324 A JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



We started at ten next morning. The day was extremely hot, 

 and the men were soon jaded ; their lameness increased very much, 

 and some not previously affected began to complain. The dogs too 

 shewed symptoms of great weakness, and one of them stretched 

 himself obstinately on the ice, and was obliged to be released from 

 the harness. Under these circumstances we were compelled to 

 encamp at an early hour, having come only four miles. The suf- 

 ferings of the people in this early stage of our journey were 

 truly discouraging to them, and very distressing to us, whose 

 situation was comparatively easy. I, therefore, determined on leaving 

 the third canoe, which had been principally carried to provide 



gainst any accident happening to the others. By this we gained 



three men, to lighten the loads of those who were most lame, and 

 an additional dog for each of the other canoes. It was accordingly 

 properly secured on a stage erected for the purpose near the en- 

 campment. Dried meat was issued for supper, but in the course 



of the evening the Indians killed two deer, which were immediately 

 sent for. 



The channel of the lake through which we had passed to-day 

 was bounded on both sides by islands of considerable height, pre- 

 senting bold and rugged scenery. We were informed by our guide, 

 that a large body of the lake lies to the northward of a long island 

 which we passed. 



Another deer was killed next morning, but as the men break- 

 fasted off it before they started, the additional weight was not ma- 

 terially felt. The burthens of the men being considerably light- 

 ened by the arrangements of last evening, the party walked at the 

 rate of one mile and three quarters an hour until the afternoon, 

 when our pace was slackened, as the surface of the ice was more 



• and our lame companions felt their sores very galling. At 

 noon we passed a deep bay on the south side, which is said to 







