OF THE POLAR SEA. 



29 



added that the provisions would be mouldy 

 and bad, and that from having to walk con- 

 stantly on snow-shoes, I should suffer a 

 great deal of misery and fatigue. Notwith- 

 standing these assertions, on the 23d of 

 December I left the fort, with Beauparlant 

 and a Bois-brule, each having a sledge 

 drawn by dogs, laden with pemmican. We 

 crossed an arm of the lake, and entered the 

 Little Buffalo River, which is connected 

 with the Salt River, and is about fifty yards 

 wide at its junction with the lake — the 

 water is brackish. This route is usually 

 taken in the winter, as it cuts off a large 

 angle in going to the Great Slave River. In 

 the afternoon we passed two empty fishing 

 huts, and in the evening encamped amongst 

 some high pines on the banks of the river, 

 having had several snow-showers during the 

 day, which considerably impeded the dogs, 

 so that we had not proceeded more than 

 fifteen miles. 



" December 24 and 25. — We continued 

 along the river, frequently making small 

 portages to avoid going round the points, 



