DISPOSITION OF THE BOATS. %63 



the larger boat was dragged about three quar- 

 ters of a mile through a half-dry swamp, and 

 over some rocks to Artillery Lake, where she 

 was placed firmly on runners plated with iron, 

 and drawn over the ice by two men and six 

 fine dogs. The smaller boat was launched into 

 a pool, where she would be quite safe until 

 required in the autumn. By 8 a.m. each 

 man had his runner laden with something less 

 than a hundred pounds weight; when leaving 

 Mr. King to superintend the transport of what 

 yet remained, I took the party forward, intend- 

 ing to send them back so soon as we had attained 

 the appointed distance ; which, for the accom- 

 plishment of my object, would not be less than 

 from six to nine miles. The scene was new 

 to every one but myself, and I took care to 

 encourage the mirth which the grotesque and 

 awkward attitudes of slipping people continu- 

 ally excited. The runners appeared to slide 

 easily, and for half an hour a brisk pace was 

 kept up. By degrees, however, it slackened, 

 on account of the badness of the ice, which 

 was literally a bed of angular spikes, of many 

 shapes and sizes, but all so sharp as to make 

 mere walking a most painful and laborious 

 operation. From the same cause the runners 

 were also peeled, or otherwise much injured ; 

 and it was easy to foresee their speedy destruc- 



s 4 



