128 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



had killed a deer, we sent three men to fetch the 

 meat, which was distributed between our party 

 and the canoe-men who had been encamped near 

 to us. The thermometer at three P.M. was 46°, 

 at nine 34°. 



We commenced the following day by crossing 

 a lake about four miles in length, and then passed 

 over a succession of rugged hills for nearly the 

 same distance. The men being anxious to reach 

 some pine-trees, which they had seen on their 

 former journey, walked a quick pace, though they 

 were suffering from swelled legs and rheumatic 

 pams ; we could not, however, attain the desired 

 pomt, and therefore encamped on the declivity 

 of a hill, which shekered us from the wind ; and 

 used the rein-deer moss for fuel, which afforded 

 us more warmth than we expected. Several 

 patches of snow were yet remaining on the sur- 

 roundmg hills. The thermometer varied to-day 

 between 55° and 45^ 



On the 20th of June we began our march by 

 crossmg a small lake, not without much risk, as 

 the surface of the ice was covered with water to 

 the depth of two feet, and there were many holes 

 into which we shpped, in spite of our efforts to 

 a^X)id them. A few of the men, being fearful of 

 attmpting the traverse with their heavy loads, 

 walked round the eastern end of the lake. The 



