2 
In the Arctic Regions. 123 
the track across this portage led, was covered with ice 
four or five feet thick, the remains of a large iceberg, 
which is annually formed there, by the snow drifting 
into the valley, and becoming consolidated into ice ‘by 
the overflowing of some springs that are warm enough 
to resist the winter’s cold. _ 
We were alarmed in the night by our fire commu- 
nicating to the dry moss, which spreading by the force 
of a strong wind, encircled the encampment aud 
threatened destruction to our canoes and baggage. 
The watch immediately aroused all the men, who 
quickly removed whatever could be injured to a dis- 
tant part, and afterward succeeded in extinguishing 
the flame. 
Aug. 8.—During this day we crossed five portages, 
passing over a very bad road. The men were quite 
exhausted with fatigue by five P.M., when we were 
obliged to encamp on the borders of the fifth lake, in 
which the fishing-nets were set. We began this eve- 
ning to issue some portable soup and arrow-root, 
which our-companions relished very much ; but this 
food is too unsubstantial to support their vigor under 
their daily exhausting labor, and we could not fur- 
nish them with a sufficient quantity even of this to 
satisfy their desires) We commenced our labors on 
the next day in a very wet, uncomfortable state, as it 
had rained through the night until 4 A.M. The fifth 
