A GREAT FEOZEN LAKE 



fact, for from the old rotten .poles, few and small though 

 they were, we built a fire that gave us not a little comfort 

 and cheer. 



On the 5th of August, after partaking of a hurried break- 

 fast of venison — of which, by the way, our supplies now 

 almost entirely consisted — the canoes were again launched 

 in the swift stream, in which during the day rapid after 

 rapid was run, until six were successfully passed and a 

 descent of over a hundred feet had been made. 



At about six o'clock in the evening, having made twenty 

 miles, a fortunate incident occurred. As we were approach- 

 ing a seventh rapid we suddenly found ourselves enveloped 

 in a dense, chilling mist, which so obstructed the view that 

 we were unable to proceed. As we went ashore at the head of 

 the rapid we discovered, much to our delight, a little patch 

 of stunted black spruce trees. They were twisted and gnarled, 

 and not more than four or five feet in height, but as fuel 

 they were the source of much comfort, and beside them we 

 decided to camp, it being Saturday night. During the day's 

 run we had been soaked by the spray of the rapids, and were 

 therefore in good condition to again enjoy the warm, cheerful 

 blaze of a fire, around which we all huddled and sat far into 

 the night, drying our clothing, rehearsing adventures of the 

 day, and discussing the prospects of the future. 



On Sunday we had a further opportunity of enjoying the 

 camp-fire, cooked provisions and dry clothing, all of which 

 are rare luxuries on the Barren Lands. Our fishing nets, 

 which had been set in the river the night before, were taken 

 up loaded with magnificent whitefish and trout, the former 

 ranging from six to ten pounds in weight, and the latter up 

 to twenty-five pounds. 



During the afternoon, as my brother was tramping in the 

 interior, he reached the summit of an adjacent hill, where a 

 most dreary and chilling scene opened to his vision. To the 

 east and northward, not many miles away, and extending as 



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