OF THE POLAR SEA. 291 



he fell in with the Esquimaux, who frequent its 

 mouth. The Indians, too, with whom we have 

 since conversed upon this subject, are confident 

 that he would be able to subsist himself during 

 the winter. Credit, on his hunting excursion 

 to-day, found a cap, which our people recognised 

 to belong to one of the hunters who had left us in 

 the spring. This circumstance produced the con- 

 viction of our being on the banks of the Copper- 

 Mine River, which all the assertions of the officers 

 had hitherto failed to do with some of the party ; 

 and it had the happy effect of reviving their 

 spirits considerably. We consumed the last of 

 our deer's meat this evening at supper. 



Next morning the men went out in search of 

 dry willows, and collected eight large fagots, with 

 which they foimed a more buoyant raft than the 

 former, but the wind being still adverse and 

 strong, they delayed attempting to cross until a 

 more favourable opportunity. Pleased, however, 

 with the appearance of this raft, they collected 

 some tripe de roche, and made a cheerful supper. 

 Dr. Richardson was gaining strength, but his leg 

 was much swelled and very painful. An obser- 

 vation for latitude placed the encampment in Qo° 

 00' 00" N., the longitude being 112° 20' 00" W„ 

 deduced from the last observation. 



On the morning of the 1 st of October, the wind 



