greatest apparent solicitude, and were the first to discover
him returning. Up to the time of his arrival they kept repeating every
particular respecting the Indians, and pointing out the mode of avoiding
them. It was their intention, they said, to pursue us to the Mackenzie,
but that we should get there before them, because there were two rivers
in the way which the Indians would have great difficulty in crossing,
being unprovided with canoes. They urged us to make all speed, and not
to halt in the night, nor to go to sleep; but, if the crew became tired,
to put up on an island out of gun-shot of the main shore, because the
Indians were armed with guns as well as bows. They instructed Augustus
minutely as to the course we were to steer round the reef, and directed
us to keep along the main shore until we should come to a large opening,
which was the western outlet of the Mackenzie, and had a deep channel.
We rewarded their friendly conduct by a considerable present of iron,
which they received with an indifference that showed them not to have
been actuated by interested motives in making the communications.
Previous to the arrival of these men we had perceived the smoke of a
distant fire, which we had little regarded, supposing it to have been
made by some Esquimaux who were hunting, but which, it seems, was the
fire of the Indians. Having pulled round the reef, and being aided by a
westerly breeze, we soon regained the main shore, and passed the mouth
of the two rivers of which the Esquimaux had spoken. The night beginning
to close in we pulled up to the head of an inlet; when heavy rain and
squalls coming on, we determined to halt. [Sidenote: Wednesday, 30th.]
As soon as the day dawned, which was about half-past two in the morning,
we returned to Shoal Water Bay; and, sailing along the coast for two or
three miles to the eastward, arrived at another opening, in which the
water was fresh, and we did not doubt but it would prove the deep
channel by which we had been instructed to ascend. There was plenty of
water near its mouth, but it gradually shoaled; and, at the distance of
four miles, we ascertained that this promising opening was likewise an
inlet. I now relinquished the search for a more westerly outlet than the
one by which we had descended, and, therefore, steered for Pillage
Point, which soon afterwards came in sight. After dragging the boats
for two hours, over the shoals, we rounded Pillage Point at ten A.M.,