3pt"
- space-after.optimum="3pt"
- text-align="start">August 25.
- </fo:block>
-
- <!-- Normal text -->
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- Embarking at three A. M., we stretched across
- the eastern entrance of Bathurst's Inlet, and arrived at an island,
- which I have named after Colonel Barry, of Newton Barry. Some
- deer being seen on the beach, the hunters went in pursuit of
- them, and succeeded in killing three females, which enabled us to
- save our last remaining meal of pemmican. They saw also some
- fresh tracks of musk oxen on the banks of a small stream, which
- flowed into a lake in the centre of the island. These animals must
- have crossed a channel, at least, three miles wide, to reach the nearest
- of these islands. Some specimens of variegated pebbles and jasper
- were found here imbedded in the amygdaloidal rock.
- </fo:block>
-
- <!-- Normal text -->
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- Re-embarking at two P.M., and continuing through what was
- supposed to be a channel between two islands, we found our passage
- barred by a gravelly isthmus of only ten yards in width ; the canoes
- and cargoes were carried across it, and we passed into Bathurst's Inlet
- through another similar channel, bounded on both sides by steep
- rocky hills. The wind then changing from S.E. to N.W. brought
- heavy rain, and we encamped at seven P.M., having advanced
- eighteen miles.
- </fo:block>
-
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- Starting this morning with a fresh breeze in our favour,
- we soon reached that part of Barry's Island where the canoes were
- detained on the 2d and 3rd of this month, and contrary to what we
- then experienced, the deer were now plentiful. The hunters killed
- two, and we were relieved from all apprehension of an immediate
- want of food. One would suppose the deer were about to retire to
- the main shore from their assembling at this time in such numbers
- on the islands nearest to the coast. Those we saw were generally
- females with their young, and all of them very lean.
- </fo:block>
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- The wind continued in the same direction until we had rounded
- Point Wollaston, and then changed to a quarter, which enabled us
- to steer for Hood's River, which we ascended as high as the first
- rapid and encamped. Here terminated our voyage on the Arctic
- sea, during which we had gone over six hundred and fifty geographical
- miles. Our Canadian voyagers could not restrain their expressions
- of joy at having turned their backs on the sea, and
- they passed the evening talking over their past adventures with
- much humour and no little exaggeration. The consideration that
- the most painful, and certainly the most hazardous, part of the
- journey was yet to come, did not depress their spirits at all. It is
- due to their character to mention that they displayed much courage
- in encountering the dangers of the sea, magnified to them by their
- novelty.
- </fo:block>
-
- <!-- Normal text -->
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- The shores between Cape Barrow and Cape Flinders, including
- the extensive branches of Arctic and Melville Sounds, and Bathurst's
- Inlet, may be comprehended in one great gulf, which I have distinguished
- by the appellation of George IV.'s Coronation Gulf, in
- honour of His Most Gracious Majesty, the latter name being added
- to mark the time of its discovery. The Archipelago of islands which
- fringe the coast from Copper-Mine River to Point Turnagain, I have
- named in honour of His Royal Highness the Duke of York.
- </fo:block>
-
- <!-- Normal text -->
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- It may be deserving of notice that the extremes in temperature
- of the sea water during our voyage were 53 deg and 35 deg, but its general
- temperature was between 43 deg and 48 deg. Throughout our return from
- Point Turnagain we observed that the sea had risen several feet
- above marks left at our former encampments. This may, perhaps,
- be attributed to the north-west gales.
- </fo:block>
-
- <fo:block font-size="8pt"
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- font-style="italic"
- line-height="10pt"
- space-before.optimum="3pt"
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- text-align="start">August 26.
- </fo:block>
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- Previous to our departure this morning, an assortment
- of iron materials, beads, looking-glasses, and other articles
- were put up in a conspicuous situation for the Esquimaux, and the
- English Union was planted on the loftiest sand-hill, where it might
- be seen by any ships passing in the offing. Here also, was deposited
- in a tin bow a letter containing an outline of our proceedings, the
- latitude and longitude of the principal places, and the course we
- intended to pursue towards Slave Lake.
