272 NO SIGN OF VEGETATION. 



the ground underneath being frozen, collected 

 into pools, that slowly discharged themselves into 

 the lake. There was not the least sign of vege- 

 tation, for the sun as yet exerted little influence 

 over the cold and barren soil. Divine service 

 having been performed to the men assembled in 

 the tent, the journey was resumed by the line of 

 the river. A partial channel in its centre in- 

 duced me and my attendants to keep to the right 

 bank, which, though it receded to the eastward, 

 offered nevertheless, somewhat higher up, a 

 shorter cut to the other side, the river at the 

 place where we were being of considerable 

 width. The channel, however, led us much 

 farther round than had been anticipated, and 

 finally ended near a small rapid, which my 

 party forded ; but as a serious loss of time 

 would have attended the attempt to follow us, 

 I hastened back, and directed the boat and 

 sledges to return to the mouth of the river, and 

 go along its western bank. In the meantime 

 my party kept to the right, and, on their way, 

 saw occasional traces of Indians, at places where 

 they had been fishing. The ice was more or less 

 decayed, and shelved from the banks, where it was 

 four feet thick, becoming much honey-combed 

 towards the middle, where it dipped into the 

 open water of the narrow channel formed by the 

 current. Walking, therefore, was painful and 



