OF THE POLAR SEA. 67 



tant. Tliere were no rocks near it, and the soil 

 through which it took its course was composed 

 of a reddish clay. I was much galled by the 

 strings of the snow-shoes during the day, and 

 once got a severe fall, occasioned by the dogs 

 running over one of my feet, and dragging me 

 some distance, my snow-shoe having become en- 

 tangled with the sledge. In the evening we lost 

 our way, from the great similarity of appearance 

 in the country, and it' was dark before we found 

 it again, when we halted in a thick wood, after 

 having come about sixteen miles from the last 

 encampment. Much snow fell during the night. 



*' At an early hour on the 27th of December, we 

 continued our journey along the surface of a long 

 but narrow lake, and then through a wood, which 

 brought us to the grand detour on the Slave River. 

 The w^eather was extremely cloudy, with occa- 

 sional falls of snow, which tended greatly to im- 

 pede our progress, from its gathering in lumps be- 

 tween the dogs' toes ; and though they did not go 

 very fast, yet my left knee pained me so much, that 

 I found it difficult to keep up with them. At three 

 P.M. we halted within nine miles of the Salt River, 

 and made a hearty meal of mouldy pemmican. 



*' December 28 and 29.— We had much difficulty 

 in proceeding, owing to the poor dogs being quite 

 worn out, and their feet perfectly raw.. We en- 



F 2 



