ACROSS THE SUB-ARCTICS OF CANADA. 



mence a new stage of the journey. The rough maps we 

 had enabled us to form a fair idea of what lay ahead. 

 From our camp to the mouth of Chesterfield Inlet on the 

 coast of Hudson Bay measured about 250 miles, and 

 thence down the coast of the Bay to Fort Churchill, a 

 Hudson's Bay Company's post and the nearest habitation 

 of white men, measured 500 more ; so that 750 miles 

 was the least distance we had to figure on travelling 

 in canoes before the close of navigation. 



It was now the month of September, and as winter is 

 known to set in in the vicinity of Hudson Bay during 

 October, my brother and I felt that our time must be 

 employed to the very best advantage. The weather had 

 been extremely adverse all summer, but it was now 

 liable to be more so. Within the course of two or three 

 weeks the equinoctial gales might be expected. The 

 tides also would be a new feature of difficulty. 



In consideration of these prospects, and in order to 

 stimulate the men to greater exertions, it was thought 

 best to explain our position to them, for up to this time 

 they had little idea as to where they were, whether in 

 the vicinity of the North Pole or within a few days' 

 travel of civilization. The effect produced by thus in- 

 forming the canoemen was as desired. They resolved 

 as one man to make longer days and put forth greater 

 exertion. 



Before daylight on the morning of the 3rd, camp was 

 aroused by the sound of many voices, and a few minutes 

 later, before we had turned out from our blankets, the 

 door of the tent was pulled half open and two or three 

 black burly heads with grinning faces were poked in. 

 They were those of some of our friends from the Eskimo 



