14 



NOKTH AMERICAN FAUNA. 



[xo. 27. 



to cross by one of the Indian routes to the upper Coppermine and to 

 descend that stream, but various circumstances rendered this impos- 

 sible and I was obliged to take the shorter, more westerly route. 



Leaving Fort Rae on July 30, we traversed the remainder of the 

 Northern Arm and its extension. Lake Marian, and on August 1 

 began the ascent of Grandin Eiver, first explored and named by 

 Petitot, a missionary who traveled a great deal in this region. Nu- 

 merous rapids and the consequent portages made progress slow, and 

 the height of land, 80 miles slightly west of north of Fort Rae in a 

 straight line, but much farther by the river, was reached August 6. 

 Up to this time only a few small lakes had been traversed, but beyond 

 our route lay mainly through large and small lakes, between which 

 we sometimes made portages and sometimes followed the streams, now 

 flowing northward toward Great Bear Lake. My guide turned back 

 on August 22, and I reached Great Bear Lake, accompanied by Mr. 

 MacKinlay and one Indian, three days later. Coasting along its semi- 

 barren southern shore, where we were sometimes delayed by northerly 

 storms for days at a time, we reached its western extremity September 

 IT. Ten days were spent near the site of Fort Franklin, the winter- 

 ing station of Franklin's second northern expedition, and here many 

 desirable specimens were taken. Then we left for the Mackenzie, 

 descending Great Bear River. Its rapid current bore us swiftly on 

 our way, but the spray, freezing thickly on the paddles and gunwales, 

 warned us that navigation would soon be closed. "We reached Fort 

 Norman, at the mouth of Bear River, on September 30, and there saw 

 white faces for the first time since leaving Fort Rae two months 

 before. 



More than 300 miles of upstream navigation still lay between us 

 and Fort Simpson, where T intended wintering. We remained at 

 Fort Norman, therefore, only long enough to secure provisions, and 

 on October 2 commenced to track up the Mackenzie. During the 

 first few days good progress was made, but snow soon began to fall 

 almost nightly, making tracking slow and difficult. We reached 

 Fort Wrigiey on October 11, and left the next morning on the last 

 stage of our journey, still confident of reaching Fort Simpson before 

 navigation closed, although the indications pointed to a much earlier 

 winter than usual. The snow, however, increased in depth, and on 

 October 15, near Nahanni River, the ice began to drift in earnest. 

 Two days were spent in struggling against it. On the morning of 

 October IT the water had become so thick with ice and slush that 

 further j)rogress was impossible. Accordingly the canoe was pulled 

 up beyond high-water mark and camp was made, and accompanied 

 by the Indian I pushed on to the fort on foot. We were still 50 miles 

 from the post, were obliged to carry blankets and provisions, and, as 

 walking was very difficult, we were nearly three days on the way. As 



