NORTHERN OCEAN 91 



or to be devoured by the wolves, foxes, and other beasts of 1770. 



Aueust. 



prey. ^ 



In our way to the Westward we came to several rivers, 

 which, though small and of no note, were so deep as not to 

 be fordable, particularly Doobaunt River.* On those occasions 

 only, we had recourse to our canoe, which, though of the 

 common size, was too small to carry more [41] than two 

 persons ; one of whom always lies down at full length for 

 fear of making the canoe top-heavy, and the other sits on his 

 heels and paddles. This method of ferrying over rivers, 

 though tedious, is the most expeditious way these poor people 

 can contrive ; for they are sometimes obliged to carry their 

 canoes one hundred and fifty, or two hundred miles, without 

 having occasion to make use of them ; yet at times they cannot 

 do without them ; and were they not very small and portable, 

 it would be impossible for one man to carry them, which they 

 are often obliged to do, not only the distance above mentioned, 

 but even the whole Summer. 



* This river, as well as all others deserving that appellation which I crossed 

 during this part of my journey, ran to the East and North-East ; and both 

 them and the lakes were perfectly fresh, and inhabited by fish that are well 

 known never to frequent salt water.^ 



[^ The brief description of this portion of his journey here given leaves his 

 course quite indefinite, but his map shows that he travelled northward to the 

 v/est of Yath-kyed Lake, across Nutarawit River, and thence around the north 

 side of Napashish (Nutarawit) Lake, and westward to within a short distance 

 of the south shore of Aberdeen Lake. Thence he turned south-westward until 

 he reached Dubawnt River, where it flows from Dubawnt Lake. It is there a 

 beautiful stream of clear water flowing between gently sloping grassy banks. 

 The latitude of this place is 63° 33' north, while on his map it is shown as 

 63° 38' north. As the latitudes of the crossing places of Kazan and Dubawnt 

 Rivers, shown on his map, though differing greatly from his text, are very 

 nearly correct, we may fairly assume that his intermediate positions are also 

 reasonably accurate, and that his northern point of this journey, which he 

 places in latitude 64° 20', is not far from correct. 



Dubawnt (properly To' bon') is a Chipewyan word meaning " water-along- 

 the-shore." It is so called because the main body of the lake is at all seasons 

 of the year covered with ice, though for a few days, or possibly weeks, in summer 

 this ice is loosened from the shore, and there is a lane of water between the ice 

 and the land.] 



