

DOWN TO 7 HE SEA. 175 



village who had come over to pay us an early morning 

 call, before we should finally leave their shores. They 

 all held in their hands nicknacks of one kind or another 

 which they were anxious to trade, chiefly for needles, 

 and some would have come in and made themselves at 

 home had I not dismissed them until we were dressed 

 and ready to do business at a little greater distance from 

 our blankets, which we were desirous should be inhabited 

 only by ourselves. Later, a few fishing-lines, spoons and 

 such trifles were purchased. 



As soon as possible, the wind happily being fair, our 

 canoes were loaded, and with many " tabowetiiigs " to the 

 natives and a hurrah for Baker Lake, we started out to 

 the eastward along the north shore. But soon the wind 

 grew strong and caused such a high sea to run that 

 we were forced to seek shelter, which we found in the 

 mouth of a small river. We had then made fourteen miles. 

 Here we waited, hoping that toward evening the wind 

 might moderate, but on the contrary it grew worse, 

 so on the lee-side of a blutf point camp was pitched to 

 afford us shelter from the cold piercing blast. A high 

 wind continued all night and during the following 

 day, when it was accompanied by snow and sleet. The 

 temperature was so low that the fresh-water ponds 

 were frozen over. Such a condition of climate, together 

 with a small and rapidly diminishing stock of pro- 

 visions, made us chafe at the delay ; but on the morning 

 of the 5th we were enabled to launch, and during the 

 day made a good run of about forty miles. The shore 

 of the lake consisted chiefly of Laurentian rock, from 

 150 to 300 feet in height, but at some places broad low 



