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git-svn-id: https://svn.apache.org/repos/asf/xmlgraphics/fop/trunk@197515 13f79535-47bb-0310-9956-ffa450edef68
1030 lines
50 KiB
XML
1030 lines
50 KiB
XML
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
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<fo:root xmlns:fo="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Format">
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<!-- defines page layout -->
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<fo:layout-master-set>
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<!-- layout for the first page -->
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<fo:simple-page-master master-name="singleSPM"
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page-height="21.7cm"
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page-width="16cm"
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margin-top="1cm"
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margin-bottom="1cm"
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margin-left="2.5cm"
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margin-right="2.5cm">
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<fo:region-before extent="2cm"/>
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<fo:region-after extent="2cm"/>
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<!-- note for an fo:repeatable-page-master-reference, "no-limit"
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is the default value for the maximum-repeats property
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maximum-repeats="15"/>
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<!-- this page-master-reference used after maximum-repeats
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<!-- actual layout -->
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<fo:page-sequence master-reference="repeating_pm" initial-page-number="1">
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<!-- header -->
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<fo:static-content flow-name="xsl-region-before">
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<fo:block text-align="start" font-size="10pt"
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font-family="sans-serif"
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line-height="10pt" >
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John Franklin - Journey to the Shores of the Polar Sea
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</fo:block>
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</fo:static-content>
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<fo:static-content flow-name="xsl-region-after">
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<fo:block text-align="end"
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font-size="10pt"
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font-family="sans-serif"
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line-height="14pt" >
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p. <fo:page-number/>
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</fo:block>
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</fo:static-content>
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<fo:flow flow-name="xsl-region-body">
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<!-- defines local TOC -->
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<fo:block font-size="10pt"
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font-family="serif"
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line-height="12pt"
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space-before.optimum="10pt"
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space-after.optimum="10pt"
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text-align="start"
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padding-top="6pt">
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Journey across the barren Grounds - Difficulty and delay in crossing Copper-Mine River -
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Melancholy and fatal Results thereof - Extreme Misery of the whole Party - Murder of
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Mr. Hood - Death of several of the Canadians - Desolate State of Fort Enterprise -
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Distress suffered at that Place - Dr. Richardson's Narrative - Mr. Back's Narrative -
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Conclusion.
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</fo:block>
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<fo:block font-size="8pt"
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font-family="serif"
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font-style="italic"
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line-height="10pt"
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space-before.optimum="3pt"
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space-after.optimum="3pt"
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text-align="start">1821. August 17.
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</fo:block>
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<!-- Normal text -->
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<fo:block font-size="11pt"
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font-family="serif"
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line-height="12pt"
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space-after.optimum="0pt"
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text-align="start">
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MY original intention, whenever the season should
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compel us to relinquish the survey, had been to return by the way
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of the Copper-Mine River, and in pursuance of my arrangement
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with the Hook to travel to Slave Lake through the line of woods
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extending thither by the Great Bear and Marten Lakes, but our
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scanty stock of provision and the length of the voyage rendered it
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necessary to make for a nearer place. We had already found that
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the country, between Cape Barrow and the Copper-Mine River,
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would not supply our wants, and this it seemed probable would now
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be still more the case ; besides, at this advanced season, we expected
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the frequent recurrence of gales, which would cause great detention,
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if not danger in proceeding along that very rocky part of the coast.
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I determined, therefore, to make at once for Arctic Sound, where
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we had found the animals more numerous than at any other place ;
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and entering Hood's River, to advance up that stream as far as it
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was navigable, and then to construct small canoes out of the
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materials of the larger ones, which could be carried in crossing the
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barren grounds to Fort Enterprise.
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</fo:block>
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<fo:block font-size="8pt"
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font-family="serif"
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font-style="italic"
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line-height="10pt"
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space-before.optimum="3pt"
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space-after.optimum="3pt"
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text-align="start">August 19.
