238 Thirty Years 
CHAPTER X. 
aeeank i. My original intention, whenever the season 
should compel us to relinquish the survey, had been 
to return by the way of the Copper-Mine River, and, 
in pursuance of my arrangement with the Hook to 
travel to Slave Lake through the line of woods extend- 
ing thither by the Great Bear and Marten Lakes, but 
our scanty stock of provision and the length of the 
voyage rendered it necessary to make for a nearer 
place. We had already found that the country, be- 
tween Cape Barrow and the Copper-Mine River, would 
not supply our wants, and this it seemed probable 
would now be still more the case ; besides, at this ad- 
vanced season, we expected the frequent recurrence of 
gales, which would cause great detention, if not dan- 
ger in proceeding along that very rocky part of the 
coast, 
I determined, therefore, to make at once for Arctic 
Sound, where we had found the animals more numer- 
ous than at any other place; and entering Hood’s. 
