As laid down on the charts, but he will probably
find what would be more interesting to him, a post which we erected on
the 26th August at the mouth of Hood's River which is nearly, as will
appear hereafter, in that longitude, with a flag upon it and a letter at
the foot of it, which may convey to him some useful information. It is
possible however that he may keep outside of the range of islands which
skirt this part of the coast.
CHAPTER 12.
JOURNEY ACROSS THE BARREN GROUNDS.
DIFFICULTY AND DELAY IN CROSSING COPPER-MINE RIVER.
MELANCHOLY AND FATAL RESULTS THEREOF.
EXTREME MISERY OF THE WHOLE PARTY.
MURDER OF MR. HOOD.
DEATH OF SEVERAL OF THE CANADIANS.
DESOLATE STATE OF FORT ENTERPRISE.
DISTRESS SUFFERED AT THAT PLACE.
DR. RICHARDSON'S NARRATIVE.
MR. BACK'S NARRATIVE.
CONCLUSION.
JOURNEY ACROSS THE BARREN GROUNDS.
August 17, 1821.
My original intention, whenever the season should compel us to relinquish
the survey, had been to return by the Copper-Mine River and, in pursuance
of my arrangement with the Hook, to travel to Slave Lake through the line
of woods extending thither by the Great Bear and Marten Lakes, but our
scanty stock of provision and the length of the voyage rendered it
necessary to make for a nearer place. We had already found that the
country between Cape Barrow and the Copper-Mine River would not supply
our wants, and this it seemed probable would now be still the case,
besides at this advanced season we expected the frequent recurrence of
gales which would cause great detention if not danger in proceeding along
that very rocky part of the coast.
