Our Men Arrived Soon After
Us And In The Evening Mr. Wentzel And His Party, With The Canoes In
Excellent Condition.
They were much jaded by their fatiguing journey and
several were lame from swellings of the lower extremities.
The ice on the
lake was still six or seven feet thick and there was no appearance of its
decay except near the edges and, as it was evident that, by remaining
here until it should be removed, we might lose every prospect of success
in our undertaking, I determined on dragging our stores along its surface
until we should come to a part of the river where we could embark, and
directions were given this evening for each man to prepare a train for
the conveyance of his portion of the stores. I may remark here, as a
proof of the strong effect of radiation from the earth in melting the
ice, that the largest holes in the ice were always formed at the base of
the high and steep cliffs which abound on the borders of this lake.
We found Akaitcho and the hunters encamped here but their families and
the rest of the tribe had gone off two days before to the Bethseeto, a
large lake to the northward where they intended passing the summer.
Long-legs and Keskarrah had departed to desire the Hook to collect as
much meat as he could against our arrival at his lodge. We were extremely
distressed to learn from Dr. Richardson that Akaitcho and his party had
expended all the ammunition they had received at Fort Enterprise without
having contributed any supply of provision.
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