140 A JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



gale still blew violently, and there was so much drifting of the snow 

 as to cover the distant objects by which our course could be directed. 

 We fortunately got a glimpse through this cloud of a cluster of 

 islands in the direction of the houses, and decided on walking 

 towards them ; but in doing this we suffered very much from the 

 cold, and were obliged to halt under the shelter of them, and await 

 the arrival of our Indian guide. He. conducted us between these 

 islands, over a small lake, and by a swampy river, into the Atha- 

 basca Lake, from whence the establishments were visible. At four 

 P.M. we had the pleasure of arriving at Fort Cliipewyan, and of 

 being received by Messrs. Keith and Black, the partners of the 

 North- West Company in charge, in the most kind and hospitable 

 manner. Thus has terminated a winter's journey of eight hundred 



and fifty-seven miles, in the progress of which there has been a great 

 intermixture of agreeable and disagreeable circumstances. Could 

 the amount of each be balanced, I suspect the latter would much 

 preponderate ; and amongst these the initiation into the practice of 

 walking in snow-shoes must be considered as prominent. The suf- 

 fering it occasions can be but faintly imagined by a person who 

 thinks upon the inconvenience of marching with a weight of between 

 two and three pounds constantly attached to galled feet, and swelled 

 ancles. Perseverance and practice only will enable the novice to 

 surmount this pain. 



The next evil is the being constantly exposed to witness the wan- 

 ton and unnecessary cruelty of the men to their dogs, especially 

 those of the Canadians, who beat them unmercifully, and habitually 

 vent on them the most dreadful and disgusting imprecations. There 

 are other inconveniences which though keenly felt during the day's 

 journey are speedily forgotten, when stretched out in the encamp- 

 ment before a large fire, you enjoy the social mirth of your com- 

 panions, who usually pass the evening in recounting their former 

 feats in travelling. At this time the Canadians are always cheerful 



