information respecting the countries beyond the Athabasca Late.
We smoked with them, and gave each person a glass of mixed
spirits and some tobacco. A Canadian servant of the North-West
Company, who was residing with them, informed us that this family
had lost numerous relatives, and that the destruction of property,
which had been made after their deaths, was the only cause for the
pitiable condition in which we saw them, as the whole family were
industrious hunters, and therefore were usually better provided with
clothes, and other useful articles, than most of the Indians. We
purchased from them a pair of snow-shoes, in exchange for some
ammunition. The Chipewyans are celebrated for making them
good and easy to walk in ; we saw some here upwards of six feet
long, and three broad. With these unwieldly clogs an active
hunter, in the spring, when there is a crust on the surface of the
snow, will run down a moose or red deer.
We made very slow progress after leaving this party, on account
of the deep snow, but continued along the river until we reached
its junction with the Athabasca or Elk Eiver. We obtained observations
on an island, a little below the Forks, which gave,
longitude 111° 8' 42" W., variation 24° 18' 20" E. Very little wood
was seen during this day’s march. The western shore, near the
Forks, is destitute of trees ; it is composed of lofty perpendicular
cliffs, which were then covered with snow. The eastern shore supports
a few pines.
March 18.—Soon after our departure from the encampment, we
met two men from the establishment at Pierre au Calumet, who gave
us correct information of its situation and distance. Having the
benefit of this track, we marched at a tolerably quick pace, and made
twenty-two miles in the course of the day, though the weather was
very disagreeable for travelling, being stormy with constant snow.
We kept along the river the whole time: its breadth is about two
miles. The islands appear better furnished with wood than its
banks, the summits of which are almost bare. Soon after we had
encamped, our Indian guide rejoined u s; he had remained behind
the day before, without consulting us, to accompany a friend on a
hunting excursion. On his return he made no endeavour to explain
the reason of his absence, but sat down coolly, and began to prepare
his supper. This behaviour made us sensible that little dependence
is to be placed on the continuance of an Indian guide, when his inclination
leads him away.
Early the next morning we sent forward the Indian and a Canadian,
to apprize the gentlemen in charge of Pierre au Calumet of
our approach; and, after breakfast, the rest of the party proceeded
along the river for that station, which we reached in the afternoon.
The senior partner of the North-West Company in the Athabasca
department, Mr. John Stuart, was in charge of the post. Though
he was quite ignorant until this morning of our being in the country,
we found him prepared to receive us with great kindness, and ready
to afford every information and assistance, agreeably to the desire conveyed
in Mr. Simon M'Gillivray’s circular letter. This gentleman
had twice traversed this continent, and reached the Pacific by the
Columbia Eiver ; he was therefore, fully conversant with the different
modes of travelling, and with the obstacles that may be expected in
passing through [unfrequented countries. His suggestions and
advice were consequently very valuable to us, but not having been
to the northward of the Great Slave Lake, he had no knowledge of
that line of country, except what he had gained from the reports of
Indians. He was of opinion, however, that positive information, on
which our course of proceedings might safely be determined, could
be procured from the Indians that frequent the north side of the
lake, when they came to the forts in the Spring. H e recommended
my writing to the partner in charge of that department, requesting
him to collect all the intelligence he could, and to provide guides
and hunters from the tribe best acquainted with the country through
which we proposed to travel.