398 Thirty Years 
CHAPTER XV. 
Thors. On our arrival at the ‘Bear Lake River, we 
were mortified to find the ice drifting down in large 
masses, with such rapidity as to render embarkation 
unsafe. The same cause detained us the whole of 
the following day ; and as we had brought no more 
provision from the house than sufficient for an unin- 
terrupted passage to Fort Norman, we sent for a sup- 
ply of fish. This was avery sultry day, the thermom- 
eter in the shade being 71° at noon, and 74° at three 
P.M. 
The descent of the ice having ceased at eight in 
the morning of the 24th, we embarked. The heavy 
stores were put into a bateau, manned by Canadians, 
who were experienced in the passage through rapids,. 
and the rest of the boats were ordered to follow in its 
wake, keeping at such a distance from each other as 
to allow of any evolution that might be necessary to 
avoid the stones. The boats struck several times, 
but received no injury. At the foot of the rapid we 
