EXPLORATION OF GREAT FISH RIVER. 335 



Absolved by the timely return of the explorers of the " Victory " from 

 taking with him a strong rescue party and a heavy load of provisions, Back 

 abandoned the idea of fitting out two boats for his summer voyage, and 

 determined to explore the newly-discovered river, and attempt the coast- 

 voyage of the Polar Sea in one boat, with a crew of ten picked men. The 

 limited number would be more than compensated by the quality of the men 

 who were to compose it. Every man would be a host in himself — the 

 voyageurs in the boat should be men of great experience, strength, and 

 skill; and the hunters, who should precede the boat, under Mr M'Leod — him- 

 self an excellent shot — should be trustworthy and industrious. The voyage 

 was to last three months ; and in the meantime the pemmican and baggage 

 had been transferred to a point on the west shore of Artillery Lake, where 

 the boat was being constructed, and from which the voyage was to start ; 

 and a number of Indians had been engaged to carry the stores, instruments, 

 etc., across the dividing land or watershed to the upper waters of Great 

 Fish Kiver, a distance in direct line of 115 miles. On the 5th June, 

 Mr M'Leod, accompanied by his staff of hunters, set out in advance 

 from Fort Eeliance, and all that was now left to be done was to secure 

 the house against weather and intruders. With this view, a platform was 

 erected in the hall, on which the remainder of the stores were deposited, and 

 carefully secured against wet and marauding wolvereens. Other articles 

 were lowered into a cellar, which was closed and nailed down. The boxes 

 were got together and covered with a tarpaulin, and a small quantity of 

 brandy was securely and effectually hidden away, to be used in case of 

 emergency on the return of the party. Finally, the windows and doors 

 were blocked up, and then Captain Back, Mr King, and four attendants with 

 dogs, turned their backs upon the fort on the 7th June, and commenced the 

 march eastward to Artillery Lake. 



On the evening of the second day. Back reached the bay on Artillery 

 Lake, where his carpenters had been at work on the boats. The one 

 selected for the voyage was 30 feet over all, and 24 feet keel. It was 

 placed on runners, plated with iron ; and on the morning of the 10th June the 

 expedition started, a party dragging the boat over the ice which still covered 

 the lake, and the others dragging each a burden of about 100 lbs. on a small 

 sledge. The journey to the source of Great Fish River was accomplished 

 on the 27th June. At one p.m. on the following day the boat was launched 

 on the stream, and the diflacult navigation of the shallow and impetuous 

 torrent was commenced. At the beginning progress was exceedingly slow 

 and laborious, rapid succeeding rapid every few miles. The adventure of the 

 9th July may be taken as representative of the class of incidents which were 

 of daily occurrence during the voyage. On that day, as the boat slowly ad- 

 vanced, an island was seen near the centre of the river, from the sides of which 



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