Sunday, 7th.We pursued our course at dawn of day, and at the end of a few miles came to a more winding part of the river, where the stream is interrupted by numerous sand banks and shoals which we had some trouble to get round. Mr. Kendall, in his Journal, remarks of this part, "That bubbles of air continually rose to the surface with a hissing noise resembling the effervescence produced by pouring water on quick lime."
We arrived at Fort Norman at ten,a.m., distant two hundred and thirty-six miles from Fort Simpson, and five hundred and seventy-four from Fort Resolution.
Being now only four days' journey from Bear Lake, and there remaining yet five or six weeks of open season, I resolved on following up a plan of a voyage to the sea, which I had cherished ever since leaving England, without imparting it to my companions, until our departure from Fort Chipewyan, because I was apprehensive that some unforeseen accident might occur in the course of the very intricate and dangerous river navigation between Fort William and the Athabasca Lake, which might delay our arrival here to too late a period of the year. It was arranged,first, that I should go down to the sea, accompanied by Mr. Kendall, and collect whatever information could be obtained, either from actual observation, or from the intelligence of the Loucheux Indians, or the Esquimaux, respecting the general state of the ice in the summer and autumn; the direction of the coast, east and west of the Mackenzie; and whether we might calculate upon any supply of provision.Secondly, Dr. Richardson, on his own suggestion was to proceed in a boat along the northern shore of Bear Lake, to the part where it approached nearest to the Coppermine River, and there fix upon a spot to which he might bring the party the following year, on its return from the mouth of that river. And,thirdly, that these undertakings might not interfere with the important operations necessary for the comfortable residence and subsistence of the Expedition during the following winter, Lieutenant Back was to superintend them during myabsence, with the assistance of Mr. Dease, chief trader of the Hudson Bay Company, whose suggestions, relative to the proper distribution of the Indian hunters, and the station of the fishermen, he was to follow. Accordingly, Dr. Richardson, on his quitting this place two days previous to our arrival, had left the largest of the boats, the Lion, for my use and a well-selected crew of six Englishmen, and Augustus the Esquimaux.
Lieutenant Back was directed to take the canoes forward to Bear Lake, laden with such supplies as would be required for the winter, and was further instructed to furnish Dr. Richardson with one of the boats, and a good crew. The services of the Canadians who had brought the canoes from Penetanguishene, being no longer required, I desired Lieutenant Back to discharge them, and also all the voyagers of Mr. Dease's party who could be spared. They were sent in canoes to Slave Lake, where I had arranged with Mr. M'Vicar for their being supplied with the means of gaining subsistence by fishing, during the winter; and the following spring, they were to be forwarded to Canada, at the expense of Government, according to the terms of their agreement.
Fort Norman being situated in our way to the sea, the pemmican and other stores, intended for the voyage along the coast next season, were deposited here, by permission of Mr. Smith, under the care of Mr. Brisbois, the clerk in charge. Our observations place this establishment in latitude 64° 40' 30" N., and longitude 124° 53' 22" W.
Monday, 8th.The above matters being satisfactorily settled, and a few articles packed up as presents to the Indians and Esquimaux, Mr. Kendall and I embarked on the 8th, at noon, taking, in addition to our crew, a voyager, who was reported to be able to guide us through the proper channels to Fort Good Hope, of which, however, we found him altogether ignorant. We were accompanied by Lieutenant Back, with the three canoes, each manned by five men. The crews of the canoes imagining they could easily pass our English boat, were much surprised, on putting it to the proof, to find the boat take and maintain the lead, both under sail and with oars.
A few miles above the Bear Lake River, and near its mouth, the banks of the Mackenzie contain much wood coal, which was on fire at the time we passed, as it had been observed to be by Mackenzie in his voyage to the sea. Its smell was very disagreeable. On a subsequent trial of this coal at our winter quarters, we found that it emitted little heat, and was unfit forthe blacksmith's use. The banks likewise contain layers of a kind of unctuous mud, similar, perhaps, to that found on the borders of the Orinoco, which the Indians, in this neighbourhood, use occasionally as food during seasons of famine, and even, at other times, chew as an amusement. It has a milky taste, and the flavour is not disagreeable. We used it for whitening the walls of our dwellings; for which purpose it is well adapted.
The entrance of the Bear Lake River is distinguished by a very remarkable mountain, whose summit displays a variety of insulated peaks, crowded in the most irregular manner. It is composed of limestone; and from the lower cliffs, which front the river, a dark, bituminous liquid oozes and discolours the rock. There are likewise two streams of sulphureous water that flow from its base into the Mackenzie. At this place we parted from our friend, Lieutenant Back, who entered the clear and beautiful stream that flows from Bear Lake, of whose pure waters we had also the benefit, till they were overpowered by the muddy current of the Mackenzie. The day was fine, the wind fair, the current swift, and every circumstance concurred to put the party in high glee. There was little in the scenery to attract our attention, now that we had become familiar with the general appearance of the Mackenzie, and we passed island after island, of the same alluvial mud, without further regard than the delineation of them in the survey book. At length, however, a most picturesque view of the Rocky Mountain range opened before us, and excited general admiration, and we had also some portions of the mountain range on the eastern side of the river, in view for the remainder of the day's journey. The outline of these mountains is very irregular, the highest parts being peaked hills. The general direction of the ranges is between N.W. and N.W.b.W.
Being unwilling to lose the advantage of the wind, we only put ashore to sup, and after two hours' delay, resumed our voyage under easy sail. When the sun rose, the oars were used; and then, as the current set at the rate of two miles and a half per hour, the boat travelled swiftly down the stream. The eastern bank of the river, along which we were passing, is about one hundred and twenty feet high, almost perpendicular, and is composed of thin strata of bituminous shale. Amongst the fragments of shale which strewed the beach, we found many pieces of brown wood-coal. A reach, eighteenTuesday, 9th.miles in length, followed. It is bounded on both sides by high cliffs of sand-stone. We landed to breakfast, and to obtain the longitude, 128° 23' W.
