386 ARCTIC VOYAGES. Chap. X. 



men, and they asked for a day's rest, which was 

 considered reasonable enough ; that the quiet en- 

 joyment of two substantial meals, after eight days' 

 famine, might enable them to proceed more vigor- 

 ously. On the 26th they reached a branch of the 

 Copper Mine River ; and now, for the first time, 

 the people were convinced of their folly in breaking 

 the two canoes. 



Back, the most active and vigorous of the 

 party, was sent forward with some of the hunters 

 to apprize the people at Fort Enterprise of the 

 approach of the rest. Credit and Junius followed 

 them also to hunt. Credit returned, but Junius 

 was missing, and was never after heard of. Several 

 days were here lost in making a raft of willows, 

 which was finished by the 29th, but all attempts to 

 convey the raft across the stream failed, and the 

 scheme was considered hopeless : the raft moreover 

 was of green wood, and the want of poles or paddles 

 rendered the moving of it on the water impracti- 

 cable. Yet it was of the utmost importance to cross 

 the river, as any attempt to go round the lakes would 

 be sure destruction to the whole party, in their 

 famished and worn down state ; two of them, having 

 been utterly unable to proceed, were left behind. 



" In this hopeless condition, with certain starvation staring 

 them in the face, Dr. Richardson, actuated by the noble 

 desire of making a last effort for the safety of the party, 

 and of relieving his suffering companions from a state of 

 misery, which could only terminate, and that speedily, in 



