208 



lengthened our route and caused us considerable inconveni- 

 ence- We proceeded for a few days along the river^ and 

 then struck into the wooded country north of the Saskatcha- 

 wan, to avoid encountering the hostile tribes. We shortly 

 began to feel symptoms of snow blindness, wliich consider- 

 ably retarded our progress, and although we had a sufficient 

 supply of provisions for this journey in usual cases, we still 

 found our stores considerably diminishing. The blindness 

 became worse, and although we fired at several animals, we 

 did not succeed in killing any. To add to our distresses, we 

 now discovered that we had gone too far into the woods, by 

 which the distance that we had to traverse was much in- 

 creased. Our dogs became excessively fatigued, so that we 

 were under the necessity of cutting up our sledge and carry- 

 ing the luggage ourselves. The provisions were wholly 

 spent, and I was compelled to destroy a fine specimen of the 

 Jumping Deer, as I have before mentioned, although it was 

 the only one we had been able to procure, and I had carried 

 it all the way from the Colutnbia River, where I had killed 

 it. As I had not been very particular in divesting this skin 

 of the flesh, it proved the more valuable on that account. 

 Our ignorance of the actual distance which lay between us 

 and the Fort, prevented the Indians from desponding, for 

 we expected to reach it every succeeding night; but we 

 grew weak with exhaustion, and proceeded, therefore, but 

 the more and more slowly. Within about a day's journey 

 of the Fort, the half-bred Indian recognised the spot where 

 we were, and we had the good fortune to kill a Skunk, an 

 animal which I have omitted to mention in my former list, 

 and which afforded us a comfortable meal. This creature, 

 when hunted, discharges an intolerably fetid liquor upon its 

 pursuers, and few dogs will afterwards attempt to destroy it. 

 The one which we killed on the evening before we reached 

 the Fort, proved tolerable eating, though it had a strong 

 flavour of this obnoxious liquid. The distance being now so 

 inconsiderable, I laid down my luggage, and we made our 

 way to the Fort as quickly as possible^ You may judge of 

 my happiness at being first met on my approach by ^^' 



