272 A JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



considered as a good guide to all the hunters in the vicinity. On 

 our return we saw two untenanted bears' dens. 



The night was cloudy with heavy snow ; yet the following morning 

 we continued our tedious march, many of the lakes remained still 

 open, the rocks high and covered with snow, which continued to fall 

 all day, consequently we effected but a trifling distance, and that 

 too with much difficulty. In the evening we halted ; having on 

 performed about seven miles. One of the Indians gave us a fish 

 which he had caught, though he had nothing for himself; and it 

 was with much trouble that he could be prevailed upon to partake 

 of it. The night was cloudy with snow. On the 29th we set out 

 through deep snow and thick woods ; and after crossing two small 

 lakes stopped to breakfast, sending the women on before, as they 

 had already complained of lameness, and could not keep pace with 

 the party. It was not long before we overtook them on the banks 

 of a small lake, which though infinitely less in magnitude than many 

 we had passed, yet had not a particle of ice on its surface. It was 

 shoal, had no visible current, and was surrounded by hills. We had 

 nothing to eat, and were not very near an establishment where food 

 could be procured ; however, as we proceeded, the lakes were frozen, 

 and we quickened our pace, stopping but twice for the hunters to 

 smoke. Nevertheless the distance we completed was but trifling, 

 and at night we halted near a lake, the men being tired, and much 

 bruised from constantly falling amongst thick broken woods and 

 loose stones concealed under the snow. The night was blowing and 

 hazy with snow. 



On the 30th we set out with the expectation of gaining the Slave 

 Lake in the evening ; but our progress was again impeded by the 

 same causes as before, so that the whole day was spent in forcing 

 our way through thick woods and over swamps covered with snow. 

 We had to walk over pointed and loose rocks, which sliding from 

 under our feet, made our path dangerous, and often threw us down 