From the reach here described, are seen two hills, named by me the East and West Mountains of the rapid, which seem to present a barrier to the further progress of the stream; but the river, bending suddenly between them to the north, dilates into a kind of basin, and, by so doing, opens by far the most interesting view of the Rocky Mountains which the Mackenzie affords. The river, too, makes its nearest approach to those mountains at this spot, and probably, the easiest communication with them would be by ascending a small stream that flows in here on the western side. Here too are found the first rapids mentioned by Mackenzie, which continue in succession for two miles, when the water is low. The centre of the basin is occupied by low sandy islands; and the channel on the western side is the deepest. The beauty of this scene furnished employment for the able pencil of Lieutenant Back, on a subsequent occasion. As the Mackenzie, in its further descent, continues to hold a northerly course, and the range of mountains runs N.W.b.N., we did not obtain any other view of them till we approached the sea.
At onep.m.we saw a party of Indians encamped on the beach of a small stream, whom we invited to come off to us. They hesitated at first, being doubtful who we were, from our boat being different in shape from any they had seen, and carrying two sails; but after some time they launched their canoes, and brought us a good supply of fresh deer's meat. The sight of our boats seemed to delight them as much as the ammunition and tobacco which they received. These were Hare Indians, the tribe that follows next to the Dog-Ribs, in the line of country below Bear Lake; and, like them, they speak a dialect of the Chipewyan language. We admired the shape and appearance of their canoes, which were larger than those used by the Chipewyans, and had the fore part covered with bark, to fit them for the navigation of this broad river, where the waves are often high.
The river varied from two to four miles in breadth, and its course was interrupted by several small islands and sand-banks. At sixp.m.we came to an open space, bounded by lofty walls of sandstone. In this expansion are found the second rapids of Mackenzie: at the first appearance they seem dangerous, but are not so. The river becomes again contracted, and rushes with great force for the space of seven miles through a kind of defile, varying in breadth from four hundred to eight hundred yards, which has been appropriately named "The Ramparts," by the traders. The walls of this defile are from eighty to one hundred and fifty feet high, and are composed of limestone, containing numerous shells: for a part of the way the stone is very white, and in the rest it is blue. Several streams of water were running over the summits of the cliffs, which had worn the stone in some places, into a turreted shape; while the heaps, overthrown by its action at their base, resemble mounds for defence. To these appearances were occasionally added cavernous openings, and other hollow parts, not unlike the arched windows or gateways of a castellated building. I could not help fancying what delight a visit to this spot would afford to any person of a romantic turn, especially at the time we first saw it, when the broad shadows of a declining sun gave effect to the picture. This is a place of resort for the Hare Indians to fish, and we were visited by a large party of men and women of that tribe, who brought fish, berries, and meat. They were all neatly clothed in new leathern dresses, highly ornamented with beads and porcupine quills. The paintings of animals on the sides of our boats were very attractive to them; they scanned every figure over and over, bursting into laughter whenever they recognised any of the animals. We encamped near a small river below the ramparts, one hundred and ninety-three miles from Fort Norman. Two young Indians followed us in their canoes, bringing some musk-rat skins, and fish for sale. We purchased the fish, but declined taking the furs. They were so pleased with their reception, that they passed the night by our fire.
Wednesday, 10th.At daylight we again embarked, and descended the river pleasantly and swiftly under sail, having the benefit of a strong current, especially where it was narrowed by islands or sand-banks. The sides of the river are generally high cliffs of limestone or sandstone, and its breadth from two to three miles. The intervals between these cliffs are mostly occupied by hills of sand, from eighty to one hundred feet high, whose intermediate valleys are well wooded; and whenever these occur, the channel of the river is much interrupted by banks, on which, as well as on the beach, there are vast collections of drift timber, piled, in some places, twenty feet high, by the spring floods.
At elevenp.m.we arrived at Fort Good Hope, the lowestof the Company's establishments; it is distant from Fort Norman three hundred and twelve miles, and is in latitude 67° 28' 21" N., and longitude 130° 51' 38" W.: the variation of the compass being 47° 28' 41" E. Our arrival at this period of the year, at least two months earlier than that of the Company's boats from York Factory, caused great astonishment to the few inmates of this dreary dwelling, and particularly to its master, Mr. Charles Dease, who scarcely recovered from his surprise until we had been seated some time in his room. But this over, he quickly put every one in motion to prepare a meal for us, of which we stood in much need, as it was then verging on midnight, and we had breakfasted at eight in the morning. This post had been but recently established for the convenience of the tribe of Indians whom Mackenzie calls the Quarrellers, but whom the traders throughout the fur country name Loucheux. As this name is now in general use, I shall adopt it, though it is but justice to the people to say, that they have bright sparkling eyes, without the least tendency to that obliquity which might be inferred from the term. The fact is, that Loucheux, or Squinter, was intended to convey the sense of the Indian name of the tribe—Deguthée Dennee, which means "the people who avoid the arrows of their enemies, by keeping a look out on both sides." None of the tribe was at this time at the fort; but from Mr. Dease we learned the interesting fact, that the Loucheux and Esquimaux, who are generally at war, had met amicably the preceding spring, and that they were now at peace. We procured from the store an assortment of beads, and such things as were most in request with the Loucheux, and made up a small package of clothing to be presented to each chief of that tribe, whose favour it was thought advisable by this means to propitiate, as they were the next neighbours to the Esquimaux.
Thursday, 11th.After the latitude had been observed, we embarked, and were accompanied by Mr. Dease as far as Trading River, where he expected there might still be a party of Indians, which did not prove the case. This river being the usual limit of the trader's travels towards the sea, the voyager who had come with us from Fort Norman declined going any farther, and by permission of Mr. Dease he was exchanged for a young half-breed named Baptiste, the interpreter of the fort, who went under the promise of being left with the chief of the Loucheux, to whom he was to introduce the party.
