Red River to Arctic Circle 133 



labouring, and from whom the accounts of the 

 docility of the Indians around continue very 

 favourable. To it I would add the mention of 

 the Station of Claremont, at Touchwood Hills, 

 which, I regret to say, I have not yet seen, but of 

 which even those uninterested give pleasing 

 reports; where our Catechist, Mr. Charles Pratt, 

 is, I hope, doing good service. A second per 

 manent station has been taken up by the Society 

 for the Propagation of the Gospel, that of Fort 

 Ellice, and is likely to prove a spot of growing 

 importance, as it must almost of necessity remain 

 ever on the highway of the West.&quot; 



The next summer the Reverend W. W. Kirkby, w . w . 

 accompanied by his wife and family, proceeded goif rt Simp &quot; 

 to the Mackenzie River and took up his residence 

 at Fort Simpson. &quot;By him the Gospel was car 

 ried for the first time within the Arctic Circle.&quot; 

 He descended the Mackenzie to Peel River, 

 ascended the latter to Fort MacPherson and 

 thence crossed the Rocky Mountains to La visits Peel 

 Pierre s House. &quot;At this remote station he was upp 

 in the midst of the interesting Tukudh, or Louch- 

 eux, or Kutchin Indians, who received him with a 

 warmth that was unexpected, for their reputation 

 was not good. The Chief medicine man re 

 nounced his curious arts in the presence of 

 all; and murder, infanticide, polygamy, were 

 publicly confessed and solemnly abandoned.&quot; 

 From La Pierre s House, Kirkby continued his July 6th 1861 

 journey by the West Rat and Porcupine Rivers, 

 past Rampart House, to Fort Yukon within the 



