At Four In The Morning Of July 4th We Embarked And Descended A Succession
Of Very Agitated Rapids, But Took
The precaution of landing the articles
mentioned yesterday wherever there appeared any hazard; notwithstanding
all our precautions the leading canoe
Struck with great force against a
stone and the bark was split, but this injury was easily repaired and we
regretted only the loss of time. At eleven we came to an expansion of the
river where the current ran with less force and an accumulation of drift
ice had in consequence barred the channel; over this the canoes and
cargoes were carried. The ice in many places adhered to the banks and
projected in wide ledges several feet thick over the stream, which had
hollowed them out beneath. On one occasion as the people were embarking
from one of these ledges it suddenly gave way and three men were
precipitated into the water but were rescued without further damage than
a sound ducking, and the canoe fortunately (and narrowly) escaped being
crushed. Perceiving one of the Indians sitting on the east bank of the
river we landed and, having learned from him that Akaitcho and the
hunters had gone in pursuit of a herd of musk-oxen, we encamped, having
come twenty-four miles and a half.
In the afternoon they brought us the agreeable intelligence of having
killed eight cows, of which four were full-grown. All the party were
immediately despatched to bring in this seasonable supply.
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