Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v3p1.djvu/33

 succeeded, after seven hours’ labour, and much hazard to our frail vessels. They fortunately received no material injury, though they were split in two places. Our observations place the entrance of Detention Harbour in lat. 67° 53' 45", long. 110° 41' 20’. Dr. Richardson discovered near the beach a small vein of galena, traversing gneiss rocks, and the people collected a quantity of it, in the hope of adding to our stock of halls; but their endeavours to smelt it, were, as may be supposed, ineffectual.

“Embarking at four on the morning of the 12th, we proceeded against a fresh N.E. wind, which raised the waves to a height that quite terrified our people, accustomed only to the navigation of rivers and lakes. We were obliged, however, to persevere in our advance, feeling as we did, that the short season for our operations was hastening away.

“Aug. 13. – We paddled close to the shore for some miles, and then ran before the breeze with reefed sails, scarcely two feet in depth. Both of the canoes shipped much water, and one of them struck twice on sunken rocks.

“Aug. 15. – In the evening we were exposed to much inconvenience and danger from a heavy rolling sea, the canoes receiving many severe blows, and shipping a good deal of water, which induced us to encamp, at five Shortly after the tents were pitched, Mr. Back reported that both canoes had sustained material injury during this day’s voyage. I found on examination, that fifteen timbers of the first canoe were broken some of them in two places; and that the second was so loose in the frame, that its timbers could not be bound in the usual secure manner, and consequently there was danger of its bark separating from the gunwales if exposed to a heavy sea. Distressing as were these circumstances, they gave me less pain than the discovery that our people, who had hitherto displayed a courage beyond our expectation, now felt serious apprehensions for their safety, which so possessed their minds, that they were not restrained, even by the presence of their officers, from expressing them. Their fears, we imagined, had been principally excited by the (Canadian) interpreters, who from the outset had foreboded every calamity; and we strongly suspected that their recent want of success in their hunting excursions, had proceeded from an intentional relaxation in their efforts to kill deer, in order that the want of provision might compel us to put a period to our voyage. I must now mention, that many concurrent circumstances had caused me, during the few last days, to meditate on the approach of this painful necessity. The strong breezes we had encountered led me to fear that the season was breaking up, and severe weather would soon ensue, which we could not sustain in a country destitute of fuel. Our stock of provision was now reduced to a quantity of pemmican only sufficient for three days’ consumption, and the prospect of increasing it was not encouraging. It was evident that the time spent in exploring the Arctic and Melville Sounds, and Bathurst’s Inlet, had precluded the hope of reaching Repulse Bay, which at the outset of the