OF THE POLAR SEA. 225 
that to break through required great labour, with 
the aid of the ice chisel, and the other iron instru- 
ments which the beaver hunters use. The chase, 
however, was unsuccessful, as the beaver had 
previously evacuated the lodge. 
The first geese we observed flying near to the 
fort were seen on the 2lst, and some were 
brought to the house on the 30th, but they were 
very lean. On the 25th flies were seen sporting 
in the sun, and on the 26th the ice on the lake, 
near the channel of the river, was overflowed, in 
consequence of the Athabasca river having broken 
up; but except where this water spread, there 
was no appearance of decay in the ice. 
- May.—During the first part of this month, the 
wind blew from the N.W., and the sky was 
cloudy. It generally thawed during the day, but 
froze through the night. On the 2nd the Aurora 
faintly gleamed through very dense clouds. 
We had a long conversation with Mr. Dease 
of the North-West Company, who had recently 
arrived from his station at the bottom of the 
Athabasca Lake. This gentleman, having passed 
several winters on the Mackenzie’s River, and 
at the posts to the northward of Slave Lake, 
possessed considerable information respecting the 
Indians, and those parts of the country to which 
our inquiries were directed, which he very 
Vor. f. Q 
