2\G JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



After paddling twelve miles in the morning of 

 the 5th, we had the mortification to find the inlet 

 terminated by a river ; the size of which we could 

 not ascertain, as the entrance was blocked by- 

 shoals. Its mouth lies in latitude 66° 30' N., 

 longitude 1 07° 53' W. I have named this stream 

 Back, as a mark of my friendship for my asso- 

 ciate * . We were somewhat consoled for the loss 

 of time in exploring this inlet, by the success of 

 Junius in killing a musk-ox, the first we had seen 

 on the coast ; and afterwards by the acquisition 

 of the flesh of a bear, that was shot as we were 

 returning up the eastern side in the evening. 

 The latter proved to be a female, in very ex- 

 cellent condition ; and our Canadian voyagers, 

 whose appetite for fat meat is insatiable, were 

 delighted. 



We encamped on the shores of a sandy bay, 

 and set the nets ; and finding a quantity of dried 

 willows on the beach, we were enabled to cook 

 the bear's flesh, which was superior to any meat 

 we tasted on the coast. The water fell two feet 

 at this place during the night. Our nets pro- 

 duced a great variety of fish, namely, a salmon- 

 trout, some round fish, tittameg, bleak, star-fish, 



* From subsequent ronvcrsation witli tlic Copper Indiaus, we 

 were inclined to suppose tliis m;iy he the Tltluectcssy, ilcscribeil l»y 



