_Friday, 10._–At four in the morning we embarked, at a small distance
from the place of our encampment; the river, which here becomes
narrower, flows between high rocks; and a meandering course took us
North-West four miles. At this spot the banks became low; indeed, from
the first rapid, the country does not wear a mountainous appearance; but
the banks of the river are generally lofty, in some places perfectly
naked, and in others well covered with small trees, such as the fir and
the birch. We continued our last course for two miles, with mountains
before us; whose tops were covered with snow.
The land is low on both sides of the river, except these mountains,
whose base is distant about ten miles: here the river widens, and runs
through various channels, formed by islands, some of which are without a
tree, and little more than banks of mud and sand; while others are
covered with a kind of spruce fir, and trees of a larger size than we
had seen for the last ten days. Their banks, which are about six feet
above the surface of the water, display a face of solid ice, intermixed
with veins of black earth, and as the heat of the sun melts the ice, the
trees frequently fall into the river.
So various were the channels of the river at this time, that we were at
a loss which to take. Our guide preferred the Easternmost, on account
of the Esquimaux, but I determined to take the middle channel, as it
appeared to be a larger body of water, and running North and South:
besides, as there was a greater chance of seeing them I concluded, that
we could always go to the Eastward, whenever we might prefer it. Our
course was now West by North six miles, North-West by West, the snowy
mountains being West by South from us, and stretching to the Northward
as far as we could see. According to the information of the Indians,
they are part of the chain of mountains which we approached on the third
of this month. I obtained an observation this day that gave me
67. 47. North latitude, which was farther North than I expected,
according to the course I kept: but the difference was owing to the
variation of the compass, which was more Easterly than I imagined. From
hence it was evident that these waters emptied themselves into the
Hyperborean Sea; and though it was probable that, from the want of
provision, we could not return to Athabasca in the course of the season,
I nevertheless, determined to penetrate to the discharge of them.
My new conductor being very much discouraged and quite tired of his
situation, used his influence to prevent our proceeding. He had never
been, he said, at the _Benahullo Toe_, or White Man’s Lake; and that
when he went to the Esquimaux Lake, which is at no great distance, he
passed over land from the place where we found him, and to that part
where the Esquimaux pass the summer. In short, my hunters also became
so disheartened from these accounts, and other circumstances, that I was
confident they would have left me, if it had been in their power. I,
however, satisfied them in some degree, by the assurance, that I would
proceed onwards but seven days more, and if I did not then get to the
sea, I would return. Indeed, the low state of our provisions, without
any other consideration, formed a very sufficient security for the
maintenance of my engagement. Our last course was thirty-two miles,
with a stronger current than could be expected in such a low country.
We now proceeded North-North-West four miles, North-West three miles,
North-East two miles, North-West by West three miles, and North-East two
miles. At half past eight in the evening we landed and pitched our
tents, near to where there had been three encampments of the Esquimaux,
since the breaking up of the ice. The natives, who followed us
yesterday, left us at our station this morning. In the course of the
day we saw large flocks of wild fowl.