- </fo:block>
-
- <!-- Normal text -->
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- Embarking at eight A.M. we proceeded up the river, which is full
- of sandy shoals, but sufficiently deep for canoes in the channels. It is
- from one hundred to two hundred yards wide, and is bounded by high
- and steep banks of clay. We encamped at a cascade of eighteen or
- twenty feet high, which is produced by a ridge of rock crossing the
- river, and the nets were set. A mile below this cascade Hood's
- River is joined by a stream half its own size, which I have called
- James' Branch. Bear and deer tracks had been numerous on the
- banks of the river when we were here before, but not a single recent
- one was to be seen at this time. Credit, however, killed a small
- deer at some distance inland, which, with the addition of berries,
- furnished a delightful repast this evening. The weather was remarkably
- fine, and the temperature so mild, that the mosquitoes again
- made their appearance, but not in any great numbers. Our distance
- made to-day was not more than six miles.
- </fo:block>
-
- <!-- Normal text -->
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- The next morning the net furnished us with ten white fish
- and trout. Having made a further deposit of iron work for the
- Esquimaux we pursued our voyage up the river, but the shoals and
- rapids in this part were so frequent, that we walked along the banks
- the whole day, and the crews laboured hard in carrying the canoes
- thus lightened over the shoals or dragging them up the rapids, yet
- our journey in a direct line was only about seven miles. In the
- evening we encamped at the lower end of a narrow chasm through
- which the river flows for upwards of a mile. The walls of this
- chasm are upwards of two hundred feet high, quite perpendicular,
- and in some places only a few yards apart. The river precipitates
- itself into it over a rock, forming two magnificent and picturesque
- falls close to each other. The upper fall is about sixty feet high, and
- the lower one at least one hundred, but perhaps considerably more,
- for the narrowness of the chasm into which it fell prevented us from
- seeing its bottom, and we could merely discern the top of the spray
- far beneath our feet. The lower fall is divided into two, by an
- insulated column of rock which rises about forty feet above it. The
- whole descent of the river at this place probably exceeds two
- hundred and fifty feet. The rock is very fine felspathose sandstone.
- It has a smooth surface and a light red colour. I have named these
- magnificent cascades Wilberforce Falls, as a tribute of my respect
- for that distinguished philanthropist and Christian. Messrs. Back and
- Hood took beautiful sketches of this majestic scene, which are
- combined in the annexed plate.
- </fo:block>
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- The river being surveyed from the summit of a hill, above these
- falls, appeared so rapid and shallow, that it seemed useless to
- attempt proceeding any farther in the large canoes. I therefore
- determined on constructing out of their materials two smaller ones
- of sufficient size to contain three persons, for the purpose of crossing
- any river that might obstruct our progress. This operation was
- accordingly commenced, and by the 31st both the canoes being
- finished, we prepared for our departure on the following day.
- </fo:block>
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- The leather which had been preserved for making shoes was
- equally divided among the men, two pairs of flannel socks were given
- to each person, and such articles of warm clothing as remained, were
- issued to those who most required them. They were also furnished
- with one of the officers' tents. This being done, I communicated to
- the men my intention of proceeding in as direct a course as possible
- to the part of Point Lake, opposite to our spring encampment
- which was only distant one hundred and forty-nine miles in a
- straight line. They received the communication cheerfully, considered
- the journey to be short, and left me, in high spirits, to
- arrange their own packages. The stores, books, &c., which were not
- absolutely necessary to be carried, were then put up in boxes to be
- left en cache here, in order that the men's burdens might be as light
- as possible.
- </fo:block>
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- The next morning was warm, and very fine. Every one was on
- the alert at an early hour, being anxious to commence the journey.
- Our luggage consisted of ammunition, nets, hatchets, ice chisels,
- astronomical instruments, clothing, blankets, three kettles, and
- the two canoes, which were each carried by one man. The
- officers carried such a portion of their own things as their strength
- would permit;the weight carried by each man was about ninety
- pounds, and with this we advanced at the rate of about a mile an
- hour, including rests. In the evening the hunters killed a lean cow,
- out of a large drove of musk-oxen; but the men were too much
- laden to carry more than a small portion of its flesh. The alluvial
- soil, which towards the mouth of the river spreads into plains,
- covered with grass and willows, was now giving place to a more
- barren and hilly country; so that we could but just collect sufficient
- brush wood to cook our suppers. The part of the river we skirted
- to-day was shallow, and flowed over a bed of sand ; its width about
- one hundred and twenty yards. About midnight our tent was blown
- down by a squall, and we were completely drenched with rain before
- it could be re-pitched.
