After
passing the mouth of the Fairy Lake River* the rapids ceased. The main
stream was then about three hundred yards wide and generally deep, though
in one part the channel was interrupted by several sandy banks and low
alluvial islands covered with willows. It flows between banks of sand
thinly wooded and as we advanced the barren hills approached the water's
edge.
(*Footnote. This is an Indian name. The Northern Indian fairies are six
inches high, lead a life similar to the Indians, and are excellent
hunters. Those who have had the good fortune to fall in with their tiny
encampments have been kindly treated and regaled on venison. We did not
learn with certainty whether the existence of these delightful creatures
is known from Indian tradition or whether the Indians own their knowledge
of them to their intercourse with the traders, but think the former
probable.)
At ten we rejoined our hunters who had killed a deer and halted to
breakfast. We sent them forward; one of them who was walking along the
shore afterwards fired upon two brown bears and wounded one of them,
which instantly turned and pursued him. His companions in the canoes put
ashore to his assistance but did not succeed in killing the bears, which
fled upon the reinforcement coming up. During the delay thus occasioned
we overtook them and they continued with us the rest of the day.
We encamped at the foot of a lofty range of mountains which appear to be
from twelve to fifteen hundred feet high; they are in general
round-backed but the outline is not even, being interrupted by craggy
conical eminences. This is the first ridge of hills we have seen in this
country that deserves the appellation of a mountain range; it is probably
a continuation of the Stony Mountains crossed by Hearne. Many plants
appeared in full flower near the tents and Dr. Richardson gathered some
high up on the hills. The distance we made today was fifty miles.
There was a hoar frost in the night and the temperature at four next
morning was 40 degrees: embarking at that hour we glided quickly down the
stream and by seven arrived at the Hook's encampment which was placed on
the summit of a lofty sand cliff whose base was washed by the river. This
chief had with him only three hunters and a few old men and their
families, the rest of the band having remained at their snares in Bear
Lake. His brother Long-legs and our guide Keskarrah, who had joined him
three days before, had communicated to him our want of provision, and we
were happy to find that, departing from the general practice of Indian
chiefs, he entered at once upon the business without making a long
speech.
