immediately rescued by the others. Junius went farther up the
river in search of a better crossing-place and did not rejoin us
this day. As several of the party were drenched from head to foot,
and we were all wet to the middle, our clothes became stiff with
the frost, and we walked with much pain for the remainder of
the day. The march was continued to a late hour from our anxiety
to rejoin the hunters who had gone before, but we were obliged
to encamp at the end of ten miles and a quarter, without seeing
them. Our only meal to-day consisted of a partridge each (which
the hunters shot,) mixed with tripe de roche. This repast, although
scanty for men with appetites such as our daily fatigue created,
proved a cheerful one, and was received with thankfulness. Most
of the men had to sleep in the open air, in consequence of the
absence of Crédit, who carried their tent ; but we fortunately found
an unusual quantity of roots to make a fire, which prevented
their suffering much from the cold, though the thermometer was
at 17°.
We started at six on the 9th, and at the end of two miles
regained our hunters, who were halting on the borders of a lake
amidst a clump of stunted willows. This lake stretched to the
westward as far as we could see, and its waters were discharged
by a rapid stream one hundred and fifty yards wide. Being entirely
ignorant where we might be led by pursuing the course of the lake,
and dreading the idea of going a mile unnecessarily out of the way,
we determined on crossing the river if possible ; and the canoe was
gummed for the purpose ; the willows furnished us with fire. But
we had to await the return of Junius before we could make the
traverse. In the mean time we gathered a little tripe de roche, and
breakfasted upon it and a few partridges that were killed in the
morning. St. Germain and Adam were sent upon some récent
tracks of deer. Junius arrived in the afternoon and informed
us that he had seen a large herd of musk-oxen on the banks of
Cracroft’s River, and had wounded one of them, but it escaped.
He brought about four pounds of meat, the remains of a deer that
had been devoured by the wolves. The poor fellow was much
fatigued, having walked throughout the night, but as the weather
was particularly favourable for our crossing the river, we could
not allow him to rest. After he had taken some refreshment
we proceeded to the river. The canoe being put into the water
was found extremely ticklish, but it was managed with much
dexterity by St. Germain, Adam, and Peltier, who ferried over one
passenger at a time, causing him to lie flat in its bottom, by no
means a pleasant position, owing to its leakiness, but there was no
alternative. The transport of the whole party was effected by five
o’clock and we walked about two miles further and encamped^
having come five miles and three quarters on a south-west course.
Two young alpine hares were shot by St. Germain, which, with the
small piece of meat brought in by Junius, furnished the supper
of the whole party. There was no tripe de roche here. The
country had now become decidedly hilly, and was covered with
snow. The lake preserved its western direction, as far as I could
see from the summit of the highest mountain near the encampment.
We subsequently learned from the Copper Indians, that the part
at which we had crossed the river was the Congecatha-wha-chaga
of Hearne, of which I had little idea at the time, not only from the
difference of latitude, but also from its being so much further east
of the mouth of the Copper-Mine River, than his track is laid
down; he only making one degree and three quarters difference
of longitude, and we, upwards of four. Had I been aware of the
fact, several days’ harassing march, and a disastrous accident would
have been prevented by keeping on the western side of the lake,
instead of crossing the river. We were informed also, that this
river is the Anatessy or River of Strangers, and is supposed to fall
into Bathurst’s Inlet; but although the Indians have visited its
mouth, their description was not sufficient to identify it with any o