Narrative of a Second Expedition to the Shores of the Polar Sea Part 3

[Sidenote: Friday, 19th.] When daylight permitted us to distinguish the channels, we embarked again, and scudded under the foresail before the gale, which this day blew with increased violence. We halted to breakfast near some winter habitations of the Esquimaux, which we supposed, from the freshness of the wood-shavings, and the implements of fis.h.i.+ng that were scattered about them, had been abandoned only in the preceding spring; and as it was probable they would revisit this spot, we fixed to the pole of a tent a present of a kettle, knife, hatchet, file, ice-chisel, some beads, and pieces of red and blue cloth. These huts were constructed of drift wood, in a similar manner to those which will be described in a subsequent part of the narrative. A second present was deposited at some other huts, and a third at those below the rapids. We imagined that some, if not all, of these would be found by the Esquimaux, and would make them acquainted with our visit. By noon we had advanced as far as the rapid, which we ascended under sail; and at a few miles above this point, owing to the fogginess of the atmosphere, we took a more western channel than that by which we descended. This proved circuitous, though it ultimately brought us to the former route. It was quite dark before we could find a secure place for the boat, and a sheltered spot for the tent. The gale continued without abatement, the weather was raw and cold, and it was with difficulty we collected some sticks to kindle a fire. Temperature 40 degrees.

[Sidenote: Sat.u.r.day, 20th.] On the 20th the wind was moderate. We resumed our journey at four A.M.; past our sleeping-place of the 12th by noon, and at sunset encamped at the narrow part of the river where the numerous channels commence. Large flights of geese and swans were observed pa.s.sing to the southward all this day. The musquitoes again made their appearance, though the temperature was at 45 degrees: scarcely any of them had been seen on the descent to the sea.

[Sidenote: Sunday, 21st.] Temperature at day light, on the 21st, 37 degrees. We commenced our labour under oars, but a strong gale from the southward soon rendered this mode of ascending the river ineffectual.

The men were, therefore, divided into two parties, who towed the boat by line, relieving each other at intervals of an hour and a half. At fifty minutes past one P.M. we were abreast of the Red River, and there met a large party of the lower Loucheux Indians, who had a.s.sembled to wait our arrival. They welcomed our return with every demonstration of joy, more particularly that of Augustus and Baptiste, and at first cheerfully a.s.sisted the men in towing, but, like Indians in general, they soon became tired of this labour, and rather impeded than forwarded our progress. So we distributed to each a present; made known as well as well as we could by signs, that at our next visit we would purchase whatever fish or meat they might collect, and took our leave of them.

Owing to the detention these men and another party occasioned, we were caught by a heavy gale from N.W. before we could reach our encampment at the head of the Narrows, and had to pitch the tent in pelting rain.

Temperature 43 degrees.

[Sidenote: Monday, 22nd.] On the 22nd, we started at four in a thick wet fog, which gave place to snow and sleet, and sailed the whole day before a strong N.W. wind, much to the annoyance of several Indians who tried to keep pace with the boat, by running along the sh.o.r.e: each of them had a present of tobacco thrown to him. We encamped near the bottom of Cannon-Shot Reach; the weather was extremely cold, and, during the night, ice was formed in the kettle. [Sidenote: Tuesday, 23rd.] On the next day the wind came contrary from S.E., which obliged us to have recourse to the tow-line. The frequent recurrence of sand-banks, to avoid which we had either to pull round or cross the river, made this day's operations very tedious. In turning round one of the points, we came suddenly upon a party of Indians, who had not seen us on our way down. Our appearance, therefore, created great alarm; the women and children were instantly despatched to the woods, and the men came down to the beach with their guns and arrows prepared, and knives drawn; but the explanation that Baptiste gave, soon allayed their fears. They were, indeed, objects of pity; all their property had been destroyed to testify their grief at the death of some of their relations, and the bodies of several were still sore from the deep gashes they had inflicted on themselves in their demonstrations of sorrow. We distributed such useful articles among them as we had remaining, but the supply was not at all equal to their necessities. Several of them attempted to follow us in their canoes by poling, which they dexterously perform by pus.h.i.+ng at the same time with a pole or paddle in each hand; the boat however, was towed faster than they could ascend the stream, and they were soon far behind. We arrived at six P.M. at the Trading River, and there met another party of the Loucheux, among whom was the woman whose tears had excited our sympathy on the 11th, now in high glee, and one of the most importunate for beads. The boy was likewise there to whom the tea had been given as a remedy for his fever, completely recovered, which was, no doubt, ascribed to the efficacy of the medicine. Not choosing to encamp near these people, we crossed the river, and towed four hours longer, when we reached Fort Good Hope. Mr.

