THE IMPOSSIBLE ACHIEVED. 369 



on the beach, having apparently perished through the intensity of the cold. 

 Herds of deer also were seen migrating southward, and " one magnificent 

 buck," says Simpson, " marched before us, like a doomed victim, for two 

 days, and was shot near our last encampment." On the 29th Simpson and 

 his party arrived at Boathaven, and the return voyage of the whole party 

 up the Coppermine to the winter quarters on Great Bear Lake was forth- 

 with commenced. Hearne, Franklin, and Richardson had each pronounced 

 the ascent of the Coppermine impossible by boats. Simpson, however, had 

 come to another conclusion on the point, and was resolved, at least, to try 

 whether he could not so ascend it. 



Sailing westward along the Arctic shore with all despatch, Dease and 

 Simpson arrived in the mouth of the Coppermine on the 3d of September. 

 Next day the boats were towed up to the Bloody Fall. Here ten bags of 

 pemmican were secured for the voyage of the following year in a deep cleft 

 of the rocks, and the masts, yards, rudders, and spare oars, were also placed 

 en cache. On the morning of the 5th the boats were passed up the fall, the 

 crews of both hauling on ropes formed of the rigging spliced together for 

 the purpose, and the boats being under the skilful guidance of the famous 

 steersmen M'Kay and Sinclair. In the same manner, but with infinite 

 labour and continuous peril, the boats were carried safely up all the rapids, 

 and, on the 9th September, a well-wooded spot on the banks of the Copper- 

 mine, about five miles below the junction of Kendal Eiver, was safely 

 reached. As this was the nearest point of the Coppermine to Fort Con- 

 fidence, and as it was at the same time a convenient place for repairing the 

 boats in the ensuing spring, it was resolved to deposit these here. They 

 were accordingly hauled up into the wood on the bank, beyond the reach 

 of the spring inundation. A store of pemmican and flour, together with 

 a number of miscellaneous articles, were also concealed here, and the party 

 then set out across the thin, dead woods, towards Fort Confidence, where 

 they arrived safe and well on the 14th September. Thus was the broken 

 and savage channel of the Coppermine safely ascended in boats /or the first 

 time, and the impossible rendered possible for all subsequent travellers. 



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