OF THE POLAR SEA. 35 



used in changing the position of the hand 

 from the face to the mitten, and vice versd. 

 One of the men was severely afFeeted, the 

 whole side of his face being nearly raw. 

 Towards sunset I suffered so much in my 

 knee and ankle, from a recent sprain, that 

 it was with difficulty I could proceed with 

 snow-snoes to the encampment on the Stony 

 Islands. But in this point I was not sin- 

 gular ; for Beauparlant was almost as bad, 

 and without the same cause. 



" January 1, 1821. — We set out with a 

 quick step, the wind still blowing fresh from 

 the north-west, which seemed in some mea- 

 sure to invigorate the dogs ; for towards 

 sunset they left me considerably behind. 

 Indeed my legs and ankles were now so 

 swelled, that it was excessive pain to drag 

 the snow-shoes after me. At night we 

 halted on the banks of Stony River, when 

 I gave the men a glass of grog, to comme- 

 morate the new year; and the next day, 

 January 2, we arrived at Fort Chipewyan, 

 after a journey of ten days and four hours, 

 the shortest time in which the distance had 

 d % 



