December, 1st.The first of December being a cloudless day, we endeavoured to observe the latitude at noon, but failed, owing to the extraordinary atmospherical refraction. Friday, 2nd.midnight, on the 2nd, there was a shower of hail, so small that we could hardly distinguish it from rain. Dr. Richardson thought he perceived lightning. Temperature +22°, calm. On the night of the 4th another instance of a sudden increase of temperature from +7° to 26° was observed, on a north wind succeeding a calm.
The fishery having gradually declined for some days, our nets were removed nearer to the entrance of Bear Lake River, where the current continued to keep the water open for a considerable space. We then procured a daily supply of fish sufficient for the rations of the household, as well as the dogs, though our number was now increased by the party from the more distant fishery, which had proved unproductive. The allowance was seven of the herring salmon to a man per day, and two to each dog.
The shortness of the days now precluding the Indians from hunting, many came, according to their custom, to spear fish at the head of Bear Lake River, and their numbers gradually increased. They were not, however, successful, nor diligent, preferring to beg what they could from us, and sending their women and children to subsist on the offal of the fish used at the fort. To encourage them to greater exertion, I provided them with nets, and other fishing materials, but their indolence led them to make a very ungrateful return; for on several occasions they emptied our nets in the night, and thus not only robbed us of what they took away, but, by deranging the nets, deprived us of the whole of that day's supply. We never could ascertain the perpetrators of these thefts. The blame was invariably thrown on some aged and infirm men, who denied it. Notwithstanding the straits to which they became reduced, they could not be persuaded to go off to a more productive fishery, until we were compelled to withhold all supplies, from fear of starving our own party. These Indians showed more indolence, and less regard for truth and honesty, than any other tribes with which we had dealings. Their sufferings are often extreme, and some of them perish every year from famine; although, from the abundance of fish in this country, but slight exertion would be required to lay up, at the proper seasons, a stock for the whole year.
The difficulty of procuring nourishment frequently induces the women of this tribe to destroy their female children. Two pregnant women of the party then at the fort, made known their intention of acting on this inhuman custom, though Mr. Dease threatened them with our heaviest displeasure if they put it into execution: we learned that, after they left us, one actually did destroy her child; the infant of the other woman proved to be a boy. Infanticide is mentioned by Hearne as a common crime amongst the northern Indians, but this was the first instance that came under our notice, and I understand it is now very rare amongst the Chipewyan tribes;—an improvement in their moral character which may be fairly attributed to the influence of the traders resident among them.
Sunday, 18th.On the 18th a party of sixteen Hare Indians, two Copper Indians, and a Loucheux, arrived with sledges of dried rein-deer meat and furs. While the house was in confusion from the unpacking of their lading, a melancholy scene took place, which excited the warmest sympathy. The wife of one of our Dog-Rib hunters brought her only child, a female, for medical advice. As she entered the room it was evident that the hand of death was upon it. In the absence of Dr. Richardson, who happened to be out, all the remedies were applied that were judged likely to be of service; and as soon as he returned, there being yet a faint pulsation, other means were tried, but in vain. So gentle was its last sigh, that the mother was not at first aware of its death, and continued to press the child against her bosom. As soon, however, as she perceived that life had fled, she cast herself on the floor in agony, heightened by the consciousness of having delayed to seek relief till too late, and by apprehension of the anger of her husband, who was doatingly attached to the child. The Indians evinced their participation in her affliction by silence, and a strong expression of pity in their countenances. At the dawn of day the poor creature, though almost exhausted by her ceaseless lamentation, carried the body across the lake for interment.
Tuesday, 20th.The 20th being a very stormy day, we were surprised at the arrival of two voyagers from Fort Good Hope, bearers of letters from Mr. C. Dease, conveying the gratifying intelligence that the Loucheux had seen the Esquimaux since the autumn, and that the latter had found the presents which had been left at their huts, and would be delighted to welcome the return of the white people to the Esquimaux lands next spring.
