FOOTNOTES:
[2] Used by the Indians to break up the beaver lodges.
CHAPTER III.
Voyage to the Sea—Part from the Eastern Detachment at Point Separation—Reach the Mouth of the Mackenzie—Interview and Contest with the Esquimaux—Detained by Ice—Meet friendly Esquimaux—Point Sabine.
Thursday, 22nd.On our arrival at the Bear Lake River, we were mortified to find the ice drifting down in large masses, with such rapidity as to render embarkation unsafe. The same cause detained us the whole of the following day; and as we had brought no more provision from the house than sufficient for an uninterrupted passage to Fort Norman, we sent for a supply of fish. This was a very sultry day, the thermometer in the shade being 71° at noon, and 74° at three p.m.
The descent of the ice having ceased at eight in the morning of the 24th, we embarked. The heavy stores were put into a bateau, manned by Canadians, who were experienced in the passage through rapids, and the rest of the boats were ordered to follow in its wake, keeping at such a distance from each other as to allow of any evolution that might be necessary to avoid the stones. The boats struck several times, but received no injury. At the foot of the rapid we met a canoe, manned by four of our Canadian voyagers, whom Dr. Richardson had sent with some letters that had arrived at Fort Norman from the Athabasca Lake; and as the services of the men were wanted, they were embarked in the boats, and the canoe was left. Shortly afterwards we overtook Beaulieu, who had just killed a young moose deer, which afforded the party two substantial meals. At this spot, and generally along the river, we found abundance of wild onions.
We entered the Mackenzie River at eight in the evening, and the current being too strong for us to advance against the stream with oars, we had recourse to the tracking line, and travelled all night. It was fatiguing, owing to large portions of the banks having been overthrown by the disruption of the ice, and from the ground being so soft that the men dragging the rope sank up to the knees at every step; but these impediments were less regarded than the ceaseless torment of the musquitoes. We halted to sup at the spot where Sir A. Mackenzie saw the flame rising from the bank in 1789. The precipice was still on fire, the smoke issuing through several apertures. Specimens of the coal were procured.
Sunday, 25th.We reached Fort Norman at noon on the 25th. On the following morning the provision and stores which had been left at this place were examined, and found to be in excellent order, except the powder in one of the magazines, which had become caked from damp. I had ordered a supply of iron-work, knives, and beads, for the sea voyage from Fort Simpson; they had arrived some days before us, and with our stock thus augmented, we were well furnished with presents for the natives. The packages being finished on the 27th, the boats received their respective ladings, and we were rejoiced to find that each stowed her cargo well, and with her crew embarked floated as buoyantly as our most sanguine wishes had anticipated. The heavy stores, however, were afterwards removed into a bateau that was to be taken to the mouth of the river, to prevent the smaller boats from receiving injury in passing over the shoals.
We waited one day to make some pounded meat we had brought into pemmican. In the mean time the seamen enlarged the foresail of the Reliance.
The letters which I received from the Athabasca department informed me that the things I had required from the Company in February last, would be duly forwarded; they likewise contained a very different version of the story which had led us to suppose that Captain Parry was passing the winter on the northern coast. We now learned that the Indians had only seen some pieces of wood recently cut, and a deer that had been killed by an arrow; these things we concluded were done by the Esquimaux. Three men from Slave Lake, whom I had sent for to supply the place of our Chipewyan hunters, who were very inactive last winter, joined us at this place. They were to accompany Mr. Dease and the Canadians to Fort Franklin; and that they, as well as the Indians, might have every encouragement to exert themselves in procuring provisions during the summer, I directed a supply of the goods they were likely to require, to be sent from Fort Simpson, as soon as possible. The longitude of Fort Norman was observed to be 124° 44' 47" W., its latitude 64° 40' 38" N.; variation 39° 57' 52" E.
Wednesday, 28th.Early this morning the boats were laden and decorated with their ensigns and pendants, and after breakfast we quitted the fort, amidst the hearty cheers of our friends Mr. Dease, Mr. Brisbois, and the Canadians, and I am sure carried their best wishes for our success. We halted at noon to obtain the latitude, which placed the entrance of Bear Lake River in 64° 55' 37" N.; and Dr. Richardson took advantage of this delay to visit the mountain at that point, but his stay was short, in consequence of a favourable breeze springing up. We perceived that the four boats sailed at nearly an equal rate in light breezes, but that in strong winds the two larger ones had the advantage. When we landed to sup the musquitoes beset us so furiously that we hastily despatched the meal and re-embarked, to drive under easy sail before the current. They continued, however, to pursue us, and deprived us of all rest. On our arrival, next morning, at the place of the first rapids, there was scarcely any appearance of broken water, and the sand-bank on which Augustus had been so perilously situated in the preceding autumn, was entirely covered. This was, of course, to be ascribed to the spring floods; the increase of water to produce such a change, must have exceeded six feet. In the afternoon we were overtaken by a violent thunder-storm, with heavy rain, which made us apprehensive for the pemmican, that spoils on being wet. It unfortunately Friday, 30th.happened that a convenient place for spreading out the bags that were injured could not be found, until we reached the Hare-Skin River, below the Rampart Defile, which was at nine o'clock. They were spread out the next morning, with the other perishable parts of the cargo, and we remained until they were dry. We embarked at ten, and, aided by a favourable breeze, made good progress until six p.m., when the threatening appearance of the clouds induced us to put on shore, and we had but just covered the baggage before heavy rain fell, that continued throughout the night. Four Hare Indians came to the encampment, to whom dried meat and ammunition were given, as they were in want of food from being unable to set their nets in the present high state of the water. These were the only natives seen since our departure from Fort Norman; they informed us, that, in consequence of not being able to procure a sufficiency of fish in the Mackenzie at this season, their companions had withdrawn to gain their subsistence from the small lakes in the interior.
July, 1st.We embarked at half past one on the morning of the 1st of July. The sultry weather of the preceding day made us now feel more keenly the chill of a strong western breeze, and the mist which it brought on, about four hours after our departure. This wind being contrary to the current, soon raised such high waves that the boats took in a great deal of water; and as we made but little progress, and were very cold, we landed to kindle a fire, and prepare breakfast; after which we continued the voyage to Fort Good Hope, without any of the interruptions from sand-banks that we had experienced in the autumn.
On our arrival we were saluted with a discharge of musketry by a large party of Loucheux, who had been some time waiting at the fort, with their wives and families, for the purpose of seeing us. After a short conference with Mr. Bell, the master of the post, we were informed that these Indians had lately met a numerous party of Esquimaux at the Red River, by appointment, to purchase their furs; and that in consequence of a misunderstanding respecting some bargain, a quarrel had ensued between them, which fortunately terminated without bloodshed. We could not, however, gain any satisfactory account of the movements of the Esquimaux. The only answers to our repeated questions on these points were, that the Esquimaux came in sixty canoes to Red River, and that they supposed them to have gone down the eastern channel, for the purpose of fishing near its mouth. The chief, however, informed us that he had mentioned our coming to their lands this spring, and that they had received the intelligence without comment; but from his not having alluded to this communication until the question was pressed upon him, and from the manner of his answering our inquiries, I thought it doubtful whether such a communication had really been made.
We had been led to expect much information from the Loucheux respecting the channels of the river, and the coast on the east and west side near its mouth, but we were greatly disappointed. They were ignorant of the channel we ought to follow in order to arrive at the western mouth of the river; and the only intelligence they gave us respecting the coast on that side was, that the Esquimaux represented it to be almost constantly beset by ice. They said also that they were unacquainted with the tribes who reside to the westward. Several of the party had been down the eastern channel, of which they made a rude sketch; and their account of the coast on that side was, that, as far as they were acquainted with it, it was free from ice during the summer.
Mr. C. Dease, the former master of Fort Good Hope, had retained two of the Loucheux to accompany the Expedition until we should meet the Esquimaux: they spoke a few words of the language, which they had learned during an occasional residence with the tribe that resides on the eastern border of the river. But the knowledge of the recent transactions at Red River had convinced us that their presence would be more likely to irritate than pacify the Esquimaux. We also discovered that their sole motive for accompanying us was the desire of trading with that people; and further, that they expected we should take their families and baggage in the boats. Their services were therefore declined; and a compensation was offered to them for their loss of time in waiting for us; but having fixed their minds on the gain to be derived from us and from the trade with the Esquimaux, they expressed great disappointment, and were very intemperate in their language. As I was anxious, for the sake of the trade at the post, to leave them no room to complain either of us, or of Mr. Dease who had acted for us, I spent several hours in debate with them to very little purpose, and at last discovered that the whole scene was got up for the purpose of obtaining a few more goods. My compliance with their wish rendered them quite contented. I afterwards added a present to the principal chief of the party, who still expressed a wish to accompany us, but he frankly said that if he went, all his young men must go also. They came in the evening in great good humour to exhibit their dances in front of our tent, a compliment we could well have dispensed with, as we were busy.
Having ascertained that the Esquimaux were likely to be seen in greater numbers than had been at first imagined, I increased the stock of presents from the store at this place, and exchanged two of our guns, which were defective, that the party might have entire confidence in their arms. And to provide against the casualty of either or both branches of the Expedition having to return this way, I requested Mr. Bell to store up as much meat as he could during the summer. We learned from this gentleman that the supply of meat at this post was very precarious, and that had we not left the five bags of pemmican in the autumn, the residents would have been reduced to great distress for food during the winter. These bags were now replaced. The arrangements being concluded, we spent the greater part, of the night in writing to England. I addressed to the Colonial Secretary an account of our proceedings up to this time, and I felt happy to be able to state that we were equipped with every requisite for the Expedition.
Sunday, 2nd.We quitted Fort Good Hope at five on the 2nd. In the passage down the river we were visited by several Loucheux, who, the instant we appeared, launched their canoes, and came off to welcome us. We landed, at their request, to purchase fish; yet, after the bargain had been completed, an old woman stepped forward, and would only allow of our receiving two fish: she maintained her point, and carried off the rest in spite of all remonstrance. The natives were all clothed in new leathern dresses, and looked much neater, and in better health, than last autumn. Being anxious to reach the Red River, we continued rowing against the wind until after midnight. On reaching that place, the ground proved too wet for us to encamp; we, therefore, proceeded a short distance lower down, and put up under some sandstone cliffs, where there was but just room for the tents. As we were now on the borders of the Esquimaux territory, we devoted the following morning to cleaning the arms; and a gun, dagger, and ammunition, were issued to each person. We had no reason, indeed, to apprehend hostility from the Esquimaux, after the messages they had sent to Fort Franklin, but vigilance and precaution are never to be omitted in intercourse with strange tribes.
Monday, 3rd.Embarking at two in the afternoon of the 3rd, we soon entered the expansion of the river whence the different channels branch off, and steering along the western shore, we came to the head of a branch that flowed towards the Rocky Mountain range. Being anxious not to take the eastern detachment out of their course, I immediately encamped to make the necessary arrangements for the separation of the parties. The warm clothing, shoes, and articles for presents, had been previously put up in separate packages, but the provisions remained to be divided, which was done in due proportion. Twenty-six bags of pemmican, and two of grease, were set apart for the Dolphin and Union, with a supply of arrow-root, macaroni, flour, and portable soup, making in all eighty days' provision, with an allowance for waste. The Lion and Reliance received thirty-two bags of pemmican, and two of grease, with sufficient arrow-root, &c., to make their supply proportionate to that of the eastern party. Provided no accident occurred, neither party could be in absolute want for the whole summer, because at two-thirds allowance the pemmican could be made to last one hundred days; and we had reason to expect to meet with deer occasionally.
In the evening I delivered my instructions to Dr. Richardson; they were in substance as follows:—He was to take under his charge Mr. E.N. Kendall, and ten men, and proceed in the Dolphin and Union to survey the coast between the Mackenzie and Copper-Mine Rivers. On reaching the latter river, he was to travel by land to the north-east arm of Great Bear Lake, where Beaulieu was under orders to meet him with a boat for the conveyance of his party to Fort Franklin. But if he should be so much delayed on the coast as to have no prospect of reaching the Copper-Mine River by the close of August, or the Bear Lake Portage by the 20th of September, he was not to expose himself or his party to risk by persevering beyond the 15th or 20th of August, but was to return to Fort Franklin by way of the Mackenzie, or by any other route he might discover. The only cause of regret I had respecting the equipment of the eastern party was my being unable to provide Dr. Richardson with a chronometer, the main-springs of two out of the three chronometers furnished to us having been broken. I borrowed, however, from Mr. Dease, a watch, made by Barraud, to enable Mr. Kendall to obtain the longitude by lunar distances. They were likewise provided with that excellent instrument Massey's Log; and knowing Mr. Kendall's intimate acquaintance with marine surveying, I had no doubt of his being able to make a correct survey of the coast. The spot where the above arrangements were made, bears the name of Point Separation, and lies in latitude 67° 38' N., longitude 133° 53' W.
As the parties entertained for each other sentiments of true friendship and regard, it will easily be imagined that the evening preceding our separation was spent in the most cordial and cheerful manner. We felt that we were only separating to be employed on services of equal interest; and we looked forward with delight to our next meeting, when, after a successful termination, we might recount the incidents of our respective voyages. The best supper our means afforded was provided, and a bowl of punch crowned the parting feast.
We were joined by an elderly Loucheux, who gave us a better account of the eastern and western channels than we had hitherto obtained. "The west branch," he said, "would take us to the sea, and flowed the whole way at no great distance from the mountains." "The eastern was a good channel, and passed close to the hills on that side." He further informed us that the Esquimaux were generally to be found on an island in the eastern channel, but were seldom seen in the western branch. He was, however, unacquainted with the coast, and we found afterwards that he knew little about the movements of the Esquimaux.
Tuesday, 4th.By six in the morning of the 4th the boats were all laden, and ready for departure. It was impossible not to be struck with the difference between our present complete state of equipment and that on which we had embarked on our former disastrous voyage. Instead of a frail bark canoe, and a scanty supply of food, we were now about to commence the sea voyage in excellent boats, stored with three months' provision. At Dr. Richardson's desire the western party embarked first. He and his companions saluted us with three hearty cheers, which were warmly returned; and as we were passing round the point that was to hide them from our view, we perceived them also embarking. Augustus was rather melancholy, as might have been expected, on his parting from Ooligbuck, to proceed he knew not whither; but he recovered his wonted flow of spirits by the evening.
The western party were distributed as follows:—
| LION. | RELIANCE. | |
| John Franklin, Captain R.N. William Duncan, Cockswain. Thomas Matthews, Carpenter. Gustavus Aird, Bowman. George Wilson, Marine. Archibald Stewart, Soldier. Neil Mac Donald, Voyager. Augustus, Esquimaux. | George Back, Lieutenant R.N. Robert Spinks, Cockswain. Robert Hallom, Corpl. of Marines. Charles Mackenzie, Bowman. Alexander Currie, Middle Man. Robert Spence, Ditto. Alexis Vivier, Canadian. François Felix, Ditto. |
Our course was directly towards the Rocky Mountain range, till we came near the low land that skirts its base; where, following the deepest channel, we turned to the northward. I was desirous of coasting the main shore, but finding some of the westernmost branches too shallow, we kept on the outside of three islands for about twelve miles, when we entered the channel that washes the west side of Simpson's Island. It was winding, and its breadth seldom exceeded a quarter of a mile. During our progress we occasionally caught a glimpse of the Rocky Mountains, which was an agreeable relief to the very dull picture that the muddy islands in our neighbourhood afforded. We halted to breakfast just before noon, and observed the latitude 67° 51' N.
In the afternoon one deer was seen, and many swans and geese; we did not fire at them, for fear of alarming any Esquimaux that might be near. Encamped at eight p.m., opposite Simpson's Island, in latitude 68° 13' N., longitude 134° 27' W. The boats were secured without discharging the cargoes, and two men were placed on guard, to be relieved every two hours.
Wednesday, 5th.We set forward at four a.m., with a favourable breeze, and made good progress, though the river was very winding. At eight we entered a branch that turned to the westward round the point of Halkett Island into the channel washing the main shore. We soon afterwards arrived at a spot where a large body of Esquimaux had been encamped in the spring, and supposing that they might revisit this place, a present of an ice-chisel, kettle, and knife, was hung up in a conspicuous situation. Soon after we had entered the channel that flows by the main shore, we first perceived lop-sticks, or pine trees, divested of their lower branches, for the purpose of land-marks, and therefore concluded it was much frequented by the Esquimaux. Our course was then altered to N.W., and we soon passed the last of the well-wooded islands. The spruce fir-trees terminated in latitude 68° 36' N.; and dwarf willows only grew below this part. A very picturesque view was obtained of the Rocky Mountains, and we saw the entire outline of their peaked hills, table-land, and quoin shaped terminations. Two lofty ranges were fronted by a lower line of round-backed hills, in which we perceived the strata to be horizontal, and the stone of a yellow colour. A few miles lower down we found hills of sand close to the west border of the river. We passed several deserted huts, and in one spot saw many chips and pieces of split drift-wood, that appeared to have been recently cut. The channel varied in breadth from a half to three-quarters of a mile, but, except in the stream of the current, the water was so shallow as scarcely to float the boats, and its greatest depth did not exceed five feet. We landed at eight p.m., on Halkett Island, intending to encamp, but owing to the swampiness of the ground the tent could not be pitched. Having made a fire and cooked our supper, we retired to sleep under the coverings of the boats, which afforded us good shelter from a gale and heavy rain that came on before midnight. Latitude 68° 39' N., longitude 135° 35' W.
Thursday, 6th.The continuance of stormy weather detained us until two p.m. of the 9th, when the rain ceasing, we embarked. After passing through the expansion of the river near the west extreme of Halkett Island, we turned into the narrower and more winding channel, between Colvill Island and the main. A fog coming on at eight p.m. we encamped, in latitude 68° 48' N., longitude 136° 4' W.; temperature of the air 42°, that of the water being 47° in the middle of the stream. Several of the glaucous gulls were seen, and this circumstance, as well as a line of bright cloud to the N.W. resembling the ice-blink, convinced us that the sea was not far off. A rein-deer appearing near the encampment, two men were sent after it, who returned unsuccessful. Augustus obtained a goose for supper. Many geese, swans, and ducks, had been seen on the marshy shores of the island in the course of the day.
Friday, 7th.The night was cold, and at daylight on the 7th the thermometer indicated 36°. Embarking at four a.m. we sailed down the river for two hours, when our progress was arrested by the shallowness of the water. Having endeavoured, without effect, to drag the boats over the flat, we remounted the stream to examine an opening to the westward, which we had passed. On reaching the opening we found the current setting through it into the Mackenzie, by which we knew that it could not afford a passage to the sea, but we pulled up it a little way, in the hope of obtaining a view over the surrounding low grounds from the top of an Esquimaux house which we saw before us. A low fog, which had prevailed all the morning, cleared away, and we discovered that the stream we had now ascended issued from a chain of lakes lying betwixt us and the western hills, which were about six miles distant, the whole intervening country between the hills and the Mackenzie being flat.
