76 ACROSS THE SUB-ARCTICS OF CANADA. 



Into this basin a quart or more of water was poured, and 

 into the water the prescribed quantity of baking powder 

 was stirred and allowed to effervesce. We now under- 

 stood the secret of John's failures, and gave him in- 

 structions on the use of baking powder. After this we 

 enjoyed better bread. 



A week had now passed since leaving the end of the 

 long portage out of Black Lake, and during that time 

 we had made only about eighty miles. This was a slow 

 rate of travel, and if possible would have to be improved 

 on. One day had been lost in discovering the outlet 

 from Wolverine Lake, another spent in ascending the 

 river, and considerable time had been occupied on the 

 several portages. 



Sunday, the 16th of July, was spent quietly and profit- 

 ably at camp after the six days of hard travel, and, 

 strange to say, the flies which had filled the air and made 

 our lives a burden the previous evening had now almost 

 entirely disappeared. The day was bright and warm, 

 affording a good opportunity for lake bathing. This 

 pleasure was highly prized. After one has been sub- 

 jected to the continual lacerations and stings of flies 

 and mosquitos, and the liberal application of tar-oil for a 

 week or two, a bath is not only a luxury, but a necessity. 



On Monday morning the exploration of Selwyn Lake 

 was continued. The shore-line was still found to be 

 irregular and indented by deep bays. Some of these 

 were passed by, but those toward the north end of the 

 lake were carefully examined to their extremities, in 

 our search for the portage, of which we had been 

 informed, leading over the Height of Land. 



