From Seeing All Their
Property Strewed About, And Ten Of Their Dogs Left, We Entertained The
Hope That These Poor
People would return after their first alarm had
subsided, and therefore I determined on remaining until the next day, in
The expectation of seeing them as I considered the opening of an early
communication a matter of the greatest importance in our state of
absolute ignorance respecting the sea-coast. The canoes and cargoes were
carried across the portage and we encamped on the north side of it. We
sent Augustus and Junius across the river to look for the runaways but
their search was fruitless. They put a few pieces of iron and trinkets in
their canoes, which were lying on the beach. We also sent some men to put
up the stages of fish and secure them as much as possible from the
attacks of the dogs. Under the covering of their tents were observed some
stone kettles and hatchets, a few fish spears made of copper, two small
bits of iron, a quantity of skins, and some dried salmon, which was
covered with maggots and half putrid. The entrails of the fish were
spread out to dry. A great many skins of small birds were hung up to a
stage, and even two mice were preserved in the same way. Thus it would
appear that the necessities of these poor people induce them to preserve
every article that can be possibly used as food. Several human skulls,
which bore the marks of violence, and many bones were strewed about the
ground near the encampment and, as the spot exactly answers the
description given by Mr. Hearne of the place where the Chipewyans who
accompanied him perpetrated the dreadful massacre on the Esquimaux, we
had no doubt of this being the place, notwithstanding the difference in
its position as to latitude and longitude given by him and ascertained by
our observation.
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