162 A JOURNEY TO THE 
1771. 2nd, in faét, did all the mifchief they poffibly 
“a7 could to diftrefs the poor creatures they could not — 
, murder, and who were ftanding on the fhoal be- 
fore mentioned, obliged to be woeful fpectators of 
their great, or perhaps irreparable lofs. 
After the Indians had completed this piece of 
wantonnefs we fat down, and made a good meal 
of frefh falmon which were as numerous at the 
place where we now refted, as they were on the 
Wet fide of the river. When we had finithed 
our meal, which was the firft we had enjoyed for 
many hours, the Indians told me that they were 
again ready to affift me in making an end of my — 
furvey. It was then about five o’clock in the . 
x7th.. morning of the feventeenth, the fea being in fight 
from the North Weft by Weft to the North Eaft, 
about eight miles diftant. I therefore fet inftant- 
ly about commencing my furvey, and purfued it 
to the mouth of the river, which I found all the 
way fo full of fhoals and falls that it was not navi- 
gable even for a boat, and that it emptied itfelf 
into the fea over a ridge or bar. The tide was 
then out; but I judged from the marks which I 
faw on the edge of the ice, that it flowed about 
twelve or fourteen feet, which will only reach a 
little way within the river’s mouth. The tide 
being out, the water in the river was perfectly 
frefh; bu I am certain of its being the fea, or 
fome branch of it, by the quantity of whalebone 
and feal-{kins which the Efquimaux had at their 
tents, and alfo by the number of feals which I 
faw 
