An Expedition down the Begh-ula. 33 



their lives from a large party of western Esquimaux who 

 had come there for the purpose of trade, and it was only- 

 through the interposition of the former, whom they found 

 very friendly, that they were permitted to return. On 

 corning to a halt shortly after parting with the Esquimaux 

 the Indians discovered that one of their number was miss- 

 ing, who, strange to say, had not since been heard of. But 

 more of him anon. 



On the 14th June we embarked on Anderson Eiver in two 

 canoes, our party numbering ten in all. The general appear- 

 ance of the country, to the lodges of the Upper Esquimaux, 

 which were reached about noon of the 15th, differed materi- 

 ally from that previously passed. The banks of the river were 

 higher and of a more hilly character, and had a considerable 

 sloping tendency upward, the summits of these hills occa- 

 sionally presenting a smooth rounded surface covered with 

 moss and dwarf willow, and the slopes with timber of a 

 medium size. In some parts also, on the east side, the sum- 

 mits were perfectly flat, with a few clumps of tall willow. 

 The banks on the left generally consisted of a succession of 

 small hills, intersected by several valleys, through which 

 small streams made their way. The course of the river was 

 pretty direct, chiefly in a northerly direction. . Its breadth 

 varied from 500 to 1500 yards, with abundance of water for 

 loaded craft. Yery few sandy battures or islands occurred. 



Some time before reaching the Esquimaux lodges, we 

 were joined at intervals by fifteen of these people, who had 

 been employed hunting reindeer on the slopes and summits 

 of the river banks. They rarely hunt at any distance be- 

 yond, probably from fear of being attacked by hostile 

 Indians. When an Esquimaux succeeds in killing a deer, 

 he drags the animal as it falls to the water's edge, into 

 which it is plunged. The hunter then inserts an arrow into 

 the carcass, so that on its floating past the lodges it may 

 be taken possession of for the benefit of the party by whom 

 it has been killed. 



On landing at the chief's encampment I immediately 

 marked out a line on the beach, and directed my interpreter 



