Three or four fish were caught with lines through
holes which the water had worn in the ice. We perceived a light westerly
current at these places.
It rained heavily during the night and this was succeeded by a dense fog
on the morning of the 28th. Being short of provisions we commenced our
journey though the points of land were not discernible beyond a short
distance. The surface of the ice, being honeycombed by the recent rains,
presented innumerable sharp points which tore our shoes and lacerated the
feet at every step. The poor dogs too marked their path with their blood.
NAVIGATION OF THE COPPER-MINE RIVER.
In the evening the atmosphere became clear and at five P.M. we reached
the rapid by which Point Lake communicates with Red-Rock Lake. This rapid
is only one hundred yards wide and we were much disappointed at finding
the Copper-Mine River such an inconsiderable stream. The canoes descended
the rapid but the cargoes were carried across the peninsula and placed
again on the sledges as the next lake was still frozen. We passed an
extensive arm branching to the eastward, and encamped just below it on
the western bank among spruce pines, having walked six miles of direct
distance. The rolled stones on the beach are principally red clay slate,
hence its Indian appellation which we have retained.
We continued our journey at the usual hour next morning. At noon the
variation was observed to be 47 degrees East. Our attention was
afterwards directed to some pine branches scattered on the ice which
proved to be marks placed by our hunters to guide us to the spot where
they had deposited the carcasses of two small deer. This supply was very
seasonable and the men cheerfully dragged the additional weight.
Akaitcho, judging from the appearance of the meat, thought it had been
placed here three days ago and that the hunters were considerably in
advance. We put up at six P.M. near the end of the lake, having come
twelve miles and three-quarters, and found the channel open by which it
is connected with the Rock-nest Lake. A river was pointed out bearing
south from our encampment, which is said to rise near Great Marten Lake.
Red-Rock Lake is in general narrow, its shelving banks are well clothed
with wood and even the hills, which attain an elevation of four hundred
or five hundred feet, are ornamented halfway up with stunted pines.
On June 30 the men, having gummed the canoes, embarked with their burdens
to descend the river; but we accompanied the Indians about five miles
across a neck of land, when we also embarked. The river was about two
hundred yards wide and, its course being uninterrupted, we cherished a
sanguine hope of now getting on more speedily, until we perceived that
the waters of Rock-nest Lake were still bound by ice and that recourse
must again be had to the sledges. The ice was much decayed and the party
were exposed to great risk of breaking through in making the traverse. In
one part we had to cross an open channel in the canoes, and in another
were compelled to quit the Lake and make a portage along the land. When
the party had got upon the ice again our guide evinced much uncertainty
as to the route. He first directed us towards the west end of the lake
but, when we had nearly gained that point, he discovered a remarkable
rock to the north-east, named by the Indians the Rock-nest, and then
recollected that the river ran at its base. Our course was immediately
changed to that direction, but the traverse we had then to make was more
dangerous than the former one. The ice cracked under us at every step and
the party were obliged to separate widely to prevent accidents. We landed
at the first point we could approach but, having found an open channel
close to the shore, were obliged to ferry the goods across on pieces of
ice. The fresh meat being expended we had to make another inroad on our
pounded meat. The evening was very warm and the mosquitoes numerous. A
large fire was made to apprise the hunters of our advance. The scenery of
Rock-nest Lake is picturesque, its shores are rather low except at the
Rock-nest, and two or three eminences on the eastern side. The only wood
is the pine which is twenty or thirty feet high and about one foot in
diameter. Our distance today was six miles.
July 1.
Our guide directed us to proceed towards a deep bay on the north side of
the lake where he supposed we should find the river. In consequence of
the bad state of the ice we employed all the different modes of
travelling we had previously followed in attaining this place and, in
crossing a point of land, had the misfortune to lose one of the dogs,
which set off in pursuit of some reindeer. Arriving at the bay we only
found a stream that fell into it from the north-east and looked in vain
for the Copper-Mine River. This circumstance confused the guide and he
confessed that he was now doubtful of the proper route; we therefore
halted and despatched him with two men to look for the river from the top
of the high hills near the Rock-nest. During this delay a slight injury
was repaired which one of the canoes had received. We were here amused by
the sight of a wolf chasing two reindeer on the ice.