The reach below Trading River is remarkable, from the banks on the eastern side consisting of hills of a light yellow marl-slate, nearly uniform in shape, and strongly resembling piles of cannon shot. The name of Cannon-Shot Reach was, therefore, bestowed on it. The channel of the river is very intricate, winding amongst numerous sand-banks, and some low alluvial islands, on which willows only grow. Its breadth is about two miles, and the depth of water, in the autumn, from six to twelve feet. In passing through Cannon-Shot Reach, we were hailed by an Indian from the shore, and landed immediately, to inform him of the purport of our visit. As soon as Baptiste had explained these matters to him, the man, deeming it of importance that we should be properly introduced to his relatives, offered to accompany us to the next party, providing we would undertake to carry his baggage. This we consented to do, little expecting, from the appearance of poverty in himself and his family, and still less from that of his tent, a mere covering of bark and pine branches, supported on three poles, that load upon load of unsavoury fish would be tossed into the boat. However, we were unwilling to retract our promise, and suffered our vessel to be completely lumbered. We then pushed off, leaving the family to follow in the canoe, but in a short time our ears were assailed by the loud cries of the man demanding that we should stop. On his coming up, we found he was apprehensive of the canoe sinking, it being very leaky and overloaded, and of his losing his wife and infant child. The water being thrown out, the man proposed going forward and keeping by our side. There was nothing now to fear, yet the lamentations of the woman became louder and louder, and at last the poor creature threw off her only covering, raised the most piteous cries, and appeared a perfect object of despair. We learned from Baptiste that she was mourning the loss of two near relatives who had recently died near the spot we were passing. In this manner do these simple people show their sorrow for the death of their connexions. As we drew near the tents of the party on shore, the husband proclaimed with a stentorian voice who we were; this produced a long reply, of which Baptiste could only collect enough to inform us that many persons were lying sick in the lodges, and that two had died the preceding day. Not choosing to expose ourselves to the hazard of contagion, we put the baggage of our friend on shore at some distance below the lodges. All those who were able to manage a canoe, came off to receive presents, and to seeAugustus, the principal object of attraction. Each person crowded to the side on which he sat to shake him by the hand; and two of the party, who had been occasionally with the Esquimaux, contrived to make him understand that, being accompanied by him, we need apprehend no violence from them, though they were a treacherous people. At the end of five miles farther we put on shore to sup, and afterwards slept in the boat; but Augustus spread his blankets on the beach before the fire, and allowed four of the Loucheux, who had followed us from the tents, to share them with him.
Friday, 12th.At daylight we loosened from the beach, and continued with the descent of the river; winding, in our course, as numerous sand-banks rendered necessary. In a few hours we descried another collection of Indian lodges. One of the party happened to be examining his nets nearer to us than the tents; on espying the boat, he immediately desisted, and paddled towards his friends with the utmost speed, bawling the whole way for them to arm. The women and children were seen hurrying up the bank to hide themselves; and by the time we had got abreast of the lodges, the whole party were in a state of defence. They stood on the beach gazing at us evidently with much distrust; and for some time no one would accept our invitations to approach. At length an adventurous youth, distinguishable among the rest by the gaiety of his dress, and the quantity of beads that were suspended around his neck, launched his canoe and paddled gently towards the boat, till he discovered Augustus, whom he knew by his countenance to be an Esquimaux; then rising from his seat, he threw up his hands for joy, and desired every one of the party to embark at once. The summons was instantly obeyed, and a friendly intercourse followed; each person that had a gun discharging its contents, and taking the iron heads and barbs from the arrows, to show their entire confidence. On landing to breakfast, we found that the dialect of this party was different from that of the men we had seen yesterday, and that Baptiste did not understand their language; consequently our communications were carried on by signs, except when they attempted to speak Esquimaux, which Augustus, with difficulty, made out. He was still the centre of attraction, notwithstanding Mr. Kendall and myself were dressed in uniform, and were distributing presents to them. They caressed Augustus, danced and played around him, to testify their joy at his appearance among them, and we could not help admiring the demeanour of our excellent little companionunder such unusual and extravagant marks of attention. He received every burst of applause, every shake of the hand, with modesty and affability, but would not allow them to interrupt him in the preparation of our breakfast, a task which he always delighted to perform. As soon as we had finished our meal, he made his friends sit down, and distributed to each person a portion of his own, but without any affectation of superiority. When we were on the point of embarking, the oldest Indian of the party intimated his desire that we should stop until some one whom he had sent for should come. This proved to be his son, in a very sickly state. Though the day was warm, the lad was shivering with cold, and it was evident he was suffering from fever, which the father had no doubt we could cure. The only remedy we could apply was some warm tea, with a little brandy in it, which we afterwards learned had the desired effect of restoring the invalid. Again we were preparing to set off, when the same old man begged us to stop until the women should come; these were no less pleased with Augustus, and with the presents they received, than the men had been.
This good-natured tribe is distinguished by the traders as the Lower Loucheux, but the literal meaning of their Indian name is the Sharp Eyes. They are decidedly a well-looking people: in manner, and general appearance, they resemble the Esquimaux near the mouth of the Mackenzie, though not in their eyes, which are prominent and full. Their canoes, too, are shaped like those of the Esquimaux, and made of birch bark, which, by some process, is striped from the gunwale perpendicularly downwards, for the purpose of ornament. Their summer dress, like that of the Upper Loucheux and Esquimaux, is a jacket of leather, prolonged to a point before and behind: the leggings, of the same material, are sewn to the shoes, and tied by a string round the waist. The outer edges of their dress are cut into fringes, coloured with red and yellow earth, and generally decorated with beads. Beads are so much coveted by them, that, for some years, they were the principal article of trade exchanged for their furs; and even now the successful hunter, or the favourite son, may be known by the quantity of strings of different coloured beads which he has about his neck. These Indians are the only natives of America, except the Esquimaux, whom I have seen with the septum of the nose perforated, through which, like the Esquimaux, they thrust pieces of bone, or small strings of shells, which they purchase from that people. Few of them haveguns, but each man is armed with a bow and arrows. The bows are constructed of three pieces of wood, the middle one straight, and those at each end crooked, and bound with sinews, of which the string is also made. The dress of the women only differs from that of the men by the hood being made sufficiently wide to admit of their carrying a child on their back.
