to encamp, having come twenty-four miles on a south-east three-
quarter south course.
From the want of drift wood to make a fire we had fasted all
day, and were under the necessity, in the evening, of serving out
pemmican, which was done with much reluctance, especially as we
had some fresh deers’ meat remaining. The inlet, when viewed
from a high hill adjoining to our encampment, exhibited so many
arms, that the course we ought to pursue was more uncertain than
ever. It was absolutely necessary, however, to see the end of it
before we could determine that it was not a strait Starting at
three A.M., on the 4th, we paddled the whole'day through channels,
from two to five or six miles wide, all tending to the southward. In
the course of the day’s voyage we ascertained, that the land which
we had seen on our right since yesterday morning, consisted of
several large islands, which have been distinguished by the names of
Goulburn, Elliott, and Young; but the land on our left preserved
its unbroken appearance, and when we encamped, we were still
uncertain whether it was the eastern side of a deep sound or merely
a large island. It differed remarkably from the main shore, being
very rugged, rocky, and sterile, whereas the outline of the main on
the opposite side was even, and its hills covered with a comparatively
good sward of grass, exhibiting little naked rock. There was
no drift timber, but the shores near the encampment were strewed
with small pieces of willow, which indicated our vicinity to the mouth
of a river. This fuel enabled us to make a hearty supper from a
small deer killed this evening.
The shallows we passed this day were covered with shoals of capelin,
the angmaggoeiik of the Esquimaux. It was known to Augustus,
who informed us that it frequents the coast of Hudson’s Bay, and is
delicate eating. The course and distance made was, south by east-
half-east, thirty-three miles.
After paddling twelve miles in the morning of the 5th, we had
the mortification to find the inlet terminated by a river; the size
of which we could not ascertain, as the entrance was blocked by
shoals. Its mouth lies in latitude 66°'30' 1ST., longitude 107° 53' W.
I. have named this stream Back, as a mark of my friendship for my
associate*. We were somewhat consoled for the loss of time in
exploring this inlet, by the success of Junius in killing a musk-ox,
the first we had seen on the coast; and afterwards by the acquisition
of the flesh of a bear, that was shot as we were returning up the
eastern side in the evening. | The latter proved to be a female, in
very excellent condition; and our Canadian voyagers, whose appetite
for fat meat is insatiable, were delighted.
We encamped on the shores of a sandy bay, and set the nets; and
finding a quantity of dried willows on the beach, were enabled
to cook the bear’s flesh, which was superior to any meat we tasted
on the coast. The water fell two feet at this place during the night.
Our nets produced a great variety of fish, namely, a salmon-trout, some
round fish, tittameg, bleak, star-fish, several herrings, and a flat fish
resembling plaice, but covered on the back with horny excrescences.
On the 6th we were detained in the encampment by stormy
weather until five P.M., when we embarked and paddled along the
northern shore of the inlet; the weather still continuing foggy, but
the wind moderate. Observing on the beach a she bear with three
young ones, we landed a party to attack them; but being approached
without due caution, thfey took the alarm and scaled a
precipitous rocky hill, with a rapidity that baffled all pursuit. At
eight o’clock, the fog changing into rain, we encamped. Many
seals were seen this day, but as they kept in deep water we did not
fire at them.
* Froipi subsequent conversation with the Copper Indians, we were inclined to suppose
this may be the Thlueetessy described by Black-meat, mentioned in a former part of the
Narrative.