After obtaining an observation for longitude in 136° 19' W., and taking the bearing of several remarkable points of the Rocky Mountain range, we returned to the Mackenzie, and passing the shallows which had before impeded us, by taking one half the boats' cargoes over at a time, we came in sight of the mouth of the river. Whilst the crews were stowing the boats, I obtained an observation for latitude in 68° 53' N., and having walked towards the mouth of the river, discovered on an island, which formed the east side of the bay into which the river opened, a crowd of tents, with many Esquimaux strolling amongst them. I instantly hastened to the boats, to make preparations for opening a communication with them, agreeably to my instructions. A selection of articles for presents and trade being made, the rest of the lading was closely covered up; the arms were inspected, and every man was directed to keep his gun ready for immediate use. I had previously informed Lieutenant Back of my intention of opening the communication with the Esquimaux by landing amongst them, accompanied only by Augustus; and I now instructed him to keep the boats afloat, and the crews with their arms ready to support us in the event of the natives proving hostile; but on no account to fire until he was convinced that our safety could be secured in no other way. Having received an impression from the narratives of different navigators that the sacrifices of life which had occurred in their interviews with savages, had been generally occasioned by the crews mistaking noise and violent gestures for decided hostility, I thought it necessary to explain my sentiments on this point to all the men, and peremptorily forbade their firing till I set the example, or till they were ordered to do so by Lieutenant Back. They were also forbidden to trade with the natives on any pretence, and were ordered to leave every thing of that kind to the officers.
On quitting the channel of the river we entered into the bay, which was about six miles wide, with an unbounded prospect to seaward, and steered towards the tents under easy sail, with the ensigns flying. The water became shallow as we drew towards the island, and the boats touched the ground when about a mile from the beach; we shouted, and made signs to the Esquimaux to come off, and then pulled a short way back to await their arrival in deeper water. Three canoes instantly put off from the shore, and before they could reach us others were launched in such quick succession, that the whole space between the island and the boats was covered by them. The Esquimaux canoes contain only one person, and are named kaiyacks; but they have a kind of open boat capable of holding six or eight people, which is named oomiak. The men alone use the kaiyacks, and the oomiaks are allotted to the women and children. We endeavoured to count their numbers as they approached, and had proceeded as far as seventy-three canoes, and five oomiaks, when the sea became so crowded by fresh arrivals, that we could advance no farther in our reckoning. The three headmost canoes were paddled by elderly men, who, most probably, had been selected to open the communication. They advanced towards us with much caution, halting when just within speaking distance, until they had been assured of our friendship, and repeatedly invited by Augustus to approach and receive the present which I offered to them. Augustus next explained to them in detail the purport of our visit, and told them that if we succeeded in finding a navigable channel for large ships, a trade highly beneficial to them would be opened. They were delighted with this intelligence, and repeated it to their countrymen, who testified their joy by tossing their hands aloft, and raising the most deafening shout of applause I ever heard.
After the first present, I resolved to bestow no more gratuitously, but always to exact something, however small, in return; the three elderly men readily offered the ornaments they wore in their cheeks, their arms, and knives, in exchange for the articles I gave them. Up to this time the first three were the only kaiyacks that had ventured near the boats, but the natives around us had now increased to two hundred and fifty or three hundred persons, and they all became anxious to share in the lucrative trade which they saw established, and pressed eagerly upon us, offering for sale their bows, arrows, and spears, which they had hitherto kept concealed within their canoes. I endeavoured in vain, amidst the clamour and bustle of trade, to obtain some information respecting the coast, but finding the natives becoming more and more importunate and troublesome, I determined to leave them, and, therefore, directed the boats' heads to be put to seaward. Notwithstanding the forwardness of the Esquimaux, which we attributed solely to the desire of a rude people to obtain the novel articles they saw in our possession, they had hitherto shown no unfriendly disposition; and when we told them of our intention of going to sea, they expressed no desire to detain us, but, on the contrary, when the Lion grounded in the act of turning, they assisted us in the kindest manner by dragging her round. This manoeuvre was not of much advantage to us, for, from the rapid ebbing of the tide, both boats lay aground; and the Esquimaux told us, through the medium of Augustus, that the whole bay was alike flat, which we afterwards found to be correct.
An accident happened at this time, which was productive of unforeseen and very annoying consequences. A kaiyack being overset by one of the Lion's oars, its owner was plunged into the water with his head in the mud, and apparently in danger of being drowned. We instantly extricated him from his unpleasant situation, and took him into the boat until the water could be thrown out of his kaiyack, and Augustus, seeing him shivering with cold, wrapped him up in his own great coat. At first he was exceedingly angry, but soon became reconciled to his situation, and looking about, discovered that we had many bales, and other articles, in the boat, which had been concealed from the people in the kaiyacks, by the coverings being carefully spread over all. He soon began to ask for every thing he saw, and expressed much displeasure on our refusing to comply with his demands; he also, as we afterwards learned, excited the cupidity of others by his account of the inexhaustible riches in the Lion, and several of the younger men endeavoured to get into both our boats, but we resisted all their attempts. Though we had not hitherto observed any of them stealing, yet they showed so much desire to obtain my flag, that I had it furled and put out of sight, as well as every thing else that I thought could prove a temptation to them. They continued, however, to press upon us so closely, and made so many efforts to get into the boats, that I accepted the offer of two chiefs, who said that if they were allowed to come in, they would keep the others out. For a time they kept their word, and the crews took advantage of the respite thus afforded, to endeavour to force the boats towards the river into deeper water. The Reliance floated, but the Lion was immoveable, and Lieutenant Back dropping astern again made his boat fast to the Lion by a rope. At this time one of the Lion's crew perceived that the man whose kaiyack had been upset had a pistol under his shirt, and was about to take it from him, but I ordered him to desist, as I thought it might have been purchased from the Loucheux. It had been, in fact, stolen from Lieutenant Back, and the thief, perceiving our attention directed to it, leaped out of the boat, and joined his countrymen, carrying with him the great coat which Augustus had lent him.
The water had now ebbed so far, that it was not knee deep at the boats, and the younger men wading in crowds around us, tried to steal every thing within their reach; slyly, however, and with so much dexterity, as almost to escape detection. The moment this disposition was manifested, I directed the crews not to suffer any one to come alongside, and desired Augustus to tell the two chiefs, who still remained seated in the Lion, that the noise and confusion occasioned by the crowd around the boats greatly impeded our exertions; and that if they would go on shore and leave us for the present, we would hereafter return from the ship which we expected to meet near this part of the coast, with a more abundant supply of goods. They received this communication with much apparent satisfaction, and jumping out of the boats repeated the speech aloud to their companions. From the general exclamation of "teyma," which followed, and from perceiving many of the elderly men retire to a distance, I conceived that they acquiesced in the propriety of the suggestion, and that they were going away, but I was much deceived. They only retired to concert a plan of attack, and returned in a short time shouting some words which Augustus could not make out. We soon, however, discovered their purport, by two of the three chiefs who were on board the Reliance, jumping out, and, with the others who hurried to their assistance, dragging her towards the south shore of the river. Lieutenant Back desired the chief who remained with him to tell them to desist, but he replied by pointing to the beach, and repeating the word teyma, teyma, with a good-natured smile. He said, however, something to those who were seated in the canoes that were alongside, on which they threw their long knives and arrows into the boat, taking care, in so doing, that the handles and feathered ends were turned towards the crew, as an indication of pacific intentions.
As soon as I perceived the Reliance moving under the efforts of the natives, I directed the Lion's crew to endeavour to follow her, but our boat remained fast until the Esquimaux lent their aid and dragged her after the Reliance. Two of the most powerful men, jumping on board at the same time, seized me by the wrists and forced me to sit between them; and as I shook them loose two or three times, a third Esquimaux took his station in front to catch my arm whenever I attempted to lift my gun, or the broad dagger which hung by my side. The whole way to the shore they kept repeating the word "teyma," beating gently on my left breast with their hands, and pressing mine against their breasts. As we neared the beach, two oomiaks, full of women, arrived, and the "teymas" and vociferation were redoubled. The Reliance was first brought to the shore, and the Lion close to her a few seconds afterwards. The three men who held me now leaped ashore, and those who had remained in their canoes taking them out of the water, carried them to a little distance. A numerous party then drawing their knives, and stripping themselves to the waist, ran to the Reliance, and having first hauled her as far up as they could, began a regular pillage, handing the articles to the women, who, ranged in a row behind, quickly conveyed them out of sight. Lieutenant Back and his crew strenuously, but good-humouredly, resisted the attack, and rescued many things from their grasp, but they were overpowered by numbers, and had even some difficulty in preserving their arms. One fellow had the audacity to snatch Vivier's knife from his breast, and to cut the buttons from his coat, whilst three stout Esquimaux surrounded Lieutenant Back with uplifted daggers, and were incessant in their demands for whatever attracted their attention, especially for the anchor buttons which he wore on his waistcoat. In this juncture a young chief coming to his aid, drove the assailants away. In their retreat they carried off a writing desk and cloak, which the chief rescued, and then seating himself on Lieutenant Back's knee, he endeavoured to persuade his countrymen to desist by vociferating "teyma teyma," and was, indeed, very active in saving whatever he could from their depredations. The Lion had hitherto been beset by smaller numbers, and her crew, by firmly keeping their seats on the cover spread over the cargo, and by beating the natives off with the butt-ends of their muskets, had been able to prevent any article of importance from being carried away. But as soon as I perceived that the work of plunder was going on so actively in the Reliance, I went with Augustus to assist in repressing the tumult; and our bold and active little interpreter rushed among the crowd on shore, and harangued them on their treacherous conduct, until he was actually hoarse. In a short time, however, I was summoned back by Duncan, who called out to me that the Esquimaux had now commenced in earnest to plunder the Lion, and on my return, I found the sides of the boat lined with men as thick as they could stand, brandishing their knives in the most furious manner, and attempting to seize every thing that was moveable; whilst another party was ranged on the outside ready to bear away the stolen goods. The Lion's crew still kept their seats, but as it was impossible for so small a number to keep off such a formidable and determined body, several articles were carried off. Our principal object was to prevent the loss of the arms, oars, or masts, or any thing on which the continuance of the voyage, or our personal safety, depended. Many attempts were made to purloin the box containing the astronomical instruments, and Duncan, after thrice rescuing it from their hands, made it fast to his leg with a cord, determined that they should drag him away also if they took it.
In the whole of this unequal contest, the self-possession of our men was not more conspicuous than the coolness with which the Esquimaux received the heavy blows dealt to them with the butts of the muskets. But at length, irritated at being so often foiled in their attempts, several of them jumped on board and forcibly endeavoured to take the daggers and shot-belts that were about the men's persons; and I myself was engaged with three of them who were trying to disarm me. Lieutenant Back perceiving our situation, and fully appreciating my motives in not coming to extremities, had the kindness to send to my assistance the young chief who had protected him, and who, on his arrival, drove my antagonists out of the boat. I then saw that my crew were nearly overpowered in the fore part of the boat, and hastening to their aid, I fortunately arrived in time to prevent George Wilson from discharging the contents of his musket into the body of an Esquimaux. He had received a provocation of which I was ignorant until the next day, for the fellow had struck at him with a knife, and cut through his coat and waistcoat; and it was only after the affray was over that I learned that Gustavus Aird, the bowman of the Lion, and three of the Reliance's crew, had also narrowly escaped from being wounded, their clothes being cut by the blows made at them with knives. No sooner was the bow clear of one set of marauders, than another party commenced their operations at the stern. My gun was now the object of the struggle, which was beginning to assume a more serious complexion, when the whole of the Esquimaux suddenly fled, and hid themselves behind the drift timber and canoes on the beach. It appears that by the exertions of the crew, the Reliance was again afloat, and Lieutenant Back wisely judging that this was the proper moment for more active interference, directed his men to level their muskets, which had produced that sudden panic. The Lion happily floated soon after, and both were retiring from the beach, when the Esquimaux having recovered from their consternation, put their kaiyacks in the water, and were preparing to follow us; but I desired Augustus to say that I would shoot the first man who came within range of our muskets, which prevented them.
It was now about eight o'clock in the evening, and we had been engaged in this harrassing contest for several hours, yet the only things of importance which they had carried off were the mess canteen and kettles, a tent, a bale containing blankets and shoes, one of the men's bags, and the jib-sails. The other articles they took could well be spared, and they would, in fact, have been distributed amongst them, had they remained quiet. The place to which the boats were dragged is designated by the name of Pillage Point. I cannot sufficiently praise the fortitude and obedience of both the boats' crews in abstaining from the use of their arms. In the first instance I had been influenced by the desire of preventing unnecessary bloodshed, and afterwards, when the critical situation of my party might have well warranted me in employing more decided means for their defence, I still endeavoured to temporize, being convinced that as long as the boats lay aground, and we were beset by such numbers, armed with long knives, bows, arrows, and spears, we could not use fire-arms to advantage. The howling of the women, and the clamour of the men, proved the high excitement to which they had wrought themselves; and I am still of opinion that, mingled as we were with them, the first blood we had shed would have been instantly revenged by the sacrifice of all our lives.
The preceding narrative shows that, bad as the general conduct of the Esquimaux was, we had some active friends amongst them; and I was particularly desirous of cultivating a good understanding with them, for we were as yet ignorant of the state of the ice at sea, and did not know how long we should have to remain in their neighbourhood. I was determined, however, now to keep them at bay, and to convince them, if they made any further attempts to annoy us, that our forbearance had proceeded from good-will, and not from the want of power to punish them. We had not gone above a quarter of a mile from Pillage Point before the boats again took the ground at the distance of one hundred and fifty yards from the shore; and having ascertained by the men wading in every direction, that there was no deeper water, we made the boats fast side by side, and remained in that situation five hours.
Shortly after the boats had been secured, seven or eight of the natives walked along the beach, and carrying on a conversation with Augustus, invited him to a conference on shore. I was at first very unwilling to permit him to go, but the brave little fellow entreated so earnestly that I would suffer him to land and reprove the Esquimaux for their conduct, that I at length consented, and the more readily, on seeing that the young chief who had acted in so friendly a manner was amongst the number on the beach. By the time that Augustus reached the shore, the number of Esquimaux amounted to forty, and we watched with great anxiety the animated conversation he carried on with them. On his return he told us that its purport was as follows:—"Your conduct," said he, "has been very bad, and unlike that of all other Esquimaux. Some of you even stole from me, your countryman, but that I do not mind; I only regret that you should have treated in this violent manner the white people who came solely to do you kindness. My tribe were in the same unhappy state in which you now are, before the white people came to Churchill, but at present they are supplied with every thing they need, and you see that I am well clothed; I get all that I want, and am very comfortable. You cannot expect, after the transactions of this day, that these people will ever bring goods to your country again, unless you show your contrition by returning the stolen goods. The white people love the Esquimaux, and wish to show them the same kindness that they bestow upon the Indians: do not deceive yourselves, and suppose that they are afraid of you; I tell you they are not, and that it is entirely owing to their humanity that many of you were not killed to-day; for they have all guns, with which they can destroy you either when near or at a distance. I also have a gun, and can assure you that if a white man had fallen, I would have been the first to have revenged his death."
The veracity of Augustus was beyond all question with us; such a speech delivered in a circle of forty armed men, was a remarkable instance of personal courage. We could perceive, by the shouts of applause with which they filled the pauses in his harangue, that they assented to his arguments, and he told us that they had expressed great sorrow for having given us so much cause of offence, and pleaded, in mitigation of their conduct, that they had never seen white people before, that every thing in our possession was so new to them, and so desirable, that they could not resist the temptation of stealing, and begged him to assure us that they never would do the like again, for they were anxious to be on terms of friendship with us, that they might partake of the benefits which his tribe derived from their intercourse with the white people. I told Augustus to put their sincerity to the test by desiring them to bring back a large kettle and the tent, which they did, together with some shoes, having sent for them to the island whither they had been conveyed. After this act of restitution, Augustus requested to be permitted to join a dance to which they had invited him, and he was, for upwards of an hour, engaged in dancing and singing with all his might in the midst of a company who were all armed with knives, or bows and arrows. He afterwards told us that he was much delighted on finding that the words of the song, and the different attitudes of the dances, were precisely similar to those used in his own country when a friendly meeting took place with strangers. Augustus now learned from them that there was a regular ebb and flow of the tide in this bay, and that when the sun came round to a particular point there would be water enough to float the boats, if we kept along the western shore. This communication relieved me from much anxiety, for the water was perfectly fresh, and from the flood-tide having passed unperceived whilst we were engaged with the Esquimaux, it appeared to us to have been subsiding for the preceding twelve hours, which naturally excited doubts of our being able to effect a passage to the sea in this direction.
The Esquimaux gradually retired as the night advanced; and when there were only a few remaining, two of our men were sent to a fire which they had made, to prepare chocolate for the refreshment of the party. Up to this period we remained seated in the boats, with our muskets in our hands, and keeping a vigilant look out on Augustus, and the natives around him. Saturday, 8th.As they had foretold, the water began to flow about midnight, and by half past one in the morning of the 8th it was sufficiently deep to allow of our dragging the boats forward to a part where they floated. We pulled along the western shore about six miles, till the appearance of the sky bespoke the immediate approach of a gale; and we had scarcely landed before it came on with violence, and attended with so much swell as to compel us to unload the boats and drag them up on the beach.
The whole party having been exhausted by the labour and anxiety of the preceding twenty-four hours, two men were appointed to keep watch, and the rest slept until eleven o'clock in the morning, when we began to repair the damage which the sails and rigging had sustained from the attempts made by the Esquimaux to cut away the copper thimbles. We were thus employed when Lieutenant Back espied, through the haze, the whole body of the Esquimaux paddling towards us. Uncertain of the purport of their visit, and not choosing to open a conference with so large a body in a situation so disadvantageous as our present one, we hastened to launch the boats through the surf, and load them with our utmost speed; conceiving that when once fairly afloat, we could keep any number at bay. We had scarcely pulled into deep water before some of the kaiyacks had arrived within speaking distance, and the man in the headmost one, holding out a kettle, called aloud that he wished to return it, and that the oomiak which was some distance behind, contained the things that had been stolen from us, which they were desirous of restoring, and receiving in return any present that we might be disposed to give. I did not deem it prudent, however, for the sake of the few things in their possession which we required, to hazard their whole party collecting around us, and, therefore, desired Augustus to tell them to go back; but they continued to advance until I fired a ball ahead of the leading canoe, which had the desired effect—the whole party veering round, except four, who followed us for a little way, and then went back to join their companions.
