OF THE POLAR SEA. 



411 



seemed to threaten certain destruction ; once, indeed, I fancied that 

 I saw it overwhelmed in the waves. Such an event would have 

 been fatal to the whole party. Separated as I was from my com- 

 panions, without gun, ammunition, hatchet, or the means of making 

 a fire, and in wet clothes, my doom would have been speedily sealed. 

 My companions too, driven to the necessity of coasting the lake, 

 must have sunk under the fatigue of rounding its innumerable arms 

 and bays, which, as we have learned from the Indians, are very 

 extensive. By the goodn ess of Providence, however, we were spared 

 at that time, and some of us have been permitted to offer up our 

 thanksgivings, in a civilized land, for the signal deliverances we then 

 and afterwards experienced. 



By this accident I had the misfortune to lose my port-folio, con- 

 taining my journal from Fort Enterprise, together with all the 

 astronomical and meteorological observations made during the descent 

 of the Copper-Mine River, and along the sea-coast, (except those 

 for the dip and variation. ) I was in the habit of carrying it strapped 

 across my shoulders, but had taken it off on entering the canoe, to 

 reduce the upper weight. The results of most of the observations 

 for latitude and longitude, had been registered in the sketch books, 

 so that we preserved the requisites for the construction of the chart. 

 The meteorological observations, not having been copied, were lost. 

 My companions, Dr. Richardson, Mr. Back, and Mr. Hood, had 

 been so careful in noting every occurrence in their journals, that the 

 loss of mine could fortunately be well supplied. These friends 

 immediately offered me their documents, and every assistance in 

 drawing up another narrative, of which kindness I availed myself at 

 the earliest opportunity afterwards. 



September 15. — The rest of the party were brought across this 

 morning, and we were delighted to find Belanger so much recovered 

 as to be able to proceed, but we could not set out until noon, as the 

 men had to prepare substitutes for the slings which were lost yesterday. 



3 G 2 



