OF THE POLAR SEA. 55 



which though infinitely less in magnitude than 

 many we had passed, yet had not a particle of 

 ice on its surface. It was shoal, had no -visible 

 current, and was surrounded by hills. We had. 

 nothing to eat, and were not very near an establish- 

 ment where food could be procured ; however, as 

 we proceeded, the lakes were frozen, and we 

 quickened our pace, stopping but twice for the 

 hunters to smoke. Nevertheless the distance we 

 completed was but trifling, and at night we halted 

 near a lake, the men being tired, and much bruised 

 from constantly falling amongst thick broken woods 

 and loose stones concealed under the snow. The 

 night was blowing and hazy w^ith snow. 



'* On the 30th we set out with the expectation of 

 gaining the Slave Lake in the evening ; but our 

 progress was again impeded by the same causes 

 as before, so that the whole day was spent in 

 forcing our way through thick woods and over 

 swamps covered with snow. We had to walk 

 over pointed and loose rocks, which sliding from 

 under our feet, made our path dangerous, and 

 often threw us down several feet on sharp-edged 

 stones lying beneath the snow. Once we had to 

 climb a towering, and almost perpendicular, rock, 

 which not only detained us, but was the cause 

 of great anxiety for the safety of the women, 

 who being heavily laden with furs, and one of 

 them witli a child on her back, could not exert 