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</fo:block>
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<!-- Normal text -->
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<fo:block font-size="11pt"
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font-family="serif"
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line-height="12pt"
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space-after.optimum="0pt"
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text-align="start">
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We were almost beaten out of our comfortless abodes
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by rain during the night, and this morning the gale continued
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without diminution. The thermometer fell to 33 deg. Two men were
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sent with Junius to search for the deer which Augustus had killed.
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Junius returned in the evening bringing part of the meat, but owing
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to the thickness of the weather, his companions parted from him
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and did not make their appearance. Divine service was read. On
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the 20th we were presented with the most chilling prospect, the
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small pools of water being frozen over, the ground being covered
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with snow, and the thermometer at the freezing point at mid-day.
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Flights of geese were passing to the southward. The wind however
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was more moderate, having changed to the eastward. Considerable
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anxiety prevailing respecting Belanger and Michel, the two men
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who strayed from Junius yesterday, the rest were sent out to look
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for them. The search was successful, and they all returned in the
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evening. The stragglers were much fatigued, and had suffered
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severely from the cold, one of them having his thighs frozen, and
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what under our present circumstances was most grievous, they had
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thrown away all the meat. The wind during the night returned to
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the north-west quarter, blew more violently than ever, and raised a
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very turbulent sea. The next day did not improve our condition,
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the snow remained on the ground, and the small pools were frozen.
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Our hunters were sent out, but they returned after a fatiguing
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day's march without having seen any animals. We made a scanty
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meal off a handful of pemmican, after which only half a bag
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remained.
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</fo:block>
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<!-- Normal text -->
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<fo:block font-size="11pt"
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font-family="serif"
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line-height="12pt"
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space-after.optimum="0pt"
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text-align="start">
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The wind abated after midnight, and the surf diminished rapidly,
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which caused us to be on the alert at a very early hour on the 22d,
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but we had to wait until six A.M. for the return of Augustus who
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had continued out all night on an unsuccessful pursuit of deer.
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It appears that he had walked a few miles farther along the coast,
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than the party had done on the 18th, and from a sketch he drew on
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the sand, we were confirmed in our former opinion that the shore
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inclined more to the eastward beyond Point Turnagain. He also
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drew a river of considerable size, that discharges its waters into
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Walker's Bay; on the banks of which stream he saw a piece of
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wood, such as the Esquimaux use in producing fire, and other marks
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so fresh that he supposed they had recently visited the spot. We
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therefore left several iron materials for them. Our men, cheered by
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the prospect of returning, embarked with the utmost alacrity; and,
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paddling with unusual vigour, carried us across Riley's and Walker's
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Bays, a distance of twenty miles before noon, when we landed on
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Slate-Clay Point, as the wind had freshened too much to permit us
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to continue the voyage. The whole party went to hunt, but returned
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without success in the evening, drenched with the heavy rain which
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commenced soon after they had set out. Several deer were seen,
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but could not be approached in this naked country; and as our
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stock of pemmican did not admit of serving out two meals, we went
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dinnerless to bed.
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</fo:block>
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<!-- Normal text -->
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<fo:block font-size="11pt"
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font-family="serif"
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line-height="12pt"
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space-after.optimum="0pt"
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text-align="start">
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Soon after our departure to-day, a sealed tin-case, sufficiently
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buoyant to float, was thrown overboard, containing a short account of
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our proceedings, and the position of the most conspicuous points.
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The wind blew off the land, the water was smooth, and as the sea
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is in this part more free from islands than in any other, there was
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every probability of its being driven off the shore into the current ;
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which, as I have before mentioned, we suppose, from the circumstance
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of Mackenzie's River being the only known stream that
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brings down the wood we have found along the shores, to set to the
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eastward.
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</fo:block>
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<fo:block font-size="8pt"
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font-family="serif"
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font-style="italic"
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line-height="10pt"
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space-before.optimum="3pt"
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space-after.optimum="3pt"
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text-align="start">August 23.
