Page:Narrative of the Discoveries on the North Coast of America.djvu/98

 for their nourisbment; till even the cold heart of the red man warmed into gratitude, and his lips uttered the unwonted accents of thanks.

The first point determined, after my arrival, in reference to the expedition, was, that instead of one large boat for the coast, we should immediately get two built, of smaller dimensions. The purpose of this change was, to provide for the greater security of the party; to render our craft so light as to admit of their being carried over the icy reefs obstructing the passage along the western coast, and that they might afterwards be transported with facility, across the Coppermine portage, to another scene of operations. This step was the more necessary, as it was extremely doubtful whether the northern parts of Great Bear Lake produced timber fit for the construction of boats of any description, and as we should there be unprovided with a boat-house, forge, and many other requisites for that purpose, which we possessed at Fort Chipewyan. It will be abundantly evident, in the course of the narrative, that, with a single boat, the expedition must have terminated