The box containing the journals, etc., with the present
despatches by the next winter packet to England. But before he quitted
Fort Enterprise he was to be assured of the intention of the Indians to
lay up the provision we required and, if they should be in want of
ammunition for that purpose, to procure it if possible from Fort
Providence or the other Forts in Slave Lake, and send it immediately to
them by the hunters who accompanied him thither. I also requested him to
ascertain from Akaitcho and the other leading Indians where their
different parties would be hunting in the months of September and
October, and to leave this information in a letter at Fort Enterprise for
our guidance in finding them, as we should require their assistance. Mr.
Wentzel was furnished with a list of the stores that had been promised to
Akaitcho and his party as a remuneration for their services, as well as
with an official request to the North-West Company that these goods might
be paid to them on their next visit to Fort Providence, which they
expected to make in the latter part of November. I desired him to mention
this circumstance to the Indians as an encouragement to exertion in our
behalf and to promise them an additional reward for the supply of
provision they should collect at Fort Enterprise.
If Mr. Wentzel met the Hook or any of his party he was instructed to
assure them that he was provided with the necessary documents to get them
payment for any meat they should put en cache for our use, and to
acquaint them that we fully relied on their fulfilling every part of the
agreement they had made with us. Whenever the Indians, whom he was to
join at the Copper Mountains, killed any animals on their way to Fort
Enterprise, he was requested to put en cache whatever meat could be
spared, placing conspicuous marks to guide us to them, and I particularly
begged he would employ them in hunting in our service immediately after
his arrival at the house.
When Mr. Wentzel's party had been supplied with ammunition our remaining
stock consisted of one thousand balls and rather more than the requisite
proportion of powder. A bag of small shot was missing and we afterwards
discovered that the Canadians had secreted and distributed it among
themselves in order that when provision should become scarce they might
privately procure ducks and geese and avoid the necessity of sharing them
with the officers.
The situation of our encampment was ascertained to be latitude 67 degrees
47 minutes 50 seconds North, longitude 115 degrees 36 minutes 49 seconds
West, the variation of the compass 46 degrees 25 minutes 52 seconds East,
and dip of the needle 88 degrees 5 minutes 07 seconds.
It will be perceived that the position of the mouth of the river given by
our observations differs widely from that assigned by Mr. Hearne, but the
accuracy of his description, conjoined with Indian information, assured
us that we were at the very part he visited. I therefore named the most
conspicuous cape we then saw Cape Hearne as a just tribute to the memory
of that persevering traveller. I distinguished another cape by the name
of Mackenzie in honour of Sir Alexander Mackenzie, the only other
European* who had before reached the Northern Ocean. I called the river
which falls into the sea to the westward of the Copper-Mine Richardson as
a testimony of sincere regard for my friend and companion Dr. Richardson,
and named the islands which were in view from our encampment Couper's
Isles in honour of a friend of his. The sun set this night at thirty
minutes after eleven apparent time.
(*Footnote. Captain Parry's success was at this time unknown to us.)
The travelling distance from Fort Enterprise to the north of the
Copper-Mine River is about three hundred and thirty-four miles. The
canoes and baggage were dragged over snow and ice for one hundred and
seventeen miles of this distance.
CHAPTER 11.
NAVIGATION OF THE POLAR SEA, IN TWO CANOES, AS FAR AS CAPE TURNAGAIN, TO
THE EASTWARD, A DISTANCE EXCEEDING FIVE HUNDRED AND FIFTY MILES.
OBSERVATIONS ON THE PROBABILITY OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE.
NAVIGATION OF THE POLAR SEA, IN TWO CANOES, AS FAR AS CAPE TURNAGAIN, TO
THE EASTWARD, A DISTANCE EXCEEDING FIVE HUNDRED AND FIFTY MILES.
July 20, 1821.
We intended to have embarked early this morning and to have launched upon
an element more congenial with our habits than the freshwater navigations
with their numerous difficulties and impediments which we had hitherto
encountered, but which was altogether new to our Canadian voyagers. We
were detained however by a strong north-east gale which continued the
whole day with constant thundershowers, the more provoking as our nets
procured but few fish and we had to draw upon our store of dried meat,
which, with other provision for the journey, amounted only to fifteen
days' consumption. Indeed we should have preferred going dinnerless to
bed rather than encroach on our small stock had we not been desirous of
satisfying the appetites and cheering the spirits of our Canadian
companions at the commencement of our voyage. These thoughtless people
would at any time incur the hazard of absolute starvation at a future
period for the present gratification of their appetites, to indulge which
they do not hesitate, as we more than once experienced, at helping
themselves secretly, it being in their opinion no disgrace to be detected
in pilfering food.
Our only luxury now was a little salt which had long been our substitute
both for bread and vegetables. Since our departure from Point Lake we had
boiled the Indian tea plant Ledum palustre which provided a beverage in
smell much resembling rhubarb, notwithstanding which we found it
refreshing and were gratified to see this plant flourishing abundantly on
the sea shore though of dwarfish growth.
