206. ACROSS THE SUB-ARCTICS OF CANAD 
dinner and dishes to the tent-door can better be imagined 
than described, and on looking out, sure enough there 
was Jim returning. Was he alone? No, thank the 
Lord! Behind him, a moment later, emerged from the 
woods a number of men, followed by teams of dogs and 
sleds. One after the other there came scampering along 
no less than four teams, hauling long empty sleds 
capable of furnishing accommodation for our whole 
outfit. 
After a hard two days’ tramp, Jim and John had 
reached the Fort, where they had found kind friends 
ready to send us prompt assistance. Dog teams had 
been placed at their disposal, provisions supplied, and 
early on the morning of the same day on which they 
had found us, the train had set out for our relief. With 
light sleds they had travelled at a rapid pace over the 
thirty miles of snowy plains which separated us from 
Churchill. Another day of good travel in the canoes 
would have taken us in, had this been afforded us. 
As the relief party drew up at our camp, Jim ad- 
vanced and handed letters to my brother and myself 
expressing kind wishes and sympathy from Mr. and Mrs. 
Lofthouse, the Church of England missionary and his 
wife at the Fort, whose friendship I had the privilege of 
making on two former visits to Churchill. Along with 
the letters was handed a box, which when opened was 
found to contain the very good things of my brother's 
dream, even to the sweet currant cakes. Staple pro- 
visions were also produced, and it is scarcely necessary 
to say that they were joyfully welcomed. It would be 
impossible to describe our feelings upon this occasion, 
the termination of so many hardships and sufferings. 
