268 RECENT HUNTING TRIPS. 



horns, too, though well-shaped, were disappoint- 

 ing, being not nearly as heavj^ as they had 

 appeared through the rain. We got back to 

 camp early in the afternoon with the head and 

 some very poor meat, and spent the rest of the 

 day drying our clothes before a big fire. 



The wet stormy weather continued without 

 intermission for nearly four days, and after 

 a respite of only a few hours, came on again 

 worse than ever. 



In spite of the rain I went out with Geange 

 every day. We got wet through regularly — 

 more from the drip off the trees and bushes 

 than from the rain itself, which was never 

 heavy — but were always able to dry our clothes 

 on returning to camp before the roaring fire 

 which Smart had waiting for us. 



On October 18th we went into some high 

 " barrens " to the north-Avest of the lake but saw 

 no caribou at all, although the whole country 

 was covered with their tracks. I think they 

 had all left the open ground and taken shelter 

 from the wind-driven sleet storms in the sur- 

 rounding forests, where the spruce trees grow 