- </fo:block>
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- In the morning of the 1st of September a fall of snow took
- place; the canoes became a cause of delay, by the difficulty of
- carrying them in a high wind, and they sustained much damage
- from the falls of those who had charge of them. The face of the
- country was broken by hills of moderate elevation, but the ground
- was plentifully strewed with small stones, which, to men bearing
- heavy burthens, and whose feet were protected only by soft moose
- skin shoes, occasioned great pain. At the end of eleven miles we
- encamped, and sent for a musk-ox and a deer, which St. Germain
- and Augustus had killed. The day was extremely cold, the ther-mometer
- varying between 34 deg and 36 deg. In the afternoon a heavy
- fall of snow took place, on the wind changing from north-west to
- south-west. We found no wood at the encampment, but made a
- fire of moss to cook the supper, and crept under our blankets for
- warmth. At sun-rise the thermometer was at 31 deg, and the wind
- fresh from north-west; but the weather became mild in the course
- of the forenoon, and the snow disappeared from the gravel. The
- afternoon was remarkably fine, and the thermometer rose to 50 deg.
- One of the hunters killed a musk-ox. The hills in this part are
- lower and more round-backed than those we passed yesterday, and
- exhibited but little naked rock; they were covered with lichens.
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- Having ascertained from the summit of the highest hill near the
- tents, that the river continued to preserve a west course; and fear-ing
- that by pursuing it further we might lose much time, and un-necessarily
- walk over a great deal of ground, I determined on
- quitting its banks the next day, and making as directly as we could for
- Point Lake. We accordingly followed the river on the 3d, only to
- the place where the musk-ox had been killed last evening, and after
- the meat was procured, crossed the river in our two canoes lashed
- together. We now emerged from the valley of the river, and entered
- a level, but very barren, country, varied only by small lakes and
- marshes, the ground being covered with small stones. Many old tracks
- of rein-deer were seen in the clayey soil, and some more recent
- ones of the musk-ox. We encamped on the borders of Wright's
- River, which flows to the eastward; the direct distance walked to-day
- being ten miles and three-quarters. The next morning was
- very fine, and,as the day advanced, the weather became quite
- warm. We set out at six A. M., and, having forded the river,
- walked over a perfectly level country, interspersed with small lakes,
- which communicated with each other, by streams running in various
- directions. No berry-bearing plants were found in this part, the
- surface of the earth being thinly covered in the moister places with
- a few grasses, and on the drier spots with lichens.
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- Having walked twelve miles and a half, we encamped at seven P.M.,
- and distributed our last piece of pemmican, and a little arrow-root
- for supper, which afforded but a scanty meal. This evening was
- warm, but dark clouds overspread the sky. Our men now began to
- find their burdens very oppressive, and were much fatigued by this
- day's march, but did not complain. One of them was lame from an
- inflammation in the knee. Heavy rain commenced at midnight, and
- continued without intermission until five in the morning, when it
- was succeeded by snow on the wind changing to north-west, which
- soon increased to a violent gale. As we had nothing to eat, and
- were destitute of the means of making a fire, we remained in our
- beds all the day ; but the covering of our blankets was insufficient to
- prevent us from feeling the severity of the frost, and suffering in-convenience
- from the drifting of the snow into our tents. There
- was no abatement of the storm next day ; our tents were completely
- frozen, and the snow had drifted around them to a depth of three
- feet, and even in the inside there was a covering of several inches on
- our blankets. Our suffering from cold, in a comfortless canvass tent
- in such weather, with the temperature at 20 deg, and without fire,
- will easily be imagined;it was, however, less than that which we
- felt from hunger.
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- The morning of the 7th cleared up a little, but the wind was still
- strong, and the weather extremely cold. From the unusual con-tinuance
- of the storm, we feared the winter had set in with all its
- rigour, and that by longer delay we should only be exposed to an
- accumulation of difficulties; we therefore prepared for our journey,
- although we were in a very unfit condition for starting, being weak
- from fasting, and our garments stiffened by the frost. We had no
- means of making a fire to thaw them, the moss, at all times difficult
- to kindle, being now covered with ice and snow. A considerable
- time was consumed in packing up the frozen tents and bed clothes,
- the wind blowing so strong that no one could keep his hands long
- out of his mittens.
