140 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



50' 18" N., longitude 113° 21' 40" W., and 

 variation 31° 2' 06" E. 



The wind and swell having subsided in 

 the afternoon, we re-embarked and steered 

 towards the western point of the Big-Island 

 of Mackenzie, and, when four miles distant 

 from it, had forty-two fathoms soundings. 

 Passing between this island and a promon- 

 tory of the main shore, termed Big Cape, 

 we entered into a deep bay, which receives 

 the waters from several rivers that come 

 from the northward; and we immediately 

 perceived a decrease in the temperature of 

 the waters from 59° to 48°. We coasted 

 along the eastern side of the bay, its western 

 shore being always visible, but the canoes 

 were exposed to the hazard of being broken 

 by the numerous sunken rocks, which were 

 scattered in our track. We encamped for 

 the night on a rocky island, and by eight 

 A.M. on the following morning arrived at 

 Fort Providence, which is situated twenty- 

 one miles from the entrance of the bay. 

 The post is exclusively occupied by the 

 North- West Company, the Hudson's Bay 