I have been minute in my details of our proceedings with these Esquimaux, for the purpose of elucidating the character of the people we had to deal with; and I feel that the account would be incomplete without the mention, in this place, of some communications made to us in the month of August following, which fully explained the motives of their conduct. We learned that up to the time that the kaiyack was upset, the Esquimaux were actuated by the most friendly feelings towards us, but that the fellow whom we had treated so kindly after the accident, discovering what the boats contained, proposed to the younger men to pillage them. This suggestion was buzzed about, and led to the conference which the old men held together when I desired them to go away, in which the robbery was decided upon, and a pretty general wish was expressed that it should be attended with the total massacre of our party. Providentially a few suggested the impropriety of including Augustus; and for a reason which could scarcely have been imagined. "If we kill him," said they, "no more white people will visit our lands, and we shall lose the opportunity of getting a supply of their valuable goods; but if we spare him, he can be sent back with a story which we shall invent to induce another party of white people to come among us." This argument prevailed at the time; but after the interviews with Augustus at the dance, they retired to their island, where they were so much inflamed by the sight of the valuable articles which they had obtained, that they all, without exception, regretted that they had allowed us to escape. While in this frame of mind the smoke of our fire being discovered, a consultation was immediately held, and a very artful plan laid for the destruction of the party, including Augustus, whom they conceived to be so firmly attached to us that it was in vain to attempt to win him to their cause. They expected to find us on shore; but to provide against the boats getting away if we should have embarked, they caused some kettles to be fastened conspicuously to the leading kaiyack, in order to induce us to stop. The kaiyacks were then to be placed in such a position as to hamper the boats, and their owners were to keep us in play until the whole party had come up, when the attack was to commence. Through the blessing of Providence, their scheme was frustrated.
But to resume the narrative of the voyage. The breeze became moderate and fair; the sails were set, and we passed along the coast in a W.N.W. direction, until eleven in the evening, when we halted on a low island, covered with drift wood, to repair the sails, and to put the boats in proper order for a sea voyage. Sunday, 9th.The continuance and increase of the favourable wind urged us to make all possible despatch, and at three in the morning of the 9th again embarking, we kept in three fathoms water at the distance of two miles from the land. After sailing twelve miles, our progress was completely stopped by the ice adhering to the shore, and stretching beyond the limits of our view to seaward. We could not effect a landing until we had gone back some miles, as we had passed a sheet of ice which was fast to the shore; but at length a convenient spot being found, the boats were hauled up on the beach. We quickly ascended to the top of the bank to look around, and from thence had the mortification to perceive that we had just arrived in time to witness the first rupture of the ice. The only lane of water in the direction of our course was that from which we had been forced to retreat: in every other part the sea appeared as firmly frozen as in winter; and even close to our encampment the masses of ice were piled up to the height of thirty feet. Discouraging as was this prospect, we had the consolation to know that our store of provision was sufficiently ample to allow of a few days' detention.
The coast in this part consists of black earth, unmixed with stones of any kind, and its general elevation is from sixty to eighty feet, though in some places it swells into hills of two hundred and fifty feet. A level plain, abounding in small lakes, extends from the top of these banks to the base of a line of hills which lie in front of the Rocky Mountains. The plain was clothed with grass and plants, then in flower, specimens of which were collected. We recognised in the nearest range of the Rocky Mountains, which I have named after my much-esteemed companion Dr. Richardson, the Fitton and the Cupola Mountains, which we had seen from Garry Island at the distance of sixty miles. Few patches of snow were visible on any part of the range.
Having obtained observations for longitude and variation, we retired to bed about eight a.m., but had only just fallen asleep when we were roused by the men on guard calling out that a party of Esquimaux were close to the tents; and, on going out, we found the whole of our party under arms. Three Esquimaux had come upon us unawares, and, in terror at seeing so many strangers, they were on the point of discharging their arrows, when Augustus's voice arrested them, and by explaining the purpose of our arrival, soon calmed their fears. Lieutenant Back and I having made each of them a present, and received in return some arrows, a very amicable conference followed, which was managed by Augustus with equal tact and judgment. It was gratifying to observe our visitors jumping for joy as he pointed out the advantages to be derived from an intercourse with the white people, to whom they were now introduced for the first time. We found that they belonged to a party whose tents were pitched about two miles from us; and as they were very desirous that their friends might also enjoy the gratification of seeing us, they begged that Augustus would return with them to convey the invitation; which request was granted at his desire.
Before their departure, marks being set up on the beach one hundred and fifty yards in front of the tent, and twice that distance from the boats, they were informed that this was the nearest approach which any of their party would be permitted to make; and that at this boundary only would gifts be made, and barter carried on. Augustus was likewise desired to explain to them the destructive power of our guns, and to assure them that every person would be shot who should pass the prescribed limit. This plan was adopted in all succeeding interviews with the Esquimaux. After five hours' absence Augustus returned, accompanied by twenty men and two elderly women, who halted at the boundary. They had come without bows or arrows, by the desire of Augustus, and, following his instruction, each gave Lieutenant Back and myself a hearty shake of the hand. We made presents to every one, of beads, fish-hooks, awls, and trinkets; and that they might have entire confidence in the whole party, our men were furnished with beads to present to them. The men were directed to advance singly, and in such a manner as to prevent the Esquimaux from counting our number, unless they paid the greatest attention, which they were not likely to do while their minds were occupied by a succession of novelties.
Our visitors were soon quite at ease, and we were preparing to question them respecting the coast, and the time of removal of the ice, when Augustus begged that he might put on his gayest dress, and his medals, before the conference began. This was the work of a few seconds; but when he returned, surprise and delight at his altered appearance and numerous ornaments so engaged their minds, that their attention could not be drawn to any other subject for the next half hour. "Ah," said an old man, taking up his medals, "these must have been made by such people as you have been describing, for none that we have seen could do any thing like it;" then taking hold of his coat, he asked "what kind of animal do these skins which you and the chiefs wear belong to? we have none such in our country." The anchor buttons also excited their admiration. At length we managed to gain their attention, and were informed that, as soon as the wind should blow strong from the land, the ice might be expected to remove from the shore, so as to open a passage for boats, and that it would remain in the offing until the reappearance of the stars. "Further to the westward," they continued, "the ice often adheres to the land throughout the summer; and when it does break away, it is carried but a short distance to seaward, and is brought back whenever a strong wind blows on the coast. If there be any channels in these parts, they are unsafe for boats, as the ice is continually tossing about." "We wonder, therefore," they said, "that you are not provided with sledges and dogs, as our men are, to travel along the land, when these interruptions occur." They concluded by warning us not to stay to the westward after the stars could be seen, because the winds would then blow strong from the sea, and pack the ice on the shore. On further inquiry we learned that this party is usually employed, during the summer, in catching whales and seals, in the vicinity of the Mackenzie, and that they seldom travel to the westward beyond a few days' journey. We were, therefore, not much distressed by intelligence which we supposed might have originated in exaggerated accounts received from others. In the evening Augustus returned with them to their tents, and two of the men undertook to fetch a specimen of the rock from Mount Fitton, which was distant about twenty miles. The following observations were obtained:—Latitude 69° 1' 24" N.; longitude 137° 35' W.; variation 46° 41' E.; dip 82° 22'.
The party assembled at divine service in the evening. The wind blew in violent squalls during the night, which brought such a heavy swell upon the ice, that the larger masses near the encampment were broken before the morning of the 10th, but there was no change in the main body.
Monday, 10th.The Esquimaux revisited us in the morning, with their women and children; the party consisted of forty-eight persons. They seated themselves as before, in a semicircle, the men being in front, and the women behind. Presents were made to those who had not before received any; and we afterwards purchased several pairs of seal-skin boots, a few pieces of dressed seal-skin, and some deer-skin cut and twisted, to be used as cords. Beads, pins, needles, and ornamental articles, were most in request by the women, to whom the goods principally belonged, but the men were eager to get any thing that was made of iron. They were supplied with hatchets, files, ice chisels, fire-steels, Indian awls, and fish-hooks. They were very anxious to procure knives, but as each was in possession of one, I reserved the few which we had for another occasion. The quarter from whence these knives were obtained, will appear in a subsequent part of the narrative. It was amusing to see the purposes to which they applied the different articles given to them; some of the men danced about with a large cod-fish hook dangling from the nose, others stuck an awl through the same part, and the women immediately decorated their dresses with the ear-rings, thimbles, or whatever trinkets they received. There was in the party a great proportion of elderly persons, who appeared in excellent health, and were very active. The men were stout and robust, and taller than Augustus, or than those seen on the east coast by Captain Parry. Their cheek-bones were less projecting than the representations given of the Esquimaux on the eastern coast, but they had the small eye, and broad nose, which ever distinguish that people. Except the young persons, the whole party were afflicted with sore eyes, arising from exposure to the glare of ice and snow, and two of the old men were nearly blind. They wore the hair on the upper lip and chin; the latter, as well as that on their head, being permitted to grow long, though in some cases a circular spot on the crown of the head was cut bare, like the tonsure of the Roman catholic clergy. Every man had pieces of bone or shells thrust through the septum of his nose; and holes were pierced on each side of the under lip, in which were placed circular pieces of ivory, with a large blue bead in the centre, similar to those represented in the drawings of the natives on the N.W. coast of America, in Kotzebue's Voyage. These ornaments were so much valued, that they declined selling them; and when not rich enough to procure beads or ivory, stones and pieces of bone were substituted. These perforations are made at the age of puberty; and one of the party, who appeared to be about fourteen years old, was pointed out, with delight, by his parents, as having to undergo the operation in the following year. He was a good-looking boy, and we could not fancy his countenance would be much improved by the insertion of the bones or stones, which have the effect of depressing the under lip, and keeping the mouth open.
Their dress consisted of a jacket of rein-deer skin, with a skirt behind and before, and a small hood; breeches of the same material, and boots of seal-skin. Their weapons for the chase were bows and arrows, very neatly made; the latter being headed with bone or iron; and for fishing, spears tipped with bone. They also catch fish with nets and lines. All were armed with knives, which they either keep in their hand, or thrust up the sleeve of their shirt. They had received from the Loucheux Indians some account of the destructive effects of guns. The dress of the women differed from that of the men only in their wearing wide trowsers, and in the size of their hoods, which do not fit close to the head, but are made large, for the purpose of receiving their children. These are ornamented with stripes of different coloured skins, and round the top is fastened a band of wolf's hair, made to stand erect. Their own black hair is very tastefully turned up from behind to the top of the head, and tied by strings of white and blue beads, or cords of white deer-skin. It is divided in front, so as to form on each side a thick tail, to which are appended strings of beads that reach to the waist. The women were from four feet and a half to four and three quarters high, and generally fat. Some of the younger females, and the children, were pretty.
It would appear that the walrus does not visit this part of the coast, as none of these people recognised a sketch of one, which Lieutenant Back drew; but they at once knew the seal and rein-deer. We learned that the polar bear is seldom seen, and only in the autumn; and likewise that there are very few of the brown bears, which we frequently saw on the coast eastward of the Coppermine River. We had already seen a few white whales, and we understood that they would resort to this part of the coast in greater numbers with the following moon.
The habits of these people were similar, in every respect, to those of the tribes described by Captain Parry, and their dialect differed so little from that used by Augustus, that he had no difficulty in understanding them. He was, therefore, able to give them full particulars relative to the attack made by the other party, and they expressed themselves much hurt at their treacherous conduct. "Those are bad men," they said, "and never fail either to quarrel with us, or steal from us, when we meet. They come, every spring, from the eastern side of the Mackenzie, to fish at the place where you saw them, and return as soon as the ice opens. They are distinguished from us, who live to the westward of the river, by the men being tattoed across the face. Among our tribes the women only are tattoed;" having five or six blue lines drawn perpendicular from the under lip to the chin. The speaker added, "If you are obliged to return by this way, before these people remove, we, with a reinforcement of young men, will be in the vicinity, and will willingly accompany you to assist in repelling any attack." Augustus returned with the Esquimaux to their tents, as there was not the least prospect of our getting forward, though the ice was somewhat broken.
A strong breeze from the westward during the night, contributed, with the swell, to the further reduction of the ice, in front of the encampment; Tuesday, 11th.and on the morning of the 11th, the wind changed to the eastward, and removed the pieces a little way off shore, though they were tossing too violently for the boats to proceed. The swell having subsided in the afternoon, we embarked; but at the end of a mile and a half were forced to land again, from the ice being fixed to the shore; and as the wind had now become strong, and was driving the loose pieces on the land, the boats were unloaded and landed on the beach. From the summit of an adjoining hill we perceived an unbroken field of ice to the west, and, consequently, a barrier to our progress.
We encamped on the spot which our Esquimaux friends had left in the morning, to remove in their oomiaks and kaiyacks towards the Mackenzie, where they could set their fishing nets, and catch whales and seals. One of them showed his honesty, by returning some arrows, and a piece of a pemmican bag, that we had left at our last resting-place. The men also joined us here with specimens of rock from Mount Fitton.
The Esquimaux winter residences at this spot were constructed of drift timber, with the roots of the trees upwards, and contained from one to three small apartments, beside a cellar for their stores. There were generally two entrances, north and south, so low as to make it necessary to crawl through them. The only aperture was a hole at the top for the smoke, which, as well as the doorways, could be filled up with a block of snow at pleasure. When covered with snow, and with lamps of fire burning within, these habitations must be extremely warm, though to our ideas rather comfortless. Lofty stages were erected near them for the purpose of receiving their canoes, and bulky articles. A north-east gale came on in the evening, and rolled such a heavy surf on the beach, that twice, during the night, we were obliged to drag the boats and cargoes higher up.
Wednesday, 12th.About three the next morning a heavy rain commenced, and continued, without intermission, through the day; at which we were delighted, however comfortless it made our situation, because we saw the ice gradually loosening from the land under its effects. We found the keeping a tide-pole fixed in the loose gravel beach impracticable here, as well as at the last resting-place, on account of the swell. It appeared to be high water this morning at half past one a.m., and that the rise of tide was about two feet. I need hardly observe that we had the sun constantly above the horizon, were it not for the purpose of mentioning the amusing mistakes which the men made as to the hour. In fact, when not employed, a question as to the time of day never failed to puzzle them, except about midnight, when the sun was near the northern horizon.
Lieutenant Back missing the protractor which he used for laying down his bearings on the map, Augustus set off in the rain early this forenoon to recover it from an Esquimaux woman, whom he had seen pick it up. The rain ceased in the afternoon, the wind gradually abated, and by eight in the evening it was calm. A south wind followed, which opened a passage for the boat, but Augustus was not in sight. At midnight we became greatly alarmed for his safety, having now found that he had taken his gun, which we supposed the natives might have endeavoured to wrest from him, and we were on the point of despatching a party in search of him, Thursday, 13th.when he arrived at four in the morning of the 13th, much fatigued, accompanied by three of the natives. His journey had been lengthened by the Esquimaux having gone farther to the eastward than he had expected, but he had recovered the protractor which had been kept in their ignorance of its utility to us. His companions brought five white fish, and some specimens of crystal, with other stones, from the mountains, which we purchased, and further rewarded them for their kindness in not allowing Augustus to return alone.
The boats were immediately launched, and having pulled a short distance from the land, we set the sails, our course being directed to the outer point in view, to avoid the sinuosities of the coast. We passed a wide, though not deep bay, whose points were named after my friends Captains Sabine and P.P. King; and we were drawing near the next projection, when a compact body of ice was discovered, which was joined to the land ahead. At the same time a dense fog came on, that confined our view to a few yards; it was accompanied by a gale from the land, and heavy rain. We had still hopes of getting round the point, and approached the shore in that expectation, but found the ice so closely packed that we could neither advance nor effect a landing. We, therefore, pulled to seaward, and turned the boat's head to the eastward, to trace the outer border of the ice. In this situation we were exposed to great danger from the sudden change of wind to S.E., which raised a heavy swell, and brought down upon us masses of ice of a size that, tossed as they were by the waves, would have injured a ship. We could only catch occasional glimpses of the land through the fog, and were kept in the most anxious suspense, pulling in and out between the floating masses of ice, for five hours, before we could get near the shore. We landed a little to the west of Point Sabine, and only found sufficient space for the boats and tents between the bank and the water. The rain ceased for a short time in the evening, and during this interval, we perceived, from the top of the bank, that the whole space between us and the distant point, as well as the channel by which we had advanced to the westward, were now completely blocked; so that we had good reason to congratulate ourselves on having reached the shore in safety.
CHAPTER IV.
Babbage River—Meet Natives at Herschel Island—Their Trade with the Russians, through the Western Esquimaux—Ascend Mount Conybeare—Boundary of the British Dominions on this Coast—Delayed at Icy Reef—Barter Island—Detention at Foggy Island—Return Reef—Limit of outward Voyage.
Although it rained heavily during the night, and the wind blew strong off the land for some hours, there was no other change in the state of the ice Friday, 14th.on the morning of the 14th, than that the smaller pieces were driven a short way from the beach. The day was foggy and rainy, but the evening fine. The bank under which we were encamped is of the same earthy kind as that described on the 9th, but rather higher and steeper. It contains much wood coal, similar to that found in the Mackenzie River, and at Garry's Island. The beach and the beds of the rivulets that flow through the ravines, consist of coarse gravel. Specimens of its stones, of the coal, and of the plants in flower, were added to the collection. We saw two marmots, and two rein-deer, which were too wary to allow of our getting within shot of them. Between noon and ten p.m. the loose ice was driving in front of the encampment from the N.W. to S.E., and at the latter hour it stopped. We could not detect any difference in the height of the water, and there was a calm the whole time. A light breeze from S.E. after midnight, brought the masses close to the beach. Saturday, 15th.On the morning of the 15th, having perceived that the ice was loosened from the land near the outer point, to which I have given the name of Kay, after some much esteemed relatives, we embarked, and in the course of a few hours succeeded in reaching it, by passing between the grounded masses of ice. On landing at Point Kay, we observed that our progress must again be stopped by a compact body of ice that was fast to the shore of a deep bay, and extended to our utmost view seaward; and that we could not advance farther than the mouth of a river which discharged its waters just round the point. The boats were, therefore, pulled to its entrance, and we encamped. Former checks had taught us to be patient, and we, therefore, commenced such employments as would best serve to beguile the time, consoling ourselves with the hope that a strong breeze would soon spring up from the land and open a passage. Astronomical observations were obtained, the map carried on, and Lieutenant Back sketched the beautiful scenery afforded by a view of the Rocky Mountains, while I was employed in collecting specimens of the plants in flower. The men amused themselves in various ways, and Augustus went to visit an Esquimaux family that were on an island contiguous to our encampment.
We now discovered that the Rocky Mountains do not form a continuous chain, but that they run in detached ranges at unequal distances from the coast. The Richardson chain commencing opposite the mouth of the Mackenzie, terminates within view of our present situation. Another range, which I have named in honour of Professor Buckland, begins on the western side of Phillips Bay, and extending to the boundary of our view, is terminated by the Conybeare Mountain.