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- Just as we were about to commence our march, I was seized with
- a fainting fit, in consequence of exhaustion and sudden exposure to
- the wind; but after eating a morsel of portable soup, I recovered, so
- far as to be able to move on. I was unwilling at first to take this
- morsel of soup, which was diminishing the small and only remaining
- meal for the party; but several of the men urged me to it, with
- much kindness. The ground was covered a foot deep with snow,
- the margin of the lakes was incrusted with ice, and the swamps over
- which we had to pass were entirely frozen; but the ice not being
- sufficiently strong to bear us, we frequently plunged knee-deep in
- water. Those who carried the canoes were repeatedly blown down
- by the violence of the wind, and they often fell, from making an
- insecure step on a slippery stone; on one of these occasions, the
- largest canoe was so much broken as to be rendered utterly unser-viceable.
- This was felt as a serious disaster, as the remaining canoe
- having through mistake been made too small, it was doubtful
- whether it would be sufficient to carry us across a river. Indeed
- we had found it necessary in crossing Hood's River, to lash the two
- canoes together. As there was some suspicion that Benoit, who
- carried the canoe, had broken it intentionally, he having on a former
- occasion been overheard by some of the men to say, that he would
- do so when he got it in charge, we closely examined him on the
- point; he roundly denied having used the expressions attributed to
- him, and insisted that it was broken by his falling accidentally; and
- as he brought men to attest the latter fact, who saw him tumble, we
- did not press the matter further. I may here remark that our
- people had murmured a good deal at having to carry two canoes,
- though they were informed of the necessity of taking both, in case
- it should be deemed advisable to divide the party; which it had
- been thought probable we should be obliged to do, if animals proved
- scarce, in order to give the whole the better chance of procuring
- subsistence, and also for the purpose of sending forward some of the
- best walkers to search for Indians, and to get them to meet us with
- supplies of provision. The power of doing this was now at an end.
- As the accident could not be remedied we turned it to the best
- account by making a fire of the bark and timbers of the broken
- vessel, and cooked the remainder of our portable soup and arrow-root.
- This was a scanty meal after three days' fasting, but it served
- to allay the pangs of hunger, and enabled us to proceed at a quicker
- pace than before. The depth of the snow caused us to march in
- Indian file, that is in each other's steps; the voyagers taking it in
- turn to lead the party. A distant object was pointed out to this
- man in the direction we wished to take, and Mr. Hood followed
- immediately behind him, to renew the bearings, and keep him from
- deviating more than could be helped from the mark. It may be
- here observed, that we proceeded in this manner throughout our
- route across the barren grounds.
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- In the afternoon we got into a more hilly country, where the
- ground was strewed with large stones. The surface of these was
- covered with lichens of the genus gyrophora, which the Canadians
- term tripe de roche. A considerable quantity was gathered, and
- with half a partridge each, (which were shot in the course of the
- day,) furnished us with a slender supper, which we cooked with a
- few willows, dug up from beneath the snow. We passed a comfortless
- night in our damp clothes, but took the precaution of sleeping upon
- our socks and shoes to prevent them from freezing. This plan was
- afterwards adopted throughout the journey.
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- At half past five in the morning we proceeded; and after walking
- about two miles, came to Cracroft's River, flowing to the westward,
- with a very rapid current over a rocky channel. We had much diffi-culty
- in crossing this, the canoe being useless, not only from the bot-tom
- of the channel being obstructed by large stones, but also from its
- requiring gumming, an operation which, owing to the want of wood
- and the frost, we were unable to perform. However, after following
- the course of the river some way, we effected a passage by means of a
- range of large rocks that crossed a rapid. As the current was strong,
- and many of the rocks were covered with water to the depth of two
- or three feet, the men were exposed to much danger in carrying their
- heavy burthens across, and several of them actually slipped into the
- stream, but were immediately rescued by the others. Junius went
- farther up the river in search of a better crossing place, and did not
- rejoin us to-day. As several of the party were drenched from head to
- foot, and we were all wet to the middle, our clothes became stiff with
- the frost, and we walked with much pain for the remainder of the day.
