1876 MARKHAM'S RETURN JOURNEY. 379 



week or ten days our appetites have been decreasing 

 in a marvellous manner. For the first three weeks 

 after leaving the ship the majority of us were perfectly 

 ravenous, and could easily at supper-time have devoured 

 an extra pannikin full of pemmican. Now we are seldom 

 able to consume what is served out to us, although 

 little more than half the allowance is cooked. It is 

 with great difficulty the patients can be induced to eat 

 anything, their mouths being too tender to eat the 

 biscuits, although well soaked. Distance made good 

 one mile. Temperature 11°. 



6 loth. — A fine day, but misty over the land. A 

 sharp south-easterly breeze, and a temperature at 6° 

 touches us up unpleasantly about the face. We are 

 still following up our old road, and devoutly trust we 

 shall be able to adhere to it the entire distance — to 

 make a new road will cause much detention. Distance 

 made good one mile and a half. 



< 16^A. — Our appetites are still on the decline, and 

 to rather an alarming degree. At breakfast to-day, in 

 one tent, scarcely a pannikin full of pemmican was 

 consumed by the whole party. On the other hand we 

 seem to be assailed by an unquenchable thirst, that 

 can only be alleviated at meal-times, as we are unable 

 to spare fuel to make extra water. Distance made 

 good one mile and a half. Temperature 4°. 



< 17th. — A beautifully sunny day, with a light breeze 

 from the N.E. The sun was so powerful as to cause 

 the temperature to rise inside our tent after supper to 

 50°, whilst all our foot-gear, &c, which was left outside 

 when we retired, was perfectly dry when put on before 

 breakfast. After serious thought we have resolved, 



