JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 
readiness for our canoes, when they might arrive 
in the spring; Mr. Clark also engaged to pro- 
cure six bags for us, and to furnish our canoes 
with any other supplies which may be wanted, 
and can be spared from his post, and to contri- 
bute his aid in forwarding the pemmican to the 
Athabasca, if our canoes cannot carry it all... 
I feel greatly indebted to Mr. Clark, for much” 
valuable information respecting the country and 
the Indians residing to the north of Slave Lake, 
and for furnishing me with a list of stores he 
supposed we should require. This gentleman 
had resided some years on Mackenzie's River, 
and had been once so far towards its mouth as to 
meet the Esquimaux in great numbers. But 
they assumed such a hostile attitude, that he 
deemed it unadvisable to attempt opening any 
communication with them, and retreated as 
speedily as he could. 
The observations we obtained here shewed that 
the chronometers had varied their rates a little, 
in consequence of the jolting of the carioles in 
which we rode ; but their elrors. and. rates. were 
ascertained previous to our departure. We ob- 
served the position of this fort to be. latitude 53° 
25 35" N., longitude 107° 51. 00" W., by lu 
hars reduced back from Fort Chipewyan, varia- 
ton 22° 15' 48” W., dip 84° 13’ 35”. “3 
