CHIPEWYAN TO BLACK LAKE 



Because of the condition of our men, camp was now 

 ordered to be pitched, so as to give them some chance to 

 recruit. My brother and I walked across the portage, and 

 found it to be three and one-half miles in length. It was, 

 however, much less difficult than the former one, being more 

 level and less rocky. Its upper end terminated on the shore 

 of Black Lake, where we hoped to find Indians who would 

 help us across. But in this we were disappointed, and, in- 

 stead of Indians, found only old forsaken " tepee " poles and 



RAFTS LOADED WITH VENISON. 



blackened fireplaces. We tried to rest for a while upon the 

 shore of Black Lake, but the files swarmed about us with 

 such frightful fury that we were compelled to beat a retreat, 

 and seek rest where alone it could be found — ^beneath our 

 mosquito awnings at camp. 



Just here I am reminded of an Indian tradition which 

 says that it was on these very portages that the Great Spirit 

 first made the black files, and our experience, we thought, 

 would tend to bear out that belief. 



On the afternoon of the 7th we started out in a north- 

 easterly direction, following the shore of Black Lake (ex- 



63 



