To the westward
round a mountainous promontory and, perceiving the course of the lake
extending to the West-North-West, they encamped near some pines and then
enjoyed the luxury of a good fire for the first time since their
departure from us. The temperature of the water in the lake was 35
degrees and of the air 32 degrees, but the latter fell to 20 degrees in
the course of that night. As their principal object was to ascertain
whether any arm of the lake branched nearer to Fort Enterprise than the
part they had fallen upon, to which the transport of our goods could be
more easily made next spring, they returned on its borders to the
eastward, being satisfied by the appearance of the mountains between
south and west that no further examination was necessary in that
direction; and they continued their march until the 6th at noon without
finding any part of the lake inclining nearer the fort. They therefore
encamped to observe the eclipse which was to take place on the following
morning but, a violent snowstorm rendering the observation impossible,
they commenced their return and after a comfortless and laborious march
regained their canoe on the 10th and, embarking in it, arrived the same
evening at the house.
Point Lake varied, as far as they traced, from one to three miles in
width. Its main course was nearly east and west, but several arms
branched off in different directions. I was much pleased with the able
manner in which these officers executed the service they had been
despatched upon, and was gratified to learn from them that their
companions had conducted themselves extremely well and borne the fatigues
of their journey most cheerfully. They scarcely ever had more than
sufficient fuel to boil the kettle and were generally obliged to lie down
in their wet clothes and consequently suffered much from cold.
The distance which the parties travelled in their journey to and from
Point Lake may be estimated at one hundred and ten statute miles which,
being added to the distances given in the preceding pages, amount to one
thousand five hundred and twenty miles that the Expedition travelled in
1820 up to the time of its residence at Fort Enterprise.
CHAPTER 8.
TRANSACTIONS AT FORT ENTERPRISE.
MR. BACK'S NARRATIVE OF HIS JOURNEY TO CHIPEWYAN, AND RETURN.
TRANSACTIONS AT FORT ENTERPRISE.
September 1820.
During our little expedition to the Copper-Mine River Mr. Wentzel had
made great progress in the erection of our winter-house having nearly
roofed it in. But before proceeding to give an account of a ten months'
residence at this place, henceforth designated Fort Enterprise, I may
premise that I shall omit many of the ordinary occurrences of a North
American winter as they have been already detailed in so able and
interesting a manner by Ellis* and confine myself principally to the
circumstances which had an influence on our progress in the ensuing
summer.
