342 



A JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



the meat. Our whole stock of provision, calculated for preservation, 

 was sufficient for fourteen days, without any diminution of the ordi- 

 nary allowance of three pounds to each man per day. The situation 

 of our tents was 67° 10' 30" N., longitude 116° 25' 45" W. 



June 12. — The Indians, knowing the course of the river below 

 this point to be only a succession of rapids, declined taking their 

 canoes any further ; but as I conceived one of them would be re- 

 quired, should we be compelled to walk along the coast, two of our 

 men were appointed to conduct it. 



As we were now entering on the confines of the Esquimaux 

 country, our guides recommended us to be cautious in lighting fires, 

 lest we should discover ourselves, adding that the same reason would 

 lead them to travel as much as possible in the valleys, and to avoid 

 crossing the tops of the hills. We embarked at six A.M., taking 

 with us only old Keskarrah. The other Indians walked along the 

 banks of the river. Throughout this day's voyage the current was 

 very strong, running four or five miles an hour ; but the navigation 

 was tolerable, and we had to lighten the canoes only once, in a 

 contracted part of the river where the waves were very high. The 

 river is in many places confined between perpendicular walls of rock 

 to one hundred and fifty yards in width, and there the rapids were 

 most agitated. Large masses of ice twelve or fourteen feet thick, 

 were still adhering to many parts of the bank, indicating the tardy 

 departure of winter from this inhospitable land, but the earth 

 around them was rich with vegetation. In the evening two musk- 

 oxen being seen on the beach, were pursued and killed by our men. 

 Whilst we were waiting to embark the meat, the Indians rejoined 

 us, and reported they had been attacked by a bear, which sprang upon 

 them whilst they were conversing together. His attack was so sudden 

 that they had not time to level their guns properly, and they all 

 missed except Akaitcho, who, less confused, than the rest, took 



