OF THE POLAR SEA, 331 
and put a stop to their mourning. The tempera- 
tures, this day, were at four A.M. 54°, three 
P.M. 72°, at seven P.M. 65°. 
On the 4th we crossed a small lake, and passed 
over in succession the Blue Berry Cascade, and 
ridges of rocks that completely obstruct the pas- 
sage for canoes. We came to three strong rapids 
beyond these barriers, which were surmounted 
by the aid of the poles and lines, and then toa 
bend of the river in which the cascades were so 
frequent, that to avoid them we carried the canoes 
into a chain of small lakes. We entered them by 
a portage of nine hundred and fifty paces, and 
during the afternoon traversed three other grassy 
lakes, and encamped on the banks of the river, at 
the end of the Yellow-Knife Portage, of three 
hundred and fifty paces. This day’s work was 
very laborious to our men. Akaitcho, however, 
had directed his party to assist them in carrying 
their burdens on the portages, which they did 
cheerfully. This morning Mr. Back caught seve- 
ral fish with a fly, a method of fishing entirely 
new to the Indians ; and they were not more de- 
lighted than astonished at his skill and success. 
The extremes of temperature to day were 54° 
and 65°. 
On August 5th we continued the ascent of the 
