ACKOSS THE SUB-AECTICS OF CANADA 



powder, with the result that after this- we enjoyed better 

 bread. 



A week had now passed since leaving the end of the long 

 portage out of Black Lake, and during that time we had 

 made only about eighty miles. This was a slow rate of 

 travel, and would have to be improved on if possible. One 

 day had been lost in discovering the outlet from^ Wolverine 

 Lake, another spent in ascending the river, and considerable 

 time had been occupied on the several portages. 



Sunday, the 16th of July, was spent quietly and profitably 

 at camp after the six days of hard travel, and, strange to say, 

 the flies which had filled the air and made our lives a burden 

 the previous evening had now almost entirely disappeared. 

 The day was bright and warm, affording a good opportimity 

 for lake bathing, and this pleasure was highly appreciated. 

 After one has been subjected to the continual lacerations and 

 stings of files and mosquitos, and the liberal application of 

 tar-oil for a 'week or two, a bath is not an unneeded luxury. 



On Monday morning the exploration of Selwyn Lake was 

 continued. The shore-line was still found to be irregular 

 and indented by deep bays. Some of these were passed by, 

 but those toward the north end of the lake were carefully 

 examined to their extremities, in our search for the portage 

 of which we had been informed, leading over the Height of 

 Land. 



Towards evening our party was surprised by the appear- 

 ance of a canoe some distance away, and not far from it, 

 on a little island, an Indian camp. Shaping our course for 

 the camp, a salute was fired, and was promptly answered by 

 the Indians. Reaching the camp we were not a little aston- 

 ished to find that some of the Indians were the very same 

 men who had agreed to assist us over the portages out of 

 Athabasca and Black lakes. They had, no doubt, after 

 meeting old Moberly, been prompted to leave us to shift for 

 ourselves, and had returned in such a way as to avoid meet- 



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