North-West Continent of America. 



77 



comb, rings, with beads and awls. I also ordered a mar- 

 tin skin to be placed on a proper mould, and a beaver skin 

 to be stretched on a frame, to which I tied a scraper. The 

 Indians were of opinion that all these articles would be 

 lost, as the natives were so much frightened that they 

 would never return. Here we lost six hours ; and on our 

 quitting the place, three of the dogs which I have already 

 mentioned followed us along the beach. 



We pitchetl our tents at half past eight, at the entrance 

 of the river of the mountain ; and while the people were un- 

 loading the canoe, I took a walk along the beach, and on the 

 shoals, which being uncovered since we passed down, by 

 the sinking of the waters, were now white with a saline 

 substance. I sent for the English Chief to sup with me, 

 and a dram or two dispelled all his heart-burning and dis- 

 content. He informed me that it was a custom with the 

 Chepewyan Chiefs to go to war after they had shed tears, 

 in order to wipe away the disgrace attached to such a femi- 

 nine weakness, and that in the ensuing spring he should 

 not fail to execute his design ; at the same time he declared 

 his intention to continue with us as long as I should want 

 him. I took care that he should carry some liquid conso- 

 lation to his lodge, to prevent the return of his chagrin. 

 The weather was fine, and the Indians killed three geese. 



Friday 14. At a quarter before four this morning, we 

 returned to our canoe, and went about two miles up the 

 river on the mountains. Fire was in the ground on each 

 side of it. In traversing I took soundings, and found 

 five, four and an half, and three and an half fathoms wa- 

 ter. Its stream was very muddy, and formed a cloudy 

 streak along the water of the great river, on the West side 

 of the Eastern rapid, where the waters of the two rivers 

 at length blend in one. It was impossible not to consider 

 it as an extraordinary circumstance, that the cuurrent of 

 the former river should not incorporate with that of the 

 latter, but flow, as it were, in distinct streams at so great 

 a distance, and till the contracted state of the channel 

 unites them. We passed several encampments of the na- 

 tives, and a river which flowed in from the North, that 

 had the appearance of being navigable. We concluded 

 pur voyage of this day at half past five in the afternoon. 

 There were plenty of berries, which my people called 

 poires; they are of a purple hue, somewhat bigger than a 



