A narrow lake; we encamped on an island in the middle of it
to set the nets; but they only yielded a few fish and we had a very
scanty supper as it was necessary to deal out our provision sparingly.
The longitude 114 degrees 27 minutes 03 seconds West and variation 33
degrees 00 minutes 04 seconds East were observed.
We had the mortification of finding the nets entirely empty next morning,
an untoward circumstance that discouraged our voyagers very much; and
they complained of being unable to support the fatigue to which they were
daily exposed on their present scanty fare. We had seen with regret that
the portages were more frequent as we advanced to the northward and
feared that their strength would fail if provision were not soon
obtained. We embarked at six, proceeded to the head of the lake, and
crossed a portage of two thousand five hundred paces leading over ridges
of sandhills which nourished pines of a larger size than we had lately
seen. This conducted us to Mossy Lake whence we regained the river after
traversing another portage. The Birch and Poplar Portages next followed,
and beyond these we came to a part where the river takes a great circuit
and its course is interrupted by several heavy falls. The guide therefore
advised us to quit it and proceed through a chain of nine lakes extending
to the north-east which we did and encamped on Icy Portage where the nets
were set. The bottom of the valley through which the track across this
portage led was covered with ice four or five feet thick, the remains of
a large iceberg which is annually formed there by the snow drifting into
the valley and becoming consolidated into ice by the overflowing of some
springs that are warm enough to resist the winter's cold. The latitude is
63 degrees 22 minutes 15 seconds North, longitude 114 degrees 15 minutes
30 seconds West.
We were alarmed in the night by our fire communicating to the dry moss
which, spreading by the force of a strong wind, encircled the encampment
and threatened destruction to our canoes and baggage. The watch
immediately aroused all the men who quickly removed whatever could be
injured to a distant part and afterwards succeeded in extinguishing the
flame.
August 8.
During this day we crossed five portages, passing over a very bad road.
The men were quite exhausted with fatigue by five P.M. when we were
obliged to encamp on the borders of the fifth lake, in which the
fishing-nets were set. We began this evening to issue some portable soup
and arrowroot which our companions relished very much; but this food is
too unsubstantial to support their vigour under their daily exhausting
labour, and we could not furnish them with a sufficient quantity even of
this to satisfy their desires.
