242 ACROSS THE SUB-ARCTICS OF CANADA. 



ciently recovered to allow him to walk. As to taking 

 him any farther with us, that was unadvisable, for he 

 was now in the care of a physician, and in a place 

 where he would receive all necessary attention. Besides, 

 we would have no means of carrying him, unless upon a 

 sled drawn by our own men, and such an additional 

 burden would seriously retard progress. Jt was there- 

 fore admitted by all that the best plan was to leave 

 Michel in Dr. Milne's care, to be forwarded as soon as 

 he was well enough to walk. This was promptly 

 arranged, and with as little delay as possible prepara- 

 tions were made for departure. 



Two dogs from our Churchill team were purchased 

 outright from Jimmie, who happened to be the owner 

 of them, and a third having been secured from Morrison, 

 the Indian, we only required one more to make up a 

 fair team, and this was procured from the Doctor. 

 Another team was hired from the Company, and it was 

 at first thought, with the aid of these two, we might 

 comfortably make the twelve days' trip to Oxford 

 House. But when supply bills were made out it was 

 found that with the assistance of only two teams for so 

 long a trip, each man would have to haul a heavily- 

 loaded toboggan. The Doctor therefore, with some diffi- 

 culty, raised a third team to accompany us for two 

 days on the journey. 



The next necessary preparation was the procuring of 

 a guide and drivers for the teams. As the mail-carriers 

 and two other Indians, Mr. Mowat's companions, had 

 already gone to Oxford House, few men were left at 

 the Fort who knew the route ; but happily a man was 

 found who turned out to be another brother of our 



