[The Journey to the Polar Sea by John Franklin]@TWC D-Link book
The Journey to the Polar Sea

CHAPTER 10
37/83

The distance we made today was fifty miles.
There was a hoar frost in the night and the temperature at four next morning was 40 degrees: embarking at that hour we glided quickly down the stream and by seven arrived at the Hook's encampment which was placed on the summit of a lofty sand cliff whose base was washed by the river.

This chief had with him only three hunters and a few old men and their families, the rest of the band having remained at their snares in Bear Lake.

His brother Long-legs and our guide Keskarrah, who had joined him three days before, had communicated to him our want of provision, and we were happy to find that, departing from the general practice of Indian chiefs, he entered at once upon the business without making a long speech.

As an introductory mark of our regard I decorated him with a medal similar to those which had been given to the other leaders.

The Hook began by stating that he was aware of our being destitute of provision, and of the great need we had of an ample stock to enable us to execute our undertaking, and his regret that the unusual scarcity of animals this season, together with the circumstance of his having only just received a supply of ammunition from Fort Providence, had prevented him from collecting the quantity of meat he had wished to do for our use.
"The amount indeed," he said, "is very small, but I will cheerfully give you what I have: we are too much indebted to the white people to allow them to want food on our lands whilst we have any to give them.


<<Back  Index  Next>>

D-Link book Top

TWC mobile books