158 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 
In the course of the day we passed the conflu- 
ence of the south branch of the Saskatchawan, 
which rises from the Rocky Mountains near the 
sources of the northern branch of the Missouri. 
At Coles Falls, which commence a short distance 
from the branch, we found the surface of the ice 
yery uneven, and many spots of open water. 
We passed the ruins of an establishment, 
which the traders had been compelled to aban- 
don, in consequence of the intractable conduct 
and pilfering habits of the Assinéboine or Stone 
Indians; and we learned that all the residents ata 
post on the south branch, had been cut off by the 
same tribe some years ago. We travelled twelve 
miles to-day. The wolves serenaded us through 
the night with a chorus of their agreeable howl- _ 
ing, but none of them ventured near the encamp- 
ment. Mr. Back’s repose was disturbed by a 
more serious evil: his buffalo robe caught fire, 
and the shoes on his feet, being contracted by the 
heat, gave him such pain, that he jumped up in 
the cold, and ran into the snow as the only means 
of obtaining relief, 
On the 28th we had a strong and. piercing 
wind from N.W. in our faces, and much snow- 
drift; we were compelled to walk as quick as we 
could, and to keep constantly rubbing the ex- 
posed parts of the skin, to prevent their being 
