A HAPPY RETURN. 193 



young ewe, and a most welcome change and addition to our 

 supply of meat, then rapidly diminishing. 



Since the departure of our companions the weather 

 had remained uniformly clear and still, a slight wind how- 

 ever playing most of the time around the mountain peaks, 

 and blowing the light snow off them in white fleecy clouds, 

 which, when illuminated by the sun's rays passing through 

 them, were gorgeous with rainbow tints, and at night in 

 the bright moonlight looked like cloud-wreaths of glittering 

 diamond dust. 



The days had been really hot from eleven to three, but the 

 evenings, nights, and early mornings frightfully cold ; so 

 cold, indeed, that a cupful of water thrown up in the air 

 would congeal into morsels of ice before reaching the ground, 

 making a miniature hail-storm ; and our traps had often 

 been prevented from springing, from the leaves and snow by 

 which they were concealed being frozen over them in a solid 

 cake. 



Game was returning to the valley, and we daily had some 

 success in hunting ; a small band of spruce-deer in the 

 side valley to the left of the camp affording us our chief 

 sport. 



As day succeeded day without the return of the relief 

 by, we could no longer repress our anxiety, and gave 

 vent to our feelings by discussing the possible misfortunes 

 rhich might have overtaken them. Indeed we could talk of 

 lothing else. 



On the fifteenth day of their absence the objects of our 

 solicitude, to our great delight, walked into camp. They 

 drove before them the three animals well laden with camp 