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</fo:block>
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<!-- Normal text -->
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<fo:block font-size="11pt"
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font-family="serif"
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line-height="12pt"
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space-after.optimum="0pt"
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text-align="start">
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A severe frost caused us to pass a comfortless night.
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At two P.M. we set sail, and the men voluntarily launched out to
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make a traverse of fifteen miles across Melville Sound, before a
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strong wind and heavy sea. The privation of food, under which
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our voyagers were then labouring, absorbed every other terror;
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otherwise the most powerful persuasion could not have induced
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them to attempt such a traverse. It was with the utmost difficulty
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that the canoes were kept from turning their broadsides to the
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waves, though we sometimes steered with all the paddles. One of
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them narrowly escaped being overset by this accident, happening
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in mid-channel, where the waves were so high that the mast-head
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of our canoe was often hid from the other, though it was sailing
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within hail. The annexed plate, from Mr. Back's sketch, will convey
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to the reader an accurate idea of the peril of our situation.
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</fo:block>
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<!-- Normal text -->
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<fo:block font-size="11pt"
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font-family="serif"
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line-height="12pt"
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space-after.optimum="0pt"
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text-align="start">
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The traverse, however, was made;we were then near a high
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rocky lee shore, on which a heavy surf was beating. The wind
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being on the beam, the canoes drifted fast to leeward; and, on
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rounding a point, the recoil of the sea from the rocks was so great
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that they were with difficulty kept from foundering. We looked in
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vain for a sheltered bay to land in ; but, at length, being unable to
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weather another point, we were obliged to put ashore on the open
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beach, which, fortunately, was sandy at this spot. The debarkation
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was effected in the manner represented in the plate; and, fortunately,
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without further injury than the splitting of the head of
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the second canoe, which was easily repaired.
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</fo:block>
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<!-- Normal text -->
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<fo:block font-size="11pt"
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font-family="serif"
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line-height="12pt"
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space-after.optimum="0pt"
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text-align="start">
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Our encampment being near to the place where we killed the deer
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on the 11th, almost the whole party went out to hunt, but they
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returned in the evening without having seen any game. The
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berries, however, were ripe and plentiful, and, with the addition
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of some country tea, furnished a supper. There were some showers
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in the afternoon,and the weather was cold, the thermometer
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being 42 deg, but the evening and night were calm and fine. It may be
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remarked that the mosquitoes disappeared when the late gales
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commenced.
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</fo:block>
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<fo:block font-size="8pt"
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font-family="serif"
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font-style="italic"
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line-height="10pt"
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space-before.optimum="3pt"
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space-after.optimum="3pt"
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text-align="start">August 25.
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</fo:block>
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<!-- Normal text -->
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<fo:block font-size="11pt"
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font-family="serif"
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line-height="12pt"
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space-after.optimum="0pt"
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text-align="start">
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Embarking at three A. M., we stretched across
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the eastern entrance of Bathurst's Inlet, and arrived at an island,
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which I have named after Colonel Barry, of Newton Barry. Some
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deer being seen on the beach, the hunters went in pursuit of
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them, and succeeded in killing three females, which enabled us to
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save our last remaining meal of pemmican. They saw also some
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fresh tracks of musk oxen on the banks of a small stream, which
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flowed into a lake in the centre of the island. These animals must
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have crossed a channel, at least, three miles wide, to reach the nearest
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of these islands. Some specimens of variegated pebbles and jasper
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were found here imbedded in the amygdaloidal rock.
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</fo:block>
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<!-- Normal text -->
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<fo:block font-size="11pt"
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font-family="serif"
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line-height="12pt"
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space-after.optimum="0pt"
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text-align="start">
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Re-embarking at two P.M., and continuing through what was
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supposed to be a channel between two islands, we found our passage
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barred by a gravelly isthmus of only ten yards in width ; the canoes
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and cargoes were carried across it, and we passed into Bathurst's Inlet
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through another similar channel, bounded on both sides by steep
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rocky hills. The wind then changing from S.E. to N.W. brought
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heavy rain, and we encamped at seven P.M., having advanced
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eighteen miles.