- The march was continued to a late hour, being anxious to rejoin the
- hunters who had gone before, but we were obliged to encamp at the
- end of ten miles and a quarter, without seeing them. Our only
- meal to-day consisted of a partridge each, (which the hunters shot,)
- mixed with tripe de roche. This repast although scanty for men,
- with appetites such as our daily fatigue created, proved a cheerful
- one, and was received with thankfulness. Most of the men had to
- sleep in the open air, in consequence of the absence of Credit, who
- carried their tent; but we fortunately found an unusual quantity of
- roots to make a fire, which prevented their suffering much from the
- cold, though the thermometer was at 17 deg.
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- We started at six on the 9th, and at the end of two miles re-gained
- our hunters, who were halting on the borders of a lake amidst
- a clump of stunted willows. This lake stretched to the westward as
- far as we could see, and its waters were discharged by a rapid stream
- one hundred and fifty yards wide. Being entirely ignorant where
- we might be led by pursuing the course of the lake, and dreading
- the idea of going a mile unnecessarily out of the way, we deter-mined
- on crossing the river if possible; and the canoe was gummed
- for the purpose, the willows furnishing us with fire. But we had to
- await the return of Junius before we could make the traverse. In
- the mean time we gathered a little tripe de roche, and breakfasted
- upon it and a few partridges that were killed in the morning.
- St. Germain and Adam were sent upon some recent tracks of deer.
- Junius arrived in the afternoon, and informed us that he had seen
- a large herd of musk-oxen on the banks of Cracroft's River, and had
- wounded one of them, but it had escaped. He brought about four
- pounds of meat, the remains of a deer that had been devoured by
- the wolves. The poor fellow was much fatigued, having walked
- throughout the night, but as the weather was particularly favourable
- for our crossing the river, we could not allow him to rest. After he
- had taken some refreshment we proceeded to the river. The canoe
- being put into the water was found extremely ticklish, but it was
- managed with much dexterity by St. Germain, Adam, and Peltier,
- who ferried over one passenger at a time, causing him to lie flat in its
- bottom, by no means a pleasant position, owing to its leakiness, but
- there was no alternative. The transport of the whole party was
- effected by five o'clock, and we walked about two miles further, and
- encamped, having come five miles and three quarters on a south-west
- course. Two young alpine hares were shot by St. Germain, which,
- with the small piece of meat brought in by Junius, furnished the
- supper of the whole party. There was no tripe de roche here. The
- country had now become decidedly hilly, and was covered with snow.
- The lake preserved its western direction, as far as I could see from
- the summit of the highest mountain near the encampment. We
- subsequently learned from the Copper Indians, that the part at
- which we had crossed the river was the Congecatha-wha-chaga of
- Hearne, of which I had little idea at the time, not only from the
- difference of latitude, but also from its being so much farther east of
- the mouth of the Copper-Mine River, than his track is laid down.
- He only making one degree and three quarters difference of lon-gitude,
- and we, upwards of four. Had I been aware of the fact,
- several days harassing march, and a disastrous accident would have
- been prevented by keeping on the western side of the lake, instead
- of crossing the river. We were informed also, that this river is
- the Anatessy or River of Strangers, and is supposed to fall into
- Bathurst's Inlet; but although the Indians have visited its mouth,
- their description was not sufficient to identify it with any of the
- rivers whose mouths we had seen. It probably falls in that part of
- the coast which was hid from our view by Goulburn's or Elliot's
- Islands.