Dease, and all his fort, were overjoyed on seeing us again, because the Indians had begun to surmise, and in fact had brought a report that we had all been ma.s.sacred by the Esquimaux; and had we been detained another week, this statement would have gained entire credence, and, in all probability, spread throughout the country.

The Indian whose fish we carried on our way down, happened to be at the fort, and he cheerfully communicated, through the interpreter, a female, all the information that he or his tribe possessed respecting the mouth of the river, the sea-coast, and the Esquimaux, all topics highly interesting to us, but we subsequently found that his knowledge of these matters was very imperfect. We made known to him our wish that the Esquimaux should be informed of our arrival as soon as possible, and signified that a very substantial present would be given to any person that would carry the intelligence to them in the course of the following winter. Mr. Dease pressed this point strongly on his consideration. This gentleman, indeed, was anxious to promote our desires in every respect, and promised that his utmost exertions should be used to procure a good supply of provision for our next summer's voyage, though he represented the hunters in this vicinity as unskilful and inactive, and begged of me not to rely too much on his collection. We left in his charge five bags of pemmican, and the superfluous stores, to lighten the boats. We quitted the fort in the afternoon with a contrary wind, and towed twenty miles up the stream before we encamped, though the beach was composed of sharp stones, which rendered walking very unpleasant.

The wind being contrary during the four following days, we could only ascend the river by using the tracking line. Our crew cheerfully performed this tedious service, though three of them had been much reduced by dysentery, brought on by previous fatigue, exposure to wet, and by their having lived for some time on dried provision. These men, however, had gradually been gaining strength since the fresh meat was procured on Ellice Island.

On the 25th we came to the aspen, poplar, and larch, in lat.i.tude 67 degrees 10 minutes N., and were not a little surprised to observe the change in their foliage within the last fortnight. Their leaves had a.s.sumed the autumnal tint, and were now fast falling. The wild fowl were hastening in large flocks to the south, and every appearance warned us that the fine season drew near its close.

[Sidenote: 28th.] In the pa.s.sage through the rampart defile, several families of the Hare Indians were observed encamped on the heights, for the purpose of gathering berries which were at this time ripe, and in the best flavour. At the first sight of the boat the women and children scampered down wherever descent was practicable, to get at their canoes, that they might cross over to us, but we travelled so fast that only a few could overtake the boat. The Indians who reside near this river, from their want of skill in hunting, princ.i.p.ally subsist, from spring to autumn, on the produce of their fis.h.i.+ng nets, and on wild berries. At the influx of small streams, or wherever there is any eddy, a net is set. In shallow water it is suspended upon sticks planted in a semicircle, so as to enclose the mouth of the river, or the sweep of the eddy; but where the water is deep, and the sh.o.r.e bold or rocky, two stout poles are firmly secured at a short distance from the water's edge, the breadth of a net apart, to the ends of which pliable rods are fastened, of a length sufficient to hang over the water, and to these the net is attached. In the winter these Indians snare hares, which are very abundant in this quarter.

[Sidenote: 29th.] On the 29th we arrived at the upper rapids, which were scarcely discernible at the time of our descent; but from the falling of the water since that time, there was a dry sand-bank of considerable extent in the centre, and the waters on each side of it were broken and covered with foam. Augustus being tired with tracking, had wandered from us to the extremity of this bank, from whence he could not be extricated without great hazard, unless by making him return to the bottom of the rapid. As this, however, would have compelled the poor fellow to pa.s.s the night upon the sand-bank, Mr. Kendall undertook to bring him off, by running with the current to the point at the commencement of the rapids, which he effected in a masterly manner, although the boat struck twice, and was in considerable danger from the violence of the eddies.

