CHAPTER XV. 
EEE ee Oske DEB CAME ET? 
AFTER the great five days’ storm, which lasted until 
the 4th of October, the whole country was buried in 
snow, and every possibility of finding even a little moss 
for fuel was excluded. Winter indeed had overtaken 
us. Ice was forming all along the shore of the Bay, 
and it was evident that within a very few days travel 
by canoe must be at an end. 
On the above date, though hght snow continued to 
fall, the wind had gone down sufficiently to admit of 
launching the canoes after a long portage out to meet 
the tide. In spite of the most vigorous exertion, all we © 
were able to make during the day was ten miles, and 
that through a chilling spray which froze upon us and 
encased canoes and men in an armor of ice. We had 
great difficulty in getting ashore at night, having again 
to portage a long distance over the low-tide boulder 
flats. 
On the following morning the water of the Bay was 
out of sight, and it was not until about noon, when the 
tide flowed in, that we were able to float the canoes. 
We were so obstructed by the new ice and a strong 
head-wind, that we were not able to make more than a 
mile or two before being again forced to struggle to the 
