THE FATAL MONTH. 785 



For some cause my watch stopped at 10.45 last night 

 while one of the men on watch had it. I set it as near 

 as I could come to the time by guessing, and we must 

 run by that until I can do better. Sun rose yester- 

 day morning at 6.40 by the watch when running all 

 right: 7.05 to 7.40 (35m.), 7.50 to 8.20 (30m.), 8.30 

 to 9.00 (30 m.), 9.15 to 9.35 (20 m.), 9.50 to 10.10 

 (20m.), 10.25 to 10.40 (15m.), 11.00 to 11.20, 11.30 

 to 11.50, 11.50 dinner — 1 h. 55 m. — 2 h. 35 m., say five 

 miles. 



Our forenoon's walk I put as above at five miles. 

 Some time and distance was lost by crossing the river 

 upon seeing numerous fox-traps. A man's track was 

 also seen in the snow, bound south, and we followed it 

 until it crossed the river to the west bank again. Here 

 we were obliged to go back in our tracks, for the river 

 was open in places, and we could not follow the man's 

 track direct. Another of the dozen shoals which infest 

 the river swung us off to the eastward, too, and I has- 

 tened to get on the west bank again, reaching there at 

 11.50 for dinner. Our last four fourteenths pound pem- 

 mican 



At 1.40 got under way again and made a long fleet 

 until 2.20. While at the other side of the river Alexey 

 said he saw a hut, and during our dinner camp he 

 again saw it. Under our circumstances my desire was 

 to get to it as speedily as possible. As Alexey pointed 

 out it was on the left bank of the river of which we 

 were now on the right side looking south. But a sand 

 bank gave us excellent walking for a mile, until w r e 

 took to the river ice and got across it diagonally. 

 Here, at 2.20, I called a rest, and Alexey mounted the 

 bluff to take a look again. He now announced that 

 he saw a second hut about one and a quarter miles 



50 



