In the Arctic Regions. 101 
The next morning after filling some casks with salt 
for our use during winter, we embarked to return, and 
had descended the rrver a few miles, when turning 
round a point, we perceived a buffalo plunge into the 
river before us. Hager to secure so valuable a prize, 
we instantly opened a fire upon him from four muskets, 
and insa few minutes he fell, but not before he had 
received fourteen balls, The carcass was towed to the 
bank, and the canoe speedily laden with meat. After 
this piece of good fortune, we descended the stream 
merrily, our voyagers chanting their liveliest songs. 
On arrival at the mouth of the river, we found that 
our nets had not produced more than enough to sup- 
ply a scanty meal to the men whom we had left 
behind, but this was now of little importance as the 
acquisition of meat we had made, would enable us to 
proceed without more delay to Slave Lake. In the 
evening, a violent thunder-storm came on with heavy 
rain ; thermometer ‘70°. . 
At a very early hour on the following morning, we 
embarked, and continued to paddle against a very 
strong wind and high waves, under the shelter of the 
bank of the rivers, until two P. M., when having 
arrived at a more exposed part of the stream, the 
canoes took in so much water that we were obliged to 
disembark on a small island. The river here is from 
one mile and a quarter to one mile and three-quarters 
