OF THE POLAR SEA. 



217 



Akaitcho, who was here with his family, pointed out to us the 

 smoke of the distant fires which the hunters had made. The pros- 

 pect from the hill is agreeably diversified by an intermixture of 

 hill and valley, and the appearance of twelve lakes in different di- 

 rections. On the borders of these lakes a few thin pine groves occur, 

 but the country in general is destitute of almost every vegetable, 

 except a few berry-bearing shrubs and lichens, and has a very barren 

 aspect. The hills are composed of gneiss, but their acclivities are 

 covered with a coarse gravelly soil. There are many large loose 

 stones both on their summits and acclivities, composed of the same 

 materials as the solid rock. 



We crossed another lake in the evening, encamped, and set the 

 nets. The chief made a large fire to announce our situation to the 

 hunters. 



August 13. — We caught twenty fish this morning, but they were 

 small, and furnished but a scanty breakfast for the party. Whilst 

 this meal was preparing, our Canadian voyagers, who had been for 

 some days past murmuring at their meagre diet, and striving to get 

 the whole of our little provision to consume at once, broke out 

 into open discontent, and several of them threatened they would 

 not proceed forward unless more food was given to them. This 

 conduct was the more unpardonable, as they saw we were rapidly 

 approaching the fires of the hunters, and that provision might soon 

 be expected. I, therefore, felt the duty incumbent on me to ad- 

 dress them in the strongest manner on the danger of insubordination, 

 and to assure them of my determination to inflict the heaviest pu- 

 nishment on any that should persist in their refusal to go on, or in 

 any other way attempt to retard the Expedition. I considered this 

 decisive step necessary, having learned from the gentlemen, most 

 intimately acquainted with the character of the Canadian voyagers, 

 that they invariably try how far they can impose upon every new 

 master with whom they may serve, and that they will continue to be 



2 F 



