As we sailed along shore to the westward, the land gradually became more high and rocky, and there were many ridges of stones lying off several miles from the beach, among which we had some trouble in threading our way, the navigation being rendered still more difficult by a thick fog.
We arrived at the mouth of Churchill River at 3 A.M. on the 27th, but as the tide was ebbing we could not stem the current, so that we did not reach the Company's Fort, situated on the west bank of the river and about five miles up, until half-past six, when I was most kindly welcomed by my friend Mr. Sinclair, chief trader, the gentleman in charge, who had not expected to see us so early.
My letter of instructions had not yet arrived, so that we took advantage of the delay thus occasioned to have the boats unloaded, some slight repairs effected, and the cargoes examined and dried. I determined on leaving here some tobacco, salt, and one or two other articles that were not absolutely essential, supplying their place with pemmican and flour. Some observations for the dip of the needle gave mean dip 84° 47' 3". The variation of the compass 12° 29' east, and the latitude of the Establishment 58° 44' 12" were found, and the mean time of 70 vertical vibrations of the needle in the magnetic meridian was 148".
The people of the fort were busy killing white whales, great numbers of which come up the river with the flood tide. The mode of taking them is very simple. A boat, having a harpooner both at bow and stern, sails out among the shoal, and being painted white, it does not alarm them; they approach quite close, and are thus easily struck. When harpooned they do not run any great distance in one direction, but dart about much in the way that a trout does when hooked.
On the evening of the 4th July the anxiously expected instructions arrived from Red River, viâ York Factory. The following is a copy of them:—
"Red River Settlement,
"15th June, 1846.
"Sir,
"You are aware that the grand object of the expedition which has been placed under your direction is to complete the geography of the northern shore of America, by surveying the only section of the same that has not yet been traced, namely, the deep bay, as it is supposed to be, stretching from the western extremity of the Straits of the Fury and Hecla to the eastern limit of the discoveries of Messrs. Dease and Simpson.
"2. For this purpose you will proceed from Churchill with the two boats, and twelve men that have been selected for this arduous and important service, losing not a moment, at least on your outward voyage, in examining such part of the coast as has already been visited and explored. In a word, you will reach, with as little loss of time as possible, the interesting scene of your exclusive labours.
"3. In prosecuting the survey in question, you will, as a matter of course, endeavour to ascertain as accurately as circumstances may permit, without occasioning any serious delay, the latitudes and longitudes of all the most remarkable points within the range of your operations, and also the general bearing and extent of all the intermediate portions of coast, embodying the whole at the same time in the form of a chart, or rather of the draft of a chart, from day to day.