Narrative of a Second Expedition to the Shores of the Polar Sea, in the Years 1825, 1826, and 1827
to be presented to each chief of that tribe, whose favour it was thought advisable by this means to propitiate, as they were the next neighbours to the Esquimaux.
Thursday, 11th.After the latitude had been observed, we embarked, and were accompanied by Mr. Dease as far as Trading River, where he expected there might still be a party of Indians, which did not prove the case. This river being the usual limit of the trader's travels towards the sea, the voyager who had come with us from Fort Norman declined going any farther, and by permission of Mr. Dease he was exchanged for a young half-breed named Baptiste, the interpreter of the fort, who went under the promise of being left with the chief of the Loucheux, to whom he was to introduce the party.
The reach below Trading River is remarkable, from the banks on the eastern side consisting of hills of a light yellow marl-slate, nearly uniform in shape, and strongly resembling piles of cannon shot. The name of Cannon-Shot Reach was, therefore, bestowed on it. The channel of the river is very intricate, winding amongst numerous sand-banks, and some low alluvial islands, on which willows only grow. Its breadth is about two miles, and the depth of water, in the autumn, from six to twelve feet. In passing through Cannon-Shot Reach, we were hailed by an Indian from the shore, and landed immediately, to inform him of the purport of our visit. As soon as Baptiste had explained these matters to him, the man, deeming it of importance that we should be properly introduced to his relatives, offered to accompany us to the next party, providing we would undertake to carry his baggage. This we consented to do, little expecting, from the appearance of poverty in himself and his family, and still less from that of his tent, a mere covering of bark and pine branches, supported on three poles, that load upon load of unsavoury fish would be tossed into the boat. However, we were unwilling to retract our promise, and suffered our vessel to be completely lumbered. We then pushed off, leaving the family to follow in the canoe, but in a short time our ears were assailed by the loud cries of the man demanding that we should stop. On his coming up, we found he was apprehensive of the canoe sinking, it being very leaky and overloaded, and of his losing his wife and infant child. The water being thrown out, the man proposed going forward and keeping by our side. There was nothing now to fear, yet the lamentations of the woman became louder and louder, and at last the poor creature threw off her only covering, raised the most piteous cries, and appeared a perfect object of despair. We learned from Baptiste that she was mourning the loss of two near relatives who had recently died near the spot we were passing. In this manner do these simple people show their sorrow for the death of their connexions. As we drew near the tents of the party on shore, the husband proclaimed with a stentorian voice who we were; this produced a long reply, of which Baptiste could only collect enough to inform us that many persons were lying sick in the lodges, and that two had died the preceding day. Not choosing to expose ourselves to the hazard of contagion, we put the baggage of our friend on shore at some distance below the lodges. All those who were able to manage a canoe, came off to receive presents, and to see Augustus, the principal object of attraction. Each person crowded to the side on which he sat to shake him by the hand; and two of the party, who had been occasionally with the Esquimaux, contrived to make him understand that, being accompanied by him, we need apprehend no violence from them, though they were a treacherous people. At the end of five miles farther we put on shore to sup, and afterwards slept in the boat; but Augustus spread his blankets on the beach before the fire, and allowed four of the Loucheux, who had followed us from the tents, to share them with him.
Friday, 12th.At daylight we loosened from the beach, and continued with the descent of the river; winding, in our course, as numerous sand-banks rendered necessary. In a few hours we descried another collection of Indian lodges. One of the party happened to be examining his nets nearer to us than the tents; on espying the boat, he immediately desisted, and paddled towards his friends with the utmost speed, bawling the whole way for them to arm. The women and children were seen hurrying up the bank to hide themselves; and by the time we had got abreast of the lodges, the whole party were in a state of defence. They stood on the beach gazing at us evidently with much distrust; and for some time no one would accept our invitations to approach. At length an adventurous youth, distinguishable among the rest by the gaiety of his dress, and the quantity of beads that were suspended around his neck, launched his canoe and paddled gently towards the boat, till he discovered Augustus, whom he knew by his countenance to be an Esquimaux; then rising from his seat, he threw up his hands for joy, and desired every one of the party to embark at once. The summons was instantly obeyed, and a friendly intercourse followed; each person that had a gun discharging its contents, and taking the iron heads and barbs from the arrows, to show their entire confidence. On landing to breakfast, we found that the dialect of this party was different from that of the men we had seen yesterday, and that Baptiste did not understand their language; consequently our communications were carried on by signs, except when they attempted to speak Esquimaux, which Augustus, with difficulty, made out. He was still the centre of attraction, notwithstanding Mr. Kendall and myself were dressed in uniform, and were distributing presents to them. They caressed Augustus, danced and played around him, to testify their joy at his appearance among them, and we could not help admiring the demeanour of our excellent little companion under such unusual and extravagant marks of attention. He received every burst of applause, every shake of the hand, with modesty and affability, but would not allow them to interrupt him in the preparation of our breakfast, a task which he always delighted to perform. As soon as we had finished our meal, he made his friends sit down, and distributed to each person a portion of his own, but without any affectation of superiority. When we were on the point of embarking, the oldest Indian of the party intimated his desire that we should stop until some one whom he had sent for should come. This proved to be his son, in a very sickly state. Though the day was warm, the lad was shivering with cold, and it was evident he was suffering from fever, which the father had no doubt we could cure. The only remedy we could apply was some warm tea, with a little brandy in it, which we afterwards learned had the desired effect of restoring the invalid. Again we were preparing to set off, when the same old man begged us to stop until the women should come; these were no less pleased with Augustus, and with the presents they received, than the men had been.
This good-natured tribe is distinguished by the traders as the Lower Loucheux, but the literal meaning of their Indian name is the Sharp Eyes. They are decidedly a well-looking people: in manner, and general appearance, they resemble the Esquimaux near the mouth of the Mackenzie, though not in their eyes, which are prominent and full. Their canoes, too, are shaped like those of the Esquimaux, and made of birch bark, which, by some process, is striped from the gunwale perpendicularly downwards, for the purpose of ornament. Their summer dress, like that of the Upper Loucheux and Esquimaux, is a jacket of leather, prolonged to a point before and behind: the leggings, of the same material, are sewn to the shoes, and tied by a string round the waist. The outer edges of their dress are cut into fringes, coloured with red and yellow earth, and generally decorated with beads. Beads are so much coveted by them, that, for some years, they were the principal article of trade exchanged for their furs; and even now the successful hunter, or the favourite son, may be known by the quantity of strings of different coloured beads which he has about his neck. These Indians are the only natives of America, except the Esquimaux, whom I have seen with the septum of the nose perforated, through which, like the Esquimaux, they thrust pieces of bone, or small strings of shells, which they purchase from that people. Few of them have guns, but each man is armed with a bow and arrows. The bows are constructed of three pieces of wood, the middle one straight, and those at each end crooked, and bound with sinews, of which the string is also made. The dress of the women only differs from that of the men by the hood being made sufficiently wide to admit of their carrying a child on their back.
At ten a.m. we resumed our journey, followed by the young man who had first spoken to us, and his brother, in their canoes, and in the course of two hours came abreast of a remarkable round-backed hill, on which we were informed Mr. Livingstone and his party had encamped in 1795, the night before they were massacred. This hill marks the commencement of another contraction of the river, which is here pent in between very steep cliffs of blue limestone, which I have denominated the Narrows. The Red River contributes its waters to the Mackenzie at the lower part of the Narrows, in latitude 67° 27' N., longitude 133° 31' W.; and, though of inconsiderable size, is remarkable as being the boundary between the lands claimed by the Loucheux Indians and those of the Esquimaux, and likewise as the spot where the amicable