- </fo:block>
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- We had a cold north wind, and the atmosphere
- was foggy. The thermometer 18 deg at five A.M. In the course of
- our march this morning, we passed many small lakes; and the
- ground becoming higher and more hilly as we receded from the
- river, was covered to a much greater depth with snow. This ren-dered
- walking not only extremely laborious, but also hazardous in
- the highest degree;for the sides of the hills, as is usual throughout
- the barren grounds, abounding in accumulations of large angular
- stones, it often happened that the men fell into the interstices
- with their loads on their backs, being deceived by the smooth
- appearance of the drifted snow. If any one had broken a limb
- here, his fate would have been melancholy indeed; we could neither
- have remained with him, nor carried him on. We halted at ten to
- gather tripe de roche,but it was so frozen, that we were quite
- benumbed with cold before a sufficiency could be collected even for
- a scanty meal. On proceeding our men were somewhat cheered, by
- observing on the sandy summit of a hill, from whence the snow had
- been blown, the summer track of a man; and afterwards by seeing
- several deer tracks on the snow. About noon the weather cleared
- up a little, and, to our great joy, we saw a herd of musk-oxen
- grazing in a valley below us. The party instantly halted, and the
- best hunters were sent out; they approached the animals with the
- utmost caution, no less than two hours being consumed before they
- got within gun-shot. In the mean time we beheld their proceed-ings
- with extreme anxiety, and many secret prayers were, doubtless,
- offered up for their success. At length they opened their fire, and
- we had the satisfaction of seeing one of the largest cows fall; another
- was wounded, but escaped. This success infused spirit into our
- starving party. To skin and cut up the animal was the work of a
- few minutes. The contents of its stomach were devoured upon
- the spot, and the raw intestines, which were next attacked, were
- pronounced by the most delicate amongst us to be excellent. A few
- willows, whose tops were seen peeping through the snow in the bottom
- of the valley, were quickly grubbed, the tents pitched, and supper
- cooked, and devoured with avidity. This was the sixth day since we
- had had a good meal. The tripe de roche, even where we got
- enough, only serving to allay the pangs of hunger for a short time.
- After supper, two of the hunters went in pursuit of the herd, but
- could not get near them.
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- We were detained all the next day by a strong southerly wind,
- and were much incommoded in the tents by the drift snow. The
- temperature was 20 deg. The average for the last ten days about
- 24.5 deg. We restricted ourselves to one meal to-day as we were at
- rest, and there was only meat remaining sufficient for the next day.
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- The gale had not diminished on the 12th, and, as we were
- fearful of its continuance for some time, we determined on going
- forward; our only doubt regarded the preservation of the canoe,
- but the men promised to pay particular attention to it, and the
- most careful persons were appointed to take it in charge. The snow
- was two feet deep, and the ground much broken, which rendered
- the march extremely painful. The whole party complained more of
- faintness and weakness than they had ever done before; their
- strength seemed to have been impaired by the recent supply of
- animal food. In the afternoon the wind abated, and the snow ceased;
- cheered with the change we proceeded forward at a quicker pace,
- and encamped at six P. M., having come eleven miles. Our supper
- consumed the last of our meat.
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- We set out on the 13th, in thick hazy weather, and, after an hour's
- march, had the extreme mortification to find ourselves on the
- borders of a large lake, which we subsequently learned from the
- Indians was named Contwoy-to, or Rum Lake; neither of its extre-
- mities could be seen, and as the portion which lay to the east
- seemed the widest, we coasted along to the westward portion in
- search of a crossing-place. This lake being bounded by steep and
- lofty hills, our march was very fatiguing. Those sides which were
- exposed to the sun, were free from snow, and we found upon them
- some excellent berries. We encamped at six P. M., having come
- only six miles and a half. Credit was then missing, and he did not
- return during the night. We supped off a single partridge and
- some tripe de roche;this unpalatable weed was now quite nau-seous
- to the whole party, and in several it produced bowel com-plaints.
- Mr. Hood was the greatest sufferer from this cause. This
- evening we were extremely distressed, at discovering that our im-provident
- companions,since we left Hood's River, had thrown
- away three of the fishing-nets, and burnt the floats ; they knew we
- had brought them to procure subsistence for the party, when the
- animals should fail, and we could scarcely believe the fact of their
- having wilfully deprived themselves of this resource, especially
- when we considered that most of them had passed the greater part of
- their servitude in situations where the nets alone had supplied them
- with food. Being thus deprived of our principal resource, that of
- fishing, and the men evidently getting weaker every day, it became
- necessary to lighten their burthens of every thing except ammunition,
- clothing, and the instruments that were required to find our
- way. I, therefore, issued directions to deposit at this encampment
- the dipping needle, azimuth compass, magnet, a large thermometer,
- and a few books we had carried, having torn out of these such parts
- as we should require to work the observations for latitude and
- longitude. I also promised,as an excitement to the efforts in
- hunting, my gun to St. Germain, and an ample compensation to
- Adam, or any of the other men who should kill any animals.
- Mr. Hood, on this occasion, lent his gun to Michel, the Iroquois,
- who was very eager in the chase, and often successful.
