A Journey to the Northern Ocean

by Samuel Hearne

  By this time I found that Captain Chawchinahaw had not the prosperity of the undertaking at heart; he often painted the difficulties in the worst colours, took every method to dishearten me and my European companions, and several times hinted his desire of our returning back to the factory: but finding I was determined to proceed, he took such methods as he thought would be most likely to answer his end; one of which was, that of not administering toward our support: so that we were a considerable time without any other subsistence, but what our two home-guard (Southern) Indians procured, and the little that I and the two European men could kill; which was very disproportionate to our wants, as we had to provide for several women and children who were with us.

  Chawchinahaw finding that this kind of treatment was not likely to complete his design, and that we were not to be starved into compliance, at length influenced several of the best Northern Indians to desert in the night, who took with them several bags of ammunition, some pieces of iron work, such as hatchets, ice chissels, files, etc. as well as several other useful articles.

  November 30th — When I became acquainted with this piece of villany, I asked Chawchinahaw the reason of such behaviour. To which he answered, that he knew nothing of the affair: but as that was the case, it would not be prudent, he said, for us to proceed any farther; adding that he and all the rest of his countrymen were going to strike off another way, in order to join the remainder of their wives and families: and after giving us a short account which way to steer our course for the nearest part of Seal River, which he said would be our best way homeward, he and his crew delivered me most of the things which they had in charge, packed up their awls, and set out toward the South West, making the woods ring with their laughter, and left us to consider of our unhappy situation, near two hundred miles from Prince of Wales’s Fort, all heavily laden, and our strength and spirits greatly reduced by hunger and fatigue.

  Our situation at that time, though very alarming, would not permit us to spend much time in reflection; so we loaded our sledges to the best advantage, (but were obliged to throw away some bags of shot and ball,) and immediately set out on our return. In the course of the day’s walk we were fortunate enough to kill several partridges, for which we were all very thankful, as it was the first meal we had had for several days: indeed, for the five preceding days we had not killed as much as amounted to half a partridge for each man; and some days had not a single mouthful. While we were in this distress, the Northern Indians were by no means in want; for as they always walked foremost, they had ten times the chance to kill partridges, rabbits, or any other thing which was to be met with, than we had. Beside this advantage, they had great stocks of flour, oatmeal, and other English provisions, which they had embezzled out of my stock during the early part of the journey; and as one of my home Indians, called Mackachy, and his wife, who is a Northern Indian woman, always resorted to the Northern Indian tents, where they got amply supplied with provisions when neither I nor my men had a single mouthful, I have great reason to suspect they had a principal hand in the embezzlement: indeed, both the man and his wife were capable of committing any crime, however diabolical.

  December 1st — This day we had fine pleasant weather for the season of the year: we set out early in the morning, and arrived the same day at Seal River, along which we continued our course for several days. In our way we killed plenty of partridges, and saw many deer; but the weather was so remarkably serene that the Indians only killed two of the latter. By this time game was become so plentiful, that all apprehensions of starving were laid aside; and though we were heavily laden, and travelled pretty good days journeys, yet as our spirits were good, our strength gradually returned.

  In our course down Seal River we met a stranger, a Northern Indian, on a hunting excursion; and though he had not met with any success that day, yet he kindly invited us to his tent, saying he had plenty of venison at my service; and told the Southern Indians, that as there were two or three beaver houses near his tent, he should be glad of their assistance in taking them, for there was only one man and three women at the tent.

  Though we were at that time far from being in want of provisions, yet we accepted his offer, and set off with our new guide for his tent, which, by a comparative distance, he told us, was not above five miles from the place where we met him, but we found it to be nearer fifteen; so that it was the middle of the night before we arrived at it. When we drew near the tent, the usual signal for the approach of strangers was given, by firing a gun or two, which was immediately answered by the man at the tent. On our arrival at the door, the good man of the house came out, shook me by the hand, and welcomed us to his tent; but as it was too small to contain us all, he ordered his women to assist us in pitching our tent; and in the mean time invited me and as many of my crew as his little habitation could contain, and regaled us with the best in the house. The pipe went round pretty briskly, and the conversation naturally turned on the treatment we had received from Chawchinahaw and his gang; which was always answered by our host with, “Ah,! If I had been there, it should not have been so!” when, notwithstanding his hospitality on the present occasion, he would most assuredly have acted the same part as the others had done, if he had been of the party.

  Having refreshed ourselves with a plentiful supper, we took leave of our host for a while, and retired to our tent; but not without being made thoroughly sensible that many things would be expected from me, before I finally left them.

  December 6th — Early in the morning, my Indians assisted us in taking the beaver houses already mentioned; but the houses being small, and some of the beavers escaping, they only killed six, all of which were cooked the same night, and voraciously devoured under the denomination of a feast. I also received from the Indians several joints of venison, to the amount of at least two deer; but notwithstanding I was to pay for the whole, I found that Mackachy and his wife got all the prime parts of the meat; and on my mentioning it to them, there was so much clanship among them, that they preferred making a present of it to Mackachy, to selling it to me at double the price for which venison sells in those parts: a sufficient proof of the singular advantage which a native of this country has over an Englishman, when at such a distance from the Company’s Factories as to depend entirely on them for subsistence.