It gave me great pleasure to affix the name of my friend Mr. Babbage to the river we had discovered, and that of Mr. Phillips, Professor of Painting at the Royal Academy, to the bay into which its waters are emptied. We learned from the Esquimaux that this river, which they call Cook-Keaktok, or Rocky River, descends from a very distant part of the interior, though they are unacquainted with its course beyond the mountains. It appeared to us to flow between the Cupola and Barn mountains of the Richardson chain. There are many banks of gravel near its mouth, but above these obstructions the channel appeared deep, and to be about two miles broad. There were no rocks in sitû, or large stones, near the encampment; the rolled pebbles on the beach were sandstone of red and light brown colours, greenstone, and slaty limestone. We gathered a fine specimen of tertiary pitch-coal.
Augustus returned in the evening with a young Esquimaux and his wife, the only residents at the house he had visited. They had now quite recovered the panic into which they had been thrown on our first appearance, which was heightened by their being unable to escape from us owing to the want of a canoe. We made them happy by purchasing the fish they brought, and giving them a few presents; they continued to skip and laugh as long as they staid. The man informed us that judging from the rapid decay of the ice in the few preceding days, we might soon expect it to break from the land, so as to allow of our reaching Herschel Island, which was in view; but he represented the coast to the westward of the island as being low, and so generally beset with ice, that he was of opinion we should have great difficulty in getting along. This couple had been left here to collect fish for the use of their companions, who were to rejoin them for the purpose of killing whales, as soon as the ice should break up; and they told us the black whales would soon come after its rupture took place. It would be interesting to ascertain where the whales retire in the winter, as they require to inhale the air frequently. Those of the white kind make their appearance when there are but small spaces of open water; and we afterwards saw two black whales in a similar situation. One might almost infer from these circumstances that they do not remove very far. Is it probable that they go, at the close of the autumn, to a warmer climate? or can the sea be less closely covered with ice in the high northern latitudes? The situation of our encampment was observed to be, latitude 69° 19' N.; longitude 138° 10½' W.; variation 46 ° 16' E.; and a rise and fall of nine inches in the water. The wind blew from the west during the night, and drove much ice near the boats; but as the masses took ground a little way from the shore, we were spared the trouble of removing the boats higher up the beach.
Sunday, 16th.We were favoured in the forenoon of the 16th by a strong breeze from the land, which, in the course of a few hours, drove away many of these pieces towards Point Kay, and opened a passage for the boats. We immediately embarked to sail over to the western side of Phillips Bay, concluding, from the motion of the ice, that it must now be detached from that shore. On reaching it, we had the pleasure of finding an open channel close to the beach, although the entrance was barred by a stream of ice lying aground on a reef. The boats being forced by poles over this obstruction, we stood under sail along the coast to about five miles beyond Point Stokes; but there we were again compelled by the closeness of the ice to stop, and from the top of a sand-hill we could not discover any water in the direction of our course. The tents were therefore pitched, and the boats unloaded, and hauled on the beach. Heavy rain came on in the evening, by which we indulged the hope that the ice might be loosened. We were encamped on a low bank of gravel which runs along the base of a chain of sand-hills about one hundred and fifty feet high, and forms the coast line. The bank was covered with drift timber, and is the site of a deserted Esquimaux village. The snow still remaining in the ravines was tinged with light red spots. Monday, 17th.The night was calm, and the ice remained in the same fixed state until six in the morning of the 17th, when, perceiving the pieces in the offing to be in motion we launched the boats, and by breaking our way at first with hatchets, and then forcing with the poles through other streams of ice, we contrived to reach some lanes of water, along which we navigated for four hours. A strong breeze springing up from seaward, caused the ice to close so fast upon the boat, that we were obliged to put again to the shore, and land on a low bank, similar to that on which we had rested the night before. It was intersected, however, by many pools and channels of water, which cut off our communication with the land. As we could not obtain, from our present station, any satisfactory view of the state of the ice to the westward, I despatched Duncan and Augustus to take a survey of it from Point Catton, while Lieutenant Back and I made some astronomical observations. They returned after an absence of two hours, and reported that there was water near Herschel Island, and a channel in the offing that appeared to lead to it. We, therefore, embarked; and by pushing the boats between the masses that lay aground, for some distance, we succeeded in reaching open water at the entrance of the strait which lies between the island and the main, and through which the loose pieces of ice were driving fast to the westward. Having now the benefit of a strong favourable breeze, we were enabled to keep clear of them, and made good progress. Arriving opposite the S.E. end of Herschel Island, we perceived a large herd of rein-deer just taking the water, and on approaching the shore to get within shot, discovered three Esquimaux in pursuit. These men stood gazing at the boats for some minutes, and after a short consultation, we observed them to change the heads of their arrows, and prepare their bows. They then walked along the south shore, parallel to our course, for the purpose, as we soon found, of rejoining their wives. We reached the place at which the ladies were before them, and though invited to land, we were not able, on account of the surf. Augustus was desired to assure them of our friendship, and of our intention to stop at the first sheltered spot, to which they and their husbands might come to receive a present. More than this our little friend could not be prevailed upon to communicate, because they were "old wives;" and it was evident that he considered any further conversation with women to be beneath his dignity. On passing round the point we discovered that the ice was closely packed to leeward, and such a heavy swell setting upon it, that it was unsafe to proceed. We, therefore, encamped, and Augustus set off immediately to introduce himself to the Esquimaux. The tents were scarcely pitched, and the sentinels placed, before he returned, accompanied by twelve men and women, each bringing a piece of dried meat, or fish, to present to us. We learned from them that the boats, when at a distance, had been taken for pieces of ice; but when we drew near enough for them to distinguish the crews, and they perceived them clothed differently from any men they had seen, they became alarmed, and made ready their arrows, as we had observed. On receiving some presents, they raised a loud halloo, which brought five or six others from an adjoining island, and in the evening there was a further addition to the party of some young men, who had been hunting, and who afterwards sent their wives to bring us a part of the spoils of their chase. They remained near the tents the greater part of the night, and testified their delight by dancing and singing. An old woman, whose hair was silvered by age, made a prominent figure in these exhibitions.
The information we obtained from them confirmed that which we had received from the last party, namely, that they procure the iron, knives, and beads, through two channels, but principally from a party of Esquimaux who reside a great distance to the westward, and to meet whom they send their young men every spring with furs, seal-skins, and oil, to exchange for those articles; and also from the Indians, who come every year from the interior to trade with them by a river that was directly opposite our encampment; which I have, therefore, named the Mountain Indian River. These Indians leave their families and canoes at two days' march from the mouth of the river, and the men come alone, bringing no more goods than they intend to barter. They were represented to be tall stout men, clothed in deer-skins, and speaking a language very dissimilar to their own. They also said that the Esquimaux to the westward, speak a dialect so different from theirs, that at the first opening of the communication, which was so recent as to be within the memory of two of our present companions, they had great difficulty in understanding them. Several quarrels took place at their first meetings, in consequence of the western party attempting to steal; but latterly there has been a good understanding between them, and the exchanges have been fairly made.
Our visitors did not know from what people either the Indians or the Esquimaux obtained the goods, but they supposed from some "Kabloonacht," (white people,) who reside far to the west. As the articles we saw were not of British manufacture, and were very unlike those sold by the Hudson's Bay Company to the Indians, it cannot be doubted that they are furnished by the Russian Fur Traders, who receive in return for them all the furs collected on this northern coast. Part of the Russian iron-work is conveyed to the Esquimaux dwelling on the coast east of the Mackenzie. The western Esquimaux use tobacco, and some of our visitors had smoked it, but thought the flavour very disagreeable. Until I was aware of their being acquainted with the use of it, I prohibited my men from smoking in their presence, and afterwards from offering their pipes to the Esquimaux at any time. At the conclusion of this conference, our visitors assured us, that having now become acquainted with white people, and being conscious that the trade with them would be beneficial, they would gladly encourage a further intercourse, and do all in their power to prevent future visitors from having such a reception as we had on our arrival in these seas. We learned that this island, which has been distinguished by the name of Herschel, is much frequented by the natives at this season of the year, as it abounds with deer, and its surrounding waters afford plenty of fish. It is composed of black earth, rises, in its highest point, to about one hundred feet, and at the time of our visit was covered with verdure. The strait between it and the main shore, is the only place that we had seen, since quitting the Mackenzie, in which a ship could find shelter; but even this channel is much interrupted by shoals. Latitude 69° 33½' N.; longitude 139° 3' W.; were observed at the encampment.
Tuesday, 18th.On the morning of the 18th the fog was so thick that we could not see beyond the beach. It dispersed about noon, and we discovered that there was a channel of open water near the main shore, though in the centre of the strait the ice was heavy, and driving rapidly to the north-west. We embarked at once, in the expectation of being able to penetrate between the drift ice and the land, but the attempt was frustrated by the shallowness of the water; and the fog again spreading as thick as before, we landed on a sand-bank. We were soon visited by another party of the Esquimaux, who brought deer's meat for sale; and although the whole quantity did not amount to a deer, we had to purchase it in small pieces. This practice of dividing the meat among the party, we found to prevail throughout the voyage; and they avowed as their reason for it, the desire that every one might obtain a share of the good things we distributed. One of the men drew on the sand a sketch of the coast to the westward, as far as he was acquainted with it; from which it appeared that there was a line of reefs in front of the coast the whole way; the water being deep on the outside of them, but on the inside too shallow even for their oomiaks to float. We subsequently found that his knowledge of the coast did not extend beyond a few days' march.
The atmosphere becoming more clear about two p.m., we again embarked, and endeavoured to get to seaward. The boats, however, soon grounded; and finding all our attempts to push through any of the channels between the reefs ineffectual, we pulled back close to Herschel Island. Following, then, the course of the drift ice, we passed near to its south-west point, which was found to be the only deep passage through the strait. We afterwards entered into a fine sheet of open water, the main body of the ice being about half a mile to seaward, and only a few bergs lying aground in the direction of our course. The outer parts of the island appeared closely beset with it. At the end of five miles we discerned another large party of Esquimaux, encamped on a reef; they waved their jackets as signals for us to land, which we declined doing, as we perceived the water to be shallow between us and them. They ran along the beach as far as the end of the reef, tempting us by holding up meat. Only two of the party were provided with canoes, and they followed us to a bluff point of the main shore, on which we landed. These proved to be persons whom we had seen at Herschel Island, and who had visited the Esquimaux in this quarter on purpose to make them acquainted with our arrival. We were happy to learn from them that we should not see any more of their countrymen for some time, because, while surrounded by them, the necessity of closely watching their motions, prevented us from paying due attention to other objects. Resuming our voyage, we pulled along the outer border of a gravel reef, about two hundred yards broad, that runs parallel to, and about half a mile from, the coast, having a line of drift ice on the outside of us. The wind being contrary, and the evening cold, temperature 40°, we encamped on the reef at eight p.m., where we found plenty of drift timber; the water was brackish. The distance travelled this day was eight miles and a half. The main shore opposite the encampment was low to a great distance from the coast; it then appeared to ascend gradually to the base of the Buckland chain of mountains.
Wednesday, 19th.The following morning being calm, and very fine, the boats were launched at three a.m., and we set off in high spirits; but after pulling three miles, we perceived the channel of open water becoming narrow, and the pieces of ice heavier than any we had before seen, some of them being aground in three fathoms water. At six a.m., after having gone five miles and a half, we were stopped by the ice which adhered to the reef, and was unbroken to seaward. Imagining we saw water at some distance beyond this barrier, we were induced to drag the boats across the reef, and launch them into the channel on the inside, in the hope of reaching it. This proved to be a bay, at the head of which we arrived in a short time. It was then discovered that a fog hanging over the ice had been mistaken for water. The boats were, therefore, reconveyed across the reef, the tents pitched, and we had to draw largely on our nearly exhausted stock of patience, as we contemplated the dreary view of this compact icy field. A herd of rein-deer appeared very opportunely to afford some employment, and most of the men were despatched on the chase, but only one was successful. The following observations were obtained:—Latitude 69° 36' N.; longitude 139° 42' W.; variation 46° 13' E. Being now abreast of Mount Conybeare, Lieutenant Back and I were on the point of setting out to visit its summit, when we were stopped by a very dense fog that accompanied a fresh breeze from the N.W., followed by heavy rain. Thursday, 20th.The weather continued bad, until ten the following morning; the ice near the beach was broken into smaller pieces, but as yet too closely packed for our proceeding. The water being brackish in front of the reef, we despatched two men to bring some from the pools at a distance inland, which was found to have the same taste; from this circumstance, as well as from the piles of drift wood, thrown up far from the coast, one may infer that the sea occasionally washes over this low shore. The ice broken off from large masses, and permitted to drain before it was melted, did not furnish us with better water. A couple of pin-tailed ducks were shot, the only pair seen; the black kind were more numerous, but were not fired at, as they are fishing ducks, and, therefore, not good to eat. We also saw a few geese and swans.
The atmosphere was calm, and perfectly clear, on the morning of the 21st; Friday, 21st.and as there was not any change in the position of the ice, I visited Mount Conybeare, accompanied by Duncan and Stewart. Though its distance was not more than twelve miles from the coast, the journey proved to be very fatiguing, owing to the swampiness of the ground between the mountain and the sea. We had also the discomfort of being tormented the whole way by myriads of musquitoes. The plain was intersected by a winding river, about forty yards broad, which we forded, and on its western side found a thicket of willows, none of which were above seven inches in circumference, and only five or six feet high. At the foot of the mountain were three parallel platforms, or terraces, whose heights we estimated at fifty, eighty, and one hundred and thirty feet; composed of transition slate, the stone of the lowest being of the closest texture. We found the task of climbing above the upper terraces difficult, in consequence of the looseness of the stones, which did not afford a firm footing, but after an hour's labour, we succeeded in reaching the top. The mountain is also composed of slate, but so much weathered near the summit, as to appear a mere collection of stones. Its height above the sea we estimated at eight hundred feet. Two or three hardy plants were in flower, at the highest elevation, which we gathered, though they were of the same kind that had been collected in the lower lands; and during the whole march we did not meet with any plant different from the specimens we had already obtained. On arriving at the top of the mountain, we were refreshed by a strong south wind, which we fondly hoped might reach to the coast, and be of service, by driving the ice from the land. This hope, however, lasted only a few minutes; for, on casting our eyes to seaward, there appeared no open water into which it could be moved, except near Herschel Island. The view into the interior possessed the charm of novelty, and attracted particular regard. We commanded a prospect over three ranges of mountains, lying parallel to the Buckland chain, but of less altitude. The view was bounded by a fourth range of high-peaked mountains, for the most part covered with snow. This distant range was afterwards distinguished by the name of the British Chain; and the mountains at its extremities were named in honour of the then Chancellor of the Exchequer, and President of the Board of Trade—the Right Honourable Mr. Robinson, now Lord Goderich, and Mr. Huskisson. When seen from the coast, the mountains of the Buckland chain appeared to form a continuous line, extending from N.W. by N., to S.E. by S.; but from our present situation we discovered that they were separated from each other by a deep valley, and a rivulet, and that their longest direction was N.N.E. and S.S.W. The same order prevailed in the three ranges behind the Buckland chain; and the highest of their mountains, like Mount Conybeare, were round and naked at the top; the vallies between them were grassy. We erected a pile of stones of sufficient height to be seen from the sea, and deposited underneath it a note, containing the latitude, longitude, and some particulars relative to the Expedition.
Saturday, 22nd.The 22nd was a calm sultry day, the temperature varying between 58° and 63°, and we were tormented by musquitoes. The ice remained very close to the beach. Impatient of our long detention, we gladly Sunday, 23rd.availed ourselves, at three in the morning of the 23rd, of a small opening in the ice, to launch the boats, and push them forward as far as we could get them. We thus succeeded in reaching a lane of water, through which we made tolerable progress, though after two hours and a half of exertion, we were gradually hemmed in, and forced again to encamp at the mouth of a small stream westward of Sir Pulteney Malcolm River. We had, however, the satisfaction of finding, by the observations, that we had gained ten miles. Latitude 69° 36' N.; longitude 140° 12' W.; variation 45° 6' E. The temperature of the water at the surface a quarter of a mile from the shore was 40°, that of the air being 49°. The water was two fathoms deep, ten yards from the beach.
The coast here was about fifteen feet high; and from the top of the bank a level plain extended to the base of the mountains, which, though very swampy, was covered with verdure. At this place we first found boulder stones, which were deeply seated in the gravel of the beach. They consisted of greenstone, sandstone, and limestone; the first mentioned being the largest, and the last the most numerous. Having seen several fish leaping in the river, a net was set across its mouth, though without success, owing to the meshes being too large. Two men were despatched to examine the state of the ice; and on their return from a walk of several miles, they reported that, with the exception of a small spot close to the beach, it was quite compact. They had observed, about two miles from the encampment, stumps of drift wood fixed in the ground at certain distances, extending from the coast across the plain towards the Rocky Mountains, in the direction of two piles of stones, which were erected on the top of the latter. We were at a loss to conjecture what motive the Esquimaux could have had for taking so much trouble, unless these posts were intended to serve as decoys for the rein-deer. The party assembled at divine service in the evening, as had been our practice every Sunday.
Monday, 24th.On the morning of the 24th we were able to make a further advance of two miles and three quarters, by forcing the boats between the masses of ice, as far as the debouche of another rivulet, in latitude 69° 36½' N., and longitude 140° 19½' W. Under any other circumstance than that of being beset by ice, the beautifully calm and clear weather we then had would have been delightful; but as our hope of being released rested solely on a strong wind, we never ceased to long for its occurrence. A breeze would have been, at any rate, beneficial in driving away the musquitoes, which were so numerous as to prevent any enjoyment of the open air, and to keep us confined to a tent filled with smoke, the only remedy against their annoyance.
Tuesday, 25th.We were still detained the two following days, and the only things we saw were a grey wolf, some seals, and some ducks. More tedious hours than those passed by us in the present situation, cannot well be imagined. After the astronomical observations had been obtained and worked, the survey brought up, a sketch made of the encampment, and specimens of the plants and stones in the vicinity collected, there was, literally, nothing to do. The anxiety which was inseparable from such an enterprize as ours, at such an advanced period of the season, left but little disposition to read, even if there had been a greater choice of books in our travelling library, and still less composure to invent amusement. Even had the musquitoes been less tormenting, the swampiness of the ground, in which we sank ankle deep at every step, deprived us of the pleasure of walking. A visit to the Rocky Mountains was often talked of, but they were now at a distance of two days' journey, and we dared not to be absent from the boats so long, lest the ice, in its fickle movements, should open for a short time. Notwithstanding the closeness of the ice, we perceived a regular rise and fall of the water, though it amounted only to seven inches, except on the night of the 24th, when the rise was two feet; but the direction of the flood was not yet ascertained. We found a greater proportion of birch-wood, mixed with the drift timber to the westward of the Babbage than we had done before; between the Mackenzie and that river it had been so scarce, that we had to draw upon our store of bark to light the fires. Some lunar observations were obtained in the afternoon of the 25th, and their results assured us that the chronometers were going steadily. At midnight we were visited by a strong S.W. breeze, accompanied by rain, thunder, and lightning. This weather was succeeded by calm, and a fog that continued throughout the next day, and confined our view to a few yards. Temperature from 41° to 43°. Wednesday, 26th.On the atmosphere becoming clear about nine in the evening of the 26th, we discovered a lane of water, and immediately embarking, we pulled, for an hour, without experiencing much interruption from the ice. A fresh breeze then sprung up from the N.W., which brought with it a very dense fog, and likewise caused the ice to close so fast upon us, that we were compelled to hasten to the shore. We had just landed, when the channel was completely closed. We encamped on the western side of a river about two hundred yards broad, which, at the request of Lieutenant Back, was named after Mr. Backhouse, one of the under Secretaries of State for Foreign Affairs. It appeared that the water that flowed from this channel had caused the opening by which we had travelled from our last resting-place; for beyond it, the ice was closely packed.
