122 Thirty Years 
a 
another portage into a narrow lake ; we encamped on 
an island in the middle of it, to set the nets; but 
they only yielded a few fish, and we had a very scanty 
supper ; as it was necessary to deal-out our provision 
sparingly. 
We had the mortification of finding the nets en- 
tirely empty next morning, an untoward circumstance 
that discouraged our voyagers very much ; and they 
complained of being unable to support the fatigue to 
which they were daily exposed, on their present scanty 
fare. ‘We had seen with regret that the portages were 
more frequent as we advanced to the northward, and 
feared that their strength would fail, if provision were 
not soon obtained. We embarked at six, proceeded 
to the head of the lake, and crossed a portage of two 
thousand five hundred paces, leading over ridges of 
sand-hills, which nourished pines of a larger size than 
we had lately seen. This conducted us to Mossy 
Lake, from whence we regained the river, after travers- 
ing another portage. The Birch and Poplar Porta- 
ges next followed, and beyond these we came to a part 
where the river takes a great circuit, and its course is 
interrupted by several heavy falls. The guide, there- 
fore, advised us to quit it, and proceed through a 
chain of nine lakes extending to the north-east, which 
we did, and encamped on Icy Portage, where the nets 
rraAMA ant Mha hhattam af tha wallae thane Linh 
