182 A JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



into the rapid*. So early a disaster deeply affected the spirits of the 

 Canadians, and their natural vivacity gave way to melancholy fore- 

 bodings, while they erected a wooden cross in the rocks near the 

 spot where their companion perished. 



The loss of this man's services, and the necessity of procuring a 

 guide, determined us to wait for the arrival of the North- West 

 Company's people from Fort Chipewyan, and we encamped accord- 

 ingly. The canoe was much shattered, but as the gun wales were 

 not broken, we easily repaired it. In the evening a N. W. canoe 

 arrived, with two of the partners. They gave us an account of 

 Mr. Franklin's proceedings, and referred us to the brigade following 



them for a guide. 



During the 20th it rained heavily, and we passed the day in 

 anxious suspense confined to our tents. A black bear came to the 

 bank on the opposite side of the river, and on seeing us, glided 

 behind the trees. 



Late on the 21st Mr. Eobertson, of the Hudson Bay Company 

 arrived, and furnished us with a guide, but desired that he might 

 be exchanged when we met the northern canoes. We took ad- 

 vantage of the remainder of the day, to cross the next portage, 

 which was three-fourths of a mile in length. 



On the 22 nd we crossed three small portages, and encamped at 

 the fourth. At one of them we passed some of the Hudson's Eay 

 Company's canoes, and our application to them was unsuccessful. 

 We began to suspect that Isle a la Crosse was the nearest place 

 at which we might hope for assistance. However, on the morning of 

 the 23rd as we were about to embark, we encountered the last 

 brigades of canoes belonging to both the Companies, and obtained a 

 guide and foreman from them. Thus completely equipped, we 



Mr. Hood himself was the first to leap into the canoe and incite the men to folk) 



and shoot the rapid to save 



•Dr. Richardson's Journal. 



