We walked the whole of the 13th over flat meadow-land which is much
resorted to by the buffalo at all seasons. Some herds of them were seen
which our hunters were too unskilful to approach. In the afternoon we
reached the Stinking Lake which is nearly of an oval form. Its shores are
very low and swampy to which circumstances and not to the bad quality of
the waters it owes its Indian name. Our observations place its western
part in latitude 53 degrees 25 minutes 24 seconds North, longitude 107
degrees 18 minutes 58 seconds West, variation 20 degrees 32 minutes 10
seconds East.
After a march of fifteen miles and a half we encamped among a few pines
at the only spot where we saw sufficient wood for making our fire during
the day. The next morning about an hour after we had commenced our march
we came upon a beaten track and perceived recent marks of snowshoes. In a
short time an Iroquois joined us, who was residing with a party of Cree
Indians, to secure the meat and furs they should collect for the
North-West Company. He accompanied us as far as the stage on which his
meat was placed and then gave us a very pressing invitation to halt for
the day and partake of his fare which, as the hour was too early, we
declined, much to the annoyance of our Canadian companions who had been
cherishing the prospect of indulging their amazing appetites at this
well-furnished store ever since the man had been with us. He gave them
however a small supply previous to our parting. The route now crossed
some ranges of hills on which fir, birch and poplar grew so thickly that
we had much difficulty in getting the sledges through the narrow pathway
between them. In the evening we descended from the elevated ground,
crossed three swampy meadows, and encamped at their northern extremity
within a cluster of large pine-trees, the branches of which were
elegantly decorated with abundance of a greenish yellow lichen. Our march
was ten miles. The weather was very mild, almost too warm for the
exercise we were taking.
We had a strong gale from the North-West during the night which subsided
as the morning opened. One of the sledges had been so much broken the day
before in the woods that we had to divide its cargo among the others. We
started after this had been arranged and, finding almost immediately a
firm track, soon arrived at some Indian lodges to which it led. The
inhabitants were Crees belonging to the posts on the Saskatchewan from
whence they had come to hunt beaver. We made but a short stay and
proceeded through a swamp to Pelican Lake. Our view to the right was
bounded by a range of lofty hills which extended for several miles in a
north and south direction which, it may be remarked, was that of all the
hilly land we had passed since quitting the plain.
Pelican Lake is of an irregular form, about six miles from east to west
and eight from north to south; it decreases to the breadth of a mile
towards the northern extremity and is there terminated by a creek. We
went up this creek for a short distance and then struck into the woods
and encamped among a cluster of the firs which the Canadians term cypres
(Pinus banksiana) having come fourteen miles and a half.
February 16.
Shortly after commencing the journey today we met an Indian and his
family who had come from the houses at Green Lake; they informed us the
track was well beaten the whole way. We therefore put forth our utmost
speed in the hope of reaching them by night but were disappointed, and
had to halt at dark about twelve miles from them in a fisherman's hut
which was unoccupied. Frequent showers of snow fell during the day and
the atmosphere was thick and gloomy.
We started at an early hour the following morning and reached the
Hudson's Bay Company's post to breakfast, and were received very kindly
by Mr. MacFarlane, the gentleman in charge. The other establishment,
situated on the opposite side of the river, was under the direction of
Mr. Dugald Cameron, one of the partners of the North-West Company on whom
Mr. Back and I called soon after our arrival and were honoured with a
salute of musketry.
These establishments are small but said to be well situated for procuring
furs; as the numerous creeks in their vicinity are much resorted to by
the beaver, otter and musquash. The residents usually obtain a
superabundant supply of provision. This season however they barely had
sufficient for their own support, owing to the epidemic which has
incapacitated the Indians for hunting. The Green Lake lies nearly north
and south, is eighteen miles in length and does not exceed one mile and a
half of breadth in any part. The water is deep and it is in consequence
one of the last lakes in the country that is frozen. Excellent tittameg
and trout are caught in it from March to December but after that time
most of the fish remove to some larger lake.
We remained two days awaiting the return of some men who had been sent to
the Indian lodges for meat and who were to go on with us. Mr. Back and I
did not need this rest, having completely surmounted the pain occasioned
by the snowshoes. We dined twice with Mr. Cameron and received from him
many useful suggestions respecting our future operations. This gentleman,
having informed us that provisions would probably be very scarce next
spring in the Athabasca department in consequence of the sickness of the
Indians during the hunting season, undertook at my request to cause a
supply of pemmican to be conveyed from the Saskatchewan to Isle a la
Crosse for our use during the winter, and I wrote to apprise Dr.
Richardson and Mr. Hood that they would find it at the latter post when
they passed, and also to desire them to bring as much as the canoes would
stow from Cumberland.
