From The Accounts Of Black-Meat And Boileau At Fort Chipewyan We
Considered This River To Be The Anatessy, And Cape Barrow To Be The
Projection Which They Supposed To Be The North-East Termination Of
America.
The outline of the coast indeed bears some resemblance to the
chart they sketched, and the distance of this river from the Copper-Mine
nearly coincides with what we estimated the Anatessy to be from their
statements.
In our subsequent journey however across the barren grounds
we ascertained that this conjecture was wrong, and that the Anatessy,
which is known to come from Rum Lake, must fall into the sea to the
eastward of this place.
Our stock of provision being now reduced to eight days' consumption it
had become a matter of the first importance to obtain a supply and, as we
had learned from Terregannoeuck that the Esquimaux frequent the rivers at
this season, I determined on seeking a communication with them here, in
the hope of obtaining relief for our present wants or even shelter for
the winter if the season should prevent us from returning either to the
Hook's party or Fort Enterprise, and I was the more induced to take this
step at this time as several deer had been seen today and the river
appeared good for fishing, which led me to hope we might support the
party during our stay if not add to our stock by our own exertions in
hunting and fishing. Augustus, Junius, and Hepburn were therefore
furnished with the necessary presents and desired to go along the bank of
the river as far as they could on the following day in search of the
natives to obtain provision and leather as well as information respecting
the coast.
They started at four A.M. and at the same time our hunters were sent off
in search of deer, and the rest of the party proceeded in the canoes to
the first cascade in the river, at the foot of which we encamped and set
four nets. This cascade, produced by a ridge of rocks crossing the
stream, is about three or four feet in height and about two hundred and
fifty yards wide. Its position by our observations in latitude 67 degrees
19 minutes 23 seconds North, longitude 109 degrees 44 minutes 30 seconds
West, variation 41 degrees 43 minutes 22 seconds, dip 88 degrees 58
minutes 48 seconds. I have named this river Hood as a small tribute to
the memory of our lamented friend and companion. It is from three to four
hundred yards wide below the cascade but in many places very shallow. The
banks, bottom, and adjacent hills are formed of a mixture of sand and
clay. The ground was overspread with small willows and the dwarf birch,
both too diminutive for fuel, and the stream brought down no driftwood.
We were mortified to find the nets only procured one salmon and five
white-fish, and that we had to make another inroad upon our dried meat.
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