A GREAT FROZEN LAKE. 97 



summit. As we proceeded across the country we found 

 the ground frozen and all the little ponds covered by 

 new ice. Such a condition of things was not the most 

 enlivening, and it was a point of discussion with us 

 whether the season of this land was spring or autumn. 

 Upon reaching the hill-top we were well repaid for our 

 labor. Away to the south and the east, as far as we 

 could see, the ice-field extended, but to the north there 

 lay much open water, and near the base of the hill 

 there was a comparatively narrow neck of land across 

 which we might portage our outfit and get to the open 

 water. This we decided to do. 



Having accomplished this task we were once more 

 free, but before nightfall were again blocked by the 

 k. In a deep bay by the mouth of a small river we 

 ent into camp, feeling somewhat disheartened by our 

 1 fortunes. Neither wood nor moss could here be 

 und with which to make a fire, but with alcohol some 

 hot tea was made, and from it as much comfort was 

 extracted as possible, for there was little elsewhere to 

 be found. Meeting with so much ice at this season of 

 the year made the prospects of farther advance north- 

 ward anything but encouraging, but we were resolved, 

 if it were possible, to push on and see the end of the 

 great river we had thus far descended. 



The morning of the 12th broke cold and dreary. 

 New ice everywhere covered the ponds, but camp was 

 astir early, and it was with much pleasure we discovered 

 that the ice-pack, which had forbidden our advance the 

 night before, had now moved off the shore and left in 

 its stead a channel of open water. Into this we gladly 

 made our way, and once more the paddles were plied 



