ADVENTURES BY LAND AND SEA. 187 
we were glad to find that the wind had fallen sufficiently 
to allow us to launch. Without delay the canoes were 
loaded and a fair run made. Several sea-ducks were 
shot during the day, and thus supper was secured. 
The next day, again storm-bound by a gale from the 
south-west, the whole party started out to hunt for 
food. We were not altogether unsuccessful, assembling 
in the evening with five marmots (little animals about 
the size of squirrels). 
The following morning, though a strong breeze was 
blowing, we determined to make a start, for to remain 
where we were meant that we must soon starve to 
death. We were already much reduced and weakened 
from the effects of cold and hunger, and the condition 
of the weather had of late been most disheartening. 
Churchill, the nearest habitation of man, was still fully 
three hundred miles distant. We had not one bite of 
food. jhe country was covered with snow, the climate 
piercingly cold. No fuel was to be had, and worst of all, 
the weather was such, the greater part of the time, that 
we were unable to travel. It was difficult to be cheerful 
under such circumstances, but we kept up courage and 
pushed on. 
While we were bending to our paddles, after making 
perhaps seven or eight miles south-westerly along the 
coast, a band of deer was seen upon the shore. Our 
course was quickly altered and a landing effected, 
though with some difficulty, as the tide was falling and 
the water rapidly receding. The men were left to keep 
the canoes afloat while my brother and I, with our 
rifles, went in pursuit of the deer, which were at this 
time much more difficult to hunt than earlier in the 
season, when they run in great herds. The country 
