174 A JOURNEY TO THE 



1771, On my arrival here I was not a little surprised to find the 

 ■^"^^* river differ so much from the description which the Indians 

 had given of it at the Factory ; for, instead of being so large 

 as to be navigable for shipping, as it had been represented by 

 them, it was at that part scarcely navigable for an Indian canoe, 

 being no more than one hundred and eighty yards wide, every 

 where full of shoals, and no less than three falls were in sight 

 at first view. 



Near the water's edge there is some wood ; but not one 

 tree grows on or near the top of the hills between which the 

 river runs. There appears to have been formerly a much 

 greater quantity than there is at present ; but the trees seem 

 to have been set on fire some years ago, and, in consequence, 

 there is at present ten sticks lying on the ground, for one 

 green one v/hich is growing beside them. The whole timber 

 appears to have been, even in its greatest prosperity, of so 

 crooked and dwarfish a growth as to render it of little use for 

 any purpose but fire-wood. 



Soon after our arrival at the river-side, three Indians were 

 sent off as spies, in order to see if any Esquimaux were in- 

 habiting the river-side between us and the sea. After walking 

 about three-quarters of a mile by the side of the river, we put 

 up, when most of the Indians went a [147] hunting, and killed 

 several musk-oxen and some deer. They were employed all 

 the remainder of the day and night in splitting and drying the 

 meat by the fire. As we were not then in want of provisions, 

 and as deer and other animals were so plentiful, that each 

 day's journey might have provided for itself, I was at a loss to 

 account for this unusual ceconomy of my companions ; but 

 was soon informed, that those preparations were made with a 

 view to have victuals enough ready-cooked to serve us to the 

 river's mouth, without being obliged to kill any in our way, 

 as the report of the guns, and the smoke of the fires, would 

 be liable to alarm the natives, if any should be near at hand, 

 and give them an opportunity of escaping. 



