Narrative of a Second Expedition to the Shores of the Polar Sea, in the Years 1825, 1826, and 1827. Franklin John

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СКАЧАТЬ and with the assistance of the current great progress was made. We had occasional glimpses of the Horn and Rein-Deer Mountains as we passed along; but, until we were some way below the rapids, our view was very limited, owing to the woods being on fire in almost every direction. This I should have mentioned to have been the case in many parts between Isle à la Crosse and the Mackenzie. The cause of these extensive conflagrations I could not learn; some attributed them to voluntary acts of the Indians, and others to their negligence in leaving their fires burning.

      We put up at sunset on a beach of gravel under a well-wooded bank of moderate height, and the party regaled themselves with raspberries and other indigenous fruits.

      Thursday, 4th.At half past two a.m., on the 4th, the canoes were again on the water, and being driven by sail and current, made good way. We stopped at the Trout River, which flows in from the southward, and ascertained its longitude 119° 47' W. The breadth of the Mackenzie is here about two miles, and its banks are composed of a muddy clay: the stones on the beach mostly limestone, with some boulders of primitive rocks. The trees are of the kinds we had seen north of the Athabasca Lake: they are here of a smaller size. Five miles below this part, the Mackenzie is divided into several channels by islands, and the current runs with increased swiftness, and strong eddies.

      The latitude 61° 26' 30" N. was obtained at noon; it was the same as on the preceding day; so that our course, in the interval, had been due west.

      The banks now were higher, and for the next forty miles the breadth of the stream did not exceed one mile, nor was less than half a mile; its course inclined more to the north. We passed the site of the first establishment that the North-West Company had made in these parts, which was erected by Mr. Livingstone, one of the partners, who, with the whole of the crew of his canoe, except one individual, were massacred by the Esquimaux on the first attempt to open a trade with them.

      At three p.m. a picturesque view opened upon us of a distant range of mountains running east and west, and nearly at right angles to the course of the river. The current being considerably increased by the contribution of some streams near this place, we descended very swiftly. Six miles below Pine Island, there is a strong but not a dangerous rapid; and about fifteen miles farther is Fort Simpson, the principal depôt of the Hudson Bay Company for this department, at which we arrived by eight p.m., and thus escaped a very wet, comfortless night. Dr. Richardson had departed for Fort Norman the preceding day.

      This establishment, three hundred and thirty-eight miles from Fort Resolution on Slave Lake, is situated at the confluence of the River of the Mountains and the Mackenzie. The former is the channel of communication with a fur post not far distant from the Rocky Mountain Range, from whence the residents here procure much of their provision, including a tolerable supply of potatoes, which have been recently introduced from the southern parts. Mr. Smith, the chief factor of the district, was fortunately at Fort Simpson, so that I had the opportunity of arranging with him as to supplies of provision or stores that my party might require during its residence at Bear Lake. He cheerfully acceded to every suggestion that was made, and likewise furnished me with a letter of instruction to the same effect, addressed to the gentleman in charge of the lower posts.

      I learned from Mr. Smith that, as yet, a few only of the Indians who live nearest the mouth of the river, and none of the Esquimaux, had been apprized of our intended visit, the traders at the lower posts having considered that it would be better to defer this communication until we should arrive in the river, for fear of disappointing these people, which might have been attended with unpleasant results.

      There were two Canadians here belonging to the Expedition, whom Mr. Dease had sent to serve as guides to Bear Lake. By letters which they brought, I was informed that Indian hunters were engaged, and the necessary buildings in course of preparation for our reception. As Fort Simpson had been short of ammunition during the summer from some accidental cause, I was glad to find that Mr. Dease had been enabled to lend from our stores a barrel of powder, and a bag of balls and I now increased the loan, so as to meet the probable demands of the Indians, until the Company's supplies should arrive, when they would return to Fort Norman the whole of what we had lent. Cloudy weather limited our astronomical observations at this place to the dip of the needle, which was observed 81° 54'.

      Friday, 5th.We quitted the fort on the 5th, soon after noon, whence the river preserving nearly a straight course for fifteen miles, gradually extends itself to nearly two miles in breadth; in its channel there are three islands. At two p.m. we obtained the first glimpse of the Rocky Mountains, and kept them in view until we encamped, which was early, as the canoes required gumming. The outline of the mountains was very peaked, and at their easternmost part was a cone-shaped hill, higher than the rest, whose summit was veiled by clouds. The general appearance of the range somewhat reminded me of the east end of Jamaica.

      Saturday, 6th.The morning of the 6th was beautifully fine: we embarked at 2h 30m a.m., and by seven came within six or seven miles of the mountain range, where the river suddenly changes its course from W.b.N. to north, in longitude 123° 31' W.

      A distinct stratification was perceptible on the face of the nearest mountain: on one side of a nearly perpendicular ravine the strata dip to the southward at an angle of 25°; whilst on the other they are nearly horizontal. There was a large accumulation of debris at its base: every part of the hill was destitute of vegetation. Its altitude was guessed at one thousand two hundred feet.

      At noon, in latitude 62° 49' N., we saw a chain of mountains, on the eastern side of the river, similar in their outline and general character to those hitherto seen only on the opposite bank. Between these ranges the river flowed in a channel two miles broad; but as we advanced we receded from those on the western side, their direction being W.N.W. In the brilliancy of the sunshine, the surfaces of some of the eastern hills, which were entirely bare, appeared white as marble, and for some time we fancied them to be covered with snow. By four p.m. we reached the Rocky Island mentioned by Mackenzie, where, from the river being contracted, the current flowed with great rapidity, and soon brought us opposite to the remarkable hill close by the river side, which that persevering traveller ascended in July, 1789. His account renders a description of it unnecessary. It is composed of limestone, and is about four hundred feet high.

      We continued a N.b.W. course for eight miles, and encamped at sunset, having travelled this day one hundred and twenty miles. A small supply of fresh deer's meat was obtained from some Dog-Rib Indians. Their canoes were made of the bark of the pine-tree, sewn at the ends and top with the fibrous parts of the root of that tree, leaving only a space sufficient for the legs of the sitter.

      Sunday, 7th.We pursued our course at dawn of day, and at the end of a few miles came to a more winding part of the river, where the stream is interrupted by numerous sand banks and shoals which we had some trouble to get round. Mr. Kendall, in his Journal, remarks of this part, "That bubbles of air continually rose to the surface with a hissing noise resembling the effervescence produced by pouring water on quick lime."

      We arrived at Fort Norman at ten, a.m., distant two hundred and thirty-six miles from Fort Simpson, and five hundred and seventy-four from Fort Resolution.

      Being now only four days' journey from Bear Lake, and there remaining yet five or six weeks of open season, I resolved on following up a plan of a voyage to the sea, which I had cherished ever since leaving England, without imparting it to my companions, until our departure from Fort Chipewyan, because I was apprehensive that some unforeseen accident might occur in the course of the very intricate and dangerous river navigation between Fort William and the Athabasca Lake, which might delay our arrival here to too late a period of the year. It was arranged, first, that I should go down to the sea, accompanied by Mr. Kendall, and collect whatever information could be obtained, either from actual observation, or from the intelligence of the Loucheux Indians, or the Esquimaux, respecting the general state of the ice in the summer and autumn; the direction of the coast, east and west of the Mackenzie; СКАЧАТЬ