MOOSE LAKE. 253 



But if this 10th of July was a hard and harassing 

 day, the 11th was still worse. In the first place, we 

 were delayed a long time in starting, for Bucephalus 

 was not to be found. He was, at length, discovered 

 by The Assiniboine on the other side the Eraser, and 

 the man was obliged to strip and swim the ice-cold 

 river to fetch him back. Soon after we started, we 

 came to Moose Biver, which was somewhat difficult to 

 ford, for the water was high and rapid, pouring over 

 the horses' shoulders in the deepest part. Mr. O'B. 

 lost nerve and steered badly, his horse lost its footing, 

 and nearly took a voyage into the Eraser ; the rider, 

 however, gripped mane and saddle firmly, and both 

 got ashore together, adding another " hair's -breadth 

 escape " to Mr. O'B.'s Hst. 



We reached Moose Lake before noon, and travelled 

 along it until dark without finding any resting-place. 

 The lake was high, and the sides of its basin 

 mountains, up to the base of which the waters spread. 

 It was again a day of marching through water, 

 and the horses perversely wandered ofi" into the deeps, 

 and floated about, soaking flour and pemmican. 

 Accumulations of driftwood barred the passage along 

 the shore in many places, and we were compelled to 

 scale the mountain- sides. Horse after horse rolled 

 back in the attempt, and we had to cut ofi* their ]3acks 

 in the water, and carry up the loads on our backs, 

 to enable the animals to scramble up the steep ascent. 

 We worked hard in the hope of reaching the end of 

 the lake before dark, but the sun went down when we 

 were still several miles distant, and we were compelled 



