370 ARCTIC VOYAGES. Chap. X. 



animals huddle closer together, and several are 

 generally killed ; but if the wound be not mortal, 

 they become enraged, and dart in the most furious 

 manner at the hunters, who must be very dexterous 

 to evade them. 



On the 7th of July they arrived at The Hook's 

 encampment, the Indian chief before mentioned, 

 who was particularly civil, and said, " The amount 

 of meat I have is very small, but I will cheerfully 

 give you what I have ; we are too much indebted 

 to the white people to allow them to want food on 

 our lands whilst we have any to give them ;" and 

 he promised to remain on the side of the Bear Lake, 

 which is near to the Copper Mine River, till the 

 month of November, and to furnish the party with 

 supplies on their return. He, too, as well as all the 

 Indians, earnestly entreated the travellers to be 

 constantly on their guard against the treachery of 

 the Esquimaux. 



They were now approaching the Copper Moun- 

 tains, their encampment being in lat. 67° 1' 10", 

 long. 116° 27' 28" W. ; variation of the compass, 

 44° 11' 43"; and dip of the needle, 87° 31' 18". 

 From hence they visited the Copper Mountains in 

 search of specimens of the ore, agreeably, as Frank- 

 lin says, with his instructions ; the party consisting 

 of twenty-one persons, voyagers and Indians, in- 

 cluding the officers. 



" We travelled for nine hours over a considerable space 