Thursday, 27th.Some heavy rain fell in the night, and the morning of the 27th was foggy; but the sun, about noon, having dispersed the fog, we discovered an open channel about half a mile from the shore. No time was lost in pushing the boats into it. By following its course to the end, and breaking our way through some streams of ice, we were brought, at the end of eight miles, to the mouth of a wide river that flows from the British range of mountains. This being the most westerly river in the British dominions on this coast, and near the line of demarcation between Great Britain and Russia, I named it the Clarence, in honour of His Royal Highness the Lord High Admiral. Under a pile of drift timber which we erected on the most elevated point of the coast near its mouth, was deposited a tin box, containing a royal silver medal, with an account of the proceedings of the Expedition; and the union flag was hoisted under three hearty cheers, the only salute that we could afford. This ceremony did not detain us longer than half an hour; when we launched into a larger space of open water than we had seen since the 9th of the month. This circumstance, together with the appearance of several seals, and the water becoming more salt, created a hope that we should soon enter upon a brisker navigation. But this too sanguine expectation was dispelled in little more than an hour, by a close and heavy field of ice, which obliged us to pull to the shore. The tent was pitched under a steep bank of mud, in latitude 69° 38' N.; longitude 140° 46' W. The soundings this day varied from two to ten fathoms; and the temperature of the air from 37° to 45°. Friday, 28th.The ice having opened near the beach by noon of the 28th, so as to admit the boats, we embarked, to try if we could not advance by thrusting the masses aside with poles. After spending several hours in this labour, and gaining only two miles, further exertion became ineffectual, owing to the ice being closely packed, and many of the pieces from fifteen to twenty feet high, lying aground. We had however, gained by the removal the comforts of dry ground, and good water, which had been wanting at the last encampment. Among the drift timber on the beach was a pine tree, seven feet and a quarter in girth, by thirty-six long. We had previously seen several, little inferior in size. The temperature this day varied from 39° to 48°. We had observed, for the preceding fortnight, that the musquitoes assailed us as soon as the temperature rose to 45°, and that they retired quickly on its descending below that height.
Saturday, 29th.The morning of the 29th opened with heavy rain and fog; the precursors of a strong gale from E.N.E., which brought back the ice we had already passed, and closely packed it along the beach, but we could not perceive that the wind had the slightest effect on the main body at a distance from the shore. This was a very cold, comfortless day, the temperature between 38° and 42°. Sunday, 30th.The following morning a brilliant sun contributed with the gale to the dispersion of the mist which had, for some days past, overhung the Rocky Mountains, and we had the gratification of seeing, for the first time, the whole length of the British Chain of Mountains, which are more peaked and irregular in their outline, and more picturesque than those of the Buckland Range. The following observations were obtained here:—Latitude 69° 38' N.; longitude 140° 51' W.; variation 45° 43' E.; dip 83' 27'. In exploring the bed of a rivulet we found several pieces of quartz, containing pyrites of a very bright colour, which so much attracted the attention of the crews, that they spent several hours in examining every stone, expecting to have their labour rewarded by the discovery of some precious metal.
The gale having abated in the evening, we quickly loaded the boats, and pulled them into a lane of water that we had observed about half a mile from the shore. This, however, extended only a short way to the west, and at the end of a mile and a half inclined towards the beach, the ice beyond it being closely packed. Before the boats could be brought to the land, they received several heavy blows in passing through narrow channels, and over tongues of grounded ice. I walked to the extreme point that we had in view from the tent, and was rejoiced by the sight of a large space of water in the direction of our course; but up to the point the ice was still compact, and heavy. On my way I passed another Esquimaux village, where there were marks of recent visitors.
We witnessed the setting of the sun at eleven p.m.; an unwelcome sight, which the gloomy weather had, till then, spared us; for it forced upon our minds the conviction that the favourable season for our operations was fast passing away, though we had, as yet, made so little progress. This was not the only uncomfortable circumstance that attended us this evening. Our friend Augustus was seized with a shivering fit, in consequence of having imprudently rushed, when in full perspiration, into a lake of cold water, to drag out a rein-deer which he had killed. He was unable to walk on coming out of the water, and the consequence would have been more serious had it not been for the kindness of his companion, Wilson, who deprived himself of his flannels and waistcoat to clothe him. On their arrival at the tent, Augustus was put between blankets, and provided with warm chocolate, and the only inconvenience that he felt next morning was pain in his limbs.
Monday, 31st.We had several showers of rain during the night, with a steady S.W. breeze, and in the morning of the 31st were delighted by perceiving the ice loosening and driving off the land. We were afloat in a few minutes, and enjoyed the novelty of pulling through an uninterrupted channel as far as Point Demarcation, which has been so named from its being situated in longitude 141° W., the boundary between the British and Russian dominions on the northern coast of America. This point seems to be much resorted to by the Esquimaux, as we found here many winter houses, and four large stages. On the latter were deposited several bundles of seal and deer skins, and several pair of snow-shoes. The snow-shoes were netted with cords of deer-skin, and were shaped like those used by the Indians near the Mackenzie. A favourable breeze now sprang up; and having ascertained, by mounting one of the Esquimaux stages, that there was still a channel of open water between a low island and the main shore, we set sail to follow its course. At the end of three miles we found the water gradually to decrease from three fathoms to as many feet, and shortly afterwards the boats repeatedly took the ground. In this situation we were enveloped by a thick fog, which limited our view to a few yards. We, therefore, dragged the boats to the land, until we could see our way; this did not happen before ten in the evening, when it was discovered from the summit of an eminence, about two miles distant, that though the channel was of some extent, it was very shallow, and seemed to be barred by ice to the westward. We also ascertained that it was bounded to the seaward by a long reef. The night proved very stormy, and we were but scantily supplied with drift wood.
August 1st.Though the morning of the 1st of August commenced with a heavy gale from E.N.E., and very foggy weather, we proceeded to the reef, after much fatigue in dragging the boats over the flats, under the supposition that our best chance of getting forward would be by passing on the outside of it. But there finding heavy ice lying aground, and so closely packed as to preclude the possibility of putting the boats into the water, it was determined to examine the channel by walking along the shore of the reef. An outlet to the sea was discovered, but the channel was so flat that gulls were, in most parts, wading across; and there was, therefore, no other course than to await the separation of the ice from the reef. On the dispersion of the fog in the afternoon, we perceived that some of the masses of ice were from twenty to thirty feet high; and we derived little comfort from beholding, from the top of one of them, an unbroken surface of ice to seaward.
Wednesday, 2nd.The gale blew without the least abatement throughout the night, and until noon of the 2nd, when it terminated in a violent gust, which overthrew the tents. The field of ice was broken in the offing, and the pieces put in motion; and in the evening there appeared a large space of open water, but we could not take advantage of these favourable circumstances, in consequence of the ice still closely besetting the reef. We remarked large heaps of gravel, fifteen feet above the surface of the reef, on the largest iceberg, which must have been caused by the pressure of the ice; and from the top of this berg we had the satisfaction of discovering that a large herd of rein-deer were marching in line towards the opposite side of the channel. Our party was instantly on the alert, and the best hunters were sent in the Reliance in chase of them. The boat grounded about midway across, and the eager sportsmen jumped overboard and hastened to the shore; but such was their want of skill, that only three fawns were killed, out of a herd of three or four hundred. The supply, however, was sufficient for our present use, and the circumstances of the chase afforded amusing conversation for the evening. The astronomical observations place our encampment in latitude 69° 43' N.; longitude 141° 30' W. The temperature this day varied from 40° to 42°.
Thursday, 3rd.On the morning of the 3rd a strong breeze set in from the east, which we were rejoiced to find caused a higher flood in the channel than we had yet seen, and the hope of effecting a passage by its course was revived; as the ice was still fast to the reef, and likely to continue so, it was considered better to occupy ourselves in dragging the boats through the mud, than to continue longer in this irksome spot, where the wood was already scarce, and the water indifferent. The boats, therefore, proceeded with four men in each, while the rest of the crew walked along the shore, and rendered assistance wherever it was necessary, to drag them over the shallow parts. After four hours' labour, we reached the eastern part of the bay, which I have had the pleasure of naming after my friend Captain Beaufort, R.N., and which was then covered with ice. We had also the happiness of finding a channel that led to seaward, which enabled us to get on the outside of the reef; but as we pushed as close as we could to the border of the packed ice, our situation, for the next four hours, was attended with no little anxiety. The appearance of the clouds bespoke the return of fog, and we were sailing with a strong breeze through narrow channels, between heavy pieces of drift ice, on the outside of a chain of reefs that stretched across Beaufort Bay, which we knew could not be approached within a mile, owing to the shallowness of the water.
Beyond Point Humphrys, the water being deep close to the coast, we travelled in more security, though the ice was less open than before. We halted to sup on a gravel reef that extends from the main shore to Point Griffin, having run twenty-eight miles, the greatest distance we had made on one day since our departure from the Mackenzie.
A black whale, and several seals, having been seen just before we landed, the water now decidedly salt, and the ice driving with great rapidity to the westward, were circumstances that we hailed with heartfelt joy; as affording the prospect of getting speedily forward, and in the evening we lost sight of Mount Conybeare, which had been visible since the 9th of July. There were several huts on the reef, and one large tent, capable of holding forty persons, which appeared to have been lately occupied, besides eighteen sledges, that we supposed to have been left by the men who had gone from Herschel Island, to exchange their furs with the western Esquimaux. Among the baggage we found a spoon, made out of the musk ox horn, like those used by the Canadian voyagers. At six this evening we passed the termination of the British Chain of Mountains, and had now arrived opposite the commencement of another range, which I named after the late Count Romanzoff, Chancellor of the Russian Empire, as a tribute of respect to the memory of that distinguished patron and promoter of discovery and science.
Having taken the precaution of supplying ourselves with fresh water, we quitted the reef, to proceed on our voyage under sail, but shortly afterwards arrived at very heavy ice, apparently packed. We found, however, a narrow passage, and by forcing the boats through it, reached a more open channel, where the oars could be used. This extended along a reef, so that we could pursue our course with safety, being ready to land in the event of the ice drifting upon us. Friday, 4th.The sun set this evening at half past ten p.m.; and the temperature of the air during its disappearance was 38°. Between the reefs and the low main land the water was entirely free from ice. After passing Point Sir Henry Martin, we were tempted, by the appearance of a bay, to steer within the reefs, as we could then use the sails, and make a more direct course than by winding among the ice. The water proved so shallow that the boats took the ground, at the distance of three miles from the shore, which caused us to alter our plan, and follow the line of drift ice near the border of the pack. The breeze died away; and in proceeding under oars beyond Point Manning, we descried a collection of tents planted on a low island, with many oomiaks, kaiyacks, and dogs around them. The Esquimaux being fast asleep, Augustus was desired to hail them, and after two or three loud calls, a female appeared in a state of nudity; after a few seconds she called out to her husband, who awoke at the first sound of her voice, and shouting out that strangers were close at hand, the whole space between the tents and the water was, in a few minutes, covered with armed, though naked, people. Their consternation on being thus suddenly roused by strangers, of whose existence they had never heard, can be better imagined than described. We drew near the shore, to let Augustus inform them who we were, and of the purpose of our visit, which produced a burst of acclamation, and an immediate invitation to land. This we declined doing, having counted fifty-four grown persons, and knowing that we had not the means of furnishing such a number with the articles they might crave. Besides, it was evident, from their hurried manner, that they were in a state of high excitement, and might then, perhaps, have been disposed to seize upon everything within their grasp. Four of the kaiyacks being launched, after we had receded to a proper distance from the island, we allowed them to come alongside; and presents were given to the men. We then learned that these were the people who had conveyed the furs, &c., from Herschel Island, and that the exchange with the Esquimaux had been made at the place where they were encamped, only a few days before. They intended to commence their return this day to Herschel Island, where the iron and beads would be distributed among their relations, according to the furs, &c. they had supplied. The Esquimaux saluted us at parting with many vociferations of teyma, and we continued our journey for five miles; at the end of which, the wind setting in strongly against us, we landed at the western part of Barter Island, to refresh the crew. We then found that a rapid tide was running to the eastward, and at eleven the water had risen one foot, from the time of our landing. The tents were scarcely pitched before we saw two kaiyacks coming towards us from the westward, and the man in the headmost accepted, without hesitation, our invitation to land. His companion was asleep, and his canoe was driving with the wind and tide; but when awaked by the voice of Augustus, he also came. These were young men returning from hunting to the tents that we had passed; and being much fatigued, they made but a short stay. The only information collected from them was, that the coast before us was similar to that along which we had been travelling, and that the ice was broken from the shore. The latitude 70° 5' N.; longitude 143° 55' W.; variation 45° 36' E.; were observed.
As soon as the latitude had been obtained, we embarked, favoured by wind and tide, to cross the bay, which has been named in honour of the Marquess Camden. The water was of a seagreen colour, perfectly salt, and from three to five fathoms deep; the temperature 35° at the surface, that of the air, 43°. The day was very clear, and exposed to our view the outline of the Romanzoff chain of Mountains, whose lofty peaks were covered with snow. At the end of ten miles we observed four tents planted on a reef, and several women standing about them, who made many signs for us to land, but the surf was rolling too heavily on the beach. As we proceeded, their husbands were perceived on the main shore, in pursuit of a large herd of rein-deer, which they seemed to be surrounding so as to drive the deer into the water, where they would probably spear them to more advantage.
Continuing along the shore beyond the reef at the distance of two miles from the land, the boats touched the ground several times, which made us conclude we were steering into a bay, though its outline could not be seen. The wind changed at the time to the north, blew strong, and raised a heavy swell, which induced us to haul out to seaward, and we soon afterwards discovered an island, which we just reached under sail. From its summit we perceived a chain of low reefs, extending from its northern point for several miles to the westward, on which the wind was then blowing, and bringing down the drift ice. We were, therefore, compelled to halt, and await more moderate weather. This island, like the projecting points of the main shore, is a mere deposit of earthly mud, covered with verdure, about twenty or twenty-five feet high. There was another island adjoining, which seemed to be a collection of boulder stones; from whence it was named.
The ice appeared closely packed to the seaward; nearer to the island were icebergs aground, and within these, streams of loose pieces driving towards the reefs. In the hurry of embarkation from Barter Island, one of the crew of the Reliance left his gun and ammunition, which we regretted the more, from being apprehensive that an accident might happen to the natives. The circumstance was not known before the boats were a great distance from the island, or we should have put back to have recovered it.
A very thick fog came on in the evening. This weather, however, did not prevent our receiving a visit from two of the natives about midnight, who told Augustus that, having scented the smoke of a fire from the opposite side of the bay, they had come to ascertain who had made it. They were armed with bows and arrows, and advanced towards the tent without any alarm. We found that they had been hunting, with several other men, at the foot of the Romanzoff Mountains, and that they were now going to rejoin their friends at Barter Island, with the fruits of a successful chase. Their knowledge of the coast terminated at this place, which is as far to the westward as any of the party from Herschel Island travel.
The western Esquimaux had parted from them seven nights before, but they supposed that they had not made much progress, as their oomiaks were heavily laden. Those people had informed them that the coast to the westward was low, and fronted by reefs, like that we had already passed; the water also was very shallow; they therefore recommended that we should keep on the outside of every reef. Our visitors had no sooner received their presents than they raised a loud cry, which was intended to bring their friends. On the dispersion of the fog at the time, we discovered an oomiak, filled with people paddling, and some other men wading towards us. Saturday, 5th.It being calm, and the swell having abated, we did not wait for their arrival, but embarked at one in the morning of the 5th, and pursued our course to the westward, keeping on the outside of the reefs. The water, however, was very shallow, even at the distance of two miles, and we were much teased by the boats repeatedly touching the ground. This was particularly the case when we arrived opposite to the large river, which was named in honour of the late Mr. Canning, where we found the water perfectly fresh, three miles from the land. The ice being more loose abreast of this river, we pulled out to seaward into deep water. The land was then hidden from our view by the haze, though not more than four miles distant, and our course was directed by the masses of ice lying aground; but at the end of three miles, our further progress was stopped at six a.m., by the ice being closely packed on the outer border of a reef, in latitude 70° 7' N.; longitude 145° 27' W.
We perceived, on landing, by the driving of the loose pieces of ice, that the tide was running strongly to the eastward, through the channel we had passed along, and that it continued to do so, until ten this morning, during which time the water was falling. It changed at ten, and the water rose one foot before one p.m. This observation would indicate the flood to come from the eastward, though contrary to what was remarked at Barter Island the day before; but in a sea so closely beset with ice, no accurate observations as to the direction of the tide could be obtained.
The Rocky Mountains either terminated abreast of our present situation, or receded so far to the southward as to be imperceptible from the coast a few miles beyond this reef. The ice being somewhat loosened by the flood tide, we embarked at one p.m., to force the boats through the narrow channels, and in the course of two hours reached Point Brownlow, where we landed, for the purpose of ascertaining whether the ice could be avoided by passing into the bay that then opened to our view, trending to the south. We perceived that this bay was in every part flat, and strewed with stones; and that the only prospect of getting forward was by entering the ice again, and pushing to an island about two miles further to the west, which we reached after receiving several heavy blows in passing through the loose ice at the entrance of the strait, between the central reef and the island, where the pieces were much tossed by the tide.
The view from the south-east part of the island led us, at first, to suppose that we might proceed by keeping close to its south shore; but in making the attempt, the boats repeatedly took the ground, and we were obliged to seek a passage by the north side of the island. At the end of a mile in that direction we were stopped by the ice being unbroken from the shore, and closely packed to seaward. Since the day after our departure from the Mackenzie, when we first came to the ice, we had not witnessed a more unfavourable prospect than that before us. No water was to be seen, either from the tents, or from the different points of the island which we visited, for the purpose of examining into the state of the ice. We were now scantily supplied with fuel; the drift timber being covered by the ice high up the bank, except just where the boat had landed.