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</fo:block>
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<!-- Normal text -->
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<fo:block font-size="11pt"
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font-family="serif"
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line-height="12pt"
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space-after.optimum="0pt"
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text-align="start">
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Starting this morning with a fresh breeze in our favour,
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we soon reached that part of Barry's Island where the canoes were
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detained on the 2d and 3rd of this month, and contrary to what we
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then experienced, the deer were now plentiful. The hunters killed
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two, and we were relieved from all apprehension of an immediate
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want of food. One would suppose the deer were about to retire to
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the main shore from their assembling at this time in such numbers
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on the islands nearest to the coast. Those we saw were generally
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females with their young, and all of them very lean.
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</fo:block>
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<!-- Normal text -->
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<fo:block font-size="11pt"
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font-family="serif"
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line-height="12pt"
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space-after.optimum="0pt"
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text-align="start">
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The wind continued in the same direction until we had rounded
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Point Wollaston, and then changed to a quarter, which enabled us
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to steer for Hood's River, which we ascended as high as the first
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rapid and encamped. Here terminated our voyage on the Arctic
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sea, during which we had gone over six hundred and fifty geographical
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miles. Our Canadian voyagers could not restrain their expressions
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of joy at having turned their backs on the sea, and
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they passed the evening talking over their past adventures with
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much humour and no little exaggeration. The consideration that
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the most painful, and certainly the most hazardous, part of the
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journey was yet to come, did not depress their spirits at all. It is
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due to their character to mention that they displayed much courage
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in encountering the dangers of the sea, magnified to them by their
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novelty.
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</fo:block>
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<!-- Normal text -->
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<fo:block font-size="11pt"
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font-family="serif"
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line-height="12pt"
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space-after.optimum="0pt"
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text-align="start">
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The shores between Cape Barrow and Cape Flinders, including
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the extensive branches of Arctic and Melville Sounds, and Bathurst's
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Inlet, may be comprehended in one great gulf, which I have distinguished
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by the appellation of George IV.'s Coronation Gulf, in
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honour of His Most Gracious Majesty, the latter name being added
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to mark the time of its discovery. The Archipelago of islands which
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fringe the coast from Copper-Mine River to Point Turnagain, I have
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named in honour of His Royal Highness the Duke of York.
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</fo:block>
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<!-- Normal text -->
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<fo:block font-size="11pt"
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font-family="serif"
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line-height="12pt"
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space-after.optimum="0pt"
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text-align="start">
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It may be deserving of notice that the extremes in temperature
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of the sea water during our voyage were 53 deg and 35 deg, but its general
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temperature was between 43 deg and 48 deg. Throughout our return from
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Point Turnagain we observed that the sea had risen several feet
|
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above marks left at our former encampments. This may, perhaps,
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be attributed to the north-west gales.
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</fo:block>
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|
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<fo:block font-size="8pt"
|
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font-family="serif"
|
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font-style="italic"
|
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line-height="10pt"
|
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space-before.optimum="3pt"
|
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space-after.optimum="3pt"
|
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text-align="start">August 26.
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</fo:block>
|
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|
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<!-- Normal text -->
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<fo:block font-size="11pt"
|
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font-family="serif"
|
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line-height="12pt"
|
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space-after.optimum="0pt"
|
|
text-align="start">
|
|
Previous to our departure this morning, an assortment
|
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of iron materials, beads, looking-glasses, and other articles
|
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were put up in a conspicuous situation for the Esquimaux, and the
|
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English Union was planted on the loftiest sand-hill, where it might
|
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be seen by any ships passing in the offing. Here also, was deposited
|
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in a tin bow a letter containing an outline of our proceedings, the
|
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latitude and longitude of the principal places, and the course we
|
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intended to pursue towards Slave Lake.
