THROUGH THE FOREST AND HOME AGAIN 



warmth of the camp-fire at night, we managed to keep 

 fairly comfortable. 



About sixteen miles beyond a large stream known as Tox 

 River, we came upon an ancient track. This in earlier days 

 had been travelled by oxen and Red River carts, and over 

 it hundreds of tons of freight had annually been hauled; 

 but now it was so grown up with trees that it often taxed 

 the skill of the guide to keep it. The track led directly to 

 Oxford, so that from this forward it was to be our road. 



Since leaving the banks of the Hays River no timber of 

 any value had been seen. The wood had all been black 

 spruce of a very scrubby character, but now poplar, birch 

 and jack-pine were occasionally met with. 



On December the 4th the temperature ran down to 34 

 degrees below zero, but on the following day this record was 

 beaten, and 40 degrees below was registered. In this low 

 temperature we naturally found some difficulty in keeping 

 warm. When the day's tramp was over, and our position 

 taken for the night beside the camp-fire, it was found neces- 

 sary either to slowly revolve or frequently reverse our posi- 

 tion. It was a question of roasting or freezing, or' rather 

 doing both at the same time. While one's face was turned 

 to the fire and enduring a roasting heat, his back was freez- 

 ing, and as the position was reversed the roasting and 

 freezing process was also reversed. Our meals, after being 

 prepared, were served up on the hot pan to keep them warm 

 while eating, but even so they were sometimes frozen to the 

 frying-pan before they could be disposed of. ♦ 



During the afternoon of the 4th and tTie morning of the 

 5th of December we crossed Deer Lake, twenty-seven miles 

 in length, and at either end of the lake found camps of 

 Indians. From one of them we purchased some fine white- 

 fish, which they were catching through the ice. 



By this time our guide Charlie had become pretty badly 

 used up by the march. He was no longer able to hold the 



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