@ Ke)

1789.

June.

Qs pene
Saturday 13.

Sunday 14.

Monday 15.

JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE

The weather was cloudy, and the wind changeable till about fun-fet,
when it fettled in the north. It drove back the ice which was now very
much broken along the fhore, and covered our nets. One of the hunters
who had been at the Slave River the preceding evening, returned with
three beavers and fourteen geefe, He was accompanied by three
families of Indians, who left Athabafca the fame day as myfelf: they did
not bring me any fowl; and they pleaded tn excufe, that they had tra-
velled with fo much expedition, as to prevent them from procuring fuf-
ficient provifions for themfelves. By a meridian line, I found the varia-
tion of the compalfs to be about twenty degrees eaft.

The weather was clear and the wind remained in the fame quarter.
The ice was much broken, and driven to the fide of the lake, fo that we
were apprehenfive for the lofs of our nets, as they could not, at prefent,
be extricated. At fun-fet there was an appearance of a violent guft of
wind from the fouthward, as the {ky became on a fudden, in that quarter,
ofa very dufky blue colour, and the lightning was very frequent. But
inftead of wind there came on a very heavy rain, which promifed to
diminifh the quantity of broken ice.

In the morning, the bay ftill continued to be fo full of ice, that we could
not get at our nets. About noon, the wind veered to the Weltward, and
not only uncovered the nets, but cleared a paflage to the oppofite iflands,
When we raifed the nets we found them very much fhattered, and but
few fifh taken. We now ftruck our tents, and embarked at fun-fet,
when we made the traverfe, which was about eight miles North-Eaft by .
North in about two hours. At half paft eleven P. M. we landed on a |

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