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</fo:block>
|
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|
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<!-- Normal text -->
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<fo:block font-size="11pt"
|
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font-family="serif"
|
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line-height="12pt"
|
|
space-after.optimum="0pt"
|
|
text-align="start">
|
|
Embarking at eight A.M. we proceeded up the river, which is full
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of sandy shoals, but sufficiently deep for canoes in the channels. It is
|
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from one hundred to two hundred yards wide, and is bounded by high
|
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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
|
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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
|
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made to-day was not more than six miles.
|
|
</fo:block>
|
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|
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<!-- Normal text -->
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<fo:block font-size="11pt"
|
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font-family="serif"
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line-height="12pt"
|
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space-after.optimum="0pt"
|
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text-align="start">
|
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The next morning the net furnished us with ten white fish
|
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and trout. Having made a further deposit of iron work for the
|
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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
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|
falls close to each other. The upper fall is about sixty feet high, and
|
|
the lower one at least one hundred, but perhaps considerably more,
|
|
for the narrowness of the chasm into which it fell prevented us from
|
|
seeing its bottom, and we could merely discern the top of the spray
|
|
far beneath our feet. The lower fall is divided into two, by an
|
|
insulated column of rock which rises about forty feet above it. The
|
|
whole descent of the river at this place probably exceeds two
|
|
hundred and fifty feet. The rock is very fine felspathose sandstone.
|
|
It has a smooth surface and a light red colour. I have named these
|
|
magnificent cascades Wilberforce Falls, as a tribute of my respect
|
|
for that distinguished philanthropist and Christian. Messrs. Back and
|
|
Hood took beautiful sketches of this majestic scene, which are
|
|
combined in the annexed plate.
|
|
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|
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The river being surveyed from the summit of a hill, above these
|
|
falls, appeared so rapid and shallow, that it seemed useless to
|
|
attempt proceeding any farther in the large canoes. I therefore
|
|
determined on constructing out of their materials two smaller ones
|
|
of sufficient size to contain three persons, for the purpose of crossing
|
|
any river that might obstruct our progress. This operation was
|
|
accordingly commenced, and by the 31st both the canoes being
|
|
finished, we prepared for our departure on the following day.
|
|
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The leather which had been preserved for making shoes was
|
|
equally divided among the men, two pairs of flannel socks were given
|
|
to each person, and such articles of warm clothing as remained, were
|
|
issued to those who most required them. They were also furnished
|
|
with one of the officers' tents. This being done, I communicated to
|
|
the men my intention of proceeding in as direct a course as possible
|
|
to the part of Point Lake, opposite to our spring encampment
|
|
which was only distant one hundred and forty-nine miles in a
|
|
straight line. They received the communication cheerfully, considered
|
|
the journey to be short, and left me, in high spirits, to
|
|
arrange their own packages. The stores, books, &c., which were not
|
|
absolutely necessary to be carried, were then put up in boxes to be
|
|
left en cache here, in order that the men's burdens might be as light
|
|
as possible.
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The next morning was warm, and very fine. Every one was on
|
|
the alert at an early hour, being anxious to commence the journey.
|
|
Our luggage consisted of ammunition, nets, hatchets, ice chisels,
|
|
astronomical instruments, clothing, blankets, three kettles, and
|
|
the two canoes, which were each carried by one man. The
|
|
officers carried such a portion of their own things as their strength
|
|
would permit;the weight carried by each man was about ninety
|
|
pounds, and with this we advanced at the rate of about a mile an
|
|
hour, including rests. In the evening the hunters killed a lean cow,
|
|
out of a large drove of musk-oxen; but the men were too much
|
|
laden to carry more than a small portion of its flesh. The alluvial
|
|
soil, which towards the mouth of the river spreads into plains,
|
|
covered with grass and willows, was now giving place to a more
|
|
barren and hilly country; so that we could but just collect sufficient
|
|
brush wood to cook our suppers. The part of the river we skirted
|
|
to-day was shallow, and flowed over a bed of sand ; its width about
|
|
one hundred and twenty yards. About midnight our tent was blown
|
|
down by a squall, and we were completely drenched with rain before
|
|
it could be re-pitched.
