THE UNKNOWN TRACT TRAVERSED. 359 



started from the encampment, at which the boats were to be left in charge 

 of Mr Dease, and which was named Boat Extreme, on the 1st August. 

 The provisions of the travelling party consisted of a supply of pemmican and 

 flour ; besides which each man carried his blanket, spare shoes, gun and 

 ammunition. The remaining stores consisted of a single kettle, a couple of 

 axes, a few trinkets, a sextant and artificial horizon, and a canvas canoe, 

 stretched on its wooden frame. " The day," writes Simpson, " was dark and 

 dismal in the extreme, a cutting north wind bearing on its wings a fog that 

 hid every object at the distance of a hundred yards. We were therefore 

 under the necessity of closely following the coast line, which much increased 

 the distance and fatigue. The land is very low, and intersected by innumer- 

 able salt creeks. In fording these, we were constantly wet to the waist, and 

 the water was dreadfully cold. . . . Having accomplished twenty miles at 

 seven p.m., we found a grassy plot, with a few pieces of (drift) wood. Little 

 or none of that essential article had been seen during the day, this part of 

 the coast being shut out from the action of the sea by a chain of reefs. 

 Here, then, we encamped, half congealed by the cold wet fog and wind, 

 which encrusted our clothes with hoar-frost and ice, as in the severity of 

 winter. Unfortunately the spot where we halted was wet beneath the 

 deceitful surface ; and being quite exposed to the weather, we passed a 

 miserable night." The following day was one of similarly trying labour. 

 After discovering and naming Point Tangent (long. 154° 52' W.), the party 

 had advanced ten miles, wading through many a salt creek, the waters of 

 which were at the freezing temperature, when, to their " inexpressible joy," 

 they descried an Eskimo encampment. As soon as friendly relations with 

 the natives had been established, Simpson proposed to borrow one of their 

 oomiacks, or large family canoes, to take his party on to Point Barrow and 

 back. The Eskimos at once acceded to the request. The best of the oomiacks, 

 with its oars and paddles, was selected ; and after a general distribution of 

 tobacco and trinkets— the former received with intense delight by men, women, 

 and children— Simpson shoved off", and steering westward, soon discovered 

 and named Dease Inlet and Point Christie. On the evening of the 3d August, 

 progress was barred by a compact body of ice. It was easy, however, to 

 carry the light oomiack across this barrier, and resume the voyage. " It was 

 now calm," writes Simpson; "the ducks flew westward in immensely long 

 files, and young ice had formed on every open space— a timely warning to 

 travellers who adventure far into these regions of frost. But we were fast 

 approaching the goal that was to crown our enterprise, and disregarded all 

 impediments. Seven miles beyond Cape Scott, we crossed the mouth of a 

 fine, deep river, a quarter of a mile wide, which I called the Bellevue. 

 Landing beyond it, I saw, with indescribable emotions. Point Barrow, 

 stretching out to the northward, and enclosing Elson Bay, near the bottom 



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