152 Mackenzie’s Voyages

hopeless and impracticable to carry out their plans. The
explorer was not in the least in dread of an attack, “‘even if
their whole force should have been combined,” but he was
greatly distressed at the prospect of having their journey
blocked, a thought which he entertained “‘with sensations
little short of agony.”

His party seemed for the first time to be decided in their
opinions as to the necessity of returning without delay, and
their cry was, “‘Let us re-embark and be gone!” But in a
more peremptory tone than he had yet used he ordered them
to unload the canoe and take it out of the water. He then
put his little force in a state of defence, distributing a hundred
bullets that remained, while some of the men were employed
in melting down shot to make more. ‘here was no gum to
mend the canoe, and none of the men had sufficient courage
to venture into the woods in search of it. Before nightfall
the party moved to an old house, three sides of which were
standing, affording a protection from the woods. ‘The leader
and his lieutenant and three men kept alternate watch,
while a sentinel stationed a little distance off was relieved
every hour.

At daylight they returned to their former position, and
Mackay informed his chief that the men. had expressed
their dissatisfaction to him in a very unreserved manner,
and had in very strong terms declared their resolution to
follow him no farther in his proposed enterprise. But Mac-
kenzie assumed an attitude which was intended to lead
them to suppose that he was not aware of their mutinous
purposes.

While he was engaged in taking the latitude! the men
without orders loaded the canoe, from which he concluded

152° 47’ 51”. Deserter’s Creek is opposite Kersley, ten miles
below Quesnel.