SCARCITY OF PROVISIONS, AND DISCONTENT OF THE CANADIAN VOYAGERS.
On August 5th we continued the ascent of the river, which varied much in
breadth, as did the current in rapidity. It flows between high rocky
banks on which there is sufficient soil to support pines, birch, and
poplars. Five portages were crossed, then the Rocky Lake, and we finished
our labours at the end of the sixth portage. The issue of dried meat for
breakfast this morning had exhausted all our stock, and no other
provision remained but the portable soups and a few pounds of preserved
meat. At the recommendation of Akaitcho the hunters were furnished with
ammunition and desired to go forward as speedily as possible to the part
where the reindeer were expected to be found, and to return to us with
any provision they could procure. He also assured us that in our advance
towards them we should come to some lakes abounding in fish. Many of the
Indians, being likewise in distress for food, decided on separating from
us and going on at a quicker pace than we could travel.
Akaitcho himself was always furnished with a portion at our meals as a
token of regard which the traders have taught the chiefs to expect and
which we willingly paid.
The next morning we crossed a small lake and a portage before we entered
the river; shortly afterwards the canoes and cargoes were carried a mile
along its banks to avoid three very strong rapids, and over another
portage into a narrow lake; we encamped on an island in the middle of it
to set the nets; but they only yielded a few fish and we had a very
scanty supper as it was necessary to deal out our provision sparingly.
The longitude 114 degrees 27 minutes 03 seconds West and variation 33
degrees 00 minutes 04 seconds East were observed.
We had the mortification of finding the nets entirely empty next morning,
an untoward circumstance that discouraged our voyagers very much; and
they complained of being unable to support the fatigue to which they were
daily exposed on their present scanty fare. We had seen with regret that
the portages were more frequent as we advanced to the northward and
feared that their strength would fail if provision were not soon
obtained. We embarked at six, proceeded to the head of the lake, and
crossed a portage of two thousand five hundred paces leading over ridges
of sandhills which nourished pines of a larger size than we had lately
seen. This conducted us to Mossy Lake whence we regained the river after
traversing another portage. The Birch and Poplar Portages next followed,
and beyond these we came to a part where the river takes a great circuit
and its course is interrupted by several heavy falls. The guide therefore
advised us to quit it and proceed through a chain of nine lakes extending
to the north-east which we did and encamped on Icy Portage where the nets
were set. The bottom of the valley through which the track across this
portage led was covered with ice four or five feet thick, the remains of
a large iceberg which is annually formed there by the snow drifting into
the valley and becoming consolidated into ice by the overflowing of some
springs that are warm enough to resist the winter's cold. The latitude is
63 degrees 22 minutes 15 seconds North, longitude 114 degrees 15 minutes
30 seconds West.
We were alarmed in the night by our fire communicating to the dry moss
which, spreading by the force of a strong wind, encircled the encampment
and threatened destruction to our canoes and baggage. The watch
immediately aroused all the men who quickly removed whatever could be
injured to a distant part and afterwards succeeded in extinguishing the
flame.
August 8.
During this day we crossed five portages, passing over a very bad road.
The men were quite exhausted with fatigue by five P.M. when we were
obliged to encamp on the borders of the fifth lake, in which the
fishing-nets were set. We began this evening to issue some portable soup
and arrowroot which our companions relished very much; but this food is
too unsubstantial to support their vigour under their daily exhausting
labour, and we could not furnish them with a sufficient quantity even of
this to satisfy their desires. We commenced our labours on the next day
in a very wet uncomfortable state as it had rained through the night
until four A.M. The fifth grassy lake was crossed and four others, with
their intervening portages, and we returned to the river by a portage of
one thousand four hundred and fifteen paces. The width of the stream here
is about one hundred yards, its banks are moderately high and scantily
covered with wood. We afterwards twice carried the cargoes along its
banks to avoid a very stony rapid and then crossed the first Carp Portage
in longitude 114 degrees 2 minutes 01 seconds West, variation of the
compass 32 degrees 30 minutes 40 seconds East, and encamped on the
borders of Lower Carp Lake.
The chief having told us that this was a good lake for fishing we
determined on halting for a day or two to recruit our men, of whom three
were lame and several others had swelled legs. The chief himself went
forward to look after the hunters and promised to make a fire as a signal
if they had killed any reindeer. All the Indians had left us in the
course of yesterday and today to seek these animals except the guide
Keskarrah.
August 10.
The nets furnishing only four carp we embarked for the purpose of
searching for a better spot and encamped again on the shores of the same
lake.