We found, at the place of our encampment, a solitary old woman, sitting by a small fire, who seemed somewhat alarmed at her visitors, until she was joined, after dark, by her husband and son. As soon as the man understood from our signs that we were desirous of having some fish for supper, he instantly embarked to examine his nets; but as they proved to be empty, the woman generously dragged a pike out of a bundle on which she was sitting, and presented it to us, though it was evidently reserved for their own meal. In return we furnished them with a more substantial supper, and made them some useful presents. The weather was extremely sultry throughout this day; at two P.M. the thermometer stood in the shade at 66 degrees, and at 76 degrees when exposed to the sun.

The refraction of the atmosphere, which we had often remarked to be unusually great since we had entered the Mackenzie, was this day particularly powerful. The mountains were distorted into the most extraordinary shapes, and the banks of the river, which we knew to be only from thirty to sixty feet high, appeared to have such an elevation, that it would have been impossible for us to recognise the land. The air became cooler in the evening, and the atmosphere less refractive. Soon after sunset the objects appeared in their proper form, and we enjoyed the prospect of the delightful mountain scenery that distinguishes this rapid.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, 30th.] Favoured by a N.W. gale, we made great progress on the 30th. The temperature of the air varied in the course of the day from 62 degrees to 41 degrees. The brulots and sand-flies were very teazing wherever we landed; but these, unlike the musquitoes, disappear with the sun.

The upper parts of the Rocky Mountains on the western side of the river were, at this time, covered with snow, but not those of the eastern side, which are, probably, less elevated than the former. We had no opportunity of ascertaining their height, though we conjectured that the loftiest did not exceed two thousand feet, as it was free from snow in the early part of August.

[Sidenote: September, 1st.] At sunset this evening we quitted the muddy waters of the Mackenzie, and entered the clear stream that flows from the Great Bear Lake; but owing to the shallowness of the water near its mouth, and the beach being a mere collection of stones, we had to grope our way long after dark in search of a place for an encampment, stumbling and falling at every step. At length we espied a light about a mile further up the river on the opposite sh.o.r.e; we, therefore, crossed over, at the expense of some heavy blows to the boat, and tracked along the base of a steep bank, until we reached the fire. There we found a Canadian and two Indian boys who had been sent from Bear Lake three days before in a canoe, to procure some white mud from the banks of the MacKenzie to decorate our house. This man was the bearer of a letter from Lieutenant Back to me, which detailed the proceedings at the Fort.

[Sidenote: Friday, 2nd.] We embarked at daylight, having the canoe in company. The weather was cold and raw throughout the day; the temperature from 34 degrees to 45 degrees; but the party were kept in constant exercise, either in tracking or walking; the steersman and bowman only being required in the boat. Except where the river was bounded by steep cliffs, the path was pretty good. Its general breadth varied from three hundred to five hundred yards, and its banks were tolerably well wooded, but the trees were small.

[Sidenote: Sat.u.r.day, 3rd.] This morning the ground was firmly frozen, and the thermometer stood at 28 degrees, when we commenced our operations. Early in the afternoon we arrived at the lower part of the mountain, and which we had kept in view this day, and the greater part of the preceding. As we had now to ascend a succession of rapids for fifteen miles, and two of our crew were lame, I directed the canoe to be laid up on the sh.o.r.e, and took the Canadian and the boys to a.s.sist at the tow-line. We had not advanced more than two miles before we met with an accident that was likely to have been attended with serious consequences: in the act of hauling round a projecting point, and in the strength of the current, the tow-line broke, and the boat was driven with great force against a large stone at some distance from the sh.o.r.e, having deep water on every side. There it lay with the broadside exposed to the whole pressure of the current, beating violently against the stone; and from this situation it could not have been extricated, had not Gustavus Aird, the strongest man of the party, ventured to wade into the river at the imminent risque of being swept off his feet, until he could catch the rope that was thrown to him from the boat. As soon as it was dragged to the sh.o.r.e, we found that part of the keel was gone, and the remainder much twisted, and all the fastenings of the lowest plank were loosened. The carpenter set to work to repair this mischief in the best manner he could with the materials he had, and before night the boat was again launched. The leaks, however, could not be quite stopped, and in our further progress one of the men was constantly employed baling out the water.