At tena.m.we resumed our journey, followed by the young man who had first spoken to us, and his brother, in their canoes, and in the course of two hours came abreast of a remarkable round-backed hill, on which we were informed Mr. Livingstone and his party had encamped in 1795, the night before they were massacred. This hill marks the commencement of another contraction of the river, which is here pent in between very steep cliffs of blue limestone, which I have denominated the Narrows. The Red River contributes its waters to the Mackenzie at the lower part of the Narrows, in latitude 67° 27' N., longitude 133° 31' W.; and, though of inconsiderable size, is remarkable as being the boundary between the lands claimed by the Loucheux Indians and those of the Esquimaux, and likewise as the spot where the amicable meeting between these tribes had been held in the preceding spring. We did not find the chief of the Loucheux here, as had been expected, and therefore passed on. The banks of the river, now entirely composed of sand and sandstone, became gradually lower, and more bare of trees. At the end of eight miles we arrived at a very spacious opening, in which were numerous well-wooded islands, and various channels. The rocky mountains on the west once more appeared in view, extending from S.W. to N.W. and preserving a N.W.½W. direction; and of this range a very lofty peak, and a table mountain, which I have named after the late Mr. Gifford, form the most conspicuous features. We steered into the eastern channel, as being that through which the current seemed to run swiftest; and as soon as we came to a high bank we landed, for the purpose of taking a survey of the surrounding scene. But even from its summit our view was very limited, and all we could discover was, that we were certainly in that expansion of the river that Mackenzie delineates in his chart, and, therefore, in the fair way to the sea, whatever channel we took. This might have been inferred, from the sudden departure of our two Indian companions, who dropped behind and turned their canoes round, without further ceremony, as soon as they saw our intention of entering the eastern channel. Baptiste, who was asleep at the time, expressed surprise at their having gone back, but consoled himself with the idea of meeting the Indian chief the next morning, at a place he called the Forks. We were amused at conjecturing how great his surprise would be should he next be disturbed by the hallowing of a party of Esquimaux, whom he greatly dreaded. At the end of twenty-three miles descent in the middle channel, having passed one that branched off to the eastward, we put up at an early hour, and caused the guns to be cleaned, and two sentinels appointed to watch, lest the Esquimaux should come upon us unawares. The banks of the river, as well as the islands, are entirely alluvial, and support willows at the lower parts, and the spruce-fir trees at the summits. The beach on which we were encamped was much intersected with the recent tracts of the moose and rein-deer.
Saturday, 13th.We embarked at threea.m.on the 13th; and as we were in momentary expectation of meeting the Esquimaux with whom I wished to have an interview, the masts were struck, lest they should discover the boat at a distance, and run off. We soon passed two of their huts, which did not seem to have been recently inhabited. The longitude 134° 20' 30" W., and variation 51° 4' 20" E., were observed at the time we halted to breakfast, and the latitude 68° 15' 50" N., at noon. The Rein-deer mountains on the eastern side, came in view before noon. The range on the west was also occasionally visible: we were descending between the M'Gillivray and Simpson islands, in a channel that did not exceed half a mile in breadth. A fine breeze sprung up after noon, of which we took advantage by setting the sails, not having seen any recent traces of the Esquimaux. At the extremity of Simpson island there is a broad channel, which pours its waters into the one in which we were, at a place where the stream is contracted by a small island, and a strong rapid is the consequence of this junction. Here we found many huts, and other indications of its being a place of resort for fishing; here, too, it is supposed Mr. Livingstone and his crew fell a sacrifice to the first party of Esquimaux whom they met. Several other openings branched off to the eastward; but we continued to follow the largest channel, in which the current was very strong, and kept nearly parallel to, and about ten miles from, the Rein-deer mountains. Their outline, viewed from this distance, appeared very regular, the only remarkable parts being some eminences that were tinged with a deep pink colour. Sailing by one of the huts at aquick rate, every one's attention was arrested at hearing a shrill sound, which was supposed to be a human voice; but on landing to ascertain the fact, we could find no person, nor any footsteps. We, therefore, continued our journey. As we proceeded, the river became more devious in its course, the huts on the Esquimaux were now more frequent; none of them, however, seemed to have been recently inhabited. The islands were of the same alluvial kind as those seen yesterday, and the wood on them equally plentiful and large. We stopped to sup at nine, extinguished the fire as soon as we had finished, and then retired to sleep in the boat, keeping two men on guard.
Sunday, 14th.We set off aided by a fresh breeze this morning, and at the end of seven miles came to the last of the fir trees, in latitude 68° 40' N., the only wood beyond this being stunted willows, which became still more dwarfish at thirty miles from the mouth of the river. There was plenty of drift-wood on the borders of the islands, and some even on the higher parts, at a distance from the water; from which it would appear that at certain seasons they are inundated. At length the main stream took a turn to the S.S.W., which we followed, though there was a branch northwards, but it seemed to be much impeded by mud-banks.[1]At the end of eight miles the river again inclined to the north of west, round the southern extremity of Halkett island, and there were openings to the north and south, which we did not stop to examine. A fog-bank hung over the northern horizon, which gave us no little uneasiness, from its strong resemblance to a continuous line of ice-blink; and the clouds, from the sun-beams falling on them, had the exact appearance of icebergs. However, the sun became sufficiently powerful in the afternoon to dissipate the cause of this illusion, and relieve us from anxiety on that score. A body of water, nearly equal to that we were descending, poured in between the Colville and Halkett islands with such force as to cause a very strong ripple at the point of junction, which we avoided by keeping close to the shore of Langley island. The channel, after the union of these streams, increased to a breadth of two miles, preserving a N.N.W. course. We stood twelve miles in this direction, and two to the westward, when we were gratified by the delightful prospect of the shore suddenly diverging, and a wide space of open water to the northward,which we doubted not would prove to be the sea. Just at this time a seal made its appearance, and sported about the boat as if in confirmation of this opinion. We attempted to coast along the shore of Ellice island, but found the water too shallow, and that the boat grounded whenever we got out of the channel of the river, which was near the western side. The wind and waves were too high for us to make any progress in the middle of the stream, and as the clouds threatened more boisterous weather, we went to Pitt island to encamp. The haze which had hidden all distant objects since fivep.m.passed off as the sun set, and we gained a very magnificent view of that portion of the rocky mountain which I have called after my companion Dr. Richardson, and of which the remarkable conical peak, named in honour of my friend Dr. Fitton, President of the Geological Society, and the Cupola mountain, are the most conspicuous objects. These were subsequently found to be near sixty miles distant. The water was entirely fresh, and there was no perceptible rise of tide. Our drowsy companion Baptiste, when he looked upon the vast expanse of water, for the first time, expressed some apprehension that we had passed the Forks, and that there was a doubt of our seeing the Indian chief; but he was by no means convinced of the fact until the following day, when he tasted salt water, and lost sight of the main shore. After our Sunday evening's supper, the party assembled in the tent to read prayers, and return thanks to the Almighty, for having thus far crowned our labours with success.
