SHORES OF THE POLAR SEA. 207 



nearest to Coppermine River, whither he 

 had proceeded, for the purpose of fixing 

 upon a spot to which he might bring his 

 party, the following year, from the mouth 

 of that river, in the event of his reaching 

 this ultimate object of his research. 



The several northern expeditions have 

 rendered the passing of a long dreary winter 

 so familiar, that little now is thought of it. 

 Employment, however, to shorten the time 

 is quite necessary ; and the party under 

 Franklin appear to have had a sufficient 

 share of it. The Canadians and the In- 

 dians were engaged in fishing and hunting 

 for the support of the whole party : during 

 the autumn the fishing was so successful, 

 that the nets yielded daily from three to 

 eight hundred fish of the kind called " her- 

 ring salmon," and occasionally trout, titta- 

 meg, and carp. The rein-deer furnished 

 them but scantily with flesh-meat, and in 

 the winter the supply of this article ceased 

 altogether. The officers had ample em- 

 ployment in making and registering the 

 thermometrical, magnetical, and atmospheri- 



