BOURGEOIS - Toronto Public Library

LETTERS 143
successful in their destruction of seals and fish, and generally
laid up a considerable store of reindeer flesh and musk oxen
meat for their winter support, and, as a proof of their independence
in the way of living, tendered us the meat of several
caches which, unfortunately for us, was so putrid that it was
left untouched. This formed the sum total of the information
received from this accidental rencontre.
Late in the afternoon of July the '19th, in consequence of the
Commander's request, I was intrusted with despatches addressed
to Government and ordered back to Athabasca with them and
endeavour to have them dispached to Canada by the winter
communication. Four Canadians were appointed to accompany
me; the exploring party still consisted of twenty men and officers.
travelled the most part of the way, going and coming, 011 A disaster.
foot, and after suffering no small hardships and privations, I
reached Sla ve Lake with my party on the 2Uth of September and
continued on agreably to the tenor of my instructions, until the
25th of October, when I arrived at Fort Chipewean. Here I
wintered, and in the month of January had the melancholy account
of the death of eleven of the party who had accompanied
Captain Franklin; all starved! Amongst the number, I lament
to say that my friend, Lieutenant Robert Hood, was included.
Captam Franklin, Lieutenant George Back and Doctor Richardson,
with five men and an Esquimaux,interpreter from Churchill,
are the only survivors that have escaped to relate this melancholy
tale.
They had surveyed a line of coast exceeding 540 miles, and
after returning 250 miles on their track, took the desperate resolution
of crossing the barren lands and steel' their course towards
Fort Enterprise. This march was commenced on the 31st of
August, and it was during this journey, when obliged to wade
through snow, knee deep, and unable to find fuel sufficient
to thaw their frozen shoes, and without provisions to satisfy the