but under the expectation of seeing him again in May1; 'at whieh
time the partners of the Company usually assemble at Fort Ghipe-
wyan, where we hoped the necessary arrangements for our future
proceeding would be completed. We encamped at sunset at the
end of fourteen miles, having walked the whole way along the river,
which preserves nearly a true north course, and is from four hundred
to six hundred yards broad. The banks are high, and well clothed
with the hard, spruce, fir, alder, birch-tree, and willows. Having
come nineteen miles and a half, on the 23d, we encamped among pines
of a great height and girth.
Showers of snow fell until noon on the following day, but we
continued our journey along the river, whose banks and islands
became gradually lower as we advanced, and less abundantly supplied
with wood, except willows. We passed an old Canadian, who was
resting his wearied dogs during the heat of the sun. He was
carrying meat from some Indian lodges to Fort Chipewyan, having
a burden exceeding two hundred and fifty pounds on his sledge,
which was dragged by two miserable dogs. He came up ;to our
encampment after dark. We were much amused by the altercation
that took place between him and our Canadian companions as to the
qualifications of their respective dogs. This, however, is such a
general topic of conversation among the voyagers in the encampment,
that we should not probably have remarked it, had not the old
man frequently offered to het the whole of his wages that his two
dogs, poor and lean as they were, would drag their load to the
Athabasca Lake in less time than any three of theirs. Having
expressed our surprise at his apparent temerity, he coolly said the
men from the lower countries did not understand the management
of their dogs, and that he depended on his superior skill in driving ;
and we soon gathered from his remarks, that the voyagers of the
Athabasca department consider themselves very superior to any
other. The only reasons which he could assign were, that they
had borne their burdens: across the terrible Methye Portage, and
that they were accustomed to five harder, and more precariously.
March 25.—Having now the guidance of the old Canadian, we
sent forward the Indian, and one of our men with letters to the
gentleman at the Athabasca Lake. The rest of the party set off
afterwards, and kept along the river until ten, when we branched
off by portages into the Embarras River, the usual channel of communication
in canoes with the lake. It is a narrow and serpentine
stream, confined between alluvial banks which support pines, poplars,
and willows. We had not advanced far before we overtook the two
men despatched by us this morning. The stormy weather had
compelled them to encamp as there was too much drifting of the
snow for any attempt to cross the lake. We were obliged, though
most reluctantly, to follow their example; but comforted ourselves
with the reflection that this was the first time we had been stopped
by the weather during our long journey, which was so near at
an end. The gale afterwards increased, the squalls at night became
very violent, disburthened the trees of the snow, and gave us the
benefit of a continual fall of patches from them, in addition to the
constant shower. We therefore quickly finished our suppers, and
retired under the shelter of our blankets.
March 26.—The boisterous weather continued through the night,
and it was not before six this morning, that the wind became apparently
moderate and the snow ceased. Two of the Canadians were
immediately sent off with letters to the gentlemen at Fort Chipewyan.
After breakfast we also started, but our Indian friend, having a
great indisposition to move in such weather, remained by the fire.
We soon quitted the river, and after crossing a portage, a small lake,
and a point of land, came to the borders of the Mam-ma-wee Lake.
We then found our error as to the strength of the wind; and that the
gale still blew violently, and there was so much drifting of the snow
T a