68 Journal of a Voyage through the 



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CHAPTER VII. 



Voyage continued. Suspect the integrity of the interpreter* 

 Stars visible. Springs of mineral water, and lumps oj 

 iron ore. Arrive at the river of the Bear Lake. Coal 

 mine in a state of combustion. Water of the river di- 

 minished. Continue to see Indian encampments, and kill 

 geese, &?c. Hunting excursions. A canoe found on the 

 edge of a wood. Attempt to ascend a mountain. Account 

 of the passage to it. See a few of the natives. Kill a 

 beaver and some hares. Design of the English Chief. 

 Kill a zvolf. Changeable state of the weather. Recover 



. the Pemmican, which had been hidden in an island. Na- 

 tives fy at our approach. Meet with dogs. Altercation 

 ■with the English Chief. Account of the articles left by 

 the fugitives. Shoals of the river covered with saline 

 matter. Encamp at the mouth of the river of the mountain. 

 The ground on fre on each side of it. Continue to see 

 encampments oj the ?iatives. Various kinds of berries. 

 Kill geese, szvans, &c. £s?e. £s? c. Corrodine quality of 

 the water. Weather changeable. Reach the entrance of 

 the Slave Lake. Dangers encountered on entering it. 

 Caught pike and trout. Met M. Le Roux on the lake. 

 Further circumstances till our return to Fort Chepewyan, 



, Conclusion of the voyage. 



Saturday 1. 



embarked at three this morning, the 

 weather being clear and cold, with the wind at South-East. 

 At three in the afternoon we traversed and landed to take 

 the canoe in tow : here was an encampment of the natives, 

 which we had reason to suppose they had quitted the pre- 

 ceding day. At five we perceived a family, consisting of 

 a man, two women, and as many children, stationed by 

 the side of the water, whom we had not seen before. They 

 informed us, that they had but few fish, and that none 

 of their friends were in the neighbourhood, except the in- 

 habitants of one lodge on the other side of the river, and a 

 man who belonged to them, and who was now occupied 

 in hunting. I now found my interpreter very unwilling 

 to ask such questions as were dictated to him, from the 

 apprehension, as I imagined, that I might obtain such in- 