Monday, 15th.In the morning of the fifteenth the wind blew a gale, as it had done through the night, and every object was obscured by a thick fog. About sixa.m.we took advantage of a temporary abatement of the wind to cross over to some higher land on the eastern side, which we had seen the preceding evening, appearing like islands. Owing to the thickness of the fog, we were guided in our course at starting solely by the compass. When we reached the channel of the river, the gale returned with increased violence, and its direction being opposite to the current, such high waves were raised, that the boat took in a good deal of water. The fog now cleared away, and the three eminences mistaken for islands were ascertained to be conical hummocks, rising above the low eastern shore. We pushed for the nearest, and landed a short distance from its base at eighta.m.On going to the summit of this eminence, in the expectation of obtaining the bearings of several distant points, we were a little disappointed to find that onlythe low shores of Pitt Island were visible, extending from S.E. to W.N.W., though we were repaid for our visit by observing two moose deer quietly browsing on the tops of the willows, a short distance from us. Mr. Kendall hastened down to despatch Baptiste in pursuit of them, who returned an hour afterwards to inform us that he had wounded one, which he had been prevented from following by the loss of his powder-horn. As there was no possibility of our getting forward until the gale abated, Baptiste and Augustus were sent out to hunt, there being numerous tracks of moose and rein-deer in the neighbourhood of the tent. I also despatched Mr. Kendall, with two seamen, to walk some distance into the interior, and endeavour to clear up the doubt whether we were upon the main shore, or upon an island. The astronomical observations obtained at the encampment place it in latitude 69° 3' 45" N., longitude 135° 44' 57" W. A tide-pole was put up immediately on our landing, and we perceived the water to rise about three inches in the course of the forenoon, and to fall the same quantity in the evening. The temperature of the air did not exceed forty-eight degrees all this day: when in the river, it used to vary from 55° to 70°. Mr. Kendall came back in the evening, bringing the agreeable intelligence that he had assisted in killing a female moose and her calf, and that Augustus had shot a rein-deer. Some men were sent to carry the meat to the borders of a river which Mr. Kendall had discovered, while the boat went round to its entrance about one mile from the encampment. They returned at sunset. Many geese and ducks were seen by our hunters. Throughout the whole of Mr. Kendall's walk, of twelve or fourteen miles, he saw only the same kind of flat land, covered with the dwarf willow and the moose-berry plant, as was discovered from the tent, except one small lake, and the river that has been mentioned, issuing from it.
Tuesday, 16th.The atmosphere was so thick on the morning of the 16th as to confine our view to a few yards; we therefore remained at the encampment till the sun had sufficient power to remove the fog: temperature of the air 39°. Embarking at elevena.m., we continued our course along the shore of Ellice Island, until we found its coast trending southward of east. There we landed, and were rejoiced at the sea-like appearance to the northward. This point is in latitude 69° 14' N., longitude 135° 57' W., and forms the north-eastern entrance to the main channel of the Mackenzie River, which, from Slave Lake to this point, is one thousand and forty-fivemiles according to our survey. An island was now discovered to the N.E., looking blue from its distance, towards which the boat was immediately directed. The water, which for the last eight miles had been very shallow, became gradually deeper, and of a more green colour, though still fresh, even when we had entirely lost sight of the eastern land. In the middle of the traverse, we were caught by a strong contrary wind, against which our crews cheerfully contended for five hours, though drenched by the spray, and even by the waves, which came into the boat. Unwilling to return without attaining the object of our search, when the strength of the rowers was nearly exhausted, as a last resource, the sails were set double-reefed, and our excellent boat mounted over the waves in the most buoyant manner. An opportune alteration of the wind enabled us, in the course of another hour, to fetch into smoother water, under the shelter of the island. We then pulled across a line of strong ripple which marked the termination of the fresh water, that on the seaward side being brackish; and in the further progress of three miles to the island, we had the indescribable pleasure of finding the water decidedly salt.
The sun was setting as the boat touched the beach, and we hastened to the most elevated part of the island, about two hundred and fifty feet high, to look around; and never was a prospect more gratifying than that which lay open to us. The Rocky Mountains were seen from S.W. to W.½N.; and from the latter point, round by the north, the sea appeared in all its majesty, entirely free from ice, and without any visible obstruction to its navigation. Many seals, and black and white whales were sporting on its waves; and the whole scene was calculated to excite in our minds the most flattering expectations as to our own success, and that of our friends in the Hecla and the Fury. There were two groups of islands at no great distance; to the one bearing south-east I had the pleasure of affixing the name of my excellent friend and companion Mr. Kendall, and to that bearing north-east the name of Pelly was given, as a tribute justly due to the Governor of the Hudson Bay Company, for his earnest endeavours to promote the progress and welfare of the Expedition. A similar feeling towards my much esteemed friend Mr. Garry, the Deputy Governor of the Company, prompted me to appropriate his name to the island on which we stood,—a poor, indeed, but heartfelt expression of gratitude, for all his active kindness and indefatigable attention to the comfort of myself and my companions.
During our absence the men had pitched the tent on the beach, and I caused the silk union-flag to be hoisted, whichmy deeply-lamented wife had made and presented to me, as a parting gift, under the express injunction that it was not to be unfurled before the Expedition reached the sea. I will not attempt to describe my emotions as it expanded to the breeze—however natural, and, for the moment, irresistible, I felt that it was my duty to suppress them, and that I had no right, by an indulgence of my own sorrows, to cloud the animated countenances of my companions. Joining, therefore, with the best grace that I could command, in the general excitement, I endeavoured to return with corresponding cheerfulness, their warm congratulations on having thus planted the British flag on this remote island of the Polar Sea.
Some spirits, which had been saved for the occasion, were issued to the men; and with three fervent cheers they drank to the health of our beloved monarch, and to the continued success of our enterprize. Mr. Kendall and I had also reserved a little of our brandy, in order to celebrate this interesting event; but Baptiste, in his delight of beholding the sea, had set before us some salt water, which having been mixed with the brandy before the mistake was discovered, we were reluctantly obliged to forego the intended draught, and to use it in the more classical form of a libation poured on the ground.
Baptiste, on discovering that he had actually reached the ocean, stuck his feathers in his hat, and exultingly exclaimed, "Now that I am one of theGens de la mer, you shall see how active I will be, and how I will crow over theGens du nord," the name by which the Athabasca voyagers are designated. No fresh water was found on Garry Island until Augustus discovered a small lake, the streams that poured down from the cliffs being as salt as the sea. The temperature of the sea water was 51°; the fresh water we had left at five miles from the island 55°; and that of the air 52°.
