256 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



observed, that we proceeded in this manner 

 throughout our route across the barren grounds. 



In the afternoon we got into a more hilly coun- 

 try, where the ground was strewed witli large 

 stones. The surface of these was covered with 

 lichens of the gemts gyrophora, which the Cana- 

 dians term tripe de roche. A considerable quan- 

 tity was gathered, and with half a partridge each, 

 (which were shot in the course of the day,) fur- 

 nished us with a slender supper, which we cooked 

 with a few willows, dug up from beneath the 

 snow. We passed a comfortless night in our 

 damp clothes, but took the precaution of sleeping 

 upon our socks and shoes to prevent them from 

 freezing. This plan was afterwards adopted 

 throughout the journey. 



At half past five in the morning we proceeded ; 

 and after walking about two miles, came to Cra- 

 croft's River, flowing to the westward, with a very 

 rapid current over a rocky channel. We had 

 much difficulty in crossing this, the canoe being 

 useless, not only from the bottom of the channel 

 being obstructed by large stones, but also from 

 Its requiring gumming, an operation which, owing 

 to the want of wood and the frost, we were unable 

 to perform. However, after following the course 

 of the river some way, we effected a passage by 

 means of a range of large rocks that crossed a 



