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.
The atmosphere was clear and cold during our stay; observations were
obtained at the Hudson's Bay Fort, latitude 54 degrees 16 minutes 10
seconds North, longitude 107 degrees 29 minutes 52 seconds West,
variation 22 degrees 6 minutes 35 seconds East.
February 20.
Having been equipped with carioles, sledges and provisions from the two
posts, we this day recommenced our journey and were much amused by the
novelty of the salute given at our departure, the guns being principally
fired by the women in the absence of the men. Our course was directed to
the end of the lake and for a short distance along a small river; we then
crossed the woods to the Beaver River which we found to be narrow and
very serpentine, having moderately high banks. We encamped about one mile
and a half farther up among poplars. The next day we proceeded along the
river; it was winding and about two hundred yards broad. We passed the
mouths of two rivers whose waters it receives; the latter one we were
informed is a channel by which the Indians go to the Lesser Slave Lake.
The banks of the river became higher as we advanced and were adorned with
pines, poplars and willows.
Though the weather was very cold we travelled more comfortably than at
any preceding time since our departure from Cumberland as we had light
carioles which enabled us to ride nearly the whole day warmly covered up
with a buffalo robe. We were joined by Mr. McLeod of the North-West
Company who had kindly brought some things from Green Lake which our
sledges could not carry.