Garry Island is about five miles long, by two broad, and seems to be a mass of frozen mud, which, in the parts exposed to the air and sun, has a black earthy appearance. It is terminated to the north-west by a steep cliff, through which protrude, in a highly inclined position, several layers of wood-coal, similar to that found in the Mackenzie. There was likewise observed a bituminous liquid trickling down in many parts, but particularly near the south-west point of the cliff where the bank had been broken away, and a hollow cavity was formed. The ravines and gullies were still filled with ice, though none was seen on the level ground. There were no stones above the sea level; those on the beach consisted of granite, greenstone, quartz, and lydian-stone, of a small size and completely rounded.The vegetable productions were grasses, a few mosses, and some shrubs, the latter in flower. Four foxes were the only land animals we saw; and a small hawk, some gulls, dotterels, and phaleropes, composed the list of birds. A large medusa was found on the beach.
Wednesday, 17th.The sky was cloudless on the morning of the 17th, which enabled us to ascertain the position of our encampment to be in latitude 69° 29' N., longitude 135° 41' W., and the variation of the magnetic needle to be 51° 42' E. We likewise found that it was high water that day at onep.m.with a rise and fall of eight inches, but the direction of the flood could not be ascertained. I wrote for Captain Parry an account of our progress, with such information as he might require, in case he wished to communicate either with the Company's Post at Fort Good Hope, or our party, and deposited my letter, with many others that I had in charge for himself and the officers of the ships, under a pole erected for the purpose, on which we left a blue and red flag flying, to attract his attention. Another statement of our proceedings was encased in a waterproof box, and committed to the sea, a mile to the northward of the island. The wind blew strong off the land at the time, and there was a gale from the north-west the next day, so that there is every chance of the letter having made good way to the eastward.
Having completed the observations, we embarked at twop.m., and pulled along the western shore of the island three miles to the sandy spit at its south-west end, on which there was a vast quantity of drift-wood piled by the action of the waves. From this point we launched forth to cross towards the Mackenzie under double-reefed sails, as the wind was blowing strong, and the waves high in the offing; but finding the boat very stiff and buoyant, the sail was increased, and reaching the eastern point of Ellice Island by sevenp.m.we encamped at the foot of the outermost of the three hummocks mentioned on the 15th of August. As we passed along the shore of the island, we disturbed some moose and rein-deer, and several geese, cranes, and swans, that were quietly feeding near the water. At this period of the year, therefore, there would be no lack of food, in this country, for the skilful hunter. In the course of the evening I found that a piece of the wood-coal from Garry's Island, which I had placed in my pocket, had ignited spontaneously, and scorched the metal powder-horn by its side.
Our enterprising precursor, Sir Alexander Mackenzie, has been blamed for asserting that he had reached the sea, withouthaving ascertained that the water was salt. He, in fact, clearly states that he never did reach the salt water. The danger to which his canoe was exposed in venturing two or three miles beyond Whale Island, (which lies to the eastward of our route,) at a time when the sea was covered with ice to the north, is a sufficient reason for his turning back; and we can abundantly testify that those frail vessels are totally unfitted to contend against such winds and seas as we experienced in advancing beyond the volume of fresh water poured out by the Mackenzie. It is probable, therefore, that even had the sea been free from ice at the time of his visit, he could not have gone far enough to prove its saltness, though the boundless horizon, the occurrence of a tide, and the sight of porpoises and whales, naturally induced him to say that he had arrived at the ocean. The survey of the Mackenzie made on this Expedition, differs very little in its outline from that of its discoverer, whose general correctness we had often occasion to admire. We had, indeed, to alter the latitude and longitude of some of its points, which he most probably laid down from magnetic bearings only; and it is proper to remark, that in comparing our magnetic bearings with his, throughout the whole course of the river, they were found to be about fifteen degrees more easterly; which may, therefore, be considered as the amount of increase in variation since 1789. In justice to the memory of Mackenzie, I hope the custom of calling this the Great River, which is in general use among the traders and voyagers, will be discontinued, and that the name of its eminent discoverer may be universally adopted.
Thursday, 18th.The excursions to Garry Island having made us acquainted with the state of the sea to the northward, and having shown that, the bank at the mouth of the river being passed, there was no visible impediment to a boat's proceeding eastward, I was desirous of making further examination in aid of the future operations of the Expedition, by going over to the western shore, and of reaching, if possible, the foot of the Rocky Mountains. With these intentions we embarked at ninea.m., but before we could get half way to the nearest part of Pitt Island, a gale of wind came on from N.W., followed by violent squalls, which, from the threatening appearance of the clouds, and the rapid descent of the thermometer from 68° to 51°, seemed likely to be of some continuance. The design was, therefore, abandoned, and the boat's head directed towards the entrance of the river. It proved, however, no easy task to get into the proper channel; and to effect this object the officers and crew had to drag theboat half a mile over a bar, while the waves were beating into it with such force as to make us apprehensive of its being swamped. As soon as we were in deep water, all the sail was set that the boat could bear, and at twop.m.we arrived at the narrow part. Here, likewise, the waves were high and breaking, and for the purpose of avoiding these and the strength of the current, we kept as close to the shore as possible, going through the water at seven miles an hour, and about four over the current. The wild fowl, warned by the sudden change of the weather, took advantage of this fair wind, and hastened away in large flights to the southward. At tenp.m., the boat having twice grounded, from our not being able to see our way clearly, we halted to sup, and laid down to sleep before a good fire. Temperature at 45°.
Friday, 19th.When daylight permitted us to distinguish the channels, we embarked again, and scudded under the foresail before the gale, which this day blew with increased violence. We halted to breakfast near some winter habitations of the Esquimaux, which we supposed, from the freshness of the wood-shavings, and the implements of fishing that were scattered about them, had been abandoned only in the preceding spring; and as it was probable they would revisit this spot, we fixed to the pole of a tent a present of a kettle, knife, hatchet, file, ice-chisel, some beads, and pieces of red and blue cloth. These huts were constructed of drift wood, in a similar manner to those which will be described in a subsequent part of the narrative. A second present was deposited at some other huts, and a third at those below the rapids. We imagined that some, if not all, of these would be found by the Esquimaux, and would make them acquainted with our visit. By noon we had advanced as far as the rapid, which we ascended under sail; and at a few miles above this point, owing to the fogginess of the atmosphere, we took a more western channel than that by which we descended. This proved circuitous, though it ultimately brought us to the former route. It was quite dark before we could find a secure place for the boat, and a sheltered spot for the tent. The gale continued without abatement, the weather was raw and cold, and it was with difficulty we collected some sticks to kindle a fire. Temperature 40°.