In the evening a gale came on from the east, and blew throughout the following day: we vainly hoped this would produce some favourable change; and the water froze in the kettle on the night of the 5th. The position of the encampment was ascertained by observation to be, Sunday, 6th.latitude 70° 11' N.; longitude 145° 50' W.; variation 42° 56' E.; so that notwithstanding the obstructions we had met, an advance of two degrees of longitude had been made in the two preceding days.
This island received the name of Flaxman, in honour of the late eminent sculptor. It is about four miles long and two broad, and rises, at its highest elevation, about fifty feet. In one of the ravines, where a portion of the bank had been carried away by the disruption of the ice, we perceived that the stratum of loose earth was not more than eighteen inches thick, the lower bed being frozen mud; yet this small quantity of soil, though very swampy, nourished grasses, several of the arctic plants, and some few willows, that were about three inches high. Several boulder stones were scattered on its beach, and also in the channel that separates it from the main shore.
Monday, 7th.An easterly wind gave place to a calm on the morning of the 7th: and as this change, though it produced no effect in loosening the ice to the north, caused more water to flow into the channel between the island and the main, we succeeded with little difficulty in crossing the flats that had before impeded us. Beyond this bar the water gradually deepened to three fathoms; and a favourable breeze springing up, we set the sail, and steered for the outer point of land in sight. We continued in smooth water until we reached Point Thompson, when, having lost the shelter of the ice which was aground on a tongue of gravel projecting from Flaxman Island, we became exposed to an unpleasant swell.
The Lion was very leaky, in consequence of the blows she had received from the ice; but as we could keep her free by baling, we did not lose the favourable moment by stopping to repair her. Our course was continued past Point Bullen, until we came to an island lying three miles from the shore, which proved to be connected with the main land by a reef. Dazzled by the glare of the sun in our eyes, the surf, which was breaking on this reef, was mistaken for a ripple of the tide; and although the sails were lowered, as a measure of precaution, we were so near before the mistake was discovered, that the strength of the wind drove the Lion aground, by which accident she took in much water. The exertions of the crew soon got her afloat, and both boats were pulled to windward of the island. The sails were then set, but as the wind had by this time increased to a strong gale, they were close reefed. We stood along the coast, looking for a favourable landing place, that we might obtain shelter from an approaching storm which the appearance of the sky indicated, and to repair the damage which the Lion had sustained. At length, some posts that had been erected by the Esquimaux on a point, denoted an approachable part of the coast, and we effected a landing after lightening the boats, by carrying part of the cargo two hundred yards through the water. The main shore to the westward of Flaxman Island is so low that it is not visible at the distance of three miles, with the exception of three small hummocks, which look like islands.
The carpenter had finished the repairs of the boat by midnight, and we were prepared to go forward, but were prevented from moving by a very thick fog, which continued throughout the night, and till Tuesday, 8th.eleven on the morning of the 8th. The storm continued violent throughout the day, but the fog cleared away for the space of two hours, and enabled us to perceive that the ice, which in the preceding evening had been at a considerable distance from the land, was now tossing about, in large masses, close to the border of the shallow water. We were also enabled, during the interval of clear weather, to ascertain, by astronomical observations, the latitude 70° 16' 27" N.; longitude 147° 38' W.; and variation 43° 15' E.
The hunters were sent out in pursuit of some deer that were seen, and Augustus killed one. They ascertained, during the chase, that we were on an island, separated from the main shore by a channel, fordable at low water. At this encampment we remarked the first instance of regularity in the tide. It was low water at half past nine on the evening of the 7th, and high water at half past two the following morning; the rise being sixteen inches. An equally regular tide was observed on the 8th, but we could not ascertain the direction of the flood. Wednesday, 9th.After sunset the squalls became extremely violent; and until three in the afternoon of the 9th, the fog was so dense that every object more distant than forty yards, was hidden. After that period, a partial clearness of the atmosphere discovered to us the waves more high than the day before, and beating heavily against the weather beach of the island. We rejoiced, however, at seeing a large stream of ice to windward, supposing that its presence there would cause the swell to go down, and that we should be able to proceed as soon as the wind should fall. We employed ourselves in observing the dip with Meyer's and the common needles, as well as the magnetic force. The mean dip was 82° 26'. The temperature of the air this day varied from 38° to 45°. High water took place at fifteen minutes after three p.m., the rise being two feet. The water did not fall so low as yesterday, owing to the wind blowing more across the mouth of the bay.
Thursday, 10th.On the 10th, the continuance of the gale, and of the fog more opaque, if possible, than before, and more wet, were not only productive of irksome detention, but they prevented us from taking exercise; our walks being confined to a space between the marks which the Esquimaux had put up on two projecting points, whither we went at every glimpse of clearness, to examine into the state of the waves. We witnessed with regret, in these short rambles, the havoc which this dreary weather made amongst the flowers. Many that had been blooming on our arrival, were now lying prostrate and withered. These symptoms of decay could not fail painfully to remind us that the term of our operations was fast approaching; and often, at this time, did every one express a wish that we had some decked vessel, in which the provision could be secured from the injury of salt water, and the crew sheltered when they required rest, that we might quit this shallow coast, and steer at once towards Icy Cape. We designated this dreary place by the name of Foggy Island. As an instance of the illusion occasioned by the fog, I may mention that our hunters sallied forth, on more than one occasion, to fire at what they supposed to be deer, on the bank about one hundred yards from the tents, which, to their surprise, took wing, and proved to be cranes and geese.
Friday, 11th.The wind changed from east to west in the course of the night, and at eight in the morning of the 11th, the fog dispersed sufficiently to allow of our seeing a point bearing N.W. by W., about three miles and a half distant which we supposed to be an island. We, therefore, hastened to embark; but before the boats could be dragged so far from the shore that they would float, the fog returned. The wind, however, being light, we resolved to proceed, and steer by compass, to the land that had been seen. Soon after quitting the beach we met with shoals, which forced us to alter the course more to the north; and having made the distance at which we estimated the point to be, and being ignorant which way the coast trended beyond it, we rested for some time upon the oars, in the hope that the fog would clear away, even for a short time, to enable us to shape our course anew; but in vain; all our movements in the bay being impeded by the flats that surrounded us, we were compelled to return to Foggy Island. Scarcely had the men made a fire to dry their clothes, which were thoroughly wet from wading over the flats, than the fog again dispersing, we pushed off once more. On this occasion we arrived abreast of the point whilst the weather continued clear, but found a reef, over which the waves washed, stretching to the north-west, beyond the extent of our view. Just as we began to proceed along the reef, the recurrence of the fog rendered it necessary for us to seek for shelter on the shore; and as we were heartily tired of our late encampment, we endeavoured to find another, but the shoals prevented our reaching any landing-place. We, therefore, retraced our course, though with much reluctance, to Foggy Island, which the men declared to be an enchanted island. Though our wanderings this day did not exceed seven miles, the crews were employed upwards of two hours in dragging the boats through the mud, when the temperature of the water was at 40°, and that of the air 41°. They endured this fatigue with the greatest cheerfulness, though it was evident they suffered very much from the cold; and in the evening we witnessed the ill effects of this kind of labour by finding their legs much swelled and inflamed. The fear of their becoming ill from a frequent repetition of such operations made me resolve not to attempt the passage of these flats again till the weather should be so clear that we might ascertain their extent, and see in what way they might be passed with less risk. Fog is, of all others, the most hazardous state of the atmosphere for navigation in an icy sea, especially when it is accompanied by strong breezes, but particularly so for boats where the shore is unapproachable. If caught by a gale, a heavy swell, or drifting ice, the result must be their wreck, or the throwing the provisions overboard to lighten them, so as to proceed into shoal water. Many large pieces of ice were seen on the borders of the shallow water; and from the lowness of the temperature, we concluded that the main body was at no great distance. We had also passed through a stream of perfectly fresh water, which we supposed was poured out from a large river in the intermediate vicinity, but the fog prevented our seeing its outlet. Saturday, 12th.The atmosphere was equally foggy throughout the night, and all the 12th, although the wind had changed to the east, and blew a strong breeze. Winds from this quarter had been extremely prevalent since the preceding April: but on our former visit to the Polar Sea, they had been of rare occurrence, and confined to the spring months, which we passed at Fort Enterprize. The obstinate continuance of fog forms another material difference between this season and the same period of 1821. We were only detained three times in navigating along the coast that year to the east of the Coppermine River; but on this voyage hardly a day passed after our departure from the Mackenzie that the atmosphere was not, at some time, so foggy as to hide every object more distant than four or five miles. The day that I visited Mount Conybeare, and that spent on Flaxman Island, form the only exceptions to this remark. A question, therefore, suggests itself:—Whence arises this difference? which, I presume, can be best answered by reference to the greater accumulation of ice on this coast, and to the low and very swampy nature of the land. There is a constant exhalation of moisture from the ice and swamps during the summer months, which is, perhaps, prevented from being carried off by the vicinity of the Rocky Mountains, and, therefore, becomes condensed into a fog. The coast to the eastward of the Coppermine River is high and dry, and far less encumbered with ice.
Some deer appearing near the encampment, a party was despatched in pursuit of them; but having been previously fired at by Augustus, they proved too wary. The exertions of the men were, however, rewarded by the capture of some geese and ducks. The whole of the vegetation had now assumed the autumnal tint.
There was not the least abatement in the wind, or change in the murky atmosphere, Sunday, 13th.throughout the 13th. The party assembled at divine service, and afterwards amused themselves as they could in their tents, which were now so saturated with wet as to be very comfortless abodes; and in order to keep ourselves tolerably warm we were obliged to cover the feet with blankets; our protracted stay having caused such a great expenditure of the drift-wood, that we found it necessary to be frugal in its use, and only to light the fire when we wanted to cook the meals. The nights, too, we regretted to find, were lengthening very fast; so that from ten p.m. to two a.m., there was too little light for proceeding in any unknown tract.
Monday, 14th.The wind this day was moderate, but the fog was more dense, and very wet. Tired, however, of the confinement of the tent, most of the party wandered out in search of amusement, though we could not see one hundred yards; and some partridges, ducks, and geese, were shot.
Tuesday, 15th.The fog was dispersed at seven in the morning of the 15th, by a north-east gale, which created too great a surf on the beach for us to launch the boats, and the fog returned in the evening. The temperature fell to 35 degrees, and in the course of the night ice was formed on the small pools near the encampment. Augustus set off in the afternoon to cross over to the main shore for the purpose of hunting, and to see whether there were any traces of the western Esquimaux, but he found none, and only saw three rein-deer.
Wednesday, 16th.The weather again became clear, after the sun rose, on the 16th, and we embarked as soon as the flowing of the tide enabled us to launch the boats, all in the highest spirits at the prospect of escaping from this detestable island. We took advantage of the fair wind, set the sails, and steered to the westward parallel to the coast. We had never more than from three to six feet water, for the first seven miles, until we had passed round the reef that projects from the point we had so often attempted to reach, and which was named Point Anxiety.
Between Point Anxiety and Point Chandos, which is eight miles further to the westward, the land was occasionally seen; but after rounding the latter point we lost sight of it, and steered to the westward across the mouth of Yarborough Inlet, the soundings varying from five feet to five fathoms. The fog returned, and the wind freshening, soon created such a swell upon the flats, that it became necessary to haul further from the land; but the drift ice beginning to close around us, we could no longer proceed with safety, and, therefore, endeavoured to find a landing-place. An attempt was made at Point Herald, and another on the western point of Prudhoe bay, but both were frustrated by the shoalness of the water, and the height of the surf. The increasing violence of the gale, however, and density of the fog, rendering it absolutely necessary for us to obtain some shelter, we stood out to seaward, with the view of making fast to a large piece of ice. In our way we fell among gravelly reefs, and arriving at the same time suddenly in smooth water, we effected a landing on one of them. A temporary dispersion of the fog showed that we were surrounded with banks nearly on a level with the water, and protected to seaward by a large body of ice lying aground. The patch of gravel on which we were encamped, was about five hundred yards in circumference, destitute of water, and with no more drift wood than a few willow branches, sufficient to make one fire.
CHAPTER V.
Commence Return to the Mackenzie—Delayed again at Foggy Island—Ice packed on the Reefs near Beaufort Bay, and on the Coast about Clarence River—Pass the Channels near Herschel Island in a Gale and Fog—A sudden Gale—Escape an Attack which the Mountain Indians meditated—Enter the Mackenzie—Peel River—Arrival at Fort Franklin.
Wednesday, 16th.The period had now arrived when it was incumbent on me to consider, whether the prospect of our attaining the object of the voyage was sufficiently encouraging to warrant the exposure of the party to daily increasing risk, by continuing on. We were now only half way from the Mackenzie River to Icy Cape; and the chance of reaching the latter, depended on the nature of the coast that was yet unexplored, and the portion of the summer which yet remained for our operations.
I knew, from the descriptions of Cook and Burney, that the shore about Icy Cape resembled that we had already passed, in being flat, and difficult of approach; while the general trending of the coast from the Mackenzie to the west-north-west, nearly in the direction of Icy Cape, combined with the information we had collected from the Esquimaux, led me to conclude that no material change would be found in the intermediate portion.
The preceding narrative shows the difficulties of navigating such a coast, even during the finest part of the summer; if, indeed, any portion of a season which had been marked by a constant succession of fogs and gales could be called fine. No opportunity of advancing had been let slip, after the time of our arrival in the Arctic Sea; and the unwearied zeal and exertion of the crews had been required, for an entire month, to explore the ten degrees of longitude between Herschel Island and our present situation, I had, therefore, no reason to suppose that the ten remaining degrees could be navigated in much less time. The ice, it is true, was more broken up, and the sea around our present encampment was clear; but we had lately seen how readily the drift ice was packed upon the shoals by every breeze of wind blowing towards the land. The summer, bad as it had been, was now nearly at an end, and on this point I had the experience of the former voyage for a guide. At Point Turn-again, two degrees to the south of our present situation, the comparatively warm summer of 1821 was terminated on the 17th of August, by severe storms of wind and snow; and in the space of a fortnight afterwards, winter set in with all its severity. Last year, too, on the 18th and following days of the same month, we had a heavy gale at the mouth of the Mackenzie; and appearances did not indicate that the present season would prove more favourable. The mean temperature of the atmosphere had decreased rapidly since the sun had begun to sink below the horizon, and the thermometer had not lately shown a higher temperature than 37°. Ice, of considerable thickness, formed in the night, and the number of the flocks of geese which were hourly seen pursuing their course to the westward, showed that their autumnal flight had commenced.
While a hope remained of reaching Behring Straits, I looked upon the hazard to which we had, on several occasions, been exposed, of shipwreck on the flats, or on the ice, as inseparable from a voyage of the nature of that which we had undertaken; and if such an accident had occurred, I should have hoped, with a sufficient portion of the summer before me, to conduct my party in safety back to the Mackenzie. But the loss of the boats when we should have been far advanced, and at the end of the season, would have been fatal. The deer hasten from the coast as soon as the snow falls; no Esquimaux had been lately seen, nor any winter-houses, to denote that this part of the coast was much frequented; and if we did meet them under adverse circumstances, we could not, with safety, trust to their assistance for a supply of provision; nor do I believe that, if willing, even they would have been able to support our party for any length of time.
Till our tedious detention at Foggy Island, we had had no doubt of ultimate success; and it was with no ordinary pain that I could now bring myself even to think of relinquishing the great object of my ambition, and of disappointing the flattering confidence that had been reposed in my exertions. But I had higher duties to perform than the gratification of my own feelings; and a mature consideration of all the above matters forced me to the conclusion, that we had reached that point beyond which perseverance would be rashness, and our best efforts must be fruitless. In order to put the reader completely in possession of the motives which would have influenced me, had I been entirely a free agent, I have mentioned them without allusion to the clause in my instructions which directed me to commence my return on the 15th or 20th of August, "if, in consequence of slow progress, or other unforeseen accident, it should remain doubtful whether we should be able to reach Kotzebue's Inlet the same season."
In the evening I communicated my determination to the whole party; they received it with the good feeling that had marked their conduct throughout the voyage, and they assured me of their cheerful acquiescence in any order I should give. The readiness with which they would have prosecuted the voyage, had it been advisable to do so, was the more creditable, because many of them had their legs swelled and inflamed from continually wading in ice-cold water while launching the boats, not only when we accidentally ran on shore, but every time that it was requisite to embark, or to land upon this shallow coast. Nor were these symptoms to be overlooked in coming to a determination; for though no one who knows the resolute disposition of British sailors can be surprised at their more than readiness to proceed, I felt that it was my business to judge of their capability of so doing, and not to allow myself to be seduced by their ardour, however honourable to them, and cheering to me.
Compelled as I was to come to the determination of returning, it is a great satisfaction to me to know, as I now do, that the reasons which induced me to take this step were well-founded. This will appear by the following extract from Captain Beechey's official account of his proceedings in advancing eastward from Icy Cape, with which I have been favoured.
"Mr. Elson, (the master,) after quitting the ship off Icy Cape, on the 18th August, had proceeded along the coast without interruption, until the 22nd of the month, when he arrived off a very low sandy spit, beyond which, to the eastward, the coast formed a bay, with a more easterly trending than that on the west side; but it was so low that it could not be traced far, and became blended with the ice before it reached the horizon. It was found impossible to proceed round the spit, in consequence of the ice being grounded upon it, and extending to the horizon in every direction, except that by which the boat had advanced, and was so compact that no openings were seen in any part of it. This point, which is the most northern part of the continent yet known, lies in latitude, by meridian altitude of the sun, 71° 23' 39" N.; and longitude, by several sets of lunar distances, both observed on an iceberg, 156° 21' W.; and is situated one hundred and twenty miles beyond Icy Cape. Between these two stations, and, indeed, to the southward of the latter, the coast is very flat, abounding in lakes and rivers, which are too shallow to be entered by anything but a baidar. The greater part of the coast is thickly inhabited by Esquimaux, who have their winter-habitations close to the beach.
"The barge had not been off this point sufficiently long to complete the necessary observations, when the same westerly wind, which had induced me to proceed round Cape Lisburn, brought the ice down upon the coast, and left the boat no retreat. It at the same time occasioned a current along shore to the northward, at the rate of three and four miles per hour. The body of ice took the ground in six and seven fathoms water, but pieces of a lighter draft filled up the space between it and the shore, and, hurried along by the impetuosity of the current, drove the barge ashore, but fortunately without staving her. By the exertions of her officers and crew she was extricated from this perilous situation, and attempts were made to track her along the land wherever openings occurred, in execution of which the greatest fatigue was endured by all her crew. At length all efforts proving ineffectual, and the spaces between the ice and the shore becoming frozen over, it was proposed to abandon the boat, and the crew to make their way along the coast to Kotzebue Sound, before the season should be too far advanced. Preparations were accordingly made; and that the boat might not be irrevocably lost to the ship, it was determined to get her into one of the lakes, and there sink her, that the natives might not break her up, and from which she might be extricated the following summer, should the ship return. During this period of their difficulties they received much assistance from the natives, who, for a little tobacco, put their hands to the tow-rope. Their conduct had, in the first instance, been suspicious; but in the time of their greatest distress, they were well disposed, bringing venison, seal's flesh, oil, &c., and offered up a prayer that the wind would blow off the shore, and liberate the boat from her critical situation. Before the necessary arrangements were made respecting the barge, appearances took a more favourable turn; the ice began to move off shore, and after much tracking, &c., the boat was got clear, and made the best of her way toward the sound; but off Cape Lisburn she met with a gale of wind, which blew in eddies so violently, that it is said the spray was carried up to the tops of the mountains; and the boat, during this trial, behaved so well, that not a moment's anxiety for her safety was entertained. I must not close the account without expressing my warm approbation of the conduct of Mr. Elson."
