48 ACROSS THE SOCB-ARCTICS OF, CANA 
During the morning of the 17th some gun-shots were 
heard not far distant across the grassy marsh, and turn- 
ing our canoes in that direction we soon met several 
bark canoes manned by Chippewyan Indian hunters. 
Francois, being the only man in our party who could 
understand or talk with them, was much in demand, 
and he was instructed to ask them the shortest way 
through the delta towards Chippewyan. Indian like, 
he entered into conversation with the strangers for ten 
minutes or so, doubtless chiefly about their wives and 
daughters, and then with a 
wave of the hand _ said, “ We 
go dis way.” So that way 
we went, and by three o'clock 
in the afternoon found our- 
selves in the open waters of 
Lake Athabasca. Two hours 
later we had crossed the end 
of the Lake and drawn up 
our canoes on the rocky shore 
in front of Fort Chippewyan. 
AN ENGLISH-CREE TRAPPER. It was Saturday evening, and 
the distance travelled thus far 
since launching the canoes, was, according to Mr. Ogilvie, 
430 miles. As we were already aware, Dr. McKay, the 
Hudson’s Bay Company’s agent, was not at the Fort, but: 
we were received by the assistant trader, Pierre Mer- 
credie, a half-breed, and shown to a camping-ground in 
front of the Fort, or otherwise on Main Street of the 
town. During the evening we had the pleasure of meet- 
ing Mrs. McKay and her children, and also Mr. Russell, 
an American naturalist, who was sojourning at this place 
on his way down the Mackenzie River. 
