Journals, стр. 114
About sunset we arrived at our encampment of the 13th of June, where some of us had nearly taken our eternal voyage. The legs and feet of the men were so benumbed, that I was very apprehensive of the consequence. The water being low, we made a search for our bag of ball, but without success. The river was full of salmon, and another fish like the black bass.
.—The weather continued to be the same as yesterday, and at two in the afternoon we came to the carrying-place which leads to the first small lake; but it was so filled with drift wood, that a considerable portion of time was employed in making our way through it. We now reached the high land which separates the source of the Tacoutche Tesse, or Columbia River, and Unjigah, or Peace River: the latter of which, after receiving many tributary streams, passes through the great Slave Lake, and disembogues itself in the Frozen Ocean, in latitude 69° 30′ north, longitude 135 west from Greenwich; while the former, confined by the immense mountains that run nearly parallel with the Pacific Ocean, and keep it in a southern course, empties itself in 46° 20′ north latitude and longitude 124 west from Greenwich.
If I could have spared the time, and had been able to exert myself, for I was now afflicted with a swelling in my ancles, so that I could not even walk, but with great pain and difficulty, it was my intention to have taken some salmon alive, and colonised them in the Peace River, though it is very doubtful whether that fish would live in waters that have not a communication with the sea.
Some of the inhabitants had been here since we passed; and I apprehend, that on seeing our road through their country, they mistook us for enemies, and had therefore deserted the place, which is a most convenient station; as on one side, there is a great plenty of white fish, and trout, jub, carp, etc., and on the other abundance of salmon, and probably other fish. Several things that I had left here in exchange for articles of which I had possessed myself, as objects of curiosity, were taken away. The hurtleberries were now ripe, and very fine of their kind.
.—The morning was cloudy, and at five we renewed our progress. We were compelled to carry from the lake to the Peace River, the passage, from the falling of the water, being wholly obstructed by drift wood. The meadow through which we passed was entirely inundated; and from the state of my foot and ancle, I was obliged, though with great reluctance, to submit to be carried over it.
At half past seven we began to glide along with the current of the Peace River; and almost at every canoe’s length we perceived Beaver roads to and from the river. At two in the afternoon, an object attracted our notice at the entrance of a small river, which proved to be the four beaver skins, already mentioned to have been presented to me by a native, and left in his possession to receive them on my return. I imagined, therefore, that being under the necessity of leaving the river, or, perhaps, fearing to meet us again, he had taken this method to restore them to me; and to reward his honesty, I left three times the value of the skins in their place. The snow appeared in patches on the mountains. At four in the afternoon we passed the place where we found the first natives, and landed for the night at a late hour. In the course of the day, we caught nine outardes, or Canada geese, but they were as yet without their feathers.
.—As soon as it was light we proceeded on our voyage, and drove on before the current, which was very much diminished in its strength, since we came up it. The water indeed, was so low, that in many parts it exposed a gravelly beach. At eleven we landed at our encampment of the seventh of June, to gum the canoe and dry our clothes: we then re-embarked, and at half past five arrived at the place, where I lost my book of memorandums, on the fourth of June, in which were certain courses and distances between that day end the twenty-sixth of May, which I had now an opportunity to supply. They were as follows: north-northwest half a mile, east by north half a mile, north by east a quarter of a mile, northwest by west a quarter of a mile, west-southwest half a mile, northwest a mile and a quarter, north-northwest three quarters of a mile, north by east half a mile, northwest three quarters of a mile, west half a mile, northwest three quarters of a mile, west-northwest one mile and a quarter, north three quarters of a mile, west by north one quarter of a mile, northwest one mile and an half, west-northwest half a mile, north-northwest three quarters of a mile, west one quarter of a mile, north-northeast half a mile, north-northwest two miles, and northwest four miles.
We were seven days in going up that part of the river which we came down today; and it now swarmed, as it were, with beavers and wild fowl. There was rain in the afternoon, and about sunset we took our station for the night.
.—We had some small rain throughout the night. Our course today was south-southwest three quarters of a mile, west-northwest half a mile, north half a mile, northwest by west three quarters of a mile, north by west half a mile; a small river to the left, southwest by west three quarters of a mile, west-northwest a mile and an half, northwest by north four miles, a