OF THE POLAR SEA. 159 



fires, lest they should alarm straggling parties of 

 the Esquimaux. 



The musquitoes were now very numerous and 

 annoying, but we consoled ourselves with the 

 hope that their season would be short. 



On the 11th we started at three A.M., and as 

 the guide had represented the river below our 

 encampment to be full of shoals, some of the 

 men were directed to walk along the shore, but 

 they were assailed so violently by the musquitoes, 

 as to be compelled to embark very soon ; and we 

 afterwards passed over the shallow parts by the 

 aid of the poles, without experiencing much in- 

 terruption. The current ran very rapidly, having 

 been augmented by the waters of the Mouse 

 R-iver and several small streams. We rejoined 

 our hunters at the foot of the Copper Mountains, 

 and found they had killed three musk oxen. 

 This circumstance determined us on encamping 

 to dry the meat, as there was wood at the spot. 

 We availed ourselves of this delay to visit the 

 Copper Mountains in search of specimens of the 

 ore, agreeably to my instructions ; and a party of 

 twenty-one persons, consisting of the officers, 

 some of the voyagers, and all the Indians, set off 

 on that excursion. We travelled for nine hours 

 over a considerable space of ground, but found 