Saturday, 20th.On the 20th the wind was moderate. We resumed our journey at foura.m.; past our sleeping-place of the 12th by noon, and at sunset encamped at the narrow part of the river where the numerous channels commence. Large flights of geese and swans were observedpassing to the southward all this day. The musquitoes again made their appearance, though the temperature was at 45°: scarcely any of them had been seen on the descent to the sea.
Sunday, 21st.Temperature at day light, on the 21st, 37°. We commenced our labour under oars, but a strong gale from the southward soon rendered this mode of ascending the river ineffectual. The men were, therefore, divided into two parties, who towed the boat by line, relieving each other at intervals of an hour and a half. At fifty minutes past onep.m.we were abreast of the Red River, and there met a large party of the lower Loucheux Indians, who had assembled to wait our arrival. They welcomed our return with every demonstration of joy, more particularly that of Augustus and Baptiste, and at first cheerfully assisted the men in towing, but, like Indians in general, they soon became tired of this labour, and rather impeded than forwarded our progress. So we distributed to each a present; made known as well as well as we could by signs, that at our next visit we would purchase whatever fish or meat they might collect, and took our leave of them. Owing to the detention these men and another party occasioned, we were caught by a heavy gale from N.W. before we could reach our encampment at the head of the Narrows, and had to pitch the tent in pelting rain. Temperature 43°.
Monday, 22nd.On the 22nd, we started at four in a thick wet fog, which gave place to snow and sleet, and sailed the whole day before a strong N.W. wind, much to the annoyance of several Indians who tried to keep pace with the boat, by running along the shore: each of them had a present of tobacco thrown to him. We encamped near the bottom of Cannon-Shot Reach; the weather was extremely cold, and, during the night, ice was formed in the kettle.Tuesday, 23rd.On the next day the wind came contrary from S.E., which obliged us to have recourse to the tow-line. The frequent recurrence of sand-banks, to avoid which we had either to pull round or cross the river, made this day's operations very tedious. In turning round one of the points, we came suddenly upon a party of Indians, who had not seen us on our way down. Our appearance, therefore, created great alarm; the women and children were instantly despatched to the woods, and the men came down to the beach with their guns and arrows prepared, and knives drawn; but the explanation that Baptiste gave, soon allayed their fears. They were, indeed, objects of pity; all their property had been destroyed to testify their grief at the death of some of their relations, and the bodies of several were still sore from the deep gashes theyhad inflicted on themselves in their demonstrations of sorrow. We distributed such useful articles among them as we had remaining, but the supply was not at all equal to their necessities. Several of them attempted to follow us in their canoes by poling, which they dexterously perform by pushing at the same time with a pole or paddle in each hand; the boat however, was towed faster than they could ascend the stream, and they were soon far behind. We arrived at sixp.m.at the Trading River, and there met another party of the Loucheux, among whom was the woman whose tears had excited our sympathy on the 11th, now in high glee, and one of the most importunate for beads. The boy was likewise there to whom the tea had been given as a remedy for his fever, completely recovered, which was, no doubt, ascribed to the efficacy of the medicine. Not choosing to encamp near these people, we crossed the river, and towed four hours longer, when we reached Fort Good Hope. Mr. Dease, and all his fort, were overjoyed on seeing us again, because the Indians had begun to surmise, and in fact had brought a report that we had all been massacred by the Esquimaux; and had we been detained another week, this statement would have gained entire credence, and, in all probability, spread throughout the country.
The Indian whose fish we carried on our way down, happened to be at the fort, and he cheerfully communicated, through the interpreter, a female, all the information that he or his tribe possessed respecting the mouth of the river, the sea-coast, and the Esquimaux, all topics highly interesting to us, but we subsequently found that his knowledge of these matters was very imperfect. We made known to him our wish that the Esquimaux should be informed of our arrival as soon as possible, and signified that a very substantial present would be given to any person that would carry the intelligence to them in the course of the following winter. Mr. Dease pressed this point strongly on his consideration. This gentleman, indeed, was anxious to promote our desires in every respect, and promised that his utmost exertions should be used to procure a good supply of provision for our next summer's voyage, though he represented the hunters in this vicinity as unskilful and inactive, and begged of me not to rely too much on his collection. We left in his charge five bags of pemmican, and the superfluous stores, to lighten the boats. We quitted the fort in the afternoon with a contrary wind, and towed twenty miles up the stream before we encamped, though the beach was composed of sharp stones, which rendered walking very unpleasant.
The wind being contrary during the four following days, we could only ascend the river by using the tracking line. Our crew cheerfully performed this tedious service, though three of them had been much reduced by dysentery, brought on by previous fatigue, exposure to wet, and by their having lived for some time on dried provision. These men, however, had gradually been gaining strength since the fresh meat was procured on Ellice Island.
On the 25th we came to the aspen, poplar, and larch, in latitude 67° 10' N., and were not a little surprised to observe the change in their foliage within the last fortnight. Their leaves had assumed the autumnal tint, and were now fast falling. The wild fowl were hastening in large flocks to the south, and every appearance warned us that the fine season drew near its close.
28th.In the passage through the rampart defile, several families of the Hare Indians were observed encamped on the heights, for the purpose of gathering berries which were at this time ripe, and in the best flavour. At the first sight of the boat the women and children scampered down wherever descent was practicable, to get at their canoes, that they might cross over to us, but we travelled so fast that only a few could overtake the boat. The Indians who reside near this river, from their want of skill in hunting, principally subsist, from spring to autumn, on the produce of their fishing nets, and on wild berries. At the influx of small streams, or wherever there is any eddy, a net is set. In shallow water it is suspended upon sticks planted in a semicircle, so as to enclose the mouth of the river, or the sweep of the eddy; but where the water is deep, and the shore bold or rocky, two stout poles are firmly secured at a short distance from the water's edge, the breadth of a net apart, to the ends of which pliable rods are fastened, of a length sufficient to hang over the water, and to these the net is attached. In the winter these Indians snare hares, which are very abundant in this quarter.
