128 THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE BY LAND. 



tlieir quiescent attitude the moment lie returned to 

 haul again at the sleigh ; and all the time the un- 

 fortunate Milton lay, bound and helpless, half buried 

 in the snow. In spite of all these hardships and 

 difficulties, he rapidly recovered, and by the time we 

 reached home, after three and a half days' hard 

 travelling, was nearly well. 



On our arrival we found, to our surprise, that the 

 women had made the hut very clean and tidy, but 

 had consumed all the provision we left behind, and 

 were, moreover, quite equal to a great feast on the 

 meat we had brought. We had providentially 

 locked up a little flour, and this was all that 

 remained except the buffalo meat. 



The Indians now returned to their homes, 

 taking with them the greater part of the fresh 

 meat, the Hunter engaging to return in a week 

 to accompany us on a fresh expedition to the plains. 

 To our astonishment, however, he appeared on the 

 third day, in company with Misquapamayoo and 

 Kekekooarsis, and informed us that provisions were 

 exhausted. The meat they had carried away with 

 them three days before appeared to us to be enough 

 for a fortnight, but they assured us it was all eaten, 

 that the ice had become so thick that it was impos- 

 sible to catch any more fish, and that the only thing 

 to be done was to be off* to the plains again imme- 

 diately. We were quite taken aback and disap- 

 pointed, for we had counted on a large quantity of 

 fish, with which old Kekekooarsis had promised to 

 supply us from his fishery at White Fish Lake. 