The barge rejoined Captain Beechey on the 10th September, at Chamisso Island, the Blossom having gone thither to wood and water, and being further forced to quit the coast to the northward, in consequence of strong westerly winds.
Could I have known, or by possibility imagined, that a party from the Blossom had been at the distance of only one hundred and sixty miles from me, no difficulties, dangers, or discouraging circumstances, should have prevailed on me to return; but taking into account the uncertainty of all voyages in a sea obstructed by ice, I had no right to expect that the Blossom had advanced beyond Kotzebue Inlet, or that any party from her had doubled Icy Cape. It is useless now to speculate on the probable result of a proceeding which did not take place; but I may observe, that, had we gone forward as soon as the weather permitted, namely, on the 18th, it is scarcely possible that any change of circumstances could have enabled us to overtake the Blossom's barge.[3]
Thursday, 17th.The wind changed to N.E. after midnight, the squalls were more violent, and in the morning of the 17th such a surf was beating on the borders of the reef, that the boats could not be launched. The fog disappeared before the gale about eleven, and during the afternoon we enjoyed the clearest atmosphere that we had witnessed since our departure from Mount Conybeare. This was the first opportunity there had been, for the seven preceding days, of making astronomical observations, and we gladly took advantage of it, to observe the latitude, 70° 26' N.; longitude 148° 52' W.; and variation 41° 20' E. We had likewise the gratification of being able to trace the land round Gwydyr Bay, to its outer point, bearing S. 79 W. ten miles, which I have named after my excellent companion Lieutenant Back, and of seeing a still more westerly hummock, bearing S. 84 W., about fifteen miles, that has been distinguished by the name of my friend Captain Beechey; at which point, in latitude 70° 24' N., longitude 149° 37' W., our discoveries terminated. The fog returned at sunset, and as the wind was piercingly cold, and we had neither fire nor room for exercise, we crept between the blankets, as the only means of keeping ourselves warm.
Friday, 18th.The gale having considerably abated, and the weather being clear, we quitted Return Reef on the morning of the 18th, and began to retrace our way towards the Mackenzie. As the waves were still very high to seaward, we attempted to proceed inside of the reefs, but as the boats were constantly taking the ground, we availed ourselves of the first channel that was sufficiently deep to pull on the outside of them. The swell being too great there for the use of the oars, the sails were set double reefed, and the boats beat to the eastward against the wind, between the drift ice and the shallow water.
A gale rose after noon from N.E. by N., which enabled us to shape a course for Foggy Island, where we arrived at three p.m., just at a time when the violence of the squalls, and the increased height of the swell, would have rendered further proceeding very hazardous. We now enjoyed the comforts of a good fire and a warm meal, which we had not had since the evening of the 16th. The men were afterwards employed in erecting a square pile of drift timber, on the highest part of the island fronting the sea, on which a red cornet flag was left flying, and underneath it was deposited, in a tin case, a letter for Captain Parry, containing an account of our proceedings; also a silver medal and a halfpenny: and in order that government might have some chance of hearing of our proceedings, should any accident subsequently befal the party, there was also deposited an unsealed letter, wrapped in bark, addressed to the Russian Fur Traders, in the expectation that the Esquimaux might probably convey it to their Establishment. An ice-chisel, a knife, a file, and a hatchet, were hung up on the pile, for the Esquimaux. On digging to erect these posts, the ground was found frozen at the depth of sixteen inches; and the thermometer, during the day, seldom rose above 37°. This evening the temperature was 33°. Saturday, 19th.We were vexatiously detained the 19th, and following day, by the continuance of the gale, and a thick fog; during which time many large flocks of geese were observed passing away to the westward. The tides were now much higher than during our first visit.
Monday, 21st.The breeze was moderate on the morning of the 21st, yet we were prevented from embarking until ten o'clock, by the return of the fog. We then hastened to escape from this ill-omened island. The boats were pulled to seaward, so as to gain a sufficient offing for them to pass on the outside of the shallow water; and by the aid of the oars and sails we made good progress, and encamped within sight of Flaxman Island. A black whale, a seal of the largest kind, and numerous flocks of geese were seen in the course of this day. Several stars were visible after ten p.m. Tuesday, 22nd.Showers of snow fell during the night, but the morning of the 22nd was calm and clear. We embarked at daylight, and in the course of three hours arrived abreast of the east end of Flaxman Island. The ice had broken from the northern shore during our absence, and was now lying about a mile from the land, apparently aground on reefs, as we had observed it to be along the outer border of the one at the west end of the island. The water was much deeper between Flaxman Island and the main than when we passed in the early part of August. Eastward of Point Brownlow there was an open channel of three or four miles wide. And by keeping close to the borders of the drift ice we avoided the shallows at the mouth of the Canning River, and arrived at Boulder Island about noon. Here we found an Esquimaux grave, containing three bodies, covered with drift timber, and by their side there were placed the canoes, arrows, and fishing implements of the deceased. Not being able to procure fresh water here, we set forward to cross Camden Bay, touched at one of the points to fill the water-casks, and reached Barter Island after dark; the crews much fatigued, having been pulling for nineteen hours. We regretted to find the Esquimaux had visited this spot during our absence, and carried away the gun and ammunition which had been left by mistake at the encampment on the 4th of August, because we were not only apprehensive that some accident might have occurred in the attempt to discharge the gun, but were desirous to prevent the introduction of fire-arms among these people. Wednesday, 23rd.Being now near the point of the coast at which we had seen a considerable number of the natives, we remained at the encampment until ten o'clock on the morning of the 23d, to clean the guns and issue a fresh supply of ammunition to the party. The day was calm and cloudless; the whole range of the Romanzoff Mountains was in sight, and they appeared to be more covered with snow than when we passed to the westward. A few musquitoes made their appearance, but they were very feeble. Having landed at Point Manning to replenish the water-casks, we afterwards pulled throughout the day close to the edge of the ice, which was still heavy, though loose, and encamped near Point Griffin. Some large-sized medusæ, and several of the gelatinous substances known to seamen by the name of blubber, were found on the beach, which accounted for the number of black ducks that had been seen in the course of the day, as they feed on those substances. The temperature varied this day from 35 degrees to 46 degrees; and the thermometer rose to 64 degrees at two p.m., when exposed to the sun's rays.
Thursday, 24th.The morning of the 24th was calm; we set forward at daylight, and having proceeded a few miles between heavy floating ice, about half a mile from the shore we met with a large sheet of bay ice of last night's formation, of sufficient thickness to impede though not to stop the boats. Having arrived abreast of Point Humphrys, we steered out to seaward, for the purpose of avoiding the shallows that extend across Beaufort Bay, intending to direct our course in a line for Mount Conybeare, which was in sight. We were then exposed to a long rolling swell, and we soon afterwards perceived that it had driven the ice upon the reefs at the eastern extremity of the bay, which would have precluded our retreat to the shore in the event of the wind rising. It therefore became necessary to penetrate into the pack, and keep by the side of the reefs; but in doing so, the boats were exposed to no little danger of being broken in passing through the narrow channels between the masses of ice which were tossing with the swell, and from which large pieces frequently fell. At six p.m. we passed our former encampment on Icy Reef, and afterwards proceeded through an open space to Demarcation Point, where we encamped, and hauled up the boats to prevent them from being injured by the surf. We found here two families of Esquimaux, which belonged to the party that had been to Barter Island, waiting the return of a man from hunting, in order to follow their companions to the eastward. They showed much joy at seeing us again, and remained the greater part of the night talking with Augustus. The most active young man of the party, not thinking himself sufficiently smart for the occasion, retired to the oomiak to change his dress and mouth ornaments, capering about on his return, evidently proud of his gayer appearance.
Friday, 25th.The morning was foggy, but there being little wind, we launched the boats, and pulled for an hour close to the shore, when we came to a body of ice so closely packed as scarcely to afford a passage, and it was with difficulty that we arrived at Clarence River. There we perceived four tents; near which we had been warned by our visitors last night not to land, as the party had recently lost their parents, and it was feared that, in the state of mind in which they then were, they might be disposed to do us some injury. We pulled near enough to inquire about the gun, and learned that the person who had it was farther to the eastward. The difficulties of forcing a passage were not diminished beyond this place, and we were further impeded in our advance by new ice formed between the larger masses, which required additional labour to break through. The fog cleared away at ten; we halted to breakfast at Backhouse River, and remained whilst Augustus went in pursuit of two rein-deer, one of which he killed.
Renewing our course, we passed on the outside of the ice until we were nearly abreast of Mount Conybeare, when the wind came strong from the eastward, and obliged us to have recourse again to its shelter. This barrier, however, terminated at the end of five miles, and being then exposed to the wind and swell, against which the men were unable to pull, we encamped.
The experience we had now gained of the ice being packed upon this shore by a wind from the sea, assured us of the correctness of the report which the Esquimaux had given, and likewise afforded a reason for their expression of surprise at our being unprovided with sledges, as it was evident, unless a strong wind blew from the land, that the new ice would soon unite the pack with the shore, and preclude the possibility of making the passage in boats, unless by going outside of the ice, which would be extremely hazardous, from the want of shelter in the event of a gale springing up. The pieces of ice were generally from ten to fifteen feet in height, many of them were from twenty to thirty feet: their length was from twenty to one hundred yards. We saw several white whales in the open water, and a flock of white geese at the encampment, which were the first noticed on this coast. The rising of the wind from E.N.E. this afternoon was accompanied by an increase of temperature from 43° to 53°, and we felt a comfortable sensation of warmth, to which we had been strangers for the preceding month.
Saturday, 26th.We took advantage of a favourable breeze to embark before daylight on the morning of the 26th; at sunrise it increased to a gale, and raised a heavy sea. In two hours we ran to the commencement of the intricate channels leading to Herschel Island, where the Esquimaux seen at Barter Island were encamped on a reef, and apparently gazing in astonishment at the speed of our boats. They made many signs for us to land, which we were desirous of doing had it been practicable for the surf. That the boats might be perfectly manageable, we took two reefs in the sails, and shaped the course for Herschel Island; but scarcely were the sails reset before a fog came on that hid every mark that could guide us; a heavy swell was rolling at the time, and to arrive at the island we had to pass through a channel only about two hundred yards broad. To find this, surrounded as it was by shoals, in the midst of a dense fog, was a task of considerable anxiety and danger, and our situation was not rendered more agreeable by being assailed the whole way with continued shouting from persons to us invisible; our arrival having been communicated by the Esquimaux who first descried us, to their companions on the neighbouring reefs. We effected it, however, and landed in safety, though we did not discover the island till we were within forty yards of its shore. We had scarcely landed before the fog dispersed, and discovered to us a solitary tent on an adjacent point. Three men soon paid us a visit, whom we had not seen before, and they informed us that nearly the whole of the tribe was now collected in the vicinity for the purpose of hunting deer, and catching whales and seals for the winter's consumption. We quitted the island at ten a.m., and steered directly for Point Kay, to avoid the sinuosities of the coast, and the frequent interruption of the Esquimaux, whose tents were observed to be scattered on the beach nearly the whole way to Babbage River. Three men and some women came off to bring us fish, and being liberally rewarded, they went away perfectly happy, singing the praises of the white people. We passed round Point Kay at four p.m., with a moderate breeze from W.N.W., and steered for Point King, keeping about two miles from the land. As the afternoon wore away, gloomy clouds gathered in the north-west; and at six a violent squall came from that quarter, attended with snow and sleet. The gale increased with rapidity: in less than ten minutes the sea was white with foam, and such waves were raised as I had never before been exposed to in a boat. The spray and sea broke over us incessantly, and it was with difficulty that we could keep free by baling. Our little vessels went through the water with great velocity under a close-reefed sail, hoisted about three feet up the main-mast, and proved themselves to be very buoyant. Their small size, however, and the nature of their construction, necessarily adapted for the navigation of shallow rivers, unfitting them for withstanding the sea then running, we were in imminent danger of foundering. I therefore resolved on making for the shore, as the only means of saving the party, although I was aware that, in so doing, I incurred the hazard of staving the boats, there being few places on this part of the coast where there was sufficient beach under the broken cliffs. The wind blowing along the land we could not venture on exposing the boat's side to the sea by hauling directly in, but, edging away with the wind on the quarter, we most providentially took the ground in a favourable spot. The boats were instantly filled with the surf, but they were unloaded and dragged up without having sustained any material damage. Impressed with a sense of gratitude for the signal deliverance we had experienced on this and other occasions, we assembled in the evening to offer up praise and thanksgiving to the Almighty.
Sunday, 27th.On the 27th the weather was calm; but as a heavy surf prevented our embarkation, we took advantage of the delay to dry our bedding, clothes, and pemmican. The guns were likewise cleaned, and every thing put in order. There was an Esquimaux party at this spot, which had witnessed the landing of the boats in the storm with astonishment, having expected to see every man drowned. Augustus passed the night at their tents; and having brought the whole party to our encampment, the women, with much good nature, sewed soles of seal-skins to the men's mocassins, in order to fit them better for the operation of tracking, in which they were soon to be employed. These Esquimaux had recently returned from a visit to the gang that had pillaged the boats at the mouth of the Mackenzie; and we now learned the intention that had been entertained of destroying our party, along with the other particulars that have been already mentioned.
Monday, 28th.Our approach to the Mackenzie was marked by the quantity of drift timber floating about. We passed several families of the natives, without visiting them, until we perceived one party taking some fish from their nets, which tempted us to land. The fish were large tittameg and inconnû, and proved remarkably fine. We again embarked, but having to pull head to the sea, we took in much water, and were glad to seek shelter on a gravel reef, where three Esquimaux tents were pitched. The whole party quickly mustered around us, and we were not a little surprised to find so many inhabitants as twenty-seven, including women and children, in three tents only; but on inquiry we found that the number was not greater than usual. Two of the men were very aged and feeble, the rest were young and active. They practise jumping, as an amusement, from their youth; and we had an opportunity of witnessing some of their feats, which displayed much agility. The women cheerfully repaired our mocassins, and their industry, as well as the good conduct of the men, were rewarded by some valuable presents. We were astonished to learn that there had been fog only a day and a half in this neighbourhood since we passed, but the wind had been generally strong. Augustus gained some information respecting the western Esquimaux, and the coast to the westward, which he did not communicate to me until some days afterwards, otherwise I should have endeavoured to elicit more satisfactory details. It was to the following purport:—The western Esquimaux having purchased the furs from those men that dwell near the Mackenzie, at Barter Island, proceed to the westward again without delay. A few days journey beyond a part of the coast which Augustus understood from description to be Return Reef, the sea is still more shallow than that which we had navigated, and the water is still, except at certain periods of the year, when it is agitated like a strong rapid, by the efflux of the waters of a deep inlet, or strait. The land is visible on both sides from the middle of this opening; the Esquimaux make for the west side, and on reaching it relinquish their canoes, and drag their furs overland to the Russian establishments, which are situated in the interior, where the land is more elevated than on the coast. The Mountain Indians come down annually in large parties to this inlet, and warm contests often arise between them and the Esquimaux. The latter are frequently worsted, from their inferior numbers, and lose their property, which the Indians bring by land to the neighbourhood of Herschel Island, to dispose of to the Esquimaux in that quarter. The direction of the inlet was supposed, by Augustus, to be about south-west. I am inclined to think that it is the estuary of a large river, flowing to the west of the Rocky Mountains, obstructed by sand-banks, like the mouth of the Mackenzie. In the course of the day three Esquimaux, who had seen our tent from a distance, came to visit us. One of them was recognised to have been of the party which attacked us at the mouth of the Mackenzie. He gave Augustus a detailed account of their schemes on that occasion, which exactly corresponded with that we had received on the preceding day. He further told us that the party which had assailed us had certainly removed to the eastward; but if any of them should have remained, to watch our motions, they could be avoided by entering the river by a more westerly branch than the one which we had descended, and offered to guide us thither. This man was very intelligent, and having carefully examined the boats, intimated that he would construct an oomiak after the same plan. We embarked at four in the evening with our new friend for a guide, and in a short time arrived at the main shore where his tent stood, and where he asked the party to encamp, as he intended to go no farther. We were not, however, so disposed; and having filled the casks with fresh water, and made some presents to the women, we pushed off to take advantage of the remaining daylight in getting round a reef which projected far seaward. We could not effect this, and at sunset, not being able to land on the reef on account of the shallowness of the water, we put back to within a mile and a half of the Esquimaux tents. Garry Island was seen soon after sunset; and the aurora borealis appeared in the night for the first time this season. The temperature of the air varied from 30° to 49°, and that of the sea water was 37° 2', a quarter of a mile from the shore. Tuesday, 29th.A gale coming on in the night, and continuing till the following evening, detained us on shore. During our stay we were visited by a numerous party of Esquimaux, and found it necessary to draw a line round the tents, which they were not permitted to pass. These people told us that Dr. Richardson's party had been seen clear of the Mackenzie, and had given kettles to men in three canoes, after escaping an attempt made by the Esquimaux to drag the boats on shore. This account, showing that the propensity to plunder was not confined to the Esquimaux with whom we had met, excited painful apprehensions for the safety of the eastern party, if they should find it necessary to return by the Mackenzie, because we now learned that the natives collect in numbers near its mouth at the close of summer. In ordinary seasons the weather is mild, and the winds variable until the ice breaks up, which is usually about the end of August, when north-west winds, and stormy weather, are expected. In this season, however, the winds had been so boisterous that the Esquimaux had seldom been able to venture out to sea, and their whale fishery had consequently failed. Our visitors left us about two p.m.; but, shortly afterwards, we heard loud cries, and on looking round saw two young Esquimaux running in breathless haste to announce that a large party of Indians had come down from the mountains with the express purpose of attacking the boats and killing every man of the party. They desired us to embark instantly, as the only means of escape; for the Indians, they said, were already at the tents within our view, and when they left them they were on the point of spreading round us to commence the onset. They further said, that the Indians, having been provoked by our trading with the Esquimaux, had been along the coast in search of us, and that it was only this afternoon they had espied our tents, which, by the fluttering in the wind, they knew did not belong to the Esquimaux. On this discovery they had come to the nearest party of Esquimaux to make known their intention, and to request their aid. They were met by our two young friends, who were out hunting, but who returned with them to their tents, and after learning the plans in agitation, had stolen off to apprize us of our danger. As soon as Spinks returned, who had gone to shoot, we shoved off; and never were men more delighted than our two Esquimaux friends seemed to be at our escape; and especially at that of Augustus, to save whom, they asserted more than once, was their principal motive in coming to us. While Spinks was out of sight, they climbed up to the top of an old house to look for him, with the greatest apparent solicitude, and were the first to discover him returning. Up to the time of his arrival they kept repeating every particular respecting the Indians, and pointing out the mode of avoiding them. It was their intention, they said, to pursue us to the Mackenzie, but that we should get there before them, because there were two rivers in the way which the Indians would have great difficulty in crossing, being unprovided with canoes. They urged us to make all speed, and not to halt in the night, nor to go to sleep; but, if the crew became tired, to put up on an island out of gun-shot of the main shore, because the Indians were armed with guns as well as bows. They instructed Augustus minutely as to the course we were to steer round the reef, and directed us to keep along the main shore until we should come to a large opening, which was the western outlet of the Mackenzie, and had a deep channel. We rewarded their friendly conduct by a considerable present of iron, which they received with an indifference that showed them not to have been actuated by interested motives in making the communications. Previous to the arrival of these men we had perceived the smoke of a distant fire, which we had little regarded, supposing it to have been made by some Esquimaux who were hunting, but which, it seems, was the fire of the Indians. Having pulled round the reef, and being aided by a westerly breeze, we soon regained the main shore, and passed the mouth of the two rivers of which the Esquimaux had spoken. The night beginning to close in we pulled up to the head of an inlet; when heavy rain and squalls coming on, we determined to halt. Wednesday, 30th.As soon as the day dawned, which was about half-past two in the morning, we returned to Shoal Water Bay; and, sailing along the coast for two or three miles to the eastward, arrived at another opening, in which the water was fresh, and we did not doubt but it would prove the deep channel by which we had been instructed to ascend. There was plenty of water near its mouth, but it gradually shoaled; and, at the distance of four miles, we ascertained that this promising opening was likewise an inlet. I now relinquished the search for a more westerly outlet than the one by which we had descended, and, therefore, steered for Pillage Point, which soon afterwards came in sight. After dragging the boats for two hours, over the shoals, we rounded Pillage Point at ten a.m., and reached the deep water most opportunely; for, almost at the instant, a violent north-west gale came on, attended by thunder, lightning, and torrents of rain. The wind, however, was fair, and brought so much water into the channel of the river, that we passed, without obstruction, the shallow parts above Pillage Point. A temporary cessation of the rain at noon enabled us to land to breakfast; and we afterwards continued to scud before the gale until sunset, when we encamped. The temperature fell from 48° to 40° in the gale, and we had several showers of snow.