[Sidenote: Sunday, 4th.] The next day's operations were tedious and hazardous as long as the rapids continued. The men had to walk with the tow-line along a narrow ledge that jutted out from the base of a steep rocky cliff, which was very slippery from the rain that had fallen in the night: a false step might have proved fatal; and we rejoiced when, having pa.s.sed the rapids, we found earthy banks and a better path. The services of Augustus and the Indian lads being no longer required, I despatched them to the Fort, to apprize the party there of our approach.

We had a severe frost this night: at daylight in the morning the thermometer was down to 20 degrees, and a raw fog contributed to make the weather very cold and comfortless. The sun shone forth about eleven, and soon dispersed the fog, and then the temperature gradually rose to 54 degrees.

[Sidenote: Monday, 5th.] At four P.M. we arrived at the foot of the upper rapid, and in two hours afterwards entered the Great Bear Lake, and reached the house at seven. Dr. Richardson having returned from his voyage to the northern part of the lake, the members of the Expedition were now, for the first time, all a.s.sembled. We heartily congratulated each other on this circ.u.mstance, and also on the prospect of being snugly settled in our winter-quarters before the severe weather. Dr.

Richardson had surveyed the Bear Lake to the influx of Dease's River, near its N.E. termination, at which point it is nearest to the Coppermine River. He fixed upon the first rapid in Dease River as the best point to which the eastern detachment of the Expedition could direct its steps, on its return from the mouth of the Coppermine River the following season. The rapid was, by observation, in lat.i.tude 66 degrees 53 minutes N., and longitude 118 degrees 35 minutes W., and the variation of the magnetic needle there, was 47 degrees 29 minutes E.

THE FOLLOWING TABLE CONTAINS THE DISTANCES TRAVELLED BY THE EXPEDITION DURING THE SUMMER OF 1825.

Princ.i.p.al Places. Statute Miles.

---------------------------------------------------------------------- From New York to Penetanguishene, by the route we travelled 760 Lake Huron 250 Lake Superior 406 From Fort William to c.u.mberland House 1018 c.u.mberland House to Fort Chipewyan 840 Chipewyan to Fort Resolution, Slave Lake 240 Fort Resolution to the commencement of the Mackenzie 135 Head of the Mackenzie to Fort Simpson 103 Fort Simpson to Bear Lake River 271 Bear Lake River to, and the return from, Garry Island 1206 Length of the Bear Lake River to the Fort 91 Dr. Richardson's excursion to the north-east termination of } Bear Lake } 483 ---- Distance travelled 5803 ---- Number of Miles surveyed 2593

FOOTNOTES:

[1] An attentive perusal of Sir Alexander Mackenzie's Narrative leads me to the conclusion, that it was this northern branch which that traveller pursued in his voyage to Whale Island.

CHAPTER II.

TRANSACTIONS AT FORT FRANKLIN, 1825-26.

