160 Thirty Years 
June 25.—The wind having abated during the night, 
we prepared for starting at an early hour. The three 
canoes’. were mounted on sledges, and nine men were 
appointed to conduct them, having the assistance of 
two dogs to each canoe. The stores and provisions 
were distributed equally among the rest of our men, 
except a few small articles which the Indians carried. 
The provision consisted of only two bags of pemmi- 
can, two of pounded meat, five of suet, and two small 
bundles of dried provision, together with fresh meat 
sufficient for our supper at night. It was gratifying 
to witness the readiness with which the men prepared 
for and commenced the journey, which promised to 
be so very laborious, as each of them had to drag 
upwards of one hundred and eighty pounds on his 
sledge. : 
Our course led down the main channel of the lake, 
which varied in breadth from half a mile to three 
miles ; but we proceeded at a slow pace, as the snow 
which fell last night, and still -lay on the lake, very 
much impeded the sledges. Many extensive arms 
branched off on the north side of this channel, and it 
was bounded on the south by a chain of lofty islands. 
The hills on both sides rose to the height of six hun- 
dred or seven hundred feet, and high steep cliffs are 
numerous. Clusters of pines were occasionally seen 
in the valleys. We put up, at eight P.M., in a spot 