  Thinking I had made my stay here long enough, I gave orders to prepare for our departure; and as I had purchased plenty of meat for present use while we were at this tent, so I likewise procured such a supply to carry with us, as was likely to last us to the Fort.

  Early in the morning we took a final leave of our host, and proceeded on our journey homeward. One of the strangers accompanied us, for which at first I could not see his motive; but soon after our arrival at the Factory, I found that the purport of his visit was to be paid for the meat, said to be given gratis to Mackachy while we were at his tent. The weather continued very fine, but extremely cold; and during this part of my journey nothing material happened, till we arrived safe at Prince of Wales’s Fort on the eleventh of December, to my own great mortification, and to the no small surprise of the Governor, who had place great confidence in the abilities and conduct of Chawchinahaw.

  CHAPTER 2

  February 23rd, 1770 to August 11th, 1770

  Transactions from our arrival at the Factory, to my leaving it again, and during the firstpart of my second journey, till I had the misfortune to break the quadrant.

  Transactions at the Factory.–Proceed on my second journey.–Arrive at Seal River.–Deer plentiful for some time.–Method of angling fish under the ice.–Set our fishing nets.–Method of setting nets under the ice.–My guide proposes to stay till the geese begin to fly; his reasons accepted.–Pitch our tent in the best manner.–Method of pitching a tent in winter.–Fish plentiful for some time; grow very scarce; in great want of provisions.–Manner of employing my time.–My guide killed two deer.–Move to the place they were lying at; there kill several more deer, and three beavers.–Soon
in want of provisions again.–Many Indians join us from the Westward.–We begin to move towards the barren ground.–Arrive at She-than- nee, and there suffer great distress for want of provisions.–Indians kill two swans and three geese.–Geese and other birds of passage plentiful.–Leave She-than-nee, and arrive at Beralzone.–One of my companions guns bursts, and shatters his left hand.–Leave Beralzone, and get on the barren ground, clear of all woods.–Throw away our sledges and snow shoes.–Each person takes a load on his back; my part of the luggage.–Exposed to many hardships.–Several days without victuals.–Indians kill three musk-oxen, but for want of fire are obliged to eat the meat raw.–Fine weather returns; make a fire; effects of long fasting; stay a day or two to dry some meat in the sun.–Proceed to the Northward, and arrive at Cathawhachaga; there find some tents of Indians.–A Northern leader called Keelchies meets us; send a letter by him to the Governor.–Transactions at Cathawhachaga; leave it, and proceed to the Northward.–Meet several Indians.–My guide not willing to proceed; his reasons for it.–Many more Indians join us.–Arrive at Doobaunt Whoie River.–Manner of ferrying over rivers in the Northern Indian canoes.–No rivers in those parts in a useful direction for the natives.–Had nearly lost the quadrant and all the powder. –Some reflections on our situation, and conduct of the Indians.–Find the quadrant, and part of the powder.–Observe for the latitude.–Quadrant broke.–Resolve to return again to the Factory.

  1770 February — During my absence from Prince of Wales’s Fort on my former journey, several Northern Indians arrived in great distress at the Factory, and were employed in shooting partridges for the use of our people at the Fort. One of those Indians called Con-ne-e-quefe said, he had been very near to the famous river I was engaged to go in quest of. Accordingly Mr. Norton engaged him and two other Northern Indians to accompany me on this second attempt; but to avoid all incumbrances as much as possible, it was thought advisable not to take any women,(1) that the Indians might have fewer to provide for. I would not permit any European to go with me, but two of the home-guard (Southern) Indian men were to accompany me as before. Indeed the Indians, both Northern and Southern, paid so little attention to Isbester and Merriman on my former journey, particularly in times of scarcity, that I was determined not to take them with me in future; though the former was very desirous to accompany me again, and was well calculated to encounter the hardships of such an undertaking. Merriman was quite sick of such excursions, and so far from offering his service a second time, seemed to be very thankful that he was once more arrived in safety among his friends; for before he got to the Factory he had contracted a most violent cold.

  Having come to the above resolutions, and finally determined on the number of Indians that were to accompany us, we were again fitted out with a large supply of ammunition, and as many other useful articles as we could conveniently take with us, together with a small sample of light trading goods, for presents to the Indians, as before.

  My instructions on this occasion amounted to no more than an order to proceed as fast as possible; and for my conduct during the journey, I was referred to my former instructions of November 6th, 1769.

  Every thing being in readiness for our departure, on the twenty-third of February I began my second journey, accompanied by three Northern Indians and two of the home-guard (Southern) Indians. I took particular care, however, that Mackachy, though an excellent hunter, should not be of our party; as he had proved himself, during my former journey, to be a sly artful villain.

