NORTHERN OCEAN 81 



ing our luggage ; and I well knew, from the season of the 1770. 

 year, that hauling would soon be at an end for the summer. ^^'^^' 



The thaws having been by this time so great as to render 

 travelling in the woods almost impracticable, we continued our 

 course to the East on Seal River, about sixteen miles farther, 

 when we came to a small river, and a string of lakes connected 

 with it, that tended to the North. 



The weather for some time was remarkably fine and 

 pleasant. Game of all kinds was exceedingly plentiful, [28] 

 and we continued our course to the Northward on the above 

 river and lakes till the first of June, when we arrived at a place June, 

 called Beralzone.-^ In our way thither, beside killing more '^'" 

 geese than was necessary, we shot two deer. One of my 

 companions had now the misfortune to shatter his hand very 

 much by the bursting of a gun ; but as no bones were broken, 

 I bound up the wound, and with the assistance of some of 

 Turlington's drops, yellow basilicon, &c., which I had with 

 me, soon restored the use of his hand ; so that in a very short 

 time he seemed to be out of all danger. 



After stopping a few days at Beralzone, to dry a little 4th. 

 venison and a few geese, we again proceeded to the Northward 

 on the barren ground ; for on our leaving this place we soon 

 got clear of all the woods. 



The snow was by this time so soft as to render walking in 5th, 

 snow-shoes very laborious ; and though the ground was bare 

 in many places, yet at times, and in particular places, the snow- 

 drifts were so deep, that we could not possibly do without 

 them. By the sixth, however, the thaws were so general, and 6th. 

 the snows so much melted, that as our snow-shoes were 

 attended with more trouble than service, we all consented 

 to throw them away. Till the tenth, our sledges proved loth. 

 serviceable, particularly in crossing lakes and ponds on the 

 ice ; but that mode of travelling now growing dangerous on 

 account of the great thaws, we [29] determined to throw 



[^ Beralzoa means Shoal Lake.] - 



F 



