470 ARCTIC VOYAGES. Chap. XII. 



crossing numerous lakes, rapids, rivers, and fright- 

 ful cataracts, arrived at a lofty hill, and from it 

 saw a lake, out of which he was told one of the 

 branches of the sought-for river issued. He here 

 saw only a few geese, one gull, and many terns, 

 and mosquitoes like the fourth plague — innume- 

 rable. " No other living thing was seen or heard ; 

 the air was calm, the lake unruffled ; it seemed as 

 if nature had fallen into a trance, for all was silent 

 and motionless as death." The splendid lake was 

 named Avlmer. 



The river which Back had now to descend, 

 was called by the natives Thlew-ee-choh, or the 

 Fish River, and since has very properly been de- 

 scribed by the Geographical Society, and in the 

 charts, by the name of Back's River, he having been 

 the first European who had descended it. When he 

 was fully satisfied, by one of the guides, that he had 

 reached one of its feeders, he says, " yielding to 

 that pleasing emotion which discoverers, in the first 

 bound of their transport, may be pardoned for in- 

 dulging, I threw myself down on the bank and 

 drank a hearty draught of the limpid water." The 

 main stream was speedily approached, and, as the 

 month of August had expired, it became expedient, 

 nay imperative (having made this discovery), to re- 

 turn to Fort Reliance on Slave Lake, there to take 

 up his winter quarters ; and here he found the 

 frame-work erected of a convenient house, which 