29th.On the 29th we arrived at the upper rapids, which were scarcely discernible at the time of our descent; but from the falling of the water since that time, there was a dry sand-bank of considerable extent in the centre, and the waters on each side of it were broken and covered with foam. Augustus being tired with tracking, had wandered from us to the extremity of this bank, from whence he could not be extricated without great hazard, unless by making him return to the bottom of the rapid. As this, however, would have compelled the poor fellow to pass the night upon the sand-bank,Mr. Kendall undertook to bring him off, by running with the current to the point at the commencement of the rapids, which he effected in a masterly manner, although the boat struck twice, and was in considerable danger from the violence of the eddies.
We found, at the place of our encampment, a solitary old woman, sitting by a small fire, who seemed somewhat alarmed at her visitors, until she was joined, after dark, by her husband and son. As soon as the man understood from our signs that we were desirous of having some fish for supper, he instantly embarked to examine his nets; but as they proved to be empty, the woman generously dragged a pike out of a bundle on which she was sitting, and presented it to us, though it was evidently reserved for their own meal. In return we furnished them with a more substantial supper, and made them some useful presents. The weather was extremely sultry throughout this day; at twop.m.the thermometer stood in the shade at 66°, and at 76° when exposed to the sun. The refraction of the atmosphere, which we had often remarked to be unusually great since we had entered the Mackenzie, was this day particularly powerful. The mountains were distorted into the most extraordinary shapes, and the banks of the river, which we knew to be only from thirty to sixty feet high, appeared to have such an elevation, that it would have been impossible for us to recognise the land. The air became cooler in the evening, and the atmosphere less refractive. Soon after sunset the objects appeared in their proper form, and we enjoyed the prospect of the delightful mountain scenery that distinguishes this rapid.
Tuesday, 30th.Favoured by a N.W. gale, we made great progress on the 30th. The temperature of the air varied in the course of the day from 62° to 41°. The brulôts and sand-flies were very teazing wherever we landed; but these, unlike the musquitoes, disappear with the sun.
The upper parts of the Rocky Mountains on the western side of the river were, at this time, covered with snow, but not those of the eastern side, which are, probably, less elevated than the former. We had no opportunity of ascertaining their height, though we conjectured that the loftiest did not exceed two thousand feet, as it was free from snow in the early part of August.
September, 1st.At sunset this evening we quitted the muddy waters of the Mackenzie, and entered the clear stream that flows from the Great Bear Lake; but owing to the shallowness of the water near its mouth, and the beachbeing a mere collection of stones, we had to grope our way long after dark in search of a place for an encampment, stumbling and falling at every step. At length we espied a light about a mile further up the river on the opposite shore; we, therefore, crossed over, at the expense of some heavy blows to the boat, and tracked along the base of a steep bank, until we reached the fire. There we found a Canadian and two Indian boys who had been sent from Bear Lake three days before in a canoe, to procure some white mud from the banks of the MacKenzie to decorate our house. This man was the bearer of a letter from Lieutenant Back to me, which detailed the proceedings at the Fort.
Friday, 2nd.We embarked at daylight, having the canoe in company. The weather was cold and raw throughout the day; the temperature from 34° to 45°; but the party were kept in constant exercise, either in tracking or walking; the steersman and bowman only being required in the boat. Except where the river was bounded by steep cliffs, the path was pretty good. Its general breadth varied from three hundred to five hundred yards, and its banks were tolerably well wooded, but the trees were small.
Saturday, 3rd.This morning the ground was firmly frozen, and the thermometer stood at 28°, when we commenced our operations. Early in the afternoon we arrived at the lower part of the mountain, and which we had kept in view this day, and the greater part of the preceding. As we had now to ascend a succession of rapids for fifteen miles, and two of our crew were lame, I directed the canoe to be laid up on the shore, and took the Canadian and the boys to assist at the tow-line. We had not advanced more than two miles before we met with an accident that was likely to have been attended with serious consequences: in the act of hauling round a projecting point, and in the strength of the current, the tow-line broke, and the boat was driven with great force against a large stone at some distance from the shore, having deep water on every side. There it lay with the broadside exposed to the whole pressure of the current, beating violently against the stone; and from this situation it could not have been extricated, had not Gustavus Aird, the strongest man of the party, ventured to wade into the river at the imminent risque of being swept off his feet, until he could catch the rope that was thrown to him from the boat. As soon as it was dragged to the shore, we found that part of the keel was gone, and the remainder much twisted, and all the fastenings of the lowest plank were loosened. Thecarpenter set to work to repair this mischief in the best manner he could with the materials he had, and before night the boat was again launched. The leaks, however, could not be quite stopped, and in our further progress one of the men was constantly employed baling out the water.
Sunday, 4th.The next day's operations were tedious and hazardous as long as the rapids continued. The men had to walk with the tow-line along a narrow ledge that jutted out from the base of a steep rocky cliff, which was very slippery from the rain that had fallen in the night: a false step might have proved fatal; and we rejoiced when, having passed the rapids, we found earthy banks and a better path. The services of Augustus and the Indian lads being no longer required, I despatched them to the Fort, to apprize the party there of our approach.
We had a severe frost this night: at daylight in the morning the thermometer was down to 20°, and a raw fog contributed to make the weather very cold and comfortless. The sun shone forth about eleven, and soon dispersed the fog, and then the temperature gradually rose to 54°.
Monday, 5th.At fourp.m.we arrived at the foot of the upper rapid, and in two hours afterwards entered the Great Bear Lake, and reached the house at seven. Dr. Richardson having returned from his voyage to the northern part of the lake, the members of the Expedition were now, for the first time, all assembled. We heartily congratulated each other on this circumstance, and also on the prospect of being snugly settled in our winter-quarters before the severe weather. Dr. Richardson had surveyed the Bear Lake to the influx of Dease's River, near its N.E. termination, at which point it is nearest to the Coppermine River. He fixed upon the first rapid in Dease River as the best point to which the eastern detachment of the Expedition could direct its steps, on its return from the mouth of the Coppermine River the following season. The rapid was, by observation, in latitude 66° 53' N., and longitude 118° 35' W., and the variation of the magnetic needle there, was 47° 29' E.