CAPTAIN BACK'S ARCTIC LAND EXPEDITION.

THIS expedition originated. as is well known, in an attempt to ascertain the fate or Captain Ross, which was to be the leading aim of the hardy undertakers; geographical discovery being, at the outset, only a secondary object. The announcement of the return of Captain Ross and his crew, which reached Captain BACK ill his first winter station on the further extremity of the Great Slave Lake, gave the expedition henceforward a purely scientific character. The plan was, to descend the as yet unknown Great Fish River to its junction with the Arctic Ocean, and thence. wherever that might be, survey the coast as for as Point Turnaguin. The first object was completely effected, in spite of inconceivable difficulties, the terror of which daunted even the North Araerican Indian. The Thlew ee-choh or Great Fish- River was accurately traced from its rise, at the further point of the Slave Lake; and discovered to hate "a violent and tortuous course of five hundred geogranhical miles, running through an iron- ribbed country, without a single tree on the whole line of its barks, expaeding into fine large lakes, with clear horizons, most embarrassing to the navigator. and broken into fails, ca-cades, and rapids, to the number of no less than eighty-three in the whole.' The second point was not accomplished. After incredible hard- ships and exertions in an open boat on a stormy Polar sea, exposed to the ram and the tempest, with a scanty allowance of food, and no means of warmi-g that scanty allowance, the explores were compelled to abandon the hope of surveying the coast, in consequence of the lateness of the season, and that still-recurring obstacle to Polar expeditions—a sea of densely- packed ice. The scientific discoveries of Captain BACK, and Mr. Kt NO, the surgeon or the expedition. both in natural history and geography,. however important in the facts they establish or the points they throw light upon. are too purely technical to excite much interest in the general reader, and are properly relegated to an elaborate appendix. The matter of the text itself is endurance. From the time the expedition quitted the last settlement of the Hudson's Bay Company, till they returned, (a period of nearly two years,) exertion and privation were their constant lot. In the most favour- able of their land jimmies, the ruggedness of the mountainous country would have tasked the veteran in alpine explorations, even unincumbered by the loads with which the men were of necessity burdened in the " Barren Lands.- But muscular exertion such as this was trifling compared to the labours of advancing over soft snow or half-thawed ice, dragging with them the boat on which their hopes depended, and carrying with them the provisions that were to sustain life in those sterKe regions. where even an Indian refused to venture, though, according to the saying, he can live where a wolf would starve. The descent of theThlew-ee-choli was less drudge-like than these amphibious journies; for the danger of sweeping down rapids or guiding the bark down falls, stimulated exertion and cleated excitement ; although, both in going and re- turning, there was more than enough of mere mechanical labour in loading and reloading the boat at every " portage"—or spot where it is doubtful whether the hark can be got through in safety. It must also be borne in mind, that tins took place almost beyond the boundaries of the habitable world, in a climate where the presence of ice and snow may always be luuked for even in the height of

summer, where the clouds seem to be constantly pouring down torrents of rain, the earth producing penetrating mists, and the at- mosphere all-piercing winds. So correctly named are the " Bar- ren Lands," that no vegetable fit for eating flourishes ; for hundreds of miles no shrub exists; nor is there any fuel to be found are the mosses. The man who wanders from his com- pany, is doomed to die of hunger,—a fate which even in the more frequented country betel two persons, and one cl them an Esqui- mous interpreter.

All these, however, were troubles of brief duration; for the rigours of the Arctic winter continel the expedition fur two-thirds of each year to a log-house, dignified with the name of Fort Reliance. Here the cold was sometimes so intense, that, in spite of fires, ink and point froze in the act of using; the sextant ca-es and boxes of seasoned wood, priticirally lir, all split; the skin, of the bards especially, became dry, coached, and opened into un- sightly gashes; and on one occasion, although washing his thee Within these feet of the fire, the hair of Captain B test was clotted with ice before he had time to dry it. The Indians, from whom a portion of the winter supply of tool was looked f ,r, were them- selves distressed, and several died of hunger. In despite of the climate, the men were divided into different stations, to pick up scanty supplies by fishing and hunting: yet tl e t .res on which the expedition must depend during its progress to the coast, had to be extensively used, although, of course, on an allowance scale,—Cuptain BACK and Mr. K NG " contenting themselves with half a pound of pemmican each a day," and this scanty ration with such an appetite-giving rigour as we have just described. Still, the hardships dills: exrcdition wore as nothing compared with these of their Indian friends; nor do we know where to look for a counterpart of the pictures of human misery which these pages supply. The following are a few exatnVes of the saDrings attendant upon savage life; though arising in some nwasure frcm the improvidence of the sufferers.

