We Entered Them By A Portage Of Nine Hundred
And Fifty Paces, And During The Afternoon Traversed Three Other Grassy
Lakes And Encamped On The Banks Of The River, At The End Of The
Yellow-Knife Portage, Of Three Hundred And Fifty Paces.
This day's work
was very laborious to our men.
Akaitcho however had directed his party to
assist them in carrying their burdens on the portages, which they did
cheerfully. This morning Mr. Back caught several fish with a fly, a
method of fishing entirely new to the Indians, and they were not more
delighted than astonished at his skill and success. The extremes of
temperature today were 54 and 65 degrees.
SCARCITY OF PROVISIONS, AND DISCONTENT OF THE CANADIAN VOYAGERS.
On August 5th we continued the ascent of the river, which varied much in
breadth, as did the current in rapidity. It flows between high rocky
banks on which there is sufficient soil to support pines, birch, and
poplars. Five portages were crossed, then the Rocky Lake, and we finished
our labours at the end of the sixth portage. The issue of dried meat for
breakfast this morning had exhausted all our stock, and no other
provision remained but the portable soups and a few pounds of preserved
meat. At the recommendation of Akaitcho the hunters were furnished with
ammunition and desired to go forward as speedily as possible to the part
where the reindeer were expected to be found, and to return to us with
any provision they could procure.
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