widely to prevent accidents.  We landed at the first point we could approach but, having found an open channel close to the shore, were obliged to ferry the goods across on pieces of ice.  The fresh meat being expended we had to make another inroad on our pounded meat.  The evening was very warm and the mosquitoes numerous.  A large fire was made to apprise the hunters of our advance.  The scenery of Rock-nest Lake is picturesque, its shores are rather low except at the Rock-nest, and two or three eminences on the eastern side.  The only wood is the pine which is twenty or thirty feet high and about one foot in diameter.  Our distance today was six miles.

July 1.

Our guide directed us to proceed towards a deep bay on the north side of the lake where he supposed we should find the river.  In consequence of the bad state of the ice we employed all the different modes of travelling we had previously followed in attaining this place and, in crossing a point of land, had the misfortune to lose one of the dogs, which set off in pursuit of some reindeer.  Arriving at the bay we only found a stream that fell into it from the north-east and looked in vain for the Copper-Mine River.  This circumstance confused the guide and he confessed that he was now doubtful of the proper route; we therefore halted and despatched him with two men to look for the river from the top of the high hills near the Rock-nest.  During this delay a slight injury was repaired which one of the canoes had received.  We were here amused by the sight of a wolf chasing two reindeer on the ice.  The pursuer, being alarmed at the sight of our men, gave up the chase when near to the hindmost, much to our regret for we were calculating upon the chance of sharing in his capture.

At four P.M. our men returned with the agreeable information that they had seen the river flowing at the base of the Rock-nest.  The canoes and stores were immediately placed on the ice and dragged thither; we then embarked but soon had to cut through a barrier of drift ice that blocked up the way.  We afterwards descended two strong rapids and encamped near the discharge of a small stream which flows from an adjoining lake.  The Copper-Mine River at this point is about two hundred yards wide and ten feet deep, and flows very rapidly over a rocky bottom.  The scenery of its banks is picturesque, the hills shelve to the waterside and are well covered with wood, and the surface of the rocks is richly ornamented with lichens.  The Indians say that the same kind of country prevails as far as Mackenzie’s River in this parallel, but that the land to the eastward is perfectly barren.  Akaitcho and one of the Indians killed two deer which were immediately sent for.  Two of the hunters arrived in the night and we learned that their companions, instead of being in advance as we supposed, were staying at the place where we first found the river open.  They had only seen our fires last evening and had sent to examine who we were.  The circumstance of having passed them was very vexatious as they had three deer en cache at their encampment.  However an Indian was sent to desire those who remained to join us and bring the meat.