North-West Continent of America, 



Wednesday 1 7. We proceeded, and taking up our nets as 

 we passed, we found no more than seventeen fish, and were 

 stopped within a mile by the ice. The Indians, however, 

 brought us back to a point where our fishery was very suc- 

 cessful. They proceeded also on an hunting party, as 

 well as to discover a passage among the islands ; but at 

 three in the afternoon they returned without having suc- 

 ceeded in either object. We were, however, in expecta- 

 tion, that, as the wind blew very strong, it would force a 

 passage. About sun-set, the weather became overcast, 

 with thunder, lightning, and rain. 



Thursday 18. The nets were taken up at four this 

 morning with abundance of fish, and we steered North- 

 West four miles, where the ice again prevented our pro- 

 gress. A South-East wind drove it among the islands, in 

 such a manner as to impede our passage, and we could 

 perceive at some distance a-head, that it was but little 

 broken* We now set our nets in four fathom water. Two 

 of our hunters had killed a rein-deer and its fawn. They 

 had met with two Indian families, and in the evening, a 

 man belonging to one of them, paid us a visit : he inform- 

 ed me, that the ice had not stirred on the side of the island 

 opposite to us. These people live entirely on fish, and 

 were waiting to cross the lake as soon as it should be clear 

 of ice. 



Friday 19. This morning our nets were unproductive, 

 as they yielded us no more than six fish, which were of a 

 very bad kind. In the forenoon, the Indians proceeded 

 to the large island opposite to us, in search of game. The 

 weather was cloudy, and the wind changeable : at the same 

 time, we were pestered by musquitoes, though, in a great 

 measure, surrounded with ice. 



Saturday 20. We took up our nets, but without any 

 fish. It rained very hard during the night and this morn- 

 ing: nevertheless, M. Le Roux and his people went 

 back to the point which we had quitted on the 1 8th, but I 

 did not think it prudent to move. As I was watching for 

 a passage through the ice, I promised to send for them 

 when I could obtain it. It rained at intervals till about 

 five o'clock ; when we loaded our canoe, and steered for 

 the large island, West six miles. When we came to the 

 point of it, we found a great quantity of ice ; we, however, 

 set our nets, and soon caught plenty of fish. In our way 

 thither we met our hunters, but they had taken nothing. 



B 



