130 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



neath. On one occasion, as the people were 

 embarking from one of these ledges, it 

 suddenly gave way, and three men were 

 precipitated into the water, but were res- 

 cued without further damage than a sound 

 ducking, and the canoe fortunately (and 

 narrowly) escaped being crushed. Per- 

 ceiving one of the Indians sitting on the east 

 bank of the river, we landed, and having 

 learned from him that Akaitcho and the 

 hunters had gone in pursuit of a herd of 

 musk oxen, we encamped, having come 

 twenty-four miles and a half. 



In the afternoon they brought us the 

 agreeable intelligence of having killed eight 

 cows, of which four were full grown. All 

 the party were immediately despatched to 

 bring in this seasonable supply. A young 

 cow, irritated by the firing of the hunters, 

 ran down to the river, and passed close to 

 me when walking at a short ■ distance from 

 the tents. I fired and wounded it, when the 

 animal instantly turned, and ran at me, but 

 I avoided its fury by jumping aside and 

 getting upon an elevated piece of ground. 