Mr. Dease having pa.s.sed the winter of 1824-25 at the Big Island of Mackenzie, arrived here with fifteen Canadian voyagers, Beaulieu, the interpreter, and four Chipewyan hunters, on the twenty-seventh of July, 1825; which, on account of the drifting of the ice, was as soon as he could, with safety, ascend the Bear Lake River. Several of the Dog-Rib Indians were on the spot, which enabled him to take immediate steps towards procuring a supply of dried meat for our winter use, as well as of fresh meat for present consumption. It having been ascertained that the Rein-deer are most abundant in the north-east quarter of the lake, during the months of August and September, a select party of Indians was despatched to hunt thereabout, under the direction of the interpreter, who took a large canoe for the purpose of bringing home the produce of their hunt. Other men were sent to inform the Hare Indians of our wish to purchase any meat they might bring to the establishment. Our princ.i.p.al subsistence, however, was, to be derived from the water, and Mr. Dease was determined in the selection of the spot on which our residence was to be erected, by its proximity to that part of the lake where the fish had usually been abundant. The place decided upon was the site of an old fort belonging to the North-West Company, which had been abandoned many years; our buildings being required of a much larger size, we derived very little benefit from its materials. The wood in the immediate vicinity having been all cut down for fuel by the former residents, the party was obliged to convey the requisite timber in rafts from a considerable distance, which, of course, occasioned trouble and delay. We found, however, on our arrival, all the buildings in a habitable state, but wanting many internal arrangements to fit them for a comfortable winter residence. They were disposed so as to form three sides of a square, the officers' house being in the centre, those for the men on the right, with a house for the interpreter's family, and the store on the left. A blacksmith's shop and meat store were added, and the whole was inclosed by the stockading of the original fort, which we found highly serviceable in screening us from the snow-drift and wintry blasts. The officers' dwelling measured forty-four feet by twenty-four, and contained a hall and four apartments, beside a kitchen. That of the men was thirty-six feet by twenty-three, and was divided into three rooms. These buildings were placed on a dry sandy bank, about eighty yards from the lake, and twenty-five feet above it; at the distance of a half a mile in our rear, the ground rose to the height of one hundred and fifty feet, and continued in an even ridge, on which, though the timber had been felled, we found plenty of small trees for fuel. This ridge bounded our view to the north; and to the west, though confined to less than two miles, the prospect was pretty, from its embracing a small lake, and the mouth of a narrow stream that flowed in at its head. Our southern view commanded the south-west arm of Bear Lake, which is here four miles wide, and not deeper than from three to five fathoms, except in the channel of the river, which conveys its waters to the Mackenzie.

We had also, in front, the Clark-hill, a mountain about thirty-six miles distant, which was always visible in clear weather. When the refraction was great, we saw the tops of some other hills, belonging to the range that extends from Clark-hill to the rapid in Bear Lake River.

Immediately under the sandy soil on which the house stood, there is a bed of tenacious bluish clay, of unknown thickness, which, even in the months of August and September, was firmly frozen at the depth of twenty-one inches from the surface. No rocks were exposed in any part, and wherever the surface had been torn up, a clayey soil appeared. Many boulder stones of granite, limestone, sandstone and trap rocks, were scattered about the lake, not far from the sh.o.r.e.

The trees at some distance from our fort consisted of black and white spruce, and larch, generally small, though a few of the better grown measured from four to five feet in girth, and were from fifty to fifty-five feet high. Dr. Richardson ascertained, by counting the annual rings, that some of them, in a sound state, were upwards of one hundred and thirty years old; while others, which were not much greater in size, had two hundred and fifty rings, but these were decayed at the heart.

The officers had done me the honour, previous to my arrival, of giving the name of Franklin to the fort, which I felt a grateful pleasure in retaining at their desire, though I had intended naming it Fort Reliance. The number of persons belonging to the establishment amounted to fifty: consisting of five officers, including Mr. Dease; nineteen British seamen, marines, and voyagers; nine Canadians; two Esquimaux; Beaulieu, and four Chipewyan hunters; three women, six children, and one Indian lad; besides a few infirm Indians, who required temporary support. This party was far too large to gain subsistence by fis.h.i.+ng at one station only; two houses were, therefore, constructed at four and seven miles distance, from the fort, to which parties were sent, provided with the necessary fis.h.i.+ng implements; and not more than thirty persons were left to reside at the princ.i.p.al establishment. From fifteen to twenty nets were kept in use, under the superintendence of Pascal Cote, an experienced fisherman, who had two a.s.sistants. These were placed opposite the house, and towards the end of summer, and in autumn, they yielded daily from three to eight hundred fish, of the kind called "the Herring Salmon of Bear Lake," and occasionally some trout, t.i.ttameg, and carp. Four Dog-Rib Indians, who were engaged to hunt the Rein-deer in the neighbourhood of the fort, from want of skill, contributed very little fresh meat to our store. Augustus and Ooligbuck employed themselves in the same service, but from not being accustomed to hunt in a woody country, they were not more successful.

