each portage four times, with a load of 180 pounds, and return three times light, they walked in the whole upwards of 150 miles. We cannot, therefore, be surprised, that these men, who had been accustomed to live, when at the trading Companies’ forts, entirely on animal food, the daily allowance of which is eight pounds per man, should be disheartened, and exhibit symptoms of insubordination, when they found themselves reduced to one scanty meal a day. Lieutenant Franklin’s narrative informs us, that for some days they murmured at their meagre diet, strove to get the whole stock of provision to consume at once, and at length, on the 11th of August, broke out into open discontent, threatening that they would not proceed unless more food was given to them.
“This conduct,” says he, “was the more unpardonable, as they saw we were rapidly approaching the fires of the hunters, and that provision might be soon expected. I, therefore, felt the duty incumbent on me to address them in the strongest manner on the danger of insubordination, and to assure them of my determination to inflict the heaviest punishment on any that should persist in their refusal to go on, or in any other way attempt to retard the expedition. I must admit, however, that the present hardships of our companions were of a kind which few could support without murmuring, and no one could witness without feeling a sincere pity for their sufferings. Just as we had encamped, we were delighted to see four of the hunters arrive, with the flesh of two rein-deer. This seasonable supply instantly revived the spirits of our companions, and they immediately forgot all their cares. As we did not afterwards experience any deficiency of food, during this stage of our journey, they worked extremely well, and never again reflected upon us as they had done before, for rashly bringing them into an inhospitable country, where the means of subsistence could not be procured.”
On the morning of the 25th August, Lieutenant Franklin was surprised by some early symptoms of the approach of winter; the small pools were frozen over, and a flock of geese passed to the southward. Up to this period, he had cherished the hope of fixing his winter-quarters at the mouth of the Copper-mine River; but Akaitcho now declared, that the very attempt would be rush and dangerous, as the weather was cold, the leaves were falling, and the winter would shortly set in; and that, as he considered the lives of
