OF THE POLAR SEA. 



331 



At four in the morning of July 4th we embarked and descended 

 a succession of very agitated rapids, but took the precaution of 

 landing the articles mentioned yesterday, wherever there appeared 

 any hazard ; notwithstanding all our precautions the leading canoe 

 struck with great force against a stone, and the bark was split, but 

 this injury was easily repaired, and we regretted only the loss of 

 time. At eleven we came to an expansion of the river where the 

 current ran with less force, and an accumulation of drift ice had, in 

 consequence, barred the channel; which the canoes and cargoes 

 were carried over. The ice in many places adhered to the banks, 



I 



and projected in wide ledges several feet thick over the stream, 

 which had hollowed them out beneath. On one occasion as the 

 people were embarking from one of these ledges, it suddenly gave 

 way, and three men were precipitated into the water, but were 

 rescued without further damage than a sound ducking, and the 

 canoe fortunately, (and narrowly) escaped being crushed. Perceiving 

 one of the Indians sitting on the east bank of the river, we landed, 

 and having learned from him that Akaitcho and the hunters had gone 

 in pursuit of a herd of musk oxen, we encamped, having come 

 twenty-four miles and a half. 



In the afternoon they brought us the agreeable intelligence of 

 their having killed eight cows, of which four were full grown. 

 All the party were immediately despatched to bring in this sea- 

 sonable supply. A young cow irritated by the firing of the 

 hunters ran down to the river, and passed close to me when walking 

 at a short distance from the tents. I fired and wounded it, when 

 the animal instantly turned, and ran at me, but I avoided its fury 

 by jumping aside and getting upon an elevated piece of ground. 

 In the mean time some people came from the tents, and it took to 

 flight. 



The musk oxen, like the buffalo, herd together in bands, and 



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