On August 5th we continued the ascent of the river, which varied much in breadth, as did the current in rapidity.  It flows between high rocky banks on which there is sufficient soil to support pines, birch, and poplars.  Five portages were crossed, then the Rocky Lake, and we finished our labours at the end of the sixth portage.  The issue of dried meat for breakfast this morning had exhausted all our stock, and no other provision remained but the portable soups and a few pounds of preserved meat.  At the recommendation of Akaitcho the hunters were furnished with ammunition and desired to go forward as speedily as possible to the part where the reindeer were expected to be found, and to return to us with any provision they could procure.  He also assured us that in our advance towards them we should come to some lakes abounding in fish.  Many of the Indians, being likewise in distress for food, decided on separating from us and going on at a quicker pace than we could travel.

Akaitcho himself was always furnished with a portion at our meals as a token of regard which the traders have taught the chiefs to expect and which we willingly paid.

The next morning we crossed a small lake and a portage before we entered the river; shortly afterwards the canoes and cargoes were carried a mile along its banks to avoid three very strong rapids, and over another portage into a narrow lake; we encamped on an island in the middle of it to set the nets; but they only yielded a few fish and we had a very scanty supper as it was necessary to deal out our provision sparingly.  The longitude 114 degrees 27 minutes 03 seconds West and variation 33 degrees 00 minutes 04 seconds East were observed.

We had the mortification of finding the nets entirely empty next morning, an untoward circumstance that discouraged our voyagers very much; and they complained of being unable to support the fatigue to which they were daily exposed on their present scanty fare.  We had seen with regret that the portages were more frequent as we advanced to the northward and feared that their strength would fail if provision were not soon obtained.  We embarked at six, proceeded to the head of the lake, and crossed a portage of two thousand five hundred paces leading over ridges of sandhills which nourished pines of a larger size than we had lately seen.  This conducted us to Mossy Lake whence we regained the river after traversing another portage.  The Birch and Poplar Portages next followed, and beyond these we came to a part where the river takes a great circuit and its course is interrupted by several heavy falls.  The guide therefore advised us to quit it and proceed through a chain of nine lakes extending to the north-east which we did and encamped on Icy Portage where the nets were set.  The bottom of the valley through which the track across this portage led was covered with ice four or five feet thick, the remains of a large iceberg which is annually formed there by the snow drifting into the valley and becoming consolidated into ice by the overflowing of some springs that are warm enough to resist the winter’s cold.  The latitude is 63 degrees 22 minutes 15 seconds North, longitude 114 degrees 15 minutes 30 seconds West.