422 AECTIC VOYAGES. Chap. XI. 



failed them. The thermometer fell to —49° on the 

 ] st January, being the lowest point to which it de- 

 scended ; but this severe weather was of short dura- 

 tion, for on the 3rd a snow-storm carried it up to 

 - 9° : the highest from the 1st to the 10th was 8° 8', 

 and the mean —29° 7'. All the animals had mi- 

 grated to the southward except the wolf and the fox. 

 All the dried meat was expended, and no fresh flesh 

 could be procured ; the fish caught did not allow 

 more than three or four small herrings to each man, 

 and being out of season afforded little nourishment, 

 and caused indisposition. They were therefore 

 obliged to have recourse to their provision of pem- 

 mican, arrow-root, and portable soup, which had 

 been set apart for the voyages along the sea-coast. 



By the middle of April a large supply of meat 

 was brought up from the stores of the Hudson's 

 Bay Company, which put them quite at ease re- 

 specting food until the season for their departure. 

 Besides, the animals were beginning to pour in from 

 the southward. Of these and other " phenomena 

 connected with the progress of the seasons kept at 

 , Fort Franklin, " # Dr. Richardson records that, — On 

 the 1 1th September the mosquitoes cease to be 

 troublesome ; on the 2nd October swans in flight 

 to the southward ; on the 5th last swans seen. On 

 the shortest day the sun above the horizon 2 h. 38 m. 

 10th April, a house-fly seen in the open air. On 



* Appendix, p. 74, table 75. 



