OF THE POLAR SEA. 57 



not appear very alluring to an English stomach, 

 it was thought a great luxury after three days' 

 privation in these cheerless regions of America. 

 Indeed had it not been for the precaution and 

 generosity of the Indians, we must have gone 

 without sustenance until we had reached the fort. 



" On the 1st of November our men began to 

 make a raft to enable us to cross a river which 

 was not even frozen at the edges. It was soon 

 finished, and three of us embarked, being seated 

 up to the ancles in water. We each took a pine 

 branch for a paddle, and made an effort to gain 

 the opposite shore, in which, after some time, 

 (and not without strong apprehensions of drifting 

 into the Slave Lake,) we succeeded. In two 

 hours' time the whole party was over, with a 

 comfortable addition to it in the shape of some 

 fine fish, which the Indians had caught : of course 

 we did not forget to take these friends with us, 

 and after passing several lakes, to one of which 

 we saw no termination, we halted within eight 

 miles of the fort. The Great Slave Lake was 

 not frozen. 



" In crossing a narrow branch of the lake I fell 

 through the ice, but received no injury ; and at 

 noon we arrived at Fort Providence, and were 

 received by Mr. Weeks, a clerk of the North- 

 West Company, and in charge of the establish* 



