446 INTENSE COLD. 



For two days the weather was so stormy, with 

 sleet, snow, and sharp frost, that we could not 

 move. The small lakes became solid enough to 

 bear, and the men were occupied in fetching 

 some meat that the Indians had killed. 



Sept. 20th was a bitter frosty morning, with 

 snow ; but the wind had abated, and we set 

 forward, leaving Mr. M c Leod to follow at his 

 leisure, in order that he might hunt the shores 

 of the lake, which he thought could be done 

 advantageously. Having crossed Lake Aylmer 

 without the occurrence of any thing remarkable, 

 w T e got into Clinton-Colden Lake, and found the 

 hills covered to the depth of two inches with 

 snow ; while the cold was so sharp that the 

 water froze on the oars and the sides of the 

 boat, and even stopped one of the chronometers, 

 (No. 3093, French), which had hitherto been 

 most regular and steady in its rate. Towards 

 evening we got to the first rapid in the little 

 river, and were visited by some Yellow Knives, 

 whom we expected to find thereabout. They 

 congratulated us on our safe return, which, 

 considering the dreadfully bad season, had been 

 scarcely expected. The elderly man who was 

 ill last spring at the Fort, and whose exces- 

 sive stubbornness had drawn upon him the 

 name of Old Obstinate, was lying very ill 

 in his lodge, his troubles being further embit- 