The Indians, emaciated and worn out by fatigue, continued to pour in upon us from the barren Iambi, where, contrary to their habits, the deer still re- mained, keeping ut too great distance to be followed. One poor fenny had not tasted meat for ten days, and, but fur the hope of seeing ma must have sunk by the way. Pinched :3 we were ourselves, little could he bestowed on the wretched sufferers. Amongst other fancies, the Indians Imp n to imagine that the instruments in the observatory, concealed from every one but Mr. King and myself, were the mysterious cause of all their misfortunes ; nor were they sin- gular in this opinion ; for on one occasion, when taking the dip, Etc. two of the voyageurs listened, and hearing only a word at intervals, such as now ! stop ! always succeeded by a perfect silence, they looked at each other, and with significant shrugs, turning hastily away from the railing, reported to their com- panions that they verily believed I was " raising the Devil."

Endeavouring to laugh away the whimsical notion of the Yellow-knives, I told them that they had mistaken the thing, for that the mysterious instruments attracted, not dispersed, the animals, as they world find when they went to hunt. The assertion, uttered in ieet, seemed to be verified in earnest ; for an old bear was shot the same day, and, though lean and tough, was greedily devoured. Although, among so many, it was but a taste for each, it excited a slight ani- mation: soon, however, they relapsed into their former melancoly; and a painful sight it was to behold them, singly or in groups, standing by the men at their meals, and eagerly watching every envied mouthful, but disdaining to utter a word of complaint. The wretched old woman, whom I have spokeu of before, was too much worn out by her infirmities to be sensible of our kindness and protection ; and, though assured that she would be taken care of, she never failed to attend our scanty repast, aud, with monotouous and feeble wailings,

assailed my servant for the scrapings of the kettles. • • • •

To the westward, and more directly in the neighbourhood of the Rivii:re au Liard, forty a the choicest hunters among the Chipewyans had been destroyed by actual famine; many others had not yet been heard of; and the scattered survivors, ream the rigours of the climate and the difficulty of procuring a single animal, ha I experienced the severest hardships which even their hardy natures were capable of sustaining. Sometimes unusual and appalling visitations carried them off; as in the case of two women and their children, who with their laden dogs were travelling near the mountains, towards their tents; when sud- denly one of them called out in alarm, and before they had time to fly, they were caught in a whirlwind, and in an instant swept into eternity. One boy Only out of the number was found, and 1:e died in excruciating pain the same night.

The interpreter came from one of the fi,hing-stations with an account of the loss of sonic nets, and the inadequacy of their u e ins of supports They seldom took more than thirteen small fish in a day ; and the Indians, now reduced to a state of great weakness, crowded round them far a portion of what they could ill afford. It was the same with us; for those who happened to be within a moderate distance fell back on the Fort, as the only chance of prolonging their existence ; and we freely imparted the utmost we could spare. In vaid did we endeavour to revive their drooping spirits, a al excite them to action : the scourge was too heavy, and their exertions were entirely paralyzed. No sooner bad one party closed the door, than another, still more languid and diatressed, feebly opened it, and confirmed by their half. famished lucks and sunken eyes their heart-rending tale of suffering. They spoke little, but crowded in silence round the fire, as if eiger to enjoy the only comfort remaining to them. A handful of mouldy pounded meat, which had been originally reserved for our dogs, was the most liberal allowance we could make to each ; and this meal, un- palatable and unwholesmue as it was, together with the customary presentation of the friendly pipe, was sufficient to efface for a moment the recollection of their sorrows, and even to light up their faces wish a smile of hope. " We know," they al, " that you are as much distressed as ourselves, and you are very good." Afflicting as it was to behold such scenes of suffering, it was at the same time ratifying to observe the resignation with which they were met. There were no Impious upbraidings of Pros: knee, nor any of these r..volting acts, too frequent within late years, which have cast a darker shade over the character of the savage Indian. While the party thus scantily relieved were expressing their

gratitude, one of their companions arrived, and after a short pause announced that a child was dying fur want of food, dose at hand. The father instantly 'lumped up; and having been supplied with sonic pemmicau, for we had no other meat, hurried away, and happily arrived in time to save its life. • • Our ball was in a manner filled with invalids and other stupidly dejected beings, who, seated round the fire, occupied themselves in roasting and devour- ing small bits of their rd. - leer garments, which, even when entire, afforded them a very insufficient protection against a temperature of 102 degrees below the freezing-paint. The father torpid and despairing, the mother with a hol- low and sepulchral wail, vainly endeavouring to soothe the infant, which with unceasing moan clung to her shrivelled and exhausted breast, the passive child gazing vacantly around—such was one of the many groups that surrounded us; but nut a murmur escaped from the men.

Let us turn from these scenes of distress, to others of at least more active suffering. Here is a picture of the hardships of a march, with un anecdote connected with the former expedition.

A, craggy range to the right determined the course of the Ah-heldessy; and twiny a steep ruck and deep valley between the like and us imam:wed the fatigue which was to be endured before we arrived at our destination. But how can I possibly give an idea of the torment we endured from the nand-flies? As we dived into the confined and suffocating chasms, or wailed through the close swamps, they rose iu clouds actually darkening the air : to see or to speak was equally difficult, for they rushed at every undef.ndial part, and fixed their poisonous tangs in an instant. Our faces streamed with blood, as if leeches had been applied ; and there wasaburning aud irritating pain, followed by immediate inflammation, and producing giddiness, that almmt drove us mad. Whenever we halted, which the nature of the country compellid us to do often, the ruin, even Indians, threw themselves on their faces and moaned with pain and agony. My arms being less etwumbei ell, I defended myself in some degree by waving a branch in each hand ; but even with this, and the aid of a veil and stout leather gloves, I did not escape without severe punishment. For the time, I thought the tiny plagues worse even than mosquitos.

