408 M'CLURE'S EXPLORATIONS. 



such a time. After five hours' hard work, they got 

 once more into deep water. 



In this way they continued to coast along the margin 

 of the pack for about four or five hundred miles, when 

 it became somewhat more open. It was now resolved 

 to shape a course to the north-north-west for Banks's 

 Land. In doing this, however, they were frequently 

 obliged to alter, and often to retrace their course, owing 

 to the deceptive nature of the lanes of water, and the 

 perplexing fogs that constantly prevailed, obliging them 

 to proceed chiefly by soundings. 



On the 21st of August they passed the mouth of the 

 Mackenzie River, and made the Pelly Islands. Soon 

 after, they reached Warren Point, where natives were 

 seen on the shore ; and as M'Clure wished to forward 

 despatches by them, if possible, to the Hudson's Bay 

 Company's posts on the Mackenzie, the boats were 

 ordered out. M'Clure believed the natives to have 

 been in connection with these posts, and expected a 

 friendly reception from them. " Great, therefore," says 

 he, " was my surprise, upon approaching the beach, to 

 find, instead of being greeted by the usual friendly signs, 

 that two savages, with gesticulations the most menacing, 

 having bended bows, with arrows on their strings, and 

 one with a large knife, which he brandished most signifi- 

 cantly, waved us off. Taking no heed of these hostile 

 demonstrations, we pulled in ; they retreated, yelling 

 furiously. Upon our reaching the beach, we made the 

 same signs of friendship which we had used with the 

 Esquimaux further west, but without any effect, until 

 joined by the interpreter, who was in full native costume. 

 This gave them confidence, and, upon his explaining our 

 friendly intentions, they approached ; but when within 

 about thirty yards, remarking some muskets which the 

 boat's crew had, their fury revived. To pacify them, 



