216 



received but little accessions of any importance. Cypripedium 

 arietinum was found on the portage of the Grand Rapids, at 

 the entrance of Lake Winnipeg ; Weissia calcarea and Tor- 

 tula humilis on the limestone rocks of the same lake ; Splach- 

 num ampullaceum was growing between Norway House and 

 the Bay, while Splachnum vasculosum and intermedmm, 

 Weissia turbinata, Cinclidiiim stygium^ &c. abounded near the 

 Factory. Several phaenogamous plants, not previously re- 

 marked, were met with, such as Saxifraga Hirculus, Carda- 

 mine pratensis, a species of Tanacetum, and two or three 

 Umbelliferce, one of them viviparous, with some Syngenesious 

 plants, and Aralia hispida, &c. &c. 



On the 1st of September, we encountered a dreadful storm 

 in Hudson's Bay, from which we escaped as if by miracle. 

 We had gone to visit the ship, which lay at five or six miles 

 distance from the Fort; the party consisting of Captain Back, 

 Lieutenant Kendall, Mr, D. Douglas, the Doctor belonging 

 to the establishment, and myself, with eight men. On leav- 

 ing the vessel to return to the Fort in the evening, the wind 

 blew rather freshly, but little danger was apprehended; it 

 suddenly, however, increased to a hurricane, and we were 

 compelled to return if possible to the ship, but after several 

 vain attempts, we found this to be impracticable. We, 

 therefore, threw out an anchor until a boat should be sent to 

 our assistance from the ship. This was immediately done, 

 the boat being furnished with a tow line, and just as it had 

 neared to within twenty or thirty yards of us, our anchor 

 gave way, and we were driven off, at the mercy of the winds 

 and waves. Our masts were almost immediately carried 

 overboard, and after a dreadfully severe, but ineffectual 

 attempt to approach the vessel by dint of rowing, we were 

 compelled to give over, and to submit to being carried out to 

 sea. By this time the water had become very rough, and 

 our little bark was tossed about like an egg-shell, which 

 caused all the men to get sick, and utterly incapacitated them 

 from making the smallest effort to save themselves and us. 

 We continued baling out the water with our hats, as much 



'& 



as we could. Lieutenant Kendall exerted himself to the 



