octor Richardson and his friend, with the
Indian hunters, set out to join Franklin, and the "misery"--there is no
other name for it--which the party endured, not from cold but from the
mosquitoes, must be read about in detail to be even partially
appreciated. This is a fearful plague of the northern regions just as
Nature is beginning to clothe herself anew in green, and the white
mantle of winter has disappeared in those places where snow is not
perpetual.

On the 18th of July, 1820, the whole party was assembled at Fort
Chepeywan, and they set out together, so as to reach the mouth of the
Coppermine in time to establish winter quarters for the next cold
season. But tremendous difficulties beset them--lakes and rivers had to
be crossed, portages had to be made, as rapids had to be avoided, and
shallows had to be circumvented. Thus it was the middle of August again
ere they reached a place whence further progress was impossible that
season. The signs of approaching winter could not be disregarded: a
house was constructed as a winter residence, and called "Fort
Enterprise."

Their objective point was still many, many miles away, and those miles
they could not traverse with their boats and stores. So, after a
hurried peep at the head of the river, they made ready to winter, and
with that view laid in a stock of provisions. This consisted chiefly of
pemmican, which is frozen or dried reindeer-flesh kneaded with the fat
into a kind of paste. Fish was added to this, but as people came
along--natives and their families, who "made for" shelter as quickly as
possible--the stock was not enough. Ammunition gave out, many necessary
stores had not come up, and at length Mr--afterwards Admiral Sir
George--Back determined to return, and bring up the required stores.

After a lapse of five months this intrepid young officer returned to
Franklin. In the meantime he had travelled one thousand miles in
snow-shoes, had no covering at night except a blanket and a deer-skin,
the thermometer at 40 degrees to 50 degrees below zero, and on occasions
he was for two or three days without food! This was indeed intrepidity,
but he knew his friends were waiting for him, and that without some such
self-sacrifice they could not have remained in their winter quarters,
where, during Mr Back's absence, they suffered greatly from the
climate.

The young voyager brought back with him two interpreters, whose names in
English were "Stomach" a