76 ACKOSS THE SUL-ARCTICS OF CAa Zee 
Into this basin a quart or more of water was poured, and 
into the water the prescribed quantity of baking powder 
was stirred and allowed to effervesce. We now under- 
stood the secret of John’s failures, and gave him in- 
structions on the use of baking powder. After this we 
enjoyed better bread. 
A week had now passed since leaving the end 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 if possible would have to be improved 
on. One day had been lost in discovering the outlet 
from Wolverine Lake, another spent in ascending the 
river, and considerable time had been Beet Ne, on the 
several portages. 
Sunday, the 16th of July, was spent quietly and profit- 
ably 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 opportunity for lake bathing. This 
pleasure was highly prized. After one has been sub- 
jected to the continual lacerations and stings of flies 
and mosquitos, and the liberal application of tar-oil for a 
week or two, a bath is not only a luxury, but a necessity. 
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. 
