210 LEAVING THE LONE LAND 



beast of the wild places and yet untamed to 

 civilisation. 



Before trailing far to-day, Philip's dogs began 

 to give out, and consequently the loads had to 

 be altered and his sled much lightened. 



After leaving Beaver Lake we crossed over- 

 land for twenty miles through forest country to 

 Cumberland Lake, which lake we crossed before 

 finally drawing up at Cumberland House. It 

 was then So far into the night that all the inmates 

 of the Fur Post were in bed, but necessity of food 

 and desire for shelter forced me to awake the 

 inmates, who in due course, in spite of my rude 

 intrusion, bid me welcome in by the light of 

 flickering candles. 



We had trailed forty-five miles this day and, 

 moreover, had run incessantly behind the sleds 

 on account of the played-out dogs — truly we were 

 ready for food and rest. 



Here ended, in memorable fashion, my travels 

 with dogs, 350 miles south of Fort Du Brochet, 

 or 550 miles south of the edge of the Barren 

 Grounds. 



January 10. — I remained at Cumberland House 

 during the day, while arrangements were made 

 for a sled drawn by horses to carry myself and 

 my specimens to the Pas on the morrow. 



Cumberland House had lost much of the old 

 character of a Fur Post, and had the appearance 

 of fast becoming a white man's frontier station : 

 a change no doubt aggravated by the discovery 

 of Gold at Beaver Lake, and the consequent 

 invasion of miners and prospectors ; while also 

 it is influenced to change by the advent of the 



