The repair of
our canoes was completed this evening. Before embarking I issued an order
that no rapid should in future be descended until the bowman had examined
it and decided upon its being safe to run. Wherever the least danger was
to be apprehended or the crew had to disembark for the purpose of
lightening the canoe, the ammunition, guns, and instruments were always
to be put out and carried along the bank, that we might be provided with
the means of subsisting ourselves in case of any accident befalling the
canoes.
The situation of our encampment was ascertained to be 65 degrees 43
minutes 28 seconds North, longitude 114 degrees 26 minutes 45 seconds
West, and the variation 42 degrees 17 minutes 22 seconds East.
At four in the morning of July 4th we embarked and descended a succession
of very agitated rapids, but took the precaution of landing the articles
mentioned yesterday wherever there appeared any hazard; notwithstanding
all our precautions the leading canoe struck with great force against a
stone and the bark was split, but this injury was easily repaired and we
regretted only the loss of time. At eleven we came to an expansion of the
river where the current ran with less force and an accumulation of drift
ice had in consequence barred the channel; over this the canoes and
cargoes were carried. The ice in many places adhered to the banks and
projected in wide ledges several feet thick over the stream, which had
hollowed them out beneath. On one occasion as the people were embarking
from one of these ledges it suddenly gave way and three men were
precipitated into the water but were rescued without further damage than
a sound ducking, and the canoe fortunately (and narrowly) escaped being
crushed. Perceiving one of the Indians sitting on the east bank of the
river we landed and, having learned from him that Akaitcho and the
hunters had gone in pursuit of a herd of musk-oxen, we encamped, having
come twenty-four miles and a half.
In the afternoon they brought us the agreeable intelligence of having
killed eight cows, of which four were full-grown. All the party were
immediately despatched to bring in this seasonable supply. A young cow,
irritated by the firing of the hunters, ran down to the river and passed
close to me when walking at a short distance from the tents. I fired and
wounded it, when the animal instantly turned and ran at me, but I avoided
its fury by jumping aside and getting upon an elevated piece of ground.
In the meantime some people came from the tents and it took to flight.
The musk-oxen, like the buffalo, herd together in bands and generally
frequent the barren grounds during the summer months, keeping near the
rivers, but retire to the woods in winter. They seem to be less watchful
than most other wild animals and, when grazing, are not difficult to
approach provided the hunters go against the wind; when two or three men
get so near a herd as to fire at them from different points these
animals, instead of separating or running away, huddle closer together
and several are generally killed; but if the wound is not mortal they
become enraged and dart in the most furious manner at the hunters, who
must be very dextrous to evade them. They can defend themselves by their
powerful horns against the wolves and bears which, as the Indians say,
they not unfrequently kill.
The musk-oxen feed on the same substances with the reindeer, and the
prints of the feet of these two animals are so much alike that it
requires the eye of an experienced hunter to distinguish them. The
largest killed by us did not exceed in weight three hundred pounds. The
flesh has a musky disagreeable flavour, particularly when the animal is
lean which, unfortunately for us, was the case with all that we now
killed.
During this day's march the river varied in breadth from one hundred to
two hundred feet, and except in two open spaces a very strong current
marked a deep descent the whole way. It flows over a bed of gravel, of
which also its immediate banks are composed. Near to our encampment it is
bounded by cliffs of fine sand from one hundred to two hundred feet high.
Sandy plains extend on a level with the summit of these cliffs, and at
the distance of six or seven miles are terminated by ranges of hills
eight hundred or one thousand feet high. The grass on these plains
affords excellent pasturage for the musk-oxen and they generally abound
here. The hunters added two more to our stock in the course of the night.
As we had now more meat than the party could consume fresh we delayed our
voyage next day to dry it. The hunters were supplied with more ammunition
and sent forward; but Akaitcho, his brother, and another Indian remained
with us.
It may here be proper to mention that the officers had treated Akaitcho
more distantly since our departure from Point Lake, to mark their opinion
of his misconduct. The diligence in hunting however which he had evinced
at this place induced us to receive him more familiarly when he came to
the tent this evening. During our conversation he endeavoured to excite
suspicions in our minds against the Hook by saying, "I am aware that you
consider me the worst man of my nation; but I know the Hook to be a great
rogue and I think he will disappoint you."
On the morning of the 6th we embarked and descended a series of rapids,
having twice unloaded the canoes where the water was shallow.
