440 ARCTIC VOYAGES. Chap. XI. 



the Esquimaux Lake. Of this large sheet of water 

 Dr. Richardson gives the following account : — 



" Taking for granted that the accounts we received from 

 the natives were (as our own observations led us to believe) 

 correct, Esquimaux Lake is a very extensive and curious 

 piece of water. The Indians say that it reaches to within 

 four days' march of Fort Good Hope ; and the Esquimaux 

 informed us that it extends from Point Encounter to Cape 

 Bathurst, thus ascribing to it an extent from north to south 

 of more than one hundred and forty miles, and from east to 

 west of one hundred and fifty. * * * If a conjecture 

 may be hazarded about the original formation of a lake 

 which we had so few opportunities of examining, it seems 

 probable that the alluvial matters brought down by the 

 Mackenzie and other rivers have gradually formed a barrier 

 of islands and shoals, which, by preventing the free access 

 of the tide, enables the fresh water to maintain the pre- 

 dominance behind it. The action of the waves of the sea 

 has a tendency to increase the height of the barrier, while 

 the currents of the rivers and ebb-tide preserve the depth of 

 the lake. A great formation of wood-coal will, I doubt 

 not, be ultimately formed by the immense quantities of drift- 

 timber annually deposited on the borders of Esquimaux 

 Lake."— p. 228. 



On the 15th, thev made a traverse of ten miles 

 across an inlet, the water of which, running out in 

 a strong current, and nearly fresh, was supposed to 

 be another communication of the Esquimaux Lake 

 with the sea. They named it Russell Inlet. The 

 hit. 70° 12', and long. 129° 21'; and here the main- 

 land trended, as they wished, to the south-east ; 

 for having passed the low coasts and shoals which 



