He Also Assured Us That In Our Advance
Towards Them We Should Come To Some Lakes Abounding In Fish.
Many of the
Indians, being likewise in distress for food, decided on separating from
us and going on at a quicker pace than we could travel.
Akaitcho himself was always furnished with a portion at our meals as a
token of regard which the traders have taught the chiefs to expect and
which we willingly paid.
The next morning we crossed a small lake and a portage before we entered
the river; shortly afterwards the canoes and cargoes were carried a mile
along its banks to avoid three very strong rapids, and over another
portage into a narrow lake; we encamped on an island in the middle of it
to set the nets; but they only yielded a few fish and we had a very
scanty supper as it was necessary to deal out our provision sparingly.
The longitude 114 degrees 27 minutes 03 seconds West and variation 33
degrees 00 minutes 04 seconds East were observed.
We had the mortification of finding the nets entirely empty next morning,
an untoward circumstance that discouraged our voyagers very much; and
they complained of being unable to support the fatigue to which they were
daily exposed on their present scanty fare. We had seen with regret that
the portages were more frequent as we advanced to the northward and
feared that their strength would fail if provision were not soon
obtained. We embarked at six, proceeded to the head of the lake, and
crossed a portage of two thousand five hundred paces leading over ridges
of sandhills which nourished pines of a larger size than we had lately
seen.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 285 of 649
Words from 76824 to 77109
of 176017
