CHAPTER XIX. 
THROUGH THE FOREST AND. HOME AGAIN. 
UPoN arriving at York we were kindly received by 
the officer of the Hudson’s Bay Company, Dr. Milne. 
Our men were given lodgings and rations in one of the 
many vacant houses in the Fort, while my brother and 
I were shown into the Doctor's bachelor quarters and 
allowed to occupy the room of Mr. Mowat, the assistant. 
trader, who was absent at the time. 
The first articles essential to comfort were tubs and 
warm water. With travellers in the north, particularly 
during the winter season, the practice of performing 
daily ablutions is quite unheard of. This is not due to 
neglect, but is rather an enforced custom due to the 
painful effects produced by the application of ice-cold 
water to the skin. During the previous summer and 
autumn my brother and I adhered to the habit of daily 
washing our hands and face, until our skin became so 
cracked and sore that we were forced to discontinue. 
Besides Dr. Milne and an old-time servant, Macpher- 
son, Mr. Mowat, now temporarily absent, was the only 
other white resident in York. He had, only a few 
days before our arrival, been sent off with two Indians. 
as a relief party to look for the Company’s autumn mail, 
which was now more than six weeks overdue. The 
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