1849. FORT FRANKLIN. 135 



our pathway by a pool of water produced under 

 the influence of a powerful sun (p. 105.). Cloudy 

 weather followed, and five or six days elapsed 

 before the geese began to arrive in earnest. 



The men who preceded us were at the fishing hut, 

 near the site of Fort Franklin, when we arrived 

 there. They had transported three sledge loads of 

 pemican about seventeen miles down Bear Lake 

 River to the usual winter crossing-place, but, finding 

 the stream open, they had put them en cache on 

 the right bank, and returned to wait further orders. 

 According to their report the rivulets were swollen 

 with melting snow, and travelling by land with 

 do g- sledges was at an end for this season. 



On the 14th, being Sunday, we assembled to read 

 prayers ; and, early on the following morning, 

 Bruce set out for Fort Norman, taking -with him 

 Dore, Cousins, Thomas Hope, Mastegon, Plante, 

 and M'Leod. They travelled light, carrying with 

 them merely their blankets and provisions. By 

 the arrangement I had made with Mr. M'Pherson 

 they were to find at Fort Norman a small barge, 

 which Bruce was directed to bring up to us as 

 quickly as he could. The only difficulty we anti- 

 cipated was at the rapid in Bear Lake River, where 

 lofty walls of ice remain to a late date, covering 

 the tracking- ground. Hope and M'Leod, being 

 part of Mr. Rae's boat's crew, were to return over- 



K 4 



