channel.

Here Mackenzie put ashore and proceeded to engage in some cabalistic
pursuits which utterly confounded Muskrat.

"What is he doing?" asked the savage of English Chief.

"Taking the sun," replied the interpreter, with immense pomposity.

"What does that mean?" asked the savage.

English Chief tried to explain, but failed for this good reason--that he
himself was totally ignorant of the subject beyond the phrase, which he
had picked up after the manner of a parrot.

It was found that the latitude was 67 degrees 47 minutes north. This
was further north than Mackenzie had expected to make it, but the
difference was owing to the variation of the compass. From this it
became evident that the river emptied itself into the Polar Sea. Not
satisfied, however, with the apparent certainty of this, our pioneer
resolved to have ocular demonstration--to push on to the mouth of the
river, even although, by so doing, he should risk not being able to
return to Fort Chipewyan for want of provisions.

But now his men became so much discouraged that they did their utmost to
induce him to turn back, and he felt convinced that if they had had it
in their power, some of them would have left him to his fate. As
Columbus did of old, in somewhat similar circumstances, he assured them
that he would now advance only a specified number of days--seven, adding
that if he did not then reach the sea he would return. Indeed the low
state of their provisions alone formed a sufficient security for the
maintenance of his engagement.

That evening (the 11th July) they pitched their tents near to a spot
where there had been three encampments of the Esquimaux, and here
Mackenzie sat up all night to observe the sun, being now in that realm
of bright unchanging day, which in winter becomes a region of continuous
night.

At half-past twelve he called up Reuben Guff and his son and Swiftarrow,
who were the most intelligent members of his party, to view a spectacle
which they had never before seen. They thought, on observing the sun so
high, that it was the signal to embark, and were about to rouse their
comrades, when Mackenzie checked them, and it was with difficulty he
persuaded them that the sun had not descended nearer to the horizon, and
that it was then but a short time past midnight!

It is but justice to Reuben and his party to say that they offered no
opposition to their leader during the whole voyage. In regard to this,
one s