During the above run Augustus entertained us with an account, which he had learned from the two Esquimaux, respecting the Mountain Indians; the substance was as follows:—Seven men of that tribe had been to Herschel Island to trade with the Esquimaux, who showed them the different articles they had received from us, and informed them of our being still on the coast, and that our return by this route was not improbable. This intelligence they set off at once to communicate to the rest of their tribe, who, supposing that we should ruin their trade with the Esquimaux, resolved on coming down in a body to destroy us; and that they might travel with expedition, their wives and families were left behind. They came to the sea coast by the Mountain Indian River, opposite Herschel Island, and finding that we had not returned, but supposing it possible that we might pass them there, as they had no canoes to intercept us, they determined on travelling to the mouth of the Mackenzie, where they could conveniently subsist by fishing and hunting until our arrival. They had been informed of the manner in which we had been robbed by the Esquimaux at that place, and they formed a similar plan of operations. When our crews were wading and launching the boats over the flats in Shoal Water Bay, a few of them were to have offered their assistance, which they imagined would be readily accepted, as we should probably take them for Indians belonging to the Loucheux tribe, with whom we were acquainted. While pretending to aid us they were to have watched an opportunity of staving the boats, so as to prevent them from floating in the deeper channel, which runs close to the land near Pillage Point. The rest of the party, on a signal being given, were then to rush forth from their concealment, and join in the assault. They were, in pursuance of this plan, travelling towards the Mackenzie, when they discovered our tents; and it appeared that the two young men who brought us the intelligence, had been sent as an act of gratitude by an old Esquimaux, to whom we had given a knife and some other things, on the preceding day. After hearing the plans of the Indians, he called the young men aside and said to them, "These white people have been kind to us, and they are few in number, why should we suffer them to be killed? You are active young men, run and tell them to depart instantly." The messengers suggested that we had guns, and could defend ourselves. "True," said he, "against a small force, but not against so large a body of Indians as this, who are likewise armed with guns, and who will crawl under cover of the drift timber, so as to surround them before they are aware; run, therefore, and tell them not to lose a moment in getting away, and to be careful to avoid the flats at the mouth of the river by entering the western channel."
As the goods which the Mountain Indians exchange with the Esquimaux at Herschel Island, are very unlike those issued from any of the Hudson's Bay Company's posts, I conclude that they obtain them from the Russians; but the traders of that nation being prohibited by their government from supplying guns to any Indians, I am at a loss to account for these people having them;—perhaps, the prohibition only applies to the Esquimaux, or the people on the sea coast. That the Mountain Indians have fire-arms we learned, not only on the present occasion, but in our first interview with the Esquimaux, at Herschel Island.
The few general remarks which I have to offer, on the subject of a North-West Passage, will appear in a subsequent part of the narrative; and here I shall only state, that we traced the coast, westward from the mouth of the Mackenzie, three hundred and seventy-four miles, without having found one harbour in which a ship could find shelter.
Thursday, 31st.On the 31st, we continued the ascent of the river, and encamped in the evening within the limit of the spruce fir trees.
September 1st.Favoured by a strong north-west gale, on the 1st of September, we sailed the whole day along the western main shore, and, generally, within view of the Rocky Mountains. One of the numerous bends of the river took us within eight miles of part of the mountains, which appeared to be composed of a yellow stone, and was from eight hundred to a thousand feet in height. In the course of the day we came to the most northerly poplars, where the foliage had now assumed the yellow autumnal hue. Saturday, 2nd.The gale continued with strong squalls on the 2nd, and we advanced rapidly under double-reefed sails, though the course of the river was very winding. The temperature of the air varied from 41° to 35°. On the third we had calm weather, and still keeping the western land aboard, we were led into a river which we had not discovered in our descent. The course of this river, was, for a time, parallel to our route, and we took it at first for one of the channels of the Mackenzie; but, in the afternoon, we saw a mountain to the eastward, and ascertained that we were to the Southward of Point Separation. We,Sunday, 3rd. therefore, began to descend the river again, and encamped shortly after sunset. Just after it became dark, voices were heard on the opposite side of the river, to which we replied, and soon afterwards, three Indians were observed crossing towards us in canoes. They approached cautiously, but on being invited to land, they did so, though one of them was so great a cripple as to require being carried from the canoe to the fire-side. The alarm these poor people had felt, was soon dissipated by kind treatment. They were armed with bows and arrows only, and clothed in hare skins and leather. Their trowsers were similar to those worn by the lower Loucheux, to which tribe they, probably, belonged. We could communicate with them only by signs, except by using a few words of Chipewyan, which one of them appeared to understand. We collected from them that they knew of Fort Good Hope, but none of them seemed to have visited it, as they had not a single article of European manufacture about their persons. They delineated on a stone the course of the Mackenzie, and of the river we had newly discovered, which appears to flow from the Rocky Mountains, and to break through the same ridge of hill that the Mackenzie does at the Narrows. It is probable, that it was to this river the Loucheux alluded, when they told Sir Alexander Mackenzie, opposite the present site of Fort Good Hope, that there was a river which conducted them to the sea in five days. I have distinguished this river by the name of Peel, in honour of His Majesty's Secretary of State for the Home Department. It is from a quarter to half a mile wide, and its banks are clothed with spruce, birch, and poplar trees, like those of the Mackenzie in the same parallel. Monday, 4th.We set forward at four a.m. on the 4th, with a strong favourable breeze, and in an hour, passed another river descending from the Rocky Mountains, and nearly as large as the Peel, into which it flows. We regained the Mackenzie at noon, and at five p.m. arrived at Point Separation, where we encamped. Here we found the boat, rope, and kettle, in the same state in which we had deposited them. The kettle was a great acquisition to us, because we had suffered much inconvenience in having only one for cooking, after the Esquimaux had robbed us of the others. The temperature varied during the day from 29° to 55°, and, in the evening, the sand flies were troublesome. Tuesday, 5th.We quitted our encampment at day light on the 5th, and crossed the river to look for a mark which Dr. Richardson was to have erected, if he returned by the Mackenzie; but not finding any, we deposited a letter and a bag of pemmican, in case he should come at a later period, and that his party should be in want of provision. In the vicinity of the Red River, we met Barbue, the Chief of the Loucheux, and two or three families, who seemed in a sorry condition from want of food, the water being too low for fishing. The chief appeared very anxious to communicate some intelligence, which he evidently considered important, but we could not understand him. We learned afterwards at the fort, that it related to the death of a chief by violence on the sea coast; this had given rise to a rumour of the death of myself, and afterwards of Dr. Richardson, which occasioned us, for a time, much anxiety. The weather, on this and several days, was remarkably fine; berries of various kinds were very abundant on the banks, and quite ripe. By the aid of the tracking line, with the occasional use of the oars and sails, we proceeded up the river at a quick rate, and reached Fort Good Hope, at half-past four on the 7th. Thursday, 7th.In consequence of the above-mentioned rumour, I requested Mr. Bell, the gentleman in charge of the fort, to despatch two of the Loucheux as quickly as possible to the eastern mouth of the river, in order to gain any information the Esquimaux could give regarding Dr. Richardson's party; and, that the messengers might not be delayed by hunting on the way, I left a bag of pemmican for their use. We were sorry to learn that there was some apprehension of a serious quarrel arising between the upper and lower Loucheux, in consequence of one of Barbue's sons having killed his wife, a woman of the latter tribe.
Friday, 8th.We quitted Fort Good Hope at noon on the 8th, arrived at the entrance of Bear Lake River on the 16th, and on the 21st reached Fort Franklin, where we had the happiness of meeting our friends in safety. Thursday, 21st.The eastern detachment had arrived on the 1st of September, after a most successful voyage; and Dr. Richardson being anxious to extend his geological researches, as far as the season would permit, had gone in a canoe to the Great Slave Lake, having previously sent a report of his proceedings, to meet me at Fort Good Hope, in case of our being obliged to return by the Mackenzie; but the bearer of them passed us without being seen. Having read Mr. Kendall's journal, I drew up a brief account of the proceedings of both parties for the information of His Majesty's Government, and transmitted it by canoe, to Slave Lake on the following morning.
The distance travelled in the three months of our absence from Fort Franklin, amounted to two thousand and forty-eight statute miles, of which six hundred and ten were through parts not previously discovered.
I cannot close this account of our sea voyage without expressing the deep obligation I feel to Lieutenant Back for his cordial co-operation, and for his zealous and unwearied assiduity during its progress. Beside the daily delineation of the coast in the field book, the service is indebted to him for numerous drawings of scenery, as well as of the natives; and for an interesting collection of plants. My warmest thanks are likewise due to the men of my party, who met every obstacle with an ardent desire to surmount it, and cheerfully exerted themselves to the utmost of their power. Their cool, steady conduct is the more commendable, as the sea navigation was entirely novel to the whole, except the seamen Duncan and Spinks, and Hallom, the corporal of Marines. The Canadian voyagers, Felix and Vivier, first saw the ocean on this occasion.
The following Chapters contain the narrative of the proceedings of Dr. Richardson in his own words; and I embrace this opportunity of conveying my sincere thanks to him, to Mr. Kendall, and to their respective crews. I may be allowed to bear my testimony to the union of caution, talent, and enterprise in the former, which enabled him to conduct, with singular success, an arduous service of a kind so foreign from his profession and ordinary pursuits; and to the science and skill, combined with activity, of Mr. (now Lieutenant) Kendall, which must heighten the character he has already obtained for general ability and energy in his profession. I must not omit to state, that these officers describe the conduct of their crews to have been excellent.
ABSTRACT of the Mean Temperature for each Day during the Voyage along the Sea Coast west of the Mackenzie, and on the return to Bear Lake.
| 1826. Date. | Daily Mean | Wind and Weather. | Situation. |
| July. | ° | ||
| 1 | 52.8 | NNW,WNW, moderate, gloomy | Fort Good Hope. |
| 2 | 58.3 | West, fresh, clear | Mackenzie River, betwn lat. 67° 28', & 60° 53' N.,longi- tude130½° & 136½° W. |
| 3 | 50.3 | WNW, fresh, clear | |
| 4 | 55.8 | West, SSW, N, light, gloomy | |
| 5 | 53.7 | SW, NE. moderate,gloomy, foggy | |
| 6 | 45.1 | NNW, ENE. fresh, moderate, rain | |
| 7 | 41.6 | SE, moderate,clear | |
| 8 | Not regist'd. Thermom. stolen by Esquimaux. | ENE, strong, fog andrain | Mouth of the Mackenzie. |
| 9 | Between the Mackenzie & Herschel Isld. lat. 68° 53' & 60° 34' N., long. 136° 19' &139°5' W. | ||
| 10 | |||
| 11 | |||
| 12 | 51.6 | EbyN. fresh, gloomy | |
| 13 | 53.3 | Variable, fog andrain | |
| 14 | 50.5 | Calm, rain, ENE, moderate, clear | |
| 15 | 48.6 | Calm, clear, NW,moderate, foggy | |
| 16 | 47.3 | SSE, moderate, snow, fog | |
| 17 | 44.8 | NW, North,moderate, hazy | Herschel Island. |
| 18 | 43.6 | NW, moderate, clear | Between IcyReef and Herschel Island, latitude 69° 34' & 69° 44' N., longitude 139° 5' and 141° 30' W. |
| 19 | 43.4 | NW, moderate, heavy rainand fog | |
| 20 | 39.3 | NW, fresh, fog | |
| 21 | 51.3 | East, SE, clear | |
| 22 | 58.5 | SE, light,clear | |
| 23 | 51.6 | West, calm, East, clear | |
| 24 | 45.6 | Calm, variable, clear | |
| 25 | 42.0 | West, light. calm, foggy | |
| 26 | 44.3 | Calm, NW, fog | |
| 27 | 41.4 | West, NW, moderate, fog | |
| 28 | 43.2 | ENE, light, gloomy | |
| 29 | 41.6 | ENE, strong, misty | |
| 30 | 40.3 | ENE, fresh, moderate,clear | |
| 31 | 42.7 | NE, moderate, clear, fresh and foggy | |
| Mean | 47.61 | ||
Aug. | |||
| 1 | 42.0 | NE,gale, foggy | Between Icy Reef & Flaxman's Island, lat. 69° 44' &70° 11' N., long. 141° 30' & 145° 50' W. |
| 2 | 44.6 | ENE,strong, moderate, clear | |
| 3 | 44.1 | ENE, moderate, clear | |
| 4 | 40.7 | East, moderate,clear | |
| 5 | 42.6 | Calm, WbyN, moderate | |
| 6 | 43.2 | Calm, ESE, light, clear | |
| 7 | 42.8 | ENE,fresh, clear | |
| 8 | 42.9 | ENE, strong, fog | Foggy Island, lat. 70° 16' N. longitude 147°30' W. |
| 9 | 41.6 | NE, strong, fog | |
| 10 | 39.5 | ENE, strong, fog | |
| 11 | 41.1 | NE, moderate, fog | |
| 12 | 41.1 | East, moderate, very foggy | |
| 13 | 41.6 | NE,strong, foggy | |
| 14 | 41.3 | ENE, NE, moderate, foggy | |
| 15 | 38.1 | NE, fresh, hazy |
ABSTRACT the Mean Temperature for each Day during the Voyage along the Sea Coast west of the Mackenzie, and on the return to Bear Lake.
| 1826. Date. | Daily Mean | Wind and Weather. | Situation. |
| Aug. | ° | ||
| 16 | 35.0 | ENE,fresh, foggy | Return Reef, lat. 70° 26' N. lg. 148° 52' W. |
| 17 | 37.4 | NE,gale, very foggy | |
| 18 | 36.2 | NE, strong, clear | |
| 19 | 36.4 | NE, strong, foggy | Foggy Island. |
| 20 | 36.4 | NE, fresh, foggy | |
| 21 | 35.7 | NNE, North, moderate, clear | Between Foggy Island & the Mouth of the Mackenzie, lat. 70° 16' and 68° 53' N. lon. 147° 38' and 136° 19' W. |
| 22 | 37.6 | North, NE, light, clear | |
| 23 | 41.0 | Calm, clear | |
| 24 | 39.4 | Calm, clear, foggy in the night | |
| 25 | 41.2 | Calm, fog, NE,light, ESE, strong | |
| 26 | 39.6 | WNW, NW, heavy gale, snow, sleet | |
| 27 | 39.8 | Calm,ESE, light, clear | |
| 28 | 43.0 | SW, strong, clear | |
| 29 | 52.5 | SSW, heavy gale | |
| 30 | 45.6 | NW, Heavy gale, rain | Mackenzie River. |
| 31 | 42.4 | Calm, SW,gloomy | |
| Mean | 40.85 | ||
Sept. | |||
| 1 | 38.3 | NW, gale, snow | Mackenzie River. |
| 2 | 38.6 | NW,strong, clear | |
| 3 | 41.1 | Calm, moderate, SE, clear | |
| 4 | 41.3 | SE, NW, moderate,clear | |
| 5 | 45.9 | SE, light, clear | |
| 6 | 51.0 | Variable, light, clear | |
| 7 | 44.8 | SE, light,NW, strong | |
| 8 | 41.0 | NW, strong, snow | |
| 9 | 39.3 | East, moderate, clear | |
| 10 | 45.8 | SE,light, clear | |
| 11 | 45.8 | NW, moderate rain | |
| 12 | 37.3 | NW, moderate, gloomy | |
| 13 | 37.2 | Calm, SE, light, clear | |
| 14 | 37.9 | ESE, moderate, clear | |
| 15 | 42.7 | Calm, moderate, fresh, gloomy | |
| 16 | 44.5 | Variable, light, gloomy | |
| 17 | 39.6 | Variable, moderate, rain | |
| 18 | 29.4 | NW, fresh, gloomy | |
| 19 | 24.6 | NW, moderate, gloomy | |
| 20 | 29.2 | ESE, fresh, clear | |
| 21 | 31.1 | ENE, fresh, clear | Fort Franklin. |
| Mean | 39.22 |
NOTE.—The thermometer used in this register, was compared with those in use at Fort Franklin during ten days after our return, and found to coincide with them.