LIFE OE DEATH? 



the Fort, where they found kind friends ready to send us 

 prompt assistance. Dog teams had teen placed at their dis- 

 posal, provisions supplied, and early on the morning of the 

 same day on which they had found us, the train had set out 

 for our relief. With light sleds they had travelled at a rapid 

 pace over the thirty miles of snowy plains which separated 

 us from Churchill. Another day of good travel in the canoes 

 would have taken us in, had this been afforded us. 



As the relief party drew up at our camp, Jim advanced 

 and handed letters to my brother and myself, expressing 

 kind wishes and sympathy from Mr. and Mrs. Lofthouse, 

 the Church of England missionary and his wife at the Fort, 

 whose friendship I had the privilege of making on two former 

 visits to Churchill. Along with the letters was handed a 

 box, which when opened was found to contain the good 

 things of my brother's dream, even to the sweet currant 

 cakes. Staple provisions were also .produced, and it is 

 scarcely necessary to say that they were joyfully welcomed. 

 It would be impossible to describe our feelings upon this 

 occasion, the termination of so many hardships and sufferings. 

 During the afternoon preparations were made for the journey 

 to the Fort on the following day. The canoes were hauled 

 up from the shore, where we had been obliged to leave them, 

 and loaded upon two of the dog-sleds. Camp outfit and pro- 

 visions were loaded upon the others, and as far as possible 

 everything was put in readiness for an early start in the 

 morning. 



A change in the weather was already forecast, the wind 

 shifting around to the south, and towards evening it became 

 decidedly milder. During the night a rain set in, and be- 

 tween it and the warm wind a wonderful change was wrought 

 before dawn. It began to look very much as if the fates 

 were against us, and that now with the sleds and dog-teams 

 we should have no snow to travel on. But before daylight 

 camp was astir, and finding that enough yet remained, break- 



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