232 BOAT EXPEDITION. 



bulk, twenty cases of pemmican, eight hundred pounds 

 of biscuit, a quantity of preserved meats, and other 

 miscellaneous matters, the whole amounting to 

 upwards of half a ton weight, with which her gun- 

 wales were still eight inches above the water. 

 Twelve men were selected to accompany Mr. PuUen 

 and myself, and it may well be imagined that four- 

 teen men with their arms, baggage — the latter need 

 not be too highly estimated — instruments, and 

 provisions for nearly a hundred days, were not a 

 light lading for our tiny vessels ; we were indeed 

 very " deep," but consoled ourselves with the 

 reflection that each day would diminish the weight. 



At midnight of the 4th, the word to depart was 

 given, the chosen party bade farewell to their less 

 fortunate comrades, and our adieux were made with 

 mutual regret. My dear friend Mr. Martin we 

 particularly sympathised with ; he had so much 

 hoped to have pushed on, and was greatly chagrined 

 at the disappointment. As we ran along the shore, 

 great quantities of drift-wood were observable, and 

 on a point above high-water mark were several 

 clumsy dog-sledges of the Esquimaux, some perfect, 

 others much injured ; they had apparently been left 

 there by travelling parties in the spring, when the 

 snow had become too soft to employ them, and 



