48 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



Several deer were killed near the house, and 

 we received some supplies from Akaitcho. Parties 

 were also employed in bringing in the meat that 

 was placed 671 cache in the early part of the winter. 

 More than one half of these caches, however, had 

 been destroyed by the wolves and wolverenes ; a 

 circumstance which, in conjunction with the empty 

 state of our store-house, led us to fear that we 

 should be much straitened for provisions before 

 the arrival of any considerable number of rein- 

 deer in this neighbourhood. 



A good many ptarmigan were seen at this time, 

 and the women caught some in snares, but not in 

 sufficient quantity to make any further alteration 

 in the rations of deers' meat that were daily 

 issued. They had already been reduced from 

 eight, to the short allowance of five pounds. 



Many wolves prowled nightly about the house, 

 and even ventured upon the roof of the kitchen, 

 which is a low building, in search of food ; Keskar- 

 rah shot a very large white one, of which a beauti- 

 ful and correct drawing was made by Mr. Hood. 



The temperature in February was considerably 

 lower than in the preceding month, although not 

 so low as m December, the mean being -25° 3 

 The greatest temperature was V above zero, and 

 the lowest 51° below. 



Onthe 5th of March the people returned from 

 ^laveLake, brmging the remainder of our stores, 



