134 A JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



pressed themselves much interested in our progress ; but they could 

 give no particle of information respecting the countries beyond the 

 Athabasca Lake. We smoked with them, and gave each person a 

 glass of mixed spirits and some tobacco. We learned from a Cana- 

 dian servant of the North- West Company, who was residing with 

 them, that this family had lost numerous relatives, and that the de- 

 struction of property, which had been made after their deaths, was 

 the only cause for the pitiable condition in which we saw them. He 

 said the whole family were industrious hunters, and, therefore, were 

 usually better provided with clothes, and other useful articles, than 

 most of the Indians. We purchased from them a pair of snow- 

 shoes, in exchange for some ammunition. The Chipewyans are 

 celebrated for making them good and easy to walk in ; we saw some 

 here upwards of six feet long, and three broad : with these unwieldy 

 clogs an active hunter, in the spring, when there is a crust on the 

 surface of the snow, will run down a moose or red deer. 



We made very slow progress after leaving this party, on account 

 of the deep snow, but continued along the river until we reached 

 its junction with the Athabasca, or Elk River. We obtained obser- 

 vations on an island, a little below the Forks, which gave, longitude 

 111 8' 42" W., variation 24° 18' 20" E. Very little wood has been 

 seen during this day's march. The western shore, near the Forks, 

 is destitute of trees ; it is composed of lofty perpendicular cliffs, 

 which are now covered with snow. The eastern shore supports a 

 few pines. 



March 18. — Soon after our departure from the encampment 

 we met two men, from the establishment at Pierre au Calumet, 

 who gave us correct information of the situation and distance. 

 Having the benefit of their track, we marched at a tolerably quick 

 pace, and made twenty-two miles in the course of the day, though 

 the weather was very disagreeable for travelling, being stormy, with 

 constant snow. We kept along the river the whole time: its 



