220 ACROSS THE SUB-ARCTICS OF CANADA. 



was provided with a pair of snowshoes. As one dog- 

 team was unable to draw all the freight, the men were 

 obliged to haul their own dunnage, and for this purpose 

 three flat sleds or toboggans were procured and loaded 

 with sixty or seventy pounds each. 



Thus provision was made for the transport of all 

 necessary supplies, but what was to be done with 

 Michel ? Mr. Matheson kindly assisted us out of the 

 difficulty by offering to take the crippled Indian on one 

 of his sleds. Thus arrangements were completed, and, 

 with nine days' provisions, we bade our kind friends 

 farewell, ancl early on the morning of the date men- 

 tioned marched from the Fort in single file, forming into 

 a long serpentine train, winding our way to the south- 

 ward across the broad frozen river. As we departed 

 farewell salutes were waved from the doorway of the 

 little mission-house, and we felt that with them were 

 wafted the most sincere and hearty good wishes. 



At the outset, though we had greatly improved phy- 

 sically during the stay at Churchill, we were still far 

 from being strong, and it was thought best not to 

 attempt forced marches at the outset. The wisdom of 

 this resolve was clearly proven before the first day's 

 tramp was ended. That afternoon one of my knees gave 

 out, and soon became so badly crippled that within an 

 hour or so every step caused me excruciating pain, and 

 it was with the greatest effort I managed to hobble 

 along after the train until evening. We travelled about 

 twenty-one miles during the day, on an easterly course, 

 across open plains and snow-covered lakes. There was 

 little timber on the route until we reached the Eastern 



