OF THE POLAR SEA. 



477 



of excellent white fish, for which this part of Slave Lake is particu- 

 larly celebrated. Two men with sledges arrived soon afterwards, 

 sent by Mr. M' Vicar, who expected us about this time. We set off 

 in the morning before day-break, with several companions, and 

 arrived at Moose-deer Island about one P.M. Here we were 

 received with the utmost hospitality by Mr. M 'Vicar, the chief 

 trader of the Hudson's Bay Company in this district, as well as by 

 his assistant, Mr. M'Auley. We had also the happiness of joining 

 our friend, Mr. Back; our feelings on this occasion can be well 

 imagined, we were deeply impressed with gratitude to him for his 

 exertions in sending the supply of food to Fort Enterprise, to 

 which, under Divine Providence, we felt the preservation of our 

 lives to be owing. He gave us an affecting detail of the proceedings 

 of his party since our separation ; the substance of which I shall 

 convey to the reader, by the following extracts from his Journal. 



Mr. BACK'S NARRATIVE. 



1821. 



Mr. Franklin having directed me to proceed with 

 October 4. §t. Germain, Belanger, and Beauparlant, to Fort Enter- 

 prise, in the hope of obtaining relief for the party, I took leave of 

 my companions, and set out on my journey, through a very swampy 

 country, which, with the cloudy state of the weather, and a keen 

 north-east wind, accompanied by frequent snow showers, retarded us 

 so much, that we scarcely got more than four miles, when we halted 

 for the night, and made a meal of tripe de roche and some old 

 leather. 



On the 5th, we set out early, amidst extremely deep snow, sinking 

 frequently in it up to the thighs, a labour in our enfeebled and almost 

 worn out state, that nothing but the cheering hopes of reaching the 

 house, and affording relief to our friends, could have enabled us to 



