OF THE POLAR SEA. 311 
tiation of the compass is 25° 40’ 47" E. The 
houses of the two Companies are small, and 
have a bleak northern aspect. There are vast 
accumulations of drift wood on the shores of the 
lake, brought down by the river, which afford 
plenty of fuel. The inhabitants live principally 
on the fish, which the lake at certain seasons 
furnishes in great abundance; of these, the white 
fish, trout, and poisson inconnu are considered the 
best. They also procure moose, buffalo, and 
rein-deer meat occasionally from their hunters ; 
but these animals are generally found at the 
distance of several days’ walk from the forts. 
The Indians who trade here are Chipewyans. 
Beavers, martens, foxes, and musk-rats, are 
caught in numbers in the vicinity of this great 
body of water. The musquitoes are still a 
serious annoyance to us, but they are less 
numerous than before. They are in some degree 
replaced by a small sandfly, whose bite is suc- 
ceeded by a copious flow of blood, and consider- 
able swelling, but is attended with incomparably 
less irritation, than the puncture of the musquito. 
On the 27th of July we embarked at four AM., 
and proceeded along the south shore of the lake, 
through a narrow channel, formed by some 
islands, beyond, the confluence of the principal 
branch of the Slave River; and as far as Stony 
