OF THE POLAR SEA. 75 



converging until they met in the opposite horizon; 

 there were some flashes at right angles to the 

 bars. 



*' March 7. — We arrived at Fort Providence, and 

 found our stores safe and in good order. There be- 

 ing no certainty when the Indian, who was to accom- 

 pany me to our house, would arrive, and my impa- 

 tience to join my companions increasing as I 

 approached it, after making the necessary arrange- 

 ments with Mr. Weeks respecting our stores, on 

 March the 10th I quitted the fort, with two of our 

 men, who had each a couple of dogs and a sledge 

 laden with provision. On the 13th we met the 

 Indian, near Icy Portage, who was sent to guide me 

 back. On the 14th we killed a deer, and gave the 

 dogs a good feed ; and, on the 1 7th, at an early hour, 

 we arrived at Fort Enterprise, having travelled 

 about eighteen miles a-day. I had the pleasure 

 of meeting my friends all in good health, after an 

 absence of nearly five months, during which time 

 I load travelled one thousand one hundred and 

 four miles, on snow shoes, and had no other 

 covering at night, in the woods, than a blanket 

 and deer-skin, with the thermometer frequently 

 at — 40'', and once at — 57°; and sometimes 

 passing two or three days without tasting food." 