The consideration of next importance to furnis.h.i.+ng the party with food, was to provide regular occupation for the men, who had not the resources to employ their time which the officers possessed. Accordingly, some were appointed to attend exclusively to the fis.h.i.+ng nets, others to bring home the meat whenever the hunters killed any deer; some were stationed to fell wood for fuel, others to convey it to the house, and a third set to split it for use. Two of the most expert travellers on snow-shoes were kept in nearly constant employment conveying letters to and from the posts in the Mackenzie and Slave Lake. As the days shortened, it was necessary to find employment during the long evenings, for those resident at the house, and a school was, therefore, established on three nights of the week, from seven o'clock to nine, for their instruction, in reading, writing, and arithmetic; and it was attended by most of the British party. They were divided in equal portions amongst the officers, whose labour was amply repaid by the advancement their pupils made: some of those who began with the alphabet, learned to read and write with tolerable correctness. Sunday was a day of rest; and, with the exception of two or three of the Canadians, the whole party uniformly attended Divine service, morning and evening. If, on the other evenings for which no particular occupation was appointed, the men felt the time tedious, or if they expressed a wish to vary their employments, the hall was at their service, to play any game they might choose; and on these occasions they were invariably joined by the officers. By thus partic.i.p.ating in their amus.e.m.e.nts, the men became more attached to us, at the same time that we contributed to their health and cheerfulness. The hearts and feelings of the whole party were united into one common desire to make the time pa.s.s as agreeably as possible to each other, until the return of spring should enable them to resume the great object of the Expedition.

The officers found employment in making and registering the thermometrical, magnetical, and atmospherical observations, which were hourly noted from eight A.M. to midnight; and, in addition to the duties which they had in common, each had a peculiar department allotted to him.

Lieutenant Back had the superintendence of the men; and the accurate drawings which he finished during the winter, from sketches taken on the voyage, afford ample proof of his diligence and skill. Dr. Richardson, besides the duties of medical officer, which, from the numerous applications made by the natives, were not inconsiderable, devoted his attention to natural history, as well as to a series of observations on the force of the sun's radiation. Mr. Kendall constructed all the charts after the data had been recalculated by myself; he also made several drawings; and he undertook an interesting series of observations on the velocity of sound. To Mr. Dease the charge was committed of whatever related to the procuring and issuing of provision, and the entire management of the Canadian voyagers and Indians.

Previous to the officers leaving London, Dr. Fitton, President of the Geological Society, had the kindness to devote much of his time to their instruction in geology; and having furnished them with a portable collection for the purpose of reference on the voyage, Dr. Richardson, when he had leisure, explained these specimens, weekly, to the party, and a.s.sisted them in reading on this science, which proved a most agreeable and useful recreation to us all.

Some of the preceding remarks refer to a period of our residence later than that which I am about to enter upon; but I thought it best to insert them here, that the mention of them might not interrupt the narrative of occurrences which I shall now resume.

[Sidenote: Thursday, 8th.] On September 8th, two men were sent off to Slave Lake, in a canoe, with a despatch, containing an account of our proceedings, addressed to His Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies; and as we expected letters from England, by the way of Hudson's Bay, they directed to await their arrival at Slave Lake. There was almost constant rain from the 11th to the 14th, which much r.e.t.a.r.ded the work going on out of doors, and particularly the construction of an observatory, which we were desirous of completing as soon as possible, that the magnetical observations might be commenced. We found employment, however, in whitewas.h.i.+ng and fitting up the interior of the different houses. The 15th proving fine, we established a meridian line, and ascertained the variation by each of the compa.s.ses.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, 20th.] Beaulieu returned with his family, the Chipewyan hunters, and some Dog-Ribs, bringing a supply of dried meat, rein-deer tongues, and fat, sufficient for a month's consumption, which was reserved for use when the fis.h.i.+ng should become unproductive. These men reported, that at the time they quitted the northern sh.o.r.es of the lake, the deer were retiring towards this quarter; which intelligence accounted for the Indians having killed four within a day's march from the house.