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- This morning the officers being assembled round
- a small fire, Perrault presented each of us with a small piece of meat
- which he had saved from his allowance. It was received with great
- thankfulness, and such an act of self-denial and kindness, being
- totally unexpected in a Canadian voyager, filled our eyes with tears.
- In directing our course to a river issuing from the lake, we met
- Credit, who communicated the joyful intelligence of his having
- killed two deer in the morning. We instantly halted, and having
- shared the deer that was nearest to us, prepared breakfast. After
- which, the other deer was sent for, and we went down to the river,
- which was about three hundred yards wide, and flowed with
- great velocity through a broken rocky channel. Having searched
- for a part where the current was most smooth, the canoe was
- placed in the water at the head of a rapid, and St. Germain, Solomon
- Belanger, and I, embarked in order to cross. We went from the
- shore very well, but in mid-channel the canoe became difficult to
- manage under our burden as the breeze was fresh. The current
- drove us to the edge of the rapid, when Belanger unfortunately
- applied his paddle to avert the apparent danger of being forced
- down it, and lost his balance. The canoe was overset in con-sequence
- in the middle of the rapid. We fortunately kept hold of
- it, until we touched a rock where the water did not reach higher
- than our waists; here we kept our footing, notwithstanding the
- strength of the current, until the water was emptied out of the
- canoe. Belanger then held the canoe steady whilst St. Germain
- placed me in it, and afterwards embarked himself in a very dexterous
- manner. It was impossible, however, to embark Belanger,
- as the canoe would have been hurried down the rapid, the moment
- he should have raised his foot from the rock on which he stood.
- We were, therefore, compelled to leave him in his perilous situation.
- We had not gone twenty yards before the canoe, striking on a
- sunken rock, went down. The place being shallow, we were again
- enabled to empty it, and the third attempt brought us to the shore.
- In the mean time Belanger was suffering extremely, immersed to
- his middle in the centre of a rapid, the temperature of which was
- very little above the freezing point, and the upper part of his body
- covered with wet clothes, exposed in a temperature not much above
- zero, to a strong breeze. He called piteously for relief, and
- St. Germain on his return endeavoured to embark him, but in vain.
- The canoe was hurried down the rapid, and when he landed he was
- rendered by the cold incapable of further exertion, and Adam at-tempted
- to embark Belanger, but found it impossible. An attempt
- was next made to carry out to him a line, made of the slings of the
- men's loads. This also failed, the current acting so strongly upon
- it, as to prevent the canoe from steering, and it was finally broken
- and carried down the stream. At length, when Belanger's strength
- seemed almost exhausted, the canoe reached him with a small cord
- belonging to one of the nets, and he was dragged perfectly senseless
- through the rapid. By the direction of Dr. Richardson, he was
- instantly stripped, and being rolled up in blankets, two men un-dressed
- themselves and went to bed with him; but it was some
- hours before he recovered his warmth and sensations. As soon as
- Belanger was placed in his bed, the officers immediately sent over
- my blankets, and a person to make a fire. Augustus brought the
- canoe over, and in returning he was obliged to descend both the
- rapids, before he could get across the stream; which hazardous
- service he performed with the greatest coolness and judgment. It
- is impossible to describe my sensations as I witnessed the various
- unsuccessful attempts to relieve Belanger. The distance prevented
- my seeing distinctly what was going on, and I continued pacing up
- and down upon the rock on which I landed, regardless of the
- coldness of my drenched and stiffening garments. The canoe, in
- every attempt to reach him, was hurried down the rapid, and was
- lost to the view amongst the rocky islets, with a rapidity that
- seemed to threaten certain destruction; once, indeed, I fancied that
- I saw it overwhelmed in the waves. Such an event would have
- been fatal to the whole party. Separated as I was from my com-panions,
- without gun, ammunition, hatchet, or the means of making
- a fire, and in wet clothes, my doom would have been speedily sealed.
- My companions too, driven to the necessity of coasting the lake,
- must have sunk under the fatigue of rounding its innumerable arms
- and bays, which, as we have learned from the Indians, are very
- extensive. By the goodness of Providence, however, we were spared
- at that time, and some of us have been permitted to offer up our
- thanksgivings, in a civilized land, for the signal deliverances we then
- and afterwards experienced.
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