The Other
Indians Walked Along The Banks Of The River.
Throughout this day's voyage
the current was very strong, running four or five miles an hour, but the
navigation was tolerable and we had to lighten the canoes only once, in a
contracted part of the river where the waves were very high.
The river is
in many places confined between perpendicular walls of rock to one
hundred and fifty yards in width, and there the rapids were most
agitated. Large masses of ice twelve or fourteen feet thick were still
adhering to many parts of the bank, indicating the tardy departure of
winter from this inhospitable land, but the earth around them was rich
with vegetation. In the evening two musk-oxen, being seen on the beach,
were pursued and killed by our men. Whilst we were waiting to embark the
meat the Indians rejoined us and reported they had been attacked by a
bear which sprung upon them whilst they were conversing together. His
attack was so sudden that they had not time to level their guns properly,
and they all missed except Akaitcho who, less confused than the rest,
took deliberate aim and shot the animal dead. They do not eat the flesh
of the bear but, knowing that we had no such prejudice, they brought us
some of the choice pieces which upon trial we found to be very excellent
meat.
The Indians having informed us that we were now within twelve miles of
the rapid where the Esquimaux have invariably been found, we pitched our
tents on the beach under the shelter of a high hill whose precipitous
side is washed by the river, intending to send forward some persons to
determine the situation of their present abode. Some vestiges of an old
Esquimaux encampment were observed near the tents and the stumps of the
trees bore marks of the stone hatchets they use. A strict watch was
appointed consisting of an officer, four Canadians, and an Indian, and
directions were given for the rest of the party to sleep with their arms
by their side. That as little delay as possible might be experienced in
opening a communication with the Esquimaux we immediately commenced
arrangements for sending forward persons to discover whether there were
any in our vicinity. Akaitcho and the guides proposed that two of the
hunters should be despatched on this service who had extremely quick
sight and were accustomed to act as scouts, an office which requires
equal caution and circumspection. A strong objection however lay against
this plan in the probability of their being discovered by a straggling
hunter, which would be destructive to every hope of accommodation. It was
therefore determined to send Augustus and Junius, who were very desirous
to undertake the service. These adventurous men proposed to go armed only
with pistols concealed in their dress, and furnished with beads,
looking-glasses, and other articles, that they might conciliate their
countrymen by presents. We could not divest our minds of the apprehension
that it might be a service of much hazard if the Esquimaux were as
hostile to strangers as the Copper Indians have invariably represented
them to be, and we felt great reluctance in exposing our two little
interpreters, who had rendered themselves dear to the whole party, to the
most distant chance of receiving injury, but this course of proceeding
appeared in their opinion and our own to offer the only chance of gaining
an interview. Though not insensible to the danger they cheerfully
prepared for their mission, and clothed themselves in Esquimaux dresses
which had been made for the purpose at Fort Enterprise. Augustus was
desired to make his presents and to tell the Esquimaux that the white men
had come to make peace between them and all their enemies, and also to
discover a passage by which every article of which they stood in need
might be brought in large ships. He was not to mention that we were
accompanied by the Indians but to endeavour to prevail on some of the
Esquimaux to return with him. He was directed to come back immediately if
there were no lodges at the rapid.
The Indians were not suffered to move out of our sight, but in the
evening we permitted two of them to cross the river in pursuit of a
musk-ox, which they killed on the beach and returned immediately. The
officers, prompted by an anxious solicitude for Augustus and Junius,
crawled up frequently to the summit of the mountain to watch their
return. The view however was not extensive, being bounded at the distance
of eight miles by a range of hills similar to the Copper Mountains but
not so lofty. The night came without bringing any intelligence of our
messengers, and our fears for their safety increased with the length of
their absence.
As everyone had been interested in the welfare of these men through their
vivacity and good nature and the assistance they had cheerfully rendered
in bearing their portion of whatever labour might be going on, their
detention formed the subject of all our conversation and numerous
conjectures were hazarded as to the cause.
Dr. Richardson, having the first watch, had gone to the summit of the
hill and remained seated, contemplating the river that washed the
precipice under his feet long after dusk had hid distant objects from his
view. His thoughts were perhaps far distant from the surrounding scenery,
when he was roused by an indistinct noise behind him and, on looking
round, perceived that nine white wolves had ranged themselves in form of
a crescent and were advancing, apparently with the intention of driving
him into the river. On his rising up they halted, and when he advanced
they made way for his passage down to the tents. He had his gun in his
hand but forbore to fire lest there should be Esquimaux in the
neighbourhood. During Mr. Wentzel's middle watch the wolves appeared
repeatedly on the summit of the hill, and at one time they succeeded in
driving a deer over the precipice.
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