NORTH-WEST CONTINENT OF AMERICA,
tenance of my engagement. Our laft courfe was thirty-two miles, with
a flronger current than could be expetted in fuch a low country.

We now proceeded North-North-Weft four miles, North- Weft three
miles, North-Eaft two miles, North-Weft by Weft thice miles, and
North-Eaft two miles. At half paft eight in the evening we landed and
pitched our tents, near to where there had been three encampments of
the Efquimaux, fince the breaking up of the ice. The natives, who fol-
lowed us yefterday, left us at our ftation this morning. In the courfe
of the day we faw large flocks of wild fowl. |

I fat up all night to obferve the fun. At half paft twelve I called up
one of the men to view a fpettacle which he had never before feen;
when, on feeing the fun fo high, he thought it. was a fignal to embark,
and began to call the reft of his companions, who would fearcely be per-
fuaded by me, that the fun had not defcended nearer to the horizon, and
that it was now but a fhort time paft midnight.

We repofed, however, till three quarters after three, when we entered
the canoe, and fleered about North-Well, the river taking a very fer-
pentine courfe. About feven we faw a ridge of high land: at twélve
we landed at a fpot where we obferved that fome of the natives had
lately been. I counted thirty places where there had been fires; and
fome of the men who went further, faw as many more. » They muft have
been here for a confiderable time, though it does not appear that they
had ereéted any huts. A great number of poles, however, were feen
fixed in the river, to which they had attached their nets, and there feemed

to

55
89.
jag
(eee pete

Saturday 14.