CHAP. in. EXTRAOEDIXAEY LOW TEMPERATUEE. 39 



freezing point, and probably much lower on the exposed 

 mountain-tops, Mr. Gaudet remarked that in the winter 

 of 1858 and 1859 he had slept in an open tent near the 

 dividing ridge between Lake Superior and Winnipeg, 

 when the whole party were roused simultaneously by a 

 sudden reduction of temperature, caused by a cold blast 

 from the north. The thermometer at the hour when 

 they rolled themselves in then 1 blankets was a few de- 

 grees below zero : at four in the morning the change 

 came ; a gust of wind so cold and piercing swept over the 

 camp, as to penetrate even two doubles of the famous 

 four-point north blankets, and awoke voyagers, Indians, 

 and surveyors with a sudden start. The thermometer 

 fell to 46 below zero : the instrument was one of Negretti 

 and Zambra's minimum spirit thermometers, and had 

 been tested and its error recorded in the Observatory at 

 Toronto. 



As soon as the baggage was carried a mile and a half 

 across the Grand Portage, we decided to make an attempt 

 to bring the canoes by the river from the fishing station 

 to our camp. 



The men were despatched for this purpose, and we sat 

 on the huge boulders at the foot of the Eapids anxiously 

 watching for their appearance round the jutting points of 

 rock which hid the fishing station from view, and where 

 the eddying waters foamed and struggled in their haste to 

 reach the sea. 



Two hours after the men started a canoe appeared 

 round the point, wavered for a few moments, and then 

 went back ; appeared a second time, and, retreating a 

 little, boldly crossed the river to examine the other side. 



