Thirty Years in the Arctic Regions |
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afternoon Akaitcho appeared Arctic Sound arrived Augustus banks beach Belanger blankets boats breeze Canadian canoes Cape Barrow carried channel Chipewyan coast cold commenced companions Copper-Mine River course crossed deer distance dogs drift drift ice embarked encamped endeavored Enterprize Esquimaux Expedition fatigued feet fire fish Fort Chipewyan Fort Providence Franklin frozen gale Germain ground halted Hepburn Herschel Island hills Hood hour Hudson's Bay Company hundred hunters hunting Indians islands journey killed land meat Michel miles morning musquitoes night noon North-West Company party passed Peltier pemmican perceived pieces pines portable soup portage present proceeded procured provision rain rapid reached received reindeer Reindeer Lake remained Richardson rock rocky seen sent shore Slave Lake sledges small lakes snow soon spot stream sufficient supper supply tent tion to-day track tripe de roche voyage walked weather Wentzel willows wind winter wood yards
Popular passages
Page 8 - Each person instinctively secured his own hold, and with his eyes fixed upon the masts, awaited in breathless anxiety the moment of concussion. " It soon arrived, — the brig (Trent) cutting her way through the light ice, came in violent contact with the main body. In an instant we all lost our footing; the masts bent with the impetus, and the cracking timbers from below bespoke a pressure which was calculated to awaken our serious apprehensions.
Page 236 - The chain of islands affords shelter from all heavy seas, and there are good harbours at convenient distances. I entertain, indeed, sanguine hopes that the skill and exertions of my friend Captain Parry will soon render this question no longer problematical. His task is doubtless an arduous one, and, if ultimately successful, may occupy two and perhaps three seasons ; but confiding as I do, from personal knowledge, in his perseverance and talent for surmounting difficulties, the strength of his ships,...
Page 336 - French, some of whom he said had killed and eaten his uncle and two of his relations. In short, taking every circumstance of his conduct into consideration, I came to the conclusion that he would attempt to destroy us on the first opportunity that offered, and that he had hitherto abstained from doing so from his ignorance of his way to the fort, but that he would never suffer us to go thither in company with him.
Page 334 - Bickersteth's Scripture Help was lying open beside the body as if it had fallen from his hand, and it is probable that he was reading it at the instant of his death.
Page 287 - During the whole of our march we experienced that no quantity of clothing could keep us warm whilst we fasted ; but, on those occasions on which we were enabled to go to bed with full stomachs, we passed the night in a warm and comfortable manner.
Page 309 - We now looked round for the means of subsistence, and were gratified to find several deerskins, which had been thrown away during our former residence. The bones were gathered from the heap of ashes ; these with the skins, and the addition of tripe de roche, we considered would support us tolerably well for a time.
Page 347 - I may here remark that owing to our loss of flesh the hardness of the floor from which we were only protected by a blanket produced soreness over the body, and especially those parts on which the weight rested in lying, yet to turn ourselves for relief was a matter of toil and difficulty. However during this period and indeed all along after the acute pains of hunger, which lasted but three or four days, had subsided, we generally enjoyed the comfort of a few hours
Page 470 - I offer no apology for taking the liberty of addressing you, as I do so from a belief that their lordships would be desirous of being put in possession, at as early a date as possible, of any tidings, however meagre and unexpectedly obtained, regarding this painfully interesting subject. I may add, that by means of our guns and nets, we obtained an ample supply of provisions last autumn, and my small party passed the winter in snow houses in comparative comfort, the skins of the deer shot affording...
Page 266 - Augustus brought the canoe over, and in returning he was obliged to descend both the rapids, before he could get across the stream; which hazardous service he performed with the greatest coolness and judgment. It is impossible to describe my sensations as I witnessed the various unsuccessful attempts to relieve Belanger. The distance prevented my seeing distinctly what was going on, and I continued pacing up and down upon the rock on which I landed, regardless of the coldness of my drenched and stiffening...
Page 299 - ... journals. I had only one blanket which was carried for me and two pair of shoes. The offer was now made for any of the men who felt themselves too weak to proceed to remain with the officers but none of them accepted it. Michel alone felt some inclination to do so. After we had united in thanksgiving and prayers to Almighty God I separated from my companions, deeply afflicted that a train of melancholy circumstances should have demanded of me the severe trial of parting in such a condition from...