Thursday, 22d.Our constant occupations had made the time pass so swiftly, that the shortest day came almost unexpectedly upon us. The sun rose this morning, (the 22d,) at 10h 24m, thirteen minutes earlier than its appearance was expected from calculation, owing to the great refraction. Mr. Kendall and I measured its meridional altitude from the lake with two instruments, the one bringing its upper limb to the top of the land four miles distant, the elevation of which had been ascertained to be eight minutes, and the other to its base, the depression of which was two minutes. The mean of both these observations, corrected for refraction by the tables in the Nautical Almanack, gave a result of 65° 11' 56" N., which latitude exactly corresponds with the best observations made in the preceding autumn. At 8h 30m p.m. a halo was observed, whose radius measured 28° 40' from the moon; and at an equal altitude with the latter body there were two paraselenæ, which, as well as the moon, were intersected by a luminous circle, having the zenith for its centre, and a diameter of 94° 15'. The length of our shortest day did not exceed five hours, but the long nights were enlivened by most brilliant moon-light, and we had frequent and very fine appearances of the Aurora Borealis. The latter phenomenon made some of its grandest displays on the 26th of October, the 2d of November, and the 7th of December. On all these occasions the disturbed motions of the magnetic needle were very remarkable, and a most careful series of observations convinced the party that they had a close connexion with the direction of the beams of light of which the aurora was composed. My observations also led me to conclude that the deviations of the needle were, in a certain degree, connected with changes in the weather; for, previous to a gale or a snow-storm, the deviations were always considerable; but during the continuance of the gale, the needle almost invariably remained stationary.
Preparations were made for the celebration of Christmas. The house was replastered with mud, all the rooms whitewashed and repainted, and Matthews displayed his taste by ornamenting a chandelier with cut paper, and trinkets. On the evening of the 24th the Indian hunters' women and children were invited to share in a game of snap-dragon, to them an entire novelty. It would be as difficult to describe the delight which the sport afforded them after they recovered their first surprise, as to convey the full effect of the scene. When the candles were extinguished, the blue flame of the burning spirits shone on the rude features of our native companions, in whose countenances were pourtrayed the eager desire of possessing the fruit, and the fear of the penalty. Christmas Day falling on a Sunday, the party were regaled with the best fare our stores could supply; and on the following evening a dance was given, at which were present sixty persons, including the Indians, who sat as spectators of the merry scene. Seldom, perhaps, in such a confined space as our hall, or in the same number of persons, was there greater variety of character, or greater confusion of tongues. The party consisted of Englishmen, Highlanders, (who mostly conversed with each other in Gaelic,) Canadians, Esquimaux, Chipewyans, Dog-Ribs, Hare Indians, Cree women and children, mingled together in perfect harmony. The amusements were varied by English, Gaelic, and French songs. After these holidays were over, the Dog-Ribs at length yielded to the repeated solicitations of Mr. Dease, and removed in a body to a distant part of the lake, where they now confessed the fishery was more abundant. As the hunters were drawing rations from our store, he despatched them in quest of deer, furnishing them also with nets. After which there remained at the establishment, only one infirm Indian and his wife.
January, 1st.January 1st, 1826. This morning the men called in the hall to offer the congratulations of the season to the officers, and we afterwards assembled to read divine service. On the evening of the 2nd, similar festivities were held to those at Christmas, to welcome the new year. The temperature was at -49° on the 1st, which was its lowest state during this winter. This severe weather was of short continuance, for on the 3rd there was a storm of snow, and the thermometer rose to -9°.
4th.Accompanied by Mr. Dease, and Fuller, the carpenter, I walked several miles in search of birch-trees fit for the keel and timbers of the new boat. We found some that would answer for the latter purpose, but none for the keel; we, therefore, substituted pine. The general depth of snow in the woody and sheltered parts was two feet. Monday, 16th.On the 16th, by the return of the two men who had been sent to Slave Lake, we had the happiness of receiving a packet of letters, which left England in the preceding June. Beside the more interesting private communications, our friends had been kind enough to forward piles of newspapers, and several periodical publications. The 'Quarterly Review,' the 'Edinburgh Philosophical Journal,' and a series of the 'Literary Gazette,' and the 'Mechanics' Magazine,' were spread upon the table, and afforded us the most agreeable amusement, as well as never-failing topics for conversation. Could any of our friends have dropped in upon us, in the evening, they would have found us discussing the events of the by-gone year, with all the earnestness and interest which we could have shown had they been the occurrences of the day, and depended upon our decision. This valuable packet had nigh been lost on its way through the interior, owing to the treachery of an Indian. The fellow had undertaken to guide the Canadian servants of the Hudson Bay Company, who had it in charge, from York Factory to Cumberland House; but supposing, from its being unusual to forward packets at that season, that it must contain something of value, he seized an opportunity, when the two men had gone a little way from the river side, to steal the canoe, with its contents, and cross the river. There were no means of pursuit, and the poor men, destitute of food, without a gun, or even the means of making a fire, were obliged to march to the nearest establishment, through a very rugged and thickly-wooded country. They reached it after many days travelling, and much suffering, and as soon as they arrived, Mr. Mackintosh, the chief of the department, immediately sent off different parties in search of the culprit. They did not find him, though they got possession of the packet, which was torn open, and the letters scattered upon the ground. I need hardly mention that I afterwards remunerated the Canadians for their sufferings and good conduct on this occasion.