Page:Narrative of the Discoveries on the North Coast of America.djvu/253

Rh grounds afford us moose, red-deer, buffalo, carriboo, and musk cattle; when our lakes and rivers supply us with fish, for the mere trouble of killing them?"

On the 1st of February, two servants and two Indians were despatched to Fort Simpson with our spring packet, containing letters, charts, &c. They were directed to take the shortest route, by M'Tavish and M'Vicar bays, and from thrice to follow a chain of minor lakes, leading through the woody country to the southward, known to the Indians. From Fort Simpson they were instructed to return as soon possible, with dogs and sledges, carrying a small supply of moose-skins, and the irons for sledge-runners, required to transport our boats over snow and ice to the Coppermine River. At the same time we wrote to Governor Simpson, stating the probability of our having to employ two summers in exploring the coast eastward of Bathurst's Inlet. To provide for a prolonged residence within the Polar Circle, we addressed the gentlemen in charge of Athabasca and Mackenzie River, requesting an additional supply of pemican, dressed leather, dogs, birchwood for sledges, ammunition, and tobacco,—articles essential to our subsistence; as for everything else, we resolved to live like the natives. The cold continued excessive, with