After
Passing Through Another Expansion Of The River And Over The Steep Portage
Of One Hundred And Fifteen Yards We Encamped On A Small Rocky Isle, Just
Large Enough To Hold Our Party, And The Indians Took Possession Of An
Adjoining Rock.
We were now thirty miles from Fort Providence.
As soon as the tents were pitched the officers and men were divided into
watches for the night, a precaution intended to be taken throughout the
journey, not merely to prevent our being surprised by strangers but also
to show our companions that we were constantly on our guard. The chief,
who suffered nothing to escape his observation, remarked that he should
sleep without anxiety among the Esquimaux for he perceived no enemy could
surprise us.
After supper we retired to rest but our sleep was soon interrupted by the
Indians joining in loud lamentations over a sick child whom they supposed
to be dying. Dr. Richardson however immediately went to the boy and
administered some medicine which relieved his pain and put a stop to
their mourning. The temperatures this day were at four A.M. 54 degrees,
three P.M. 72 degrees, at seven P.M. 65 degrees.
On the 4th we crossed a small lake and passed in succession over the
Blueberry Cascade and Double Fall Portages where the river falls over
ridges of rocks that completely obstruct the passages for canoes. We came
to three strong rapids beyond these barriers, which were surmounted by
the aid of the poles and lines, and then to a bend of the river in which
the cascades were so frequent that to avoid them we carried the canoes
into a chain of small lakes.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 283 of 649
Words from 76286 to 76569
of 176017
