the Rocky
Defile Rapid consists of sandy plains; broken by small conical eminences
also of sand; and bounded to the westward by a continuation of the
mountain chain, which we had crossed at the Bear Lake Portage; and to
the eastward and northward, at the distance of twelve miles, by the
Copper Mountains, which Mr. Hearne visited. The plains are crowned by
several clumps of moderately large spruces about thirty feet high.

This evening the Indians made a large fire, as a signal to the Hook's
party that we had passed the _terrific_ rapid in safety.

The position of our encampment was ascertained to be, latitude 67 deg. 1'
10" N., longitude 116 deg. 27' 28" W., variation of the compass 44 deg. 11' 43"
E., dip of the needle 87 deg. 31' 18".

Some thunder showers retarded the drying of the meat, and our
embarkation was delayed till next day. The hunters were sent forward to
hunt at the Copper Mountains, under the superintendence of Adam, the
interpreter, who received strict injunctions not to permit them to make
any large fires, lest they should alarm straggling parties of the
Esquimaux.

The musquitoes were now very numerous and annoying, but we consoled
ourselves with the hope that their season would be short.

On the 11th we started at three A.M., and as the guide had represented
the river below our encampment to be full of shoals, some of the men
were directed to walk along the shore, but they were assailed so
violently by the musquitoes, as to be compelled to embark very soon; and
we afterwards passed over the shallow parts by the aid of the poles,
without experiencing much interruption. The current ran very rapidly,
having been augmented by the waters of the Mouse River and several small
streams. We rejoined our hunters at the foot of the Copper Mountains,
and found they had killed three musk oxen. This circumstance determined
us on encamping to dry the meat, as there was wood at the spot. We
availed ourselves of this delay to visit the Copper Mountains in search
of specimens of the ore, agreeably to my instructions{18}; and a party
of twenty-one persons, consisting of the officers, some of the voyagers,
and all the Indians, set{19} off on that excursion. We travelled for
nine hours over a considerable space of ground, but found only a few
small pieces of native copper. The range we ascended was on the west
side of the river, extending W.N.W. and E.S.E. The mountains varied in
height from twelve to fifteen hundred