[Sidenote: Friday, 23rd.] The chimney of the last of the buildings being completed this morning, the flag-staff erected, and all the men a.s.sembled, we commemorated these events by the festivities usual on the opening of a new establishment in this country. The first part of the ceremony was to salute the flag; the men having drawn themselves up in line, and the women and children, and all the Indians resident at the fort, being disposed in groups by their side, a deputation came to solicit the presence of the officers. When we appeared, we found our guns ornamented with blue ribbons, and we were requested to advance and fire at a piece of money which was fastened to the flag-staff. The men then fired two volleys and gave three hearty cheers, after which Wilson the piper struck up a lively tune, and placing himself at the head of his companions, marched with them round to the entrance of the hall, where they drank to His Majesty's health, and to the success of the Expedition. In the evening the hall was opened for a dance, which was attended by the whole party, dressed in their gayest attire. The dancing was kept up with spirit to the music of the violin and bagpipes, until daylight.

[Sidenote: Monday, 26th.] These entertainments over, Beaulieu and the hunters were despatched to the chase, and they soon added two moose-deer to our store.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, 27th.] There had been much rain in the course of the preceding week, and the temperature was generally mild, but a fall of snow took place on the 27th. Some Dog-Ribs came to the fort on that day with the produce of their autumnal hunt, which was very inconsiderable, but they rendered good service to us by taking away with them several of their relations, who had been subsisting on our bounty for some time.

After their departure there only remained one man of the tribe, who, being afflicted with rheumatic fever, was retained under the care of Dr.

Richardson. Warm clothing was provided for him, and a comfortable leathern lodge was erected for himself and family.

[Sidenote: October, 1st.] The month of October commenced with frost and snow, and the party were now furnished with fur caps, leathern mittens and trowsers, and the rest of their warm winter-clothing. This day we completed the erection of the observatory, and adjusted an instrument to the magnetic meridian, for the purpose of observing the variations of the needle.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, 11th.] Much snow fell on the night of the 7th, and on the 11th the small lake was firmly frozen over, and the ground in the same state. All the migratory birds being now gone, except a few ducks, which still lingered in the open water of Bear Lake, we considered this day to be the first of the winter. It was remarkably clear and fine, and we hailed the commencement of this season with a degree of pleasure, from its contrast with the wet unsettled weather which marks the close of summer. A few clouds pa.s.sing over the sun's disk, produced an instantaneous depression of ten degrees of the mercury in a thermometer exposed to the sun's rays. The atmospherical refraction was remarkably strong at this time. We had repeated opportunities, in the course of the winter, of observing it to be greatest in similar states of the atmosphere.

The boats were now secured for the winter in a sheltered place, and screened as much as possible from the effects of the wind and snow drift, by a strong fence made of boughs and branches.

[Sidenote: Friday, 14th.] We were surprised on the 14th by the arrival of two Canadians from Fort Norman, with letters from Governor Simpson, and other gentlemen in the southern districts, containing satisfactory answers to the requisitions for stores that I had made in my pa.s.sage through the country. We were also pleased to learn that Thomas Matthews, the carpenter, whom we had left at c.u.mberland House, on account of his leg being broken, had reached Fort Norman, in the Company's canoe; and I felt much indebted to Mr. James Keith, and Mr. Smith, Chief Factors, for the care and tenderness with which they had conveyed him through the country.

The season at which the ice begins to form, is the most favourable for fis.h.i.+ng in the lakes of this country, and we then procured from four to five hundred daily. Those not required for immediate consumption, were hung on a stage to freeze, in which state they keep until the following spring. But we could not derive the full advantage from the season, because the drift ice, making it unsafe to keep the nets set in Bear Lake, they were taken up on the 18th. Near a month elapsed before they could be set with safety under the ice; our first attempts resulting in the loss of three nets. We procured, however, a few fish from the small lake, during this interval, and the rest of our food was supplied from the store of dried meat.