The
Banks Of The River Here Are Rocky And The Scenery Beautiful, Consisting
Of Gentle Elevations And Dales Wooded To
The edge of the stream and
flanked on both sides at the distance of three or four miles by a
Range
of round-backed barren hills, upwards of six hundred feet high. At the
foot of the rapids the high lands recede to a greater distance and the
river flows with a more gentle current in a wider channel through a level
and open country consisting of alluvial sand. In one place the passage
was blocked up by drift ice still deeply covered with snow. A channel for
the canoes was made for some distance with the hatchets and poles but, on
reaching the more compact part, we were under the necessity of
transporting the canoes and cargoes across it, an operation of much
hazard as the snow concealed the numerous holes which the water had made
in the ice. This expansion of the river being mistaken by the guide for a
lake which he spoke of as the last on our route to the sea, we supposed
that we should have no more ice to cross, and therefore encamped after
passing through it, to fit the canoes properly for the voyage and to
provide poles, which are not only necessary to strengthen them when
placed in the bottom, but essentially requisite for the safe management
of them in dangerous rapids. The guide began afterwards to doubt whether
the lake he meant was not farther on, and he was sent with two men to
examine into the fact, who returned in the evening with the information
of its being below us but that there was an open channel through it. This
day was very sultry and several plants appeared in flower.
The men were employed in repairing their canoes to a late hour and
commenced very early next morning as we were desirous of availing
ourselves of every part of this favourable weather. The hunters arrived
in the course of the night. It appeared that the dog which escaped from
us two days ago came into the vicinity of their encampment, howling
piteously; seeing him without his harness they came to the hasty
conclusion that our whole party had perished in a rapid and, throwing
away part of their baggage and leaving the meat behind them, they set off
with the utmost haste to join Long-legs. Our messenger met them in their
flight but too far advanced to admit of their returning for the meat.
Akaitcho scolded them heartily for their thoughtlessness in leaving the
meat, which we so much wanted. They expressed their regret and, being
ashamed of their panic, proposed to remedy the evil as much as possible
by going forward without stopping until they came to a favourable spot
for hunting, which they expected to do about thirty or forty miles below
our present encampment. Akaitcho accompanied them but previous to setting
off he renewed his charge that we should be on our guard against the
bears, which was occasioned by the hunters having fired at one is morning
as they were descending a rapid in their canoe.
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