174 ACROSS THE SUB-ARCTICS OF CAWADE. 
mence a new stage of the journey. The rough maps we 
had enabled us to form a fair idea of what lay ahead. 
From our camp to the mouth of Chesterfield Inlet on the 
coast of Hudson Bay measured about 250 miles, and 
thence down the coast of the Bay to Fort Churchill, a 
Hudson’s Bay Company’s post and the nearest habitation 
of white men, measured 500 more; so that 750 miles 
was the least distance we had to figure on travelling 
in canoes before the close of navigation. 
It was now the month of September, and as winter is © 
known to set in in the vicinity of Hudson Bay during 
October, my brother and I felt that our time must be 
employed to the very best advantage. The weather had 
been extremely adverse all summer, but it was now 
hable to be more so. Within the course of two or three 
weeks the equinoctial gales might be expected. The 
tides also would be a new feature of difficulty. 
In consideration of these prospects, and in order to 
stimulate the men to greater exertions, it was thought 
best to explain our position to them, for up to this time 
they had little idea as to where they were, whether in 
the vicinity of the North Pole or within a few days’ 
travel of civilization. The effect produced by thus in- 
forming the canoemen was as desired. They resolved 
as one man to make longer days and put forth greater 
exertion. 
Before daylight on the morning of the 3rd, camp was 
aroused by the sound of many voices, and a few minutes 
later, before we had turned out from our blankets, the 
door of the tent was pulled half open and two or three 
black burly heads with grinning faces were poked in. 
They were those of some of our friends from the Eskimo 