  The snow at this time was so deep on the top of the ramparts, that few of the cannon were to be seen, otherwise the Governor would have saluted me at my departure, as before; but as those honours could not possibly be of any service to my expedition, I readily relinquished every thing of the kind; and in lieu of it, the Governor, officers, and people, insisted on giving me three cheers.

  After leaving the Factory, we continued our course in much the same direction as in my former journey, till we arrived at Seal River; when, instead of crossing it, and walking on the barren grounds as before, we followed the course of the river, except in two particular places, where the bends tended so much to the South, that by crossing two necks of land not more than five or six miles wide, we saved the walking of near twenty miles each time, and still came to the main river again.

  March 8th — The weather had been so remarkably boisterous and changeable, that we were frequently obliged to continue two or three nights in the same place. To make up for this inconveniency, deer were so plentiful for the first eight or ten days, that the Indians killed as many as was necessary; but we were all so heavy laden that we could not possibly take much of the meat with us. This I soon perceived to be a great evil, which exposed us to such frequent inconveniences, that in case of not killing any thing for three or four days together, we were in great want of provisions; we seldom, however, went to bed entirely supperless till the eighth of March; when though we had only walked about eight miles that morning, and expended all the remainder of the day in hunting, we could not produce a single thing at night, not even a partridge! nor had we discerned the track of any thing that day, which was likely to afford us hopes of better success in the morning. This being the case, we prepared some hooks and lines ready to angle for fish, as our tent was then by the side of a lake belonging to Seal River, which seemed by its situation to afford some prospect of success.

  Early in the morning we took down our tent, and moved about five miles to the West by South, to a part of the lake that seemed more commodious for fishing than that where we had been the night before. As soon as we arrived at this place, some were immediately employed cutting holes in the ice, while others pitched the tent, got firewood, etc.; after which, for it was early in the morning, those who pitched the tent went a hunting, and at night one of them returned with a porcupine, while those who were angling caught several fine trout, which afforded us a plentiful supper, and we had some trifle left for breakfast.

  Angling for fish under the ice in winter requires no other process, than cutting round holes in the ice from one to two feet diameter, and letting down a baited hook, which is always kept in motion, not only to prevent the water from freezing so soon as it would do if suffered to remain quite still, but because it is found at the same time to be a great means of alluring the fish to the hole; for it is always observed that the fish in those parts will take a bait which is in motion, much sooner than one that is at rest.

  March 19th — Early in the morning we again pursued our angling, and all the forenoon being expended without any success, we took down our tent and pitched it again about eight miles farther to the Westward, on the same lake, where we cut more holes in the ice for angling, and that night caught several fine pike. The next day we moved about five miles to the South West, down a small river, where we pitched our tent; and having set four fishing nets, in the course of the dy we caught many fine fish, particularly pike, trout, tittymeg, and a coarse kind of fish known in Hudson’s Bay by the name of Methy.(2)

  To set a net under the ice, it is first necessary to ascertain its exact length, by stretching it out upon the ice near the part proposed for setting it. This being done, a number of round holes are cut in the ice, at ten or twelve feet distance from each other, and as many in number as will be sufficient to stretch the net at its full length. A line is then passed under the ice, by means of a long light pole, which is first introduced at one of the end holes, and, by means of two forked sticks, this pole is easily conducted, or passed from one hole to another, under the ice, till it arrives at the last. The pole is then taken out, and both ends of the line being properly secured, is always ready for use. The net is made fast to one end of the line by one person, and hauled under the ice by a second; a large stone is tied to each of the lower corners, which serves to keep the net expanded, and prevents it rising from the bottom with every waft of the current. The Europeans settled in Hudson’s Bay proceed much in the same manner, though they in general take much more pains;
but the above method is found quite sufficient by the Indians.

  In order to search a net thus set, the two end holes only are opened; the line is veered away by one person, and the net hauled from under the ice by another; after all the fish are taken out, the net is easily hauled back to its former station, and there secured as before.

  March 21st — As this place seemed likely to afford us a constant supply of fish, my guide proposed to stay here till the geese began to fly, which in those Northern parts is seldom before the middle of May. His reasons for so doing seemed well founded: “The weather,” he said, “is at this time too cold to walk on the barren grounds, and the woods from this part lead so much to the Westward, that were we to continue travelling in any tolerable shelter, our course would not be better than West South West, which would only be going out of our way; whereas, if we should remain here till the weather permit us to walk due North, over the barren grounds, we shall then in one month get farther advanced on our journey, than if we were to continue travelling all the remainder of the winter in the sweep of the woods.”

  These reasons appeared to me very judicious, and as the plan seemed likely to be attended with little trouble, it met with my entire approbation. That being the case, we took additional pains in building our tent, and made it as commodious as the materials and situation would admit.