Journey across the barren grounds.
Difficulty and delay in crossing Copper-Mine River.
Melancholy and Fatal Results thereof.
Extreme Misery of the whole Party.
Murder of Mr. Hood.
Death of several of the Canadians.
Desolate State of Fort Enterprise.
Distress suffered at that Place.
Dr. Richardson's Narrative.
Mr. Back's Narrative.
Conclusion.

...



INTRODUCTION.

His Majesty's Government having determined upon sending an Expedition
from the Shores of Hudson's Bay by land to explore the Northern Coast of
America from the Mouth of the Copper-Mine River to the eastward, I had
the honour to be appointed to this service by Earl Bathurst, on the
recommendation of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty; who at the
same time nominated Doctor John Richardson, a Surgeon in the Royal Navy,
Mr. George Back, and Mr. Robert Hood, two Admiralty Midshipmen, to be
joined with me in the enterprise. My instructions in substance informed
me that the main object of the Expedition was that of determining the
latitudes and longitudes of the Northern Coast of North America, and the
trending of that Coast from the Mouth of the Copper-Mine River to the
eastern extremity of that Continent; that it was left for me to determine