OF THE POLAk SEA. 



101 



practicable, it being safer for the canoes 

 than travelling over land. After their de- 

 parture, the remaining stores, the instru- 

 ments, and our small stock of dried meat, 

 amounting only to eighty pounds, were dis- 

 tributed equally among Hepburn, three 

 Canadians, and the two Esquimaux ; with 

 this party and two Indian hunters, we quit- 

 ted Fort Enterprise, most sincerely rejoicing 

 that the long-wished-for day had arrived, 

 when we were to proceed towards the final 

 object of the Expedition. 



We left in one of the rooms a box, con- 

 taining a journal of the occurrences up to 

 this date, the charts and some drawings, 

 which was to be conveyed to Fort Chipew- 

 yan by Mr. Wentzel, on his return from 

 the sea, and thence to be sent to England. 

 The room was blocked up, and, by the ad- 

 vice of Mr. Wentzel, a drawing represent- 

 ing a man holding a dagger in a threatening 

 attitude, was affixed to the door, to deter 

 any Indians from breaking it open. We 

 directed our course towards the Dog-rib 

 Rock, but as our companions were loaded 



