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 |