180 THE GREAT NORTH-WEST 



About two o'clock in the afternoon we ascended an 

 eminence from which we could see a distance of many 

 miles in nearly every direction, and from which we hoped 

 to be able to sight our destination. To our vexation, 

 however, no signs of the post could be discerned, and it 

 became evident that it was still many miles off. Soon 

 after it began to snow heavily, and it became necessary 

 to seek shelter before darkness set in, if we did not wish 

 to incur the risk of perishing in the storm. We cut 

 down spruce boughs with which to form a shelter, and 

 snow being piled over this, we soon had a tolerable cover- 

 ing over our heads ; but all our efforts to get a fire to 

 burn were futile, the wood being too damp to ignite. We 

 had but a mouthful of food with us, and a small bottle 

 of rum ; and with this, and huddling close together to 

 maintain our heat, we contrived to keep alive till the 

 faint light of approaching day enabled us to resume our 

 way. 



It was still snowing, and as the surface snow was 

 loose, we could not use our snow-shoes, even where the 

 ground was tolerably level. Moreover, we met with a 

 nasty accident soon after starting. In climbing over a 

 steep rock a huge mass of snow gave way under Finnock. 

 I happened to be directly under him, and he came right 

 on to me. Down we both went, rolling thirty feet over 

 the jagged rocks. Though my gun was at half-cock, 

 one barrel by some means exploded, the charge passing 

 close enough to Finnock's head to singe his hair. We 

 were both much cut and bruised, and my friend so 

 much lamed that it was with difficulty he could hobble 

 along. 



Under these circumstances it was nearly the close of 

 the day before we came to the encampment ; and rough 

 as were the surroundings, I do not know that I ever 

 beheld a blazing fire and heard the cheery shout of fellow- 

 men with more pleasure than on this occasion. The boys 

 were eating roast porcupine, those animals being numer- 



