33 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



On the 15th seven of our men arrived from 

 Fort Providence with two kegs of rum, one barrel 

 of powder, sixty pounds of ball, two rolls of 

 tobacco, and some clothing. They had been 

 twenty-one days on their march from Slave Lake, 

 and the labour they underwent was sufficiently 

 evinced by their sledge-collars having worn out 

 the shoulders of their coats. Their loads weighed 

 from sixty to nmety pounds each, exclusive of 

 their bedding and provisions, which at starting 

 must have been at least as much more. We were 

 much rejoiced at their arrival, and proceeded 

 forthwith to pierce the spirit cask, and issue to 

 each of the household the portion of rum which 

 had been promised to them on the first day of the 

 year. The spirits, which were proof, were frozen, 

 but after standing at the fire for some time they 

 flowed out of the consistency of honey The 

 temperature of the liquid, even in this state, was 

 so low as instantly to convert into ice the mois- 

 ture which condensed on the surface of the dram- 

 glass. The fingers also adhered to the glass 

 and would, doubtless, have been speedily frozen 

 had they been kept in contact with it ; yet each of 

 the voyagers swaUowed his dram without expc- 

 nencmg the shghtest inconvenience, or complain- 

 ing even of the tooth-ach. 



After the men had retired, an Indian, who had 



