272 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



port which had hitherto been always supphed to 

 us at our greatest need. The thermometer varied 

 to-day between 25° and 28°. The wind blew 

 fresh from the south. 



On the 18th the atmosphere was hazy, but the 

 day was more pleasant for walking than usual. 

 The countiy was level and gravelly, and the 

 snow very deep. We went for a short time 

 along a deeply-beaten road made by the rein- 

 deer, which turned suddenly off to the south-west, 

 which was a direction so wide of our course that 

 we could not venture upon following it. All the 

 small lakes were frozen, and we marched across 

 those which lay in our track. We supped off the 

 iripe de roche which had been gathered during 

 our halts in the course of the march. Thermo- 

 meter at six P.M. 32^ 



Showers of snow fell without intermission 

 through the night, but they ceased in the morn- 

 ing, and we set out at the usual hour. The men 

 were very faint from hunger, and marched with 

 difficulty, having to oppose a fresh breeze, and to 

 wade through the snow two feet deep. We 

 gained, however, ten miles by four o'clock, and 

 then encamped. The canoe was unfortunately 

 broken by the fall of the person who had it in 

 charge. No tripe de roche was seen to-day, but 

 in clearing the snow to pitch the tents we found 

 a quantity of Iceland moss, which was boiled for 



