30th.--We had 13 feet water last night when the tide was in, but it was
not until the flood had made two hours that we floated. The night was as
fine as the last and calm. There was a light air of west wind when we
got under weigh, with which and the flood-tide we slipped alongshore
pretty fast. In an hour or two the wind began to fly about from all
points, with calms between, so that even with the help of our oars we
only made 22 miles; and not being able to reach Seal River, we ran into
a small bay--the only spot that appeared clear of stones for some
miles--about 12 miles north of it. Here abundance of drift wood was
found, with which the men lighted fires sufficiently large for the
coldest winter night. The evening was very warm, and the musquitoes
were troublesome. The country inland is well wooded. Great numbers of
mallard, teal, pintails, and long-tailed ducks were seen, but only two
or three were shot.
31st.--Left our harbour as soon as the tide permitted, which was at 7
A.M. A light but fair breeze from N. by W. gradually increased, so that
we made a fine run across Button's Bay, which is as full of rocks and
shoals as represented in the charts, and entering Churchill River a few
minutes after 1 P.M., landed in a small cove a few hundred yards above
the Old Fort.
On visiting the Company's establishment, I found that Mr. Sinclair was
absent at York Factory; but I was very kindly received by Mrs. Sinclair,
and liberally supplied with everything we required for the continuation
of our voyage. As we had carried away our bowsprit, Turner was set to
make a new one.
I received many letters from much valued friends, and after remaining
for a few hours, returned to the boats at 9 P.M. in order to be prepared
for starting early in the morning, should wind and weather prove
favourable. The stock of provisions on hand was eight bags of pemmican
and four cwt. of flour. We left Ouligbuck and his son at Churchill.
3rd September.--For the last two days the wind had been fair, but
blowing a gale, with such a heavy sea that we could not proceed. The
weather was so cloudy that I could obtain no observations; I therefore
employed most of my time in shooting Esquimaux curlews, which were so
abundant near the Old Fort that I bagged seven brace in a few hours.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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