OF THE POLAR SEA. 357 
party for the Copper-Mine River, and at nine 
A.M., on the 29th, Mr. Back and Mr. Hood em- 
barked on that service in a light canoe, with St. 
Germain, eight Canadians, and one Indian. We 
~ could not furnish them with more than eight days’ 
provision, which, with their blankets, two tents, 
and a few instruments, composed their lading. 
Mr. Back, who had charge of the party, was di- 
rected to proceed to the river, and if, when he 
arrived at its banks, the weather should continue 
to be mild, and the temperature of the water 
was not lower than 40°, he might embark, and 
descend the stream for a few days, to gain some 
knowledge of its course, but he was not to go so 
far as to risk his returning to this place in a fort- 
night with the canoe. But, if the weather should 
be severe, and the temperature of the water below 
40°, he was not to embark, but return immediately, 
and endeavour to ascertain the best track for our 
goods to be conveyed thither next spring. 
We had seen that the water decreases rapidly 
in temperature at this season, and I feared that, 
if he embarked to descend the river when it was 
below 40°, the canoe might be frozen in, and the 
crew have to walk back in very severe weather. 
As soon as the canoes had started, Akaitcho 
and the Indians took their departure also, except 
two of the hunters, who staid behind to kill deer 
