Page:Narrative of the Discoveries on the North Coast of America.djvu/359

Rh spoils we participated. While thus living from hand to mouth, we experienced the utmost inquietude on account of M'Kay, Sinclair, and a young half-breed, who were absent with the party already mentioned, near the Coppermine River, for six-and-thirty days, without our receiving the least tidings of them. At last they made their appearance on the 15th of April, having till then barely subsisted among the large party, whose main support were our own two paid coast-hunters, without being able to collect any provisions for the establishment. Had it not been for another visit from the distant Hare Indians, accompanied this time by several of their wives, we should have been ill off indeed. In the latter part of April our baggage was forwarded over the snow to the Coppermine, accompanied by Ritch, who carried with him, from the south branch of Dease River, planks for repairing the little sea-boats, when the weather became sufficiently mild for that work, in the middle of May. The mice had penetrated into our cache there, and revelled all winter upon our flour, besides cutting holes in the sails, &c.; but, upon the whole, they might have done us more damage, had they been maliciously inclined.

On the 1st of November we had sent to see if all was safe; at which time the impetuous