|
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In the morning of the 1st of September a fall of snow took
|
|
place; the canoes became a cause of delay, by the difficulty of
|
|
carrying them in a high wind, and they sustained much damage
|
|
from the falls of those who had charge of them. The face of the
|
|
country was broken by hills of moderate elevation, but the ground
|
|
was plentifully strewed with small stones, which, to men bearing
|
|
heavy burthens, and whose feet were protected only by soft moose
|
|
skin shoes, occasioned great pain. At the end of eleven miles we
|
|
encamped, and sent for a musk-ox and a deer, which St. Germain
|
|
and Augustus had killed. The day was extremely cold, the ther-mometer
|
|
varying between 34 deg and 36 deg. In the afternoon a heavy
|
|
fall of snow took place, on the wind changing from north-west to
|
|
south-west. We found no wood at the encampment, but made a
|
|
fire of moss to cook the supper, and crept under our blankets for
|
|
warmth. At sun-rise the thermometer was at 31 deg, and the wind
|
|
fresh from north-west; but the weather became mild in the course
|
|
of the forenoon, and the snow disappeared from the gravel. The
|
|
afternoon was remarkably fine, and the thermometer rose to 50 deg.
|
|
One of the hunters killed a musk-ox. The hills in this part are
|
|
lower and more round-backed than those we passed yesterday, and
|
|
exhibited but little naked rock; they were covered with lichens.
|
|
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|
|
Having ascertained from the summit of the highest hill near the
|
|
tents, that the river continued to preserve a west course; and fear-ing
|
|
that by pursuing it further we might lose much time, and un-necessarily
|
|
walk over a great deal of ground, I determined on
|
|
quitting its banks the next day, and making as directly as we could for
|
|
Point Lake. We accordingly followed the river on the 3d, only to
|
|
the place where the musk-ox had been killed last evening, and after
|
|
the meat was procured, crossed the river in our two canoes lashed
|
|
together. We now emerged from the valley of the river, and entered
|
|
a level, but very barren, country, varied only by small lakes and
|
|
marshes, the ground being covered with small stones. Many old tracks
|
|
of rein-deer were seen in the clayey soil, and some more recent
|
|
ones of the musk-ox. We encamped on the borders of Wright's
|
|
River, which flows to the eastward; the direct distance walked to-day
|
|
being ten miles and three-quarters. The next morning was
|
|
very fine, and,as the day advanced, the weather became quite
|
|
warm. We set out at six A. M., and, having forded the river,
|
|
walked over a perfectly level country, interspersed with small lakes,
|
|
which communicated with each other, by streams running in various
|
|
directions. No berry-bearing plants were found in this part, the
|
|
surface of the earth being thinly covered in the moister places with
|
|
a few grasses, and on the drier spots with lichens.
|
|
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|
|
Having walked twelve miles and a half, we encamped at seven P.M.,
|
|
and distributed our last piece of pemmican, and a little arrow-root
|
|
for supper, which afforded but a scanty meal. This evening was
|
|
warm, but dark clouds overspread the sky. Our men now began to
|
|
find their burdens very oppressive, and were much fatigued by this
|
|
day's march, but did not complain. One of them was lame from an
|
|
inflammation in the knee. Heavy rain commenced at midnight, and
|
|
continued without intermission until five in the morning, when it
|
|
was succeeded by snow on the wind changing to north-west, which
|
|
soon increased to a violent gale. As we had nothing to eat, and
|
|
were destitute of the means of making a fire, we remained in our
|
|
beds all the day ; but the covering of our blankets was insufficient to
|
|
prevent us from feeling the severity of the frost, and suffering in-convenience
|
|
from the drifting of the snow into our tents. There
|
|
was no abatement of the storm next day ; our tents were completely
|
|
frozen, and the snow had drifted around them to a depth of three
|
|
feet, and even in the inside there was a covering of several inches on
|
|
our blankets. Our suffering from cold, in a comfortless canvass tent
|
|
in such weather, with the temperature at 20 deg, and without fire,
|
|
will easily be imagined;it was, however, less than that which we
|
|
felt from hunger.
|
|
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|
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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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|
|
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|
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font-family="serif"
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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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|
|
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|
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|
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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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|
|
|
|
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|
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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.
|
|
</fo:block>
|
|
|
|
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|
|
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|
|
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|
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|
|
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|
|
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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>
|
|
|
|
<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">September 10.
|
|
</fo:block>
|
|
|
|
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|
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|
|
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|
|
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|
|
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|
|
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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
|
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cooked, and devoured with avidity. This was the sixth day since we
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had had a good meal. The tripe de roche, even where we got
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enough, only serving to allay the pangs of hunger for a short time.
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After supper, two of the hunters went in pursuit of the herd, but
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could not get near them.
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We were detained all the next day by a strong southerly wind,
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and were much incommoded in the tents by the drift snow. The
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temperature was 20 deg. The average for the last ten days about
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24.5 deg. We restricted ourselves to one meal to-day as we were at
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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
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fearful of its continuance for some time, we determined on going
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forward; our only doubt regarded the preservation of the canoe,
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but the men promised to pay particular attention to it, and the
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most careful persons were appointed to take it in charge. The snow
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was two feet deep, and the ground much broken, which rendered
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the march extremely painful. The whole party complained more of
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faintness and weakness than they had ever done before; their
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strength seemed to have been impaired by the recent supply of
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animal food. In the afternoon the wind abated, and the snow ceased;
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cheered with the change we proceeded forward at a quicker pace,
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and encamped at six P. M., having come eleven miles. Our supper
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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
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march, had the extreme mortification to find ourselves on the
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borders of a large lake, which we subsequently learned from the
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Indians was named Contwoy-to, or Rum Lake; neither of its extre-
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mities could be seen, and as the portion which lay to the east
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seemed the widest, we coasted along to the westward portion in
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search of a crossing-place. This lake being bounded by steep and
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lofty hills, our march was very fatiguing. Those sides which were
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exposed to the sun, were free from snow, and we found upon them
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some excellent berries. We encamped at six P. M., having come
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only six miles and a half. Credit was then missing, and he did not
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return during the night. We supped off a single partridge and
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some tripe de roche;this unpalatable weed was now quite nau-seous
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to the whole party, and in several it produced bowel com-plaints.
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Mr. Hood was the greatest sufferer from this cause. This
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evening we were extremely distressed, at discovering that our im-provident
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companions,since we left Hood's River, had thrown
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away three of the fishing-nets, and burnt the floats ; they knew we
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had brought them to procure subsistence for the party, when the
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animals should fail, and we could scarcely believe the fact of their
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having wilfully deprived themselves of this resource, especially
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when we considered that most of them had passed the greater part of
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their servitude in situations where the nets alone had supplied them
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with food. Being thus deprived of our principal resource, that of
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fishing, and the men evidently getting weaker every day, it became
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necessary to lighten their burthens of every thing except ammunition,
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clothing, and the instruments that were required to find our
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way. I, therefore, issued directions to deposit at this encampment
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the dipping needle, azimuth compass, magnet, a large thermometer,
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and a few books we had carried, having torn out of these such parts
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|
as we should require to work the observations for latitude and
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|
longitude. I also promised,as an excitement to the efforts in
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|
hunting, my gun to St. Germain, and an ample compensation to
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|
Adam, or any of the other men who should kill any animals.
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Mr. Hood, on this occasion, lent his gun to Michel, the Iroquois,
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who was very eager in the chase, and often successful.
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line-height="10pt"
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text-align="start">September 14.
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This morning the officers being assembled round
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|
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
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|
thankfulness, and such an act of self-denial and kindness, being
|
|
totally unexpected in a Canadian voyager, filled our eyes with tears.
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|
In directing our course to a river issuing from the lake, we met
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|
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.
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|
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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