OF THE POLAR SEA. 



211 



bestowed. Its shores, though scantily supplied with wood, are 

 very picturesque, as will appear from the annexed interesting 

 sketch, by Mr. Hood, which exhibits an accurate representation of 

 our brigade, at the time of passing through it. 



Akaitcho caused himself to be paddled by his slave, a young man, 

 of the Dog-rib nation, whom he had taken by force from his 

 friends ; when he thought himself, however, out of reach of our 

 observation, he laid aside a good deal of his state, and assisted in 

 the labour ; and, after a few days' further acquaintance with us, he 

 did not hesitate to paddle in our presence, or even carry his canoe 

 on the portages. Several of the canoes were managed by women, 

 who proved to be noisy companions, for they quarrelled frequently, 

 and the weakest was generally profuse in her lamentations, which 

 were not at all diminished, when the husband attempted to settle 

 the difference by a few blows with his paddle. 



An observation, near the centre of the lake, gave 1 14° 13' 39'' W., 

 and 33° 8' 06" E. variation. 



Leaving the lake, we ascended a very strong rapid, and arrived 

 at a range of three steep cascades, situated in the bend of the river. 

 Here we made a portage of one thousand three hundred yards over a 

 rocky hill, which received the name of the Bowstring Portage, from 

 its shape. We found that the Indians had greatly the advantage of 

 us in this operation ; the men carried their small canoes, the women 

 and children the clothes and provisions, and at the end of the 

 portage they were ready to embark ; whilst it was necessary for our 

 people to return four times, before they could transport the weighty 

 cargo with which we were burthened. After passing through 

 another expansion of the river, and over the steep portage of one 

 hundred and fifteen yards, we encamped on a small rocky isle, just 

 large enough to hold our party, and the Indians took possession of 

 an adjoining rock. We were now distant thirty miles from Fort 

 Providence. 



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