. The book of the long trail. of them :after passing this they would meet with none of theirown race until they returned from the Polar the Companys agents were asked to ex-plain to the Copper Indians, who inhabited the district,the object of the expedition, and to ask them for guidesand hunters to accompany it. At the same time anothertrading association, the North-West Company, consentedto lend Mr. Wentzel, one of their clerks, and a numberof their voyageurs or French-Canadian boatmen. Thena large birchen canoe was built during the month ofJune : it was 321 feet in length, an
. The book of the long trail. of them :after passing this they would meet with none of theirown race until they returned from the Polar the Companys agents were asked to ex-plain to the Copper Indians, who inhabited the district,the object of the expedition, and to ask them for guidesand hunters to accompany it. At the same time anothertrading association, the North-West Company, consentedto lend Mr. Wentzel, one of their clerks, and a numberof their voyageurs or French-Canadian boatmen. Thena large birchen canoe was built during the month ofJune : it was 321 feet in length, and 4 feet 10 incheswide in the centre, and was capable of carrying, besidesthe crew of five or six men with their provisions andbaggage, twenty-five extra packages of 90 lb. each,or a total lading of 3300 lb. weight. Yet the canoeitself was so light that at a portage, when it was emptiedof its cargo, it could be carried overland by two menonly, and they would even run with it. The canoe was finished just in time. On July 5 it. .They smoked the calumet with him. 10 THE BOOK OF THE LONG TRAIL was taken out for a trial trip, and when caught in aheavy gale on the open lake showed itself to be anexcellent sea-boat. On July 13, Franklin and Backhad the pleasure of welcoming their friends Richardsonand Hood, who brought with them two more canoesand some stores ; but the pemmican had gone badon the way, and as no more could be obtained at FortChipewyan it was necessary to move on at once, or thelarge party now gathered together would soon haveexhausted their food supply. All unsatisfactory menwere therefore weeded out and sent home, and on July 18the rest loaded the three canoes and started for theNorth. The crews went off gaily with a lively paddling song,and the descent of the magnificent Slave River madea rapid and easy beginning for their journey ; butFranklin was painfully aware of the risk they wererunning. Setting aside some flour, preserved meat,chocolate, arrowroot and portable
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectexplorers, bookyear19
