120 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



since last autumn. The repairs of the third canoe 

 were finished this evening. 



The snow was now confined to the bases of the 

 hills, and our Indian hunter told us the season 

 was early. The operations of nature, however, 

 seemed to us very tardy. We were eager to be 

 gone, and dreaded the lapse of summer, before 

 the Indians would allow it had begun. 



On the 11th the geese and ducks had left the 

 vicinity of Fort Enterprise, and proceeded to the 

 northward. Some young ravens and whiskey- 

 johns made their appearance at this time. 



On the 12th Winter River was nearly cleared 

 of ice, and on the 13th the men returned, having 

 left Dr. Richardson on the borders of Point Lake. 

 Dr. Richardson informed me by letter that the 

 snow was deeper in many parts near his encamp- 

 ment than it had been at any time last winter 

 near Fort Enterprise, and that the ice on Point 

 Lake had scarcely begun to decay. Although 

 the voyagers were much fatigued on their arrival, 

 and had eaten nothing for the last twenty-four 

 hours, they were very cheerfd, and expressed a 

 desire to start with the remainder of the stores 

 next morning. The Dog-rib woman, who had 

 mgered about the house since the 6th of June, 

 took alarm at the approach of men, thinking, 



