112 Journal of a Voyage through the 



ftnd West by South a mile and a half. Here I took a me- 

 ridian altitude, which gave 55. 56. 3. North latitude. We 

 then proceeded West three miles and an half, West- South- 

 West, where the whole plain was on fire, one mile, West 

 one mile, and the wind so strong a-head, that it occasioned 

 the canoe to take in water, and otherwise impeded our 

 progress. Here we landed to take time, with the mean of 

 three altitudes, which made the watch slow, 1. 42. 10. ap- 

 parent time. 



We now proceeded West-South- West, one mile and a 

 quarter, where we found a Chief of the Beaver Indians on 

 an hunting party. I remained, however, in my canoe, and 

 though it was getcing late, I did not choose to encamp with 

 these people, lest the friends of my hunters might discou- 

 rage them from proceeding on the voyage. We, therefore, 

 continued our course, but several Indians kept company 

 with us, running along the bank and conversing with my 

 people, who were so attentive to them, that they drove the 

 canoe on a stony flat, so that we were under the necessity 

 of landing to repair the damages, and put up for the night, 

 though very contrary to my wishes. My hunters obtained 

 permission to proceed with some of these people tc their 

 lodges, on the promise of being back by the break of day; 

 though I was not without some apprehension respecting 

 them. The Chief, however, and another man, as well as 

 several people from the lodges, joined us, before we had 

 completed the repair of the canoe ; and they made out a 

 melancholy story, that they had neither ammunition or 

 tobacco sufficient for their necessary supply during the 

 summer. I accordingly referred him to the Fort,- where 

 plenty of those articles were left in the care of my inter- 

 preter, by whom they would be abundantly furnished, if 

 they were active and industrious in pursuing their occu- 

 pations. I did not fail, on this occasion, to magnify the 

 advantages of the present expedition ; observing, at the 

 same time, that its success would depend on the fidelity 

 and conduct of the young men who were retained by me 

 to hunt. The chief also proposed to borrow my canoe, 

 in order to transport himself and family across the river: 

 several plausible reasons, it is true, suggested themselves 

 for resisting his proposition; but when I stated to him, 

 that, as the canoe was intended for a voyage of such con- 

 sequence, no woman could be permitted to be embarked 

 in it, he acquiesced in the refusal. It was near .twelve at 