While speaking on thi% subject, I our reminded of a remark of !Wearily, which, as indicative of the keen observation of the tribe 'aid illustrating the huntauity of the excellent individual to whom it alludes, I may he pardoned for inti mincing here. It was the custom of Sir John Franklin never to kill a fly ; and, though teazed by them beyond expression, especially whan engaaed in taking observations, be would quietly desist from his wink, and patiently blow the half-gorged intruders from his hands " the world was wide enough for both." This was jocosely remarked upon at the time by Akaitelin and the four or five Indians who accompanied him ; but the impression, it seems, Lad sunk deep, for on Maufelly's seeing me fill tun tent with smoke, and then throw open the front and beat the sides all round with leafy branches, to drive out the stultified pests before I went to rest, he could not refrain from express- ing his surprise that 1 should be so unlike the old chief, who would not destroy so touch as a single mosquito.

-ix attune LANDSCAPE.

The march was resumed, sometimes in willies healed with confused masses' of &lids from the surrounding granite, at others along narrow shelves af per- pendicular rocks, not unlike some of the passes of the Alps, and threatening the same disastrous consequences from a false step. Our route seemed even perilous; and thinking the Indian had purposely led us into it by way of !re- venge for the late laugh, I hastened forward to iemonstrate ; but he kept his

lead, and son was when I reached the summit of the mountain, the setting, and it was time to encamp. " Let not the sun go dawn on thy wrath " admonished me to be silent ; and when Manfelly pointed to Artillery Lake on the far horizon, and to another at the extreme south, I rejoiced that whatever the motive might have been, Ire bad chosen that steep and w .3ry track. It was a sight alto- gether novel to me: 1 had seen nothing in the Old World at all resembling it. There was not the stern beauty of Alpine scenery, and still less the fair variety of kill and dale, forest and glade, which makes the charm of an European landscape. There was nothing to catch or detain the lingering eye, which wan- dered on, without a check, over emileas lines of round backed rocks, wh rse sides were rent into indescribably eccentric forms. It was like a stormy ocean sud- denly petrified. Except a few tawny and pale green lichens, there was nothing to relieve the horror of the scene ; for the fire had scathed it, and the gray and black stems of the mountain pine, which lay prostrate in mournful confusion, seemed like the blackened corpses of departed vegetation. It was a picture of s' hideous ruin and combustion."

In the decent of the Great Fish River, the important duties of steersman and boatman were undertaken by two highlanders.. See the character of the business they had it band— We found it was not one fall, as the hollow roarliad led us to believe, but a !accession of falls and cascades, and whatever else is horr ible in such " confusion worse confounded." It expanded to about the breadth of four hundred yards, having near the centre an insulated rock about three hundred feet high, having the same barren and naked appearance as those on each side. From the pro- jection of the main western shore, which concealed the opening, issued an- other serpentine rapid and fall ; while to the right there was a strife of surge and rock, the roar of which was heard far and wide. The space occupying the centre front the first descent to the island was full of sunken rocks of unequal h den, over which the rapid foamed, and boiled, and rushed with impetuous and deadly fury. At that part it was raised into an etch; while the sides were yawning and cavernous, swallowing huge masses of ice, and then again tossing the splatered fragments high into the air. A more terrific sight could not well be conceived, and the impression which it produced was apparent on the countenances of the men. The portage was over scattered debris of the rocks (of which two mnre with perpendicular and molded sides formed a kind of will to the kit). and afforded a rugged and difficult way to a single rock at the foot of the rapid, about a mile distant. The boat was emptied of her cargo, but was still too heavy to be carried more than a few yards; and, whatever the consequence, there was thus no alternative but to try the fills. Every precaution that experience could devise was adopted : double lines to the bow and stern were held on shore by the most careful of the men, and 51'14:ay and Sinclair took their stations at each end of the boat with poles to keep her from dashing against the rocks. It was no common attempt, and ex- cited in me the most lively concern for their safety. Repeatedly did the strength of the current hurl the boat within an inch of destruction, and as often did these able and intrepid men ward of the threatened danger. Still, amongst the many descents, she did not escape without some severe shocks; in one of which the remaining keel-plate was entirely stript away ; but cool, collected, prompt to understand and obey the mutual signs which each made to the other with the hand—for their voices were inaudible—the gallant fellows finally succeeded in guiding her down in safety to the last fall. There she was taken out of the water; and, with the assistance of Mr. King and myself, was, though with difficultv, carried below it. On our return to the baggage, I gave the men a good glass of grog, with praises which they had well earned ; and all being weary with exertion, we encamped for the night.