202 



Journal cf a Voyage through the 



his companion, and my apprehensions were increased 

 when I observed that the canoe was removed from its late 

 situation. To my inquiries after them, some of the men 

 very composedly answered that they were gone up the 

 river, and had left the old man behind them. Mr. Mac- 

 kay also told me, that while he was busily employed on 

 the canoe, they had got to the point before he had observed 

 their departure. The interpreter now informed me that 

 at the dawn of day the guide had expressed his design, 

 as soon as the sun Was up, to go and wait for us ? where 

 he might find his friends. I hoped this might be true : 

 but that my people should suffer them, to depart without 

 giving me notice, was a circumstance that awakened very 

 painful reflections in my breast. The weather was clear 

 in the forenoon. My observation this day gave 53. 3. 32. 

 North latitude. 



At five in the afternoon our vessel was completed, and 

 ready for service. She proved a stronger and better boat 

 than the old one, though had it not been for the gum ob- 

 tained from the latter, it would have been a matter of great 

 difficulty to have procured a sufficiency of that article to 

 have prevented her from leaking. The remainder of the 

 day was employed by the people in cleaning and refreshing 

 themselves, as they had enjoyed no relaxation from their 

 labour since we landed on this spot. 



The old man having manifested for various, and, pro-" 

 bably, very fallacious reasons, a very great aversion to ac- 

 company us any further, it did not appear that there was 

 any necessity to force his inclination. We now put our 

 arms in order, which was soon accomplished, as they were 

 at all times a general object of attention. 



Tuesday 2* It rained throughout the night, but at half 

 past three we were ready to embark, when I offered to 

 conduct the old man where he had supposed we should 

 meet his friends, but he declined the proposition. I there- 

 fore directed a few pounds of pemmican to be left with 

 him, for his immediate support, and took leave of him and 

 the place, which I named Canoe Island. During our stay 

 there we had been most cruelly tormented by flies, parti- 

 cularly the sand-fly, which I am disposed to consider as 

 the most tormenting insect of its size in nature. I was 

 also compelled to put the people upon short allowance, and 

 confine them to two meals a-day, a regulation peculiarly 

 offensive to a Canadian voyager. One